Ten-Minute Breakfast Tacos

Hey, welcome. Consider following MSV on Twitter and subscribing to the RSS feed, or sign up for email updates right over here.

Okay, full disclosure: the first time you make these breakfast tacos, they might take 12 or 13 minutes. But that's because you're reading the recipe and getting familiar with what to grab from the fridge and pantry. Once you've made them once or twice, it's smooth sailing. You grab your tortillas while the skillet heats, grab the tofu while the tortillas warm, then grab the spinach and slice the avocado while the tofu cooks, and before you know it, a fresh hot breakfast is helping you greet the day in style.

With that out of the way, these guys are seriously easy to love. Fluffy crumbled tofu and a little fresh spinach wilted in a mix of sesame oil and tamari make for a light but flavorful combination. Top it all with ripe avocado slices doused with hot sauce, and that lovely mess is fully ready to be hugged in a warm corn tortilla. As a bonus, it takes only a few minutes longer to feed four as it does one (because the tofu will take longer to brown in a more crowded skillet), so this recipe scales decently.

Perfect and fast enough for breakfast, you may find yourself adding a side salad and a Bloody Mary to make these guys into brunch, or a side salad and cold Pilsner for dinner in a snap. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Ten-Minute Breakfast Tacos

Print the recipe

serves 1

2 six-inch soft corn tortillas

1/3 block firm or extra firm tofu

1/8-1/4 tsp (to taste) fine sea or kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

2 tsp nutritional yeast

1/2 ripe avocado, pitted

1 tsp sesame oil

generous handful fresh baby spinach

1 tsp reduced-sodium tamari

hot sauce, to serve [see note]

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Heat oven on warm setting.

Place tortillas in skillet. Heat for a minute on each side, or until tortillas are pliable and beginning to puff in spots. Transfer tortillas to oven rack to keep warm.

Crumble tofu into hot skillet. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast over top. Let cook, undisturbed, two minutes. Meanwhile, slice avocado half while still in its skin.

Reduce heat to medium-low, toss tofu, and let cook one minute, undisturbed. Toss again and let cook one last minute. Remove tortillas from oven, transfer to serving plate, toss tofu again and spread evenly over tortillas.

Return skillet to heat. Add sesame oil, then spinach. Pour tamari over spinach and cook until wilted down, stirring constantly. Divide between tacos.

Scoop avocado slices from skin with a spoon and divide between tacos. Top with hot sauce and serve at once.

[Note: these benefit from an acidic finish, so if you do not like hot sauce, squeeze a lime wedge over tacos before serving.]

Tempeh Tacos with Warm Corn and Poblano Relish

Hey, welcome. Consider following MSV on Twitter and subscribing to the RSS feed, or sign up for email updates right over here.

Way easy and totally tasty, this taco recipe is going to guide you through the warm months in a snap. First, nudge your veggies (diced poblano for gentle verdant warmth, and corn—fresh or frozen, as you have it—for gentle sweetness) toward tenderness by giving them a quick saute. Then bathe them in lime juice and cilantro to brighten everything up.

Follow that up by browning the tempeh with a dead-simple mix of equal parts tamari and rice vinegar. A little turbinado helps the tempeh get nice and tender and balances out its earthier tones, all without taking the time to steam before cooking. This may become your new go-to way to prepare tempeh fast. The result is a totally fabulous protein that will play well in a variety of dishes. (If you're on the fence about tempeh, give this one a try. And let us know how it goes.)

Before you know it, your tortillas are warm and you're digging in.

Tempeh Tacos with Warm Corn and Poblano Relish

Print the recipe

serves 3-4

8 corn tortillas

3 TBSP olive oil, divided

1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

1 large poblano, trimmed and chopped into small (1/4-inch) dice

2 TBSP lime juice

1 TBSP finely chopped cilantro

pinch fine sea or kosher salt

1 lb tempeh

2 scallions, sliced, divided

3 TBSP reduced-sodium tamari

3 TBSP rice vinegar (unseasoned)

1 TBSP turbinado

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Heat oven to 350. Divide tortillas into two stacks of four. Wrap each stack in foil and place directly on oven rack. Heat 20 minutes.

