Mexican fajita bowl with corn salsa

Mexican food has to be my most favourite cuisine and is inherently plant-based. I love the flavours of the lime juice, cilantro and chilli powder. It reminds me of my time in Kampala, Uganda where I was born. It’s funny how similar food is, around the world and yet so different. Enjoy this amazing refreshing dish through the summer with your friends and family at home or at a picnic gathering.

• Serves 4

• Prep time 15 minutes

• Cook time 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Black beans mixture:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 small yellow onion diced

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

• 3 cups cooked black turtle beans

• 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Corn salsa:

• 2 cups cooked corn kernels

• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

• ½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 to 2 medium jalapeños, finely chopped

• juice of one lime

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• ¼ tsp Mexican chili powder

• ¼ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp Himalayan salt
  

Guacamole:

• 3 avocados, ripe

• 1/2 small onion, finely diced

• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced

• 1/2 tsp cumin ground

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

Fajita veggies:

• 3 multi-colored peppers, stemmed and sliced into strips

• 1 red onion, sliced into wedges

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• ½ teaspoon Mexican chili powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin ground

• ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

• Splash of balsamic vinegar

• 2 limes, sliced into wedges

• Freshly ground black pepper

Serve with:

• White rice ( I used Indian basmati rice- you can use any rice of your choice)

• Tortilla chips

Directions:

1. For bean mixture, saute onions till golden brown and add cooked beans and spices and cilantro and cook till beans are coated with spices.

2. For corn salsa, mix all the ingredients till corn is covered with spices and lime juice.

3. For the guacamole, mash the avocados in a bowl and add all the ingredients and mash with a fork ( If you like it smoother, you can blend the avocados and then add the other ingredients)

4. For the veggies, heat oil and stir fry the onions, peppers, and add all the spices, garlic and vinegar and remove right away not to get them too soggy. I like them a little crunchy.

5. Arrange bowl with rice, beans, guacamole, fajita vegetables and garnish with lime slices

Teriyaki tofu bowl

This amazing dinner can be made easily on a weeknight and smothered in your own home made teriyaki sauce. Serve with either jasmine rice or your favourite noodles and vegetables. I like to make my teriyaki sauce a little spicy with some sriracha sauce on top!!

• Serves 4

• Prep time 15 minutes

• Cook time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce

5 tbsp coconut sugar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp garlic minced dried
1 inch fresh ginger minced
1 cup water

2 tbsp corn starch mixed with water

Stir Fry Ingredients 

2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cups of tofu cubed ( I used puffed)
1 sliced fine red pepper
10 baby corn
1 red onion sliced fine
1 carrot sliced fine
1 green onion chopped and a few bean sprouts
2-3 Baby bok choi

Serve with 

Rice or noodles ( I used eggless noodles)
Sprinkle with black sesame seeds
Handful your favourite nuts (I used cashew nuts)

Directions

Add all the sauce ingredients (accept the corn starch mixture) to a saucepan.

1. Place the saucepan over a low heat to cook ingredients for 5-6 minutes.

2. Meanwhile chop your vegetables.

3. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce mix, let the sauce cook until it thickens to a glaze like consistency.

4. Pre heat a wok or large saucepan over a high heat and add the oil.

5. When the pan is hot add the tofu followed by a couple spoonfuls of the sauce. Glaze the tofu for a minute or so before adding the stir fry vegetables.

6. Wok fry the mixture for 3-4 minutes before adding enough sauce to nicely coat all the vegetables.

7. Once the vegetables are cooked and nicely glazed, serve the stir fry with cooked noodles or rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds and cashew nuts.

Aubergine and tofu satay

This amazing Indonesian dish with so many flavours will have you coming back for more. You really don’t miss the original marinated skewers of meat or chicken here as the eggplant and tofu seems to absorb the flavours of the peanut butter, miso and coconut milk. You can add your own vegetable garnish and be creative with all the vegetables out there or just do what I did.

Enjoy this amazing Southeast Asian dish which is also enjoyed in Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

• Serves 4 people

• Prep time 15 minutes

• Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g tofu puffed

• 5 baby aubergines

• 1 red pepper, chopped

• 1/2 red onion, chopped fine

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced

• 1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1/2 tablespoon miso paste

• 240ml coconut milk

• 2 tablespoons tamari

• 2 tablespoons dried chilli flakes

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 baby bok choi

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 tablespoons tamari

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon miso paste

Caramelized peanuts

• 3 tablespoons organic cane sugar

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 cup blanched peanuts, raw

Vegetables and garnish

• 1 handful pea shoots

• 4 leaves mint

• 4 leaves thai basil

• 1 handful sugar snaps

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

• 1 carrot, cut into ribbons

• 2 spring onion, thinly sliced (to serve)

Serve with

• 1 cup cooked jasmine rice

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Split the aubergines down the middle lengthways and score. Place them on a baking tray flesh side up.

3. Mix together the glaze ingredients then brush the glaze over the aubergines

4. Place them in the oven for 10 minutes

5. Meanwhile, place a wok over a high heat. Add a touch of sesame oil. Followed by the onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper.

6. Once softened, add the puffed tofu.

7. After 3 minutes of cooking, deglaze the pan with the coconut milk, then add the miso, peanut butter, tamari and maple syrup. Mix well.

8. Remove the aubergines from the oven then add them to the wok, followed by the chilli flakes, lime juice and baby bok choi

9. Allow the satay to cook for 3 minutes.

10. Meanwhile pre-heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

11. Add the sugar and water to the pan and let it gently turn into a golden caramel.

12. Once golden toss in the blanched raw peanuts. Once all the peanuts are coated, remove from the pan carefully.

13. Remove the wok from the heat. Serve the satay with jasmine rice, vegetables, caramelized peanuts and sesame seeds.