The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Oyster Mushroom & Edamame Tacos

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Pandemic life has caused a lot of us to pick up new hobbies – whether it’s sourdough or zoom ballroom. While my day job keeps me pretty busy (hence the less frequent blog posts), one pandemic activity my husband and I have turned to time and again is taco making. As a result, we’re now complete tortilla snobs – casually making our own tortillas whenever the mood strikes. And the mood strikes often – because my husband is taco OBSESSED.

I’m beginning to share this obsession. There’s something uniquely satisfying about biting into a soft, hot tortilla filled to the brim with whatever savory goodness the day calls for. And you can really put anything in a taco. I’ve used Indian-inspired spiced potatoes topped with grated cheddar and sour cream, leftover tofu scramble with cilantro and fresh tomatoes, simple scrambled eggs with goat cheese and scallions – and of course, one of my favorites – these brussels sprouts tacos with spicy crema and feta. However, I recently came up with a new combo that might just be my new favorite: oyster mushrooms and edamame.

Similar to the brussels sprouts tacos mentioned above, these tacos have very few ingredients but the secret is in the way you cook them. You’ll use a large skillet so that everything browns and develops incredible flavor compounds, resulting in a filling  so good that it’s VERY difficult not to eat it all up before it’s in your tortillas. If you choose to leave these vegan, you won’t miss the cheese. That said, though not imperative, I *do* think a fried egg and a very light sprinkling of feta add to the magic.

If you’re looking for a special something on Valentine’s Day, I highly recommend giving these tacos a try. They are sumptuous and meaty, and super cute to boot! They would be perfect as part of a romantic, small plates style meal (one of my preferred ways to eat!) as they make just enough for one or two servings. Plus, according to the internet, mushrooms are an aphrodisiac, making these tacos even more Valentine’s Day appropriate. (Of course, soy doesn’t exactly fit into the aphrodisiac camp, but we’ll just overlook that tiny detail.) Also – if you’ve never made tortillas before – that’s either a great labor of love you can undertake yourself or a super fun activity to try with your special someone(s).

A few notes about making tortillas:

-There are a million tortilla making recipes. We just use the one on the back of the Organic Masa flour package from Bob’s Red Mill. BUT…we don’t let it sit for an hour, as they suggest. Just knead it until it seems like a good consistency and get pressing already!

-When we were researching tortilla making best practices, we came across a tip for fluffy tortillas: heat your skillet, add a tortilla, and let it sit for just 10 seconds or so. Flip it, cook until the second side is done, and then flip it back onto the first side to finish cooking. I’m pretty sure we got that tip from this page, which also has fantastically detailed instructions that tell you everything you ever wanted to know about tortilla making.

-I don’t mean to imply that you have to make your own tortillas! You can absolutely use store-bought corn tortillas for these tacos and they will be DELICIOUS! Seriously, you don’t even have to put the filling in a taco if you don’t want to – it’s SOOO yummy!

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Brussels Sprouts Tacos

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This is one of those recipes where the ingredients are surprisingly simple – there’s no magic spice mix, exotic herbs, special vinegars, or complex sauce. But the flavors and textures are unreal. So what’s the secret?  I’d say it’s probably the cooking method for the brussels sprouts, which actually happens to be easier than most – no blanching – but which yields an EXTREMELY flavorful result. You’ll be shocked that the only added seasonings are sea salt and chives! Of course, once you have your flavor-packed, browned, crispy brussels, it doesn’t hurt to pile them on top of a corn tortilla, add some toasted pumpkin seeds, a simple crema, a light sprinkle of feta, and a squeeze of lime. The flavors jive so well you’ll want to eat these every day.

I actually created this recipe way back in January, but thought it would be a perfect Cinco de Mayo post. (Yay for planning ahead!) What I didn’t count on, however, was that every time I came across these photos sitting in my Google Drive, I’d want to eat these tacos immediately. So be warned: they are addictive!

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Plantain “Nachos” with Jalapeño Crema

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Do nachos have to contain chips? I’m of the opinion that they don’t. Because when oven-fried sweet plantains are covered with beans, feta, and cilantro and then drizzled with jalapeño crema, it sure feels like I’m eating a hefty plate of delectable nachos. Except that my teeth actually have something to sink into – that meaty, sweet plantain – instead of just crunching through dry chips. And also I need a fork.