Heat 1 TBSP oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add corn and diced poblano. Cook until crisp-tender, stirring frequently, about three minutes.

Meanwhile, combine lime juice and cilantro in a small-medium bowl. When the veg is done, add it to the bowl, add a pinch salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining 2 TBSP oil in the same skillet. Carefully crumble tempeh into skillet, aiming for small bite-size crumbles. Add sliced white and firm green portions of scallions to skillet. Stir every minute or so until tempeh begins to brown in spots and turns fragrant, three to five minutes. Meanwhile, transfer sliced tender green portions of scallions to a small bowl and set aside.

Carefully add tamari, vinegar, sugar, paprika, and chipotle to hot skillet. Stir to distribute evenly. Continue to cook a few minutes longer, until the liquid in the skillet evaporates, and the tempeh is heated through and browned in spots. Remove from heat.

When tortillas are ready, assemble tacos, garnished with reserved scallion tops.

Dead Simple Chipotle Black Bean-Tempeh Tacos with Fresh Strawberry Salsa

Hey, welcome. Consider following MSV on Twitter and subscribing to the RSS feed, or sign up for email updates right over here.

These half comforting and spicy, half crisp and fresh tacos are a great solution for any old day when you don't want to spend too much effort on cooking, but still feel like taking a minute to run your knife through something fresh and fragrant (hi, cilantro).

The title pretty much lays it all out here. You got your handy can of earthy black beans, your block of nutty tempeh, and you'll throw those into a pan with a good dose of chipotles en adobo—for maximum flavor with maximum convenience—and some garlic cloves. Load that into warm, soft corn tortillas and finish them off with what is essentially a pico de gallo with the tomatoes replaced with spring strawberries and the jalapeno omitted, since you already have plenty of that in your base. Dinner is served.

Dead Simple Chipotle Black Bean-Tempeh Tacos with Fresh Strawberry Salsa

Print the recipe

yields 6-8 tacos

1/4 cup finely diced white onion (from about half of one small onion)

juice of 1 lime

2 TBSP olive oil

8 oz tempeh

1 15-oz can black beans

2 chipotles en adobo, plus 1 additional TBSP adobo sauce

3 cloves garlic, crushed

8 oz fresh strawberries

1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro

fine sea or kosher salt

to serve, 6-8 warm corn tortillas

In a bowl large enough to hold the fresh salsa, combine diced onion and lime juice. Set aside to let the onion mellow while you prepare the filling.

Drain and rinse black beans in a sieve. Set aside to let drain thoroughly.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is just warm enough to sizzle mildly when a piece of tempeh is added to it (not too hot), carefully crumble the tempeh finely with your hands into the pan. Let cook about five minutes, tossing only every couple of minutes to let the tempeh brown. Meanwhile, seed and finely chop chipotles en adobo.

Add crushed garlic cloves and chipotles to the pan. Cook another two-three minutes, tossing only every minute, until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add adobo sauce and drained beans. Let cook until hot, stirring frequently—this should only take a couple of minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

While you warm the tortillas, trim strawberries and chop into half-inch chunks. Chop cilantro. Add both to the onions and lime along with a generous pinch of salt. Stir well.

To assemble, discard garlic cloves before dividing black beans and tempeh among tortillas, then top with strawberry salsa. Serve immediately.

Sweet Tea-Marinated Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu Tortilla Stack (or Taco)

Hey, welcome. Consider following us on Twitter and subscribing to our RSS feed, or sign up for email updates right over here.

Sweet, tender, golden slices of tofu, creamy chunks of avocado, and a tart relish made from brilliant carrots and perky poblano: just add tortillas (preferably fresh), and dig in.

There are a few steps here, mostly due to pressing the tofu, then marinating the tofu, and of course, making the tortillas. Nothing's difficult (and the firmer your tofu, the easier it is to throw together), but it all takes time, so save this one for a day you're in the mood to cook, or when you have a friend on hand to sip wine with you to pass the time effortlessly. In a pinch, use store-bought tortillas.

Finally, these make great little stacks with the thicker tortillas that come out of the MSV kitchen but you could easily wrap this into a taco with commercial tortillas. Or if you're feeling froggy, make sopes, and spread on a generous layer of refried beans before putting down the tofu for a dinner dreams are made of.

Sweet Tea-Marinated Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu Tortilla Stack (or Taco)

Print the recipe

yields 8 stacks/tacos

For the tofu:

14 oz extra or super firm tofu, drained

1 1/2 cups water

1 family-size black tea bag

1/4 cup natural cane sugar (evaporated cane juice)

pinch salt

juice of half a lime

1/2 cup cornmeal

3/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

For the slaw:

1 large poblano

1 very large or 2 small carrots (about 4 oz total weight)

juice of half a lime

1 TBSP olive oil

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

pinch salt

To serve:

8 corn tortillas

flesh of 1 avocado, sliced into eighths

hot sauce (optional)

Wrap the tofu in a folded, clean (non-terry) kitchen towel and place a heavy object on top. Let press 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make tortillas or heat prepared tortillas, if using. Hold in a warm oven.

When tofu is almost done pressing, heat 1 1/2 cups water and place tea bag in a wide, shallow, heatproof dish. Pour hot water over bag and let steep 3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice tofu into 8 rectangles. Remove tea bag, and add sugar, salt, and lime. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add tofu in a single layer and let marinate 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred/julienne the carrot and poblano (feel free to use a julienne or vegetable peeler, or a good knife if you're comfortable with one). Whisk together lime, oil, cumin, coriander, and pinch salt. Pour over vegetables and toss well. It will be quite tart, but will mellow a bit as it sits.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Whisk together cornmeal, salt, and a crack of black pepper. When cooking surface is hot, gently remove a slice of tofu from the marinade, let excess drip off, dredge in cornmeal, and cook about 4 minutes on each side, until crisp and browned in spots. Repeat with all slices, working in batches (in a large skillet, four slices should fit comfortably at one time).

Give the slaw one last toss and drain off excess dressing. To serve as stacks, layer tortilla, tofu, and avocado, then top with slaw. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Mixed Potato and Tofu Tacos with Cherry-Ginger Compote

Hey, welcome. Consider following us on Twitter and subscribing to our RSS feed, or sign up for email updates from the Home Page.

These aren't the fastest tacos in the world, but they're easy to make, totally satisfying, and would make a great addition to any brunch table. Buttery gold potatoes, sunny sweet potatoes, and chewy bites of tofu all get gently seasoned and roasted until tender, then tucked into warm corn tortillas.

The compote is a breeze to make, especially if you go with frozen cherries that have already been pitted. Just a little grating, and the stove does the work. It adds a beautiful fruity burst to these tacos or anything else you might have lying around the kitchen.

If you'd rather take these in more savory (and minimal) direction, skip the compote and grab a bottle of hot sauce. Dinner is served. Likewise, leftovers can be sauteed with a bunch of lamb's quarters (or spinach) and served with hot sauce for a killer breakfast hash fast enough for a weekday morning. Frankly, it's worth making just for that.

Mixed Potato and Tofu Tacos with Cherry-Ginger Compote

Print the recipe

yields about 1 dozen tacos

14 oz extra-firm tofu, drained

1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 2 very large)

1 lb sweet potato (about 1 very large)

3 TBSP olive oil

1/2 tsp chipotle powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp rubbed sage

salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 lb pitted cherries, frozen or fresh

1/2-inch piece ginger, grated

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp reduced-sodium tamari

soft corn tortillas, to serve

Turn the drained block of tofu on its long narrow side and slice it in half lengthwise. Place the rectangles side-by-side, wrapped in two layers of clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth), and place a dutch oven or other heavy, stable object (that can get a bit wet) on top. Set aside.

Heat oven to 400.

Meanwhile, chop both types of potato into 3/4-inch dice, then remove tofu and dice. Place potatoes, oil, chipotle powder, cumin, coriander, sage, salt (about 1/2 tsp, or to taste), and pepper to a roasting pan and toss thoroughly with your hands. Add tofu and toss gently with your hands to incorporate and coat well. Roast, tossing every 20 minutes, until tender and just beginning to brown, 70-80 minutes.

While the potatoes roast, combine the cherries, ginger, applesauce, and tamari in a small pot over medium heat. When it boils, reduce the heat a bit and let bubble until the cherries have broken down and the mixture is thickened, but still a bit saucy, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and warm tortillas for 1 minute on each side. Serve immediately.

Beachside Corn-Potato-Roasted Poblano Tacos

Hey, welcome. Consider following us on Twitter and subscribing to our RSS feed, or sign up for email updates from the Home Page.

If you're ready for sunshine and picnics but still experiencing the occasional snow-in-April event, come sit by us. Take two classic beach-boil foods--sweet corn and fluffy potatoes-- from the freezer and combine them with roasted poblanos and Old Bay seasoning to make one killer taco (or three). These tacos may remind you of the shore, but whip up nicely in any chilly spring kitchen.

With the corn and potatoes soaking up a bit of buttery coconut milk, the taco filling is a real charmer, but don't skip the garnishes, which is what brings the freshness that balances the starch. We had intended to use chives in place of the red onion, but had to make do, so feel free to make that swap. And if you're a cilantro hater, try parsley or even finely shredded romaine. But whatever you do, don't skip the squeeze of lime. Cold pilsner optional, but highly recommended.

A note on the potatoes: we use frozen hash browns for convenience, but not for the crispy surface area. Instead, simply baking them leaves them tender and fluffy, and the fine texture means they break down just a bit during mixing and provide a touch of binding. If you want to cook your potatoes from scratch, try baking and cooling (even chilling) the potatoes, then grating them.

Beachside Corn-Potato-Roasted Poblano Tacos

Print the recipe

yields 8 tacos

2 large poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and halved lengthwise

16 oz frozen hash browns (look for a brand that contains nothing but potatoes)

generous pinch salt

1 TBSP olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz frozen (or fresh) corn kernels

2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper, to taste

2/3 cup full-fat canned coconut milk

8 six-inch soft corn tortillas, warmed

chopped chives (or thinly sliced red onion), for garnish

chopped cilantro, for garnish

lime wedges, for garnish

Heat oven broiler and place poblanos, cut-side down, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place on a rack five to six inches from heat source and cook until blistered and black over most of the surface, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully gather the foil ends and wrap into a closed package. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment, spread the hash browns out evenly, sprinkle with salt, and bake until fluffy and beginning to brown at the edges of the pan, 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil gently over medium heat in a large pan and saute garlic, being careful not to burn. After two minutes, add corn, Old Bay, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for three minutes, reducing heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Add coconut milk and stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to low, and hold until the potatoes are ready.

Meanwhile, unwrap the peppers, make sure they're cool enough to handle, and carefully remove the skins (by this time, they should come away easily). Cut each half in half lengthwise to get a total of 8 strips.

Stir the cooked potatoes into the corn mixture and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

To assemble, place a poblano strip in the bottom of a tortilla, top generously with potato-corn mix, sprinkle on chives and cilantro, and top it all with a light squeeze of lime.

Slow-Cooker Pinto Bean Mole Tacos with Fresh Cucumber Relish

Hey, welcome. Consider following us on Twitter and subscribing to our RSS feed, or sign up for email updates from the Home Page.

While there's no doubt the slow cooker is a versatile tool, it's most obvious to make it work for you on dishes that really benefit from, or even require, long cooking over low heat. Like this high-yield, complex, seriously hearty dish of pinto beans in a thick mole sauce. Tomatoes, peppers, raisins, almonds, and chocolate make for one deeply seductive, rich pool in which to cook tender, meaty pinto beans. And what better way to finish them off than by stuffing them into fresh tortillas? Because the beans are so substantial, we topped them with a beautifully cool--and above all, fresh--cucumber relish to provide a refreshing, crisp shot of green against all that red. The relish flavors mingle while you make the tortillas, and that's what we call good eating.

And easy eating. Soak your beans overnight, and, as long as you have a food processor or blender to do the pureeing, get out of bed only 15 minutes early to put together one rewarding dinner.

Or dinners, plural, really. Note that this recipe makes a ton of beans, enough for a couple dozen tacos with leftovers. Consider this a recipe for a crowd or something to feed you and yours all week (to ten days), or try freezing half for convenience. If you don't plan to hold some beans back, double (or triple) the relish recipe.

And if you still haven't, do give fresh tortillas a try. The standard MSV recipe is the recipe from Viva Vegan! using Maseca brand masa harina. Just mix 1 1/2 cups masa with 1/2 tsp salt and add 1 1/4 cups water. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon, then knead it with your hands for a couple of minutes, until it smooths out. That's it. Form into 12 balls, press them in a tortilla press (or roll them out between wax paper) and grill them on a dry griddle for a minute or two on each side, depending on how thick your tortillas are. And do buy Viva Vegan! It's a really nice book.

Slow-Cooker Pinto Bean Mole Tacos with Fresh Cucumber Relish

Print the recipe

sauce adapted from Everyday Food

For the beans:

1 lb dried pinto beans

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 ancho peppers, stemmed, seeded, and torn into strips

1 large chipotle in adobo

1/2 cup almonds, toasted (pre-sliced almonds will make a smoother puree)

1/4 cup raisins

3 oz dark chocolate, chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 TBSP olive oil

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups water

fine sea or kosher salt, to taste

For the relish:

yields about 2 cups

1/4 cup packed cilantro, chopped finely

2 scallions, white and tender green bits, very thinly sliced

1/2 medium jalapeno, very thinly sliced

1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt, or to taste

juice of half a lime

1 medium-large cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch thick, 1 1/2-inch long baton

To assemble:

Fresh soft corn tortillas (see note above recipe head) or store-bought soft corn tortillas, warmed in a stack in the oven

To make the beans, add the dried beans to a large slow cooker and pour in enough water to cover by a few inches. Cover with a towel and let soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans, then return them to the slow cooker and set aside. In a food processor, combine the sauce ingredients from tomatoes through cinnamon. Process until smooth, a couple of minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to the slow cooker, add the 2 cups water, and stir well.

Cook on low for 10 hours. At 8 hours, the sauce will still be a bit too thin, so plan to let them cook for the entire 10 hours to thicken appropriately and for the beans to tenderize thoroughly. At 9 1/2 hours, check the beans to make sure they're tender, then add salt to taste. Replace the cover and set aside while you prepare the relish.

Stir together the cilantro, scallions, jalapeno, salt, and lime juice. Add the cucumber and toss gently until thoroughly combined. Adjust salt, if needed, and let sit until mellowed a bit, about 20 minutes, while you make tortillas. Assemble and serve the tacos as soon as the tortillas are ready.

Pepita-Crusted Avocado Tacos with a Fresh Radish Relish

One of the finest tacos we've ever eaten was an avocado tempura taco at a casual restaurant two blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. We'd love to have it on demand, but if there's one thing the MSV kitchen doesn't tolerate well, it's deep frying. We pretty much refuse to do it, and this little pepita-crusted avocado taco (which we prepared on the humble, but totally useful, electric countertop grill) leaves us feeling entirely vindicated.