But if you fall in the “Hardline Traditionalist” category of this sandwich chart, I’m guessing you are also a hardline traditionalist when it comes to nachos. In that case, just think of these as loaded plantains.

Whatever you choose to call it, this dish is really quite delicious and would make the perfect Cinco de Mayo grub. The aforementioned toppings are just suggested – you can top your oven-fried plantains with whatever fixings your heart desires – but I do advise that you drizzle the final product with some jalapeño crema (recipe included). It’s tangy and spicy, making it the perfect compliment to those sweet plantains.

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Christmas Tamales

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Everything is bigger in Texas. The restaurants, houses, highways, cars…even the tamales. Well, when there’s a tamale novice making them, that is! (Yes, I’m referring to myself.) While not a novice tamale lover or eater, I definitely struggle with the spreading, folding, and proportioning side of things, which led to some laughably gigantic tamales that definitely weren’t Texas appropriate. (If my mother in law’s smoothly spread, nicely proportioned tamales are any indication, they’re expert tamale makers down here.) By the way, hers are the ones pictured. I had to move mine out of the way when taking photos!

This is also her family recipe, which she shared with us last year when our Christmas tamale making tradition started. I had every intention of writing a post about them then, but never got around to it. So this year, I’m making sure to share the tamale love. Fair warning, the recipe doesn’t have any measurements – it’s a “do by feel” kind of process which is actually much more my speed. (I never measure when I’m not creating or testing blog recipes!) That said, I think it’s pretty forgiving and easy to follow, if fairly time consuming. Making tamales is a multi-hour process that is best done with friends, family, or both. In addition to yielding deliciousness, it’s quite fun!

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Creamy Cilantro Dressing

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I was fairly shocked to see cilantro at the greenmarket last week – I mean, it’s almost November, for cripes sake! Yet buy a bunch I did, with zero regrets. I love having fresh herbs in the house because they always give dinner a lift – you’re only a quick blend away from a lovely dressing, dripping sauce, or drizzling sauce that will always take your meal to the next level.

This creamy dressing is one of those easy meal lifters. It, like most of my sauce recipes, is also quite versatile. You can use it to dress a salad or grain bowl, drizzled over a protein, or all over your quesadillas. In other words (for you Dr. Seuss fans) whether you eat this in a house, with a mouse, in a box, or with a fox …  you’ll definitely enjoy it.

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Imitation Horchata

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Horchata is a delicious, creamy beverage that originates in Valencia and is popular in many parts of Latin America. The version I’m familiar with is served in Mexican restaurants and usually made from rice, but this “imitation” version uses boxed almond milk for simplicity’s sake. In fact, I almost didn’t want to post this recipe, since it’s laughably easy! However, I realized that if I was making it all the time, maybe others would want to do the same – especially since drinking something cold, sweet, and creamy on a summer day just can’t be beat. Boy does it hit the spot! So I decided to share.

All you need is some unsweetened almond milk, maple syrup, and a light sprinkle of spices. Mix it all together and it tastes like…well…horchata! So easy!

This drink is a perfect afternoon pick-me-up, especially if you’ve been out in the sun all day. It’s also fantastic as a dessert craving quencher or the sweet ending to a spicy meal. You’ll be amazed how something so easy can taste so delicious.

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Grilled Polenta with Tomatillos, Cilantro, and Feta

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What could be better than a fresh, spicy medley of feta, jalapeño, and tomatillo mounded on top of a slightly smoky grilled polenta disc with plenty of cilantro and freshly squeezed lime to boot? You got me. Actually, a bottomless supply of these perfect little bites, available for your eating pleasure on Cinco de Mayo – now that might take the cake.

Sadly, these polenta bites don’t come out of a fairytale (unlike this eggplant) so they won’t automatically replenish themselves; hence, making a bottomless supply would be pretty difficult. You can, however, make a finite supply (and trust me – these go fast, so their finiteness will be painfully obvious) for Cinco de Mayo, which is coming up this Friday! All you need to do is follow this recipe.