The secret here, as with every avocado dish, is using the avocados at the right stage of ripeness: dark exterior, firm but not hard, yielding gently when pressed. Once that's achieved, get ready for a big reward in the form of perfect little tacos stuffed with plump, creamy avocado slices rolled in nutty, seasoned ground pepitas toasted to produce a stunningly aromatic golden crust. Top it off with a potent trio of cilantro, red onion, and spicy radishes (we used a particularly bold variety of black (exterior only) radishes found at the MSFM) left to mellow in lime juice. It's not the sort of blend you pile onto a tortilla chip on its own, but it balances the considerable richness of the avocado and pumpkin seeds and brightens up the whole taco beautifully. The lime juice really does mellow the flavors, but if you're sensitive to spice, try substituting a mild vegetable such as cucumber or jicama for the radishes.

Pepita-Crusted Avocado Tacos with a Fresh Radish Relish

Print the recipe 

makes about 1 1/2 dozen tacos  [see Note]

For the relish: 

half a medium red onion (3 oz), trimmed and very thinly sliced

2 large spicy radishes (4 oz total weight without greens), peeled and grated

1 small bunch cilantro (1/4 cup tightly packed), chopped

1/8 tsp fine sea (or kosher) salt

juice of 1 large lime (about 2 1/2 TBSP) 

For the crusted avocados:

3/4 cup raw, unsalted pepitas

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp pimenton (smoked paprika)

1/2 tsp fine sea (or kosher) salt

3 ripe avocados, pitted

1/4 cup chickpea flour

1 TBSP cornmeal

1/3 cup water

To serve: 

corn tortillas, freshly made, if possible

To make the relish, stir together all ingredients in a medium serving bowl. Cover with a towel, set aside, and let marinate for at least 1 hour.

If making fresh tortillas, prepare and cook them now before proceeding with the avocado, or heat your store-bought tortillas on a griddle. Keep them warm, covered, in a low oven.

For the avocados, heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the pepitas. Toast, tossing frequently, until the seeds pop and begin to turn golden, a few minutes. Transfer the seeds to a plate and let cool.

Once cooled, transfer the seeds to a coffee grinder or food processor and grind well, but not to a powder.  Transfer to a pie plate and whisk in the cumin, pimenton, and salt.

Halve and pit the avocados. Cut each half lengthwise into four slices and scoop out the sliced flesh with a spoon.

Heat a countertop electric grill (alternately, heat a griddle on the stove or an outdoor grill). While it heats, whisk together the chickpea flour, cornmeal, and water. When the grill is ready, dip an avocado slice into the wet mixture, press into the ground pepitas on both sides, and place on the hot grill. Repeat with as many slices as you can fit on the grill--unless your grill is very large, you'll need to cook these in a couple of batches--before closing the lid. Cook until very fragrant and golden brown, 4-5 minutes (if using a griddle, cook one side, then flip to sear the other side).

[A note on yield: Our homemade tortillas are made with a wood press that makes thicker tortillas about five inches in diameter, whereas store-bought tortillas are six inches. Our five-inch tortillas mostly fit one avocado slice snugly, but occasionally two for smaller end pieces. Six-inch tortillas may hold more avocado slices each, resulting in a lower taco count.]

Party Animals No. 13: Ancho Chickpea-Tempeh Tamales (or Tacos) with Cilantro Crema

If it weren't for the fact that tamales are wonderfully versatile, and that we're big fans of variety, we could easily call this The Only Tamale Filling You'll Ever Need. The sauce not only has great depth from a combination of bitter anchos, robust coffee, and a touch of sweet mango, but the slow cooker takes care of babysitting the cooking process. And that's before you even get to the ground chickpea-tempeh mix, which gives seriously great texture, and takes about one minute of active time to prepare. And you don't even have to touch a knife. Make your tamale dough (or tortillas) while the tempeh steams, and you're ready to begin assembly in no time.

Note: The filling recipe is a big one. It makes enough for 20-24 tamales, plus a dozen tacos, which can be very handy. Eat tamales one night, freeze the leftovers to eat over the next few weeks, and you still have filling for a taco night that weekend. If you only want to make one or the other, simply halve the filling recipe. 

Ancho Chickpea-Tempeh Tamale (or Taco) Filling with Cilantro Crema

Print the recipe 

yields enough for 40-48 tamales or 24 tacos

For the Ancho Chickpea-Tempeh filling: 

1 1/2 cups water

4 anchos (about 2 oz), trimmed, seeded, and torn into strips

1 large yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

1 TBSP natural cane sugar

1 TBSP vegetable oil

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup frozen diced mango

1 TBSP ground coffee

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 8-oz block tempeh

1 15-oz can chickpeas

1/4 teaspoon fine sea (or kosher) salt

Heat the 1 1/2 cups water in a kettle on the stove (if you use a press to make coffee--if you use a drip maker, brew one cup of coffee in your machine and heat only 1/2 cup water in a small sauce pan). While it heats, place the ancho strips in a bowl with enough warm water to cover and let soak.

Meanwhile, roughly slice the onion and add it to your slow cooker. Peel and halve the cloves of garlic, and add them to the cooker with the sugar, oil, lime juice, oregano, and mango. By now, your heating water should be hot (but not boiling--if it begins to boil while you're working, remove it from heat and proceed). Pour one cup into your press with the ground coffee, and pour the other half cup into a small sauce pan with the bouillon cube. Heat and stir until dissolved, then add it to the slow cooker along with the ancho strips once you've drained them (the soaking water will be bitter--discard it). When the coffee is ready, pour it into the slow cooker, give everything a quick stir to distribute, and cook on low for 8 hours. When ready to proceed, turn off the heat, and cock the lid to let some heat escape.

Meanwhile, steam the block of tempeh for 20 minutes. While it steams, drain and rinse the chickpeas and transfer them to a food processor.

Carefully puree the hot ancho sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. Return the lid. 

When the tempeh is ready, carefully transfer it to the food processor and add the 1/4 tsp salt. Process until the mixture is ground to your liking (we like a fairly fine grind--you shouldn't be able to identify large chickpea chunks, basically) and carefully stir it into the ancho sauce. 

For the Cilantro Crema: 

1 can navy beans, drained, but not rinsed

1 small clove garlic

1 bunch cilantro (large handful) 

1/4 cup vegetable oil (we like safflower for this) 

juice of 1 lime

1/4 tsp fine sea (or kosher) salt

Puree all ingredients until creamy and very smooth. 

To serve: 

1 recipe tamale dough from Veganomicon 

8 oz corn husks, soaked in warm water for about 30 minutes (we get ours at El Girasol in Bearden)

1 recipe fresh tortillas 

To assemble the tamales, lay a corn husk in landscape orientation in front of you. Scoop about 3 TBSP of dough and flatten it into a large circle on the husk. Place 1 TBSP of filling in the middle of the dough, pull in the top and bottom to cover the filling completely, pull in the small ends as best you can (the loose filling will make this more difficult than with some other fillings) and roll it up in the husk, making sure the husk encases it completely and no dough is left exposed. Tie each end with pieces of husk and repeat until you've used all the dough. Steam for 35 minutes and serve with the cilantro crema.

A note about assembly: Because the filling is so saucy, it doesn't make for the neatest tamale assembly we've ever undertaken. But it does work, and we were beyond thrilled with the final result. If you're brand new to tamale making, or if you simply don't want to spend the effort (even though we believe the reward is more than worth it), rest assured that these make great tacos, too. Alternately, try filling the tamales with only the naked ground chickpea-tempeh mix for easy assembly, and spoon the ancho sauce generously over the cooked, unwrapped tamales at the table.

Potatoes in Pipian Rojo Tacos with Three-Pepper Relish

These destroy every last winter blah. We roasted creamy Yukon gold potatoes and smothered them with a silky red sauce made rich by the addition of toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds. On top, a fresh green relish is the perfect complement to brighten up the dish and cut some of the richness. Because the sauce is done in two stages, we admit the recipe seems a little fussy, but it's not difficult. And it's totally worth it. And with fresh tortillas, totally good enough to serve when entertaining casually.

Potatoes in Pipian Rojo (for Tacos) with Three-Pepper Relish

Print the recipes

makes about 2 dozen tacos

For the potatoes in pipian rojo

2 lbs potatoes (we used Yukon gold), cut into 1-inch dice

3 TBSP vegetable oil (we used peanut), divided

5 cups water

2 vegetable bouillon cubes (no salt added, or low sodium)

1/3 cup sesame seeds

2/3 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1 onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, halved

3 dried ancho chiles, seeded and roughly chopped/torn (we last got ours at La Esperanza at Washington Pike and Whittle Springs Rd and were pleased with the freshness)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp salt

For the three-pepper relish

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1 medium poblano pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1 medium-large jalapeno, seeded (as desired) and roughly chopped

1 sun-dried tomato in oil

generous 1/4 tsp salt

juice of half a lime

To serve

tortillas

Preheat the oven to 450 while you chop your potatoes.

In a roasting pan, toss the diced potatoes with 2 TBSP of the oil and cook, stirring every 20 minutes, until golden and browned on the edges, about 45-55 minutes. When finished, set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 5 cups water in a medium sauce pan with the bouillon cubes. Once dissolved, turn the heat off, but cover loosely to keep the broth warm.

While the cubes soften, in a dry skillet or two-burner griddle, toast the sesame seeds and pepitas, tossing frequently and being careful not to burn them. (We used the double-burner griddle, and put the seeds on separate ends so that we could toast them both simultaneously, but pull one end off a burner when they were finished. If you don't have a griddle, you can simply toast the seeds in two batches. Toast the sesame seeds until fragrant and a bit darkened, then the pepitas until they pop and begin to turn golden.) Set aside.

In large pot, heat the remaining 1 TBSP of oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and garlic until the onions soften and just begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ancho pieces, and stir to coat with the oil for about a minute. Add oregano, cumin, paprika, and salt, plus 4 ladles of broth (about 2 cups), then reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the pot simmers, grind the toasted seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor (a coffee grinder will result in a smoother final sauce) and set aside. Make the relish by placing all ingredients in a chopper or food processor until finely chopped. Adjust the salt and lime juice, if necessary.

Carefully puree the hot onion-chile mixture in a separate container, then pour it through a mesh strainer back into the pot, pushing it through with the back of a large spoon. The resulting sauce will be incredibly silky. Return the sauce to medium heat, and add the ground seeds and the remaining broth. Simmer until thickened, another 10-15 minutes.

To serve: Pour the sauce over the roasted potatoes and stir well. Some of the potatoes will mash a bit during this process, and that's okay. Good, actually. Keep the potatoes warm in a low oven (no higher than 200) while you prepare your tortillas so the mixture can continue to thicken [see Note]. Assemble tacos immediately and top with the three-pepper relish.

[Note: Fresh tortillas are always recommended (that's a variation on the recipe we make from Viva Vegan!). Tacos are good, but they become seriously great when you take the extra time to make a batch of tortillas right before digging in. But here's the important part: The thicker sauce that results from sitting in the low oven for the additional 15-20 minutes it takes to make the tortillas is a filling much more fitting for a handheld foodstuff. Without thickening, the sauce would probably be too messy for tacos.

Even if you're using packaged tortillas, you can still make this happen. Just put the filling in the oven while you warm the tortillas in a skillet or griddle on the stove top. (If you don't want to make your own tortillas, at least warm the ones you buy. It makes a difference, especially in texture and pliability.) 

Or, finally, skip all that and simply serve the potatoes in their saucier form over rice or polenta, or with warm tortillas on the side for scooping and dipping. We're flexible. But we really loved these as tacos.]