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Mexican Chocolate Chia Pudding

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Yes, this is the second recipe I’ve posted recently involving Mexican-spiced chocolate. But can you blame me? I was so enamored with my Mexican chocolate hamantaschen filling that I just had to keep the love fest going with a delicious chia pudding. Especially since — despite making and eating chia pudding on a regular basis — this is the first chia pudding recipe I’ve posted in two years of blogging!

How can this be?!  Chia pudding is one of the world’s most perfect breakfasts. It is remarkably filling, nutrient-packed, and exceedingly versatile. All you need are some chia seeds, some liquid, and some “seasonings.” I’ve made chia puddings “seasoned” with matcha, raspberry-black sesame, maple, you name it. I even recently made a savory chia pudding with turmeric and ginger. But today, I wanted to share this Mexican chocolate chia pudding with you, because it’s just what you need to start your day off right: with flava.

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Trio of Dips

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Why is dipping food into other food so much fun?!  If I like the dipping instrument and the dipping matter, I could probably be completely content for hours on end just taking a chip, dipping it into something creamy, taking a carrot, dipping it into something spicy, taking a strawberry, dipping it into a pool of melted chocolate … whoever invented dipping was seriously a genius.

And dips are laughably easy to make, too. The creamy harissa one in this post, for example, is as simple as stirring together harissa and yogurt, with maybe a bit of mayo thrown in there for good measure. That’s it! And it tastes four times as good as a creamy harissa dip you might purchase at the store – complete with a bunch of “dehydrated milk powder” and other random ingredients they have to throw in there so it doesn’t go bad while it’s waiting to be purchased. Making dips at home is definitely the way to go – both in terms of quality and taste and in terms of your wallet. (Extra points if you decide to make your own harissa too – I buy a really good brand that’s cost effective and doesn’t have any yuck ingredients in it so I just used that.)

How do you make a fabulous dip? Easy. Just think about what ingredients might go well together, then mix ’em up. If your dip doesn’t quite pop, you might need to add some acid (lemon, lime, vinegar, etc.) and if it doesn’t taste quite balanced, try adding a tiny bit of sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave, etc.) If you want your dip to be creamy, you can use sour cream, mayo, yogurt, avocado, hemp seeds, etc. For spice, throw in some cayenne or some kind of spice paste (like harissa or Asian chili paste). Spicy components go great with creamy or sweet elements, and sweet components go great with sour ones. Experiment and have fun!

To get you started, today I’m sharing a trio of dips that would be perfect to take with you on a Father’s Day picnic  – or any other kind of picnic – or to eat on your front porch, balcony, etc. We’ve got the aforementioned spicy, creamy harissa dip; a savory, protein-packed avocado-hemp dip; and a deliciously refreshing mango-poblano. That last one has some fresh tomatillo, basil, lime, and cumin in it as well and is the perfect counterpart to the savory avocado and spicy harissa.

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Chiles en Nogada (Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Walnut Sauce)

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Ever since my 13-year-old self read Like Water for Chocolate and cried her eyes out, I’ve been dying to try chiles en nogada. Incredibly, I ate it for the first time today, 15 years after I vowed to make it as soon as possible. Well, good things come to those who wait.

I should start by saying that this isn’t the traditional chiles en nogada. For one thing, it’s completely vegan – no ground meat whatsoever. For another, the walnut sauce has hemp seeds in it (trust me, you won’t know – they just make it nice and creamy!) And finally, while traditional chiles en nogada is quite heavy on the fruit (the meat filling is usually cooked with raisins, apple, pear, and peach), I just put some chopped raisins in mine for a bit of sweetness and called it a day. Not out of laziness, but because I’ve never been a fan of fruit-heavy savory dishes. Some people also dip their chiles en egg batter and fry them — I chose to leave mine roasted and unfried.

Well, the gods were with me. Because I created a truly delicious (IMHO) vegan, gluten-free twist on the classic dish I’ve been wanting to eat since age 13. Roasted poblanos are filled with a savory mixture of juicy portobellos, lentils, spices, walnuts, and raisins; topped with a thick and creamy walnut sauce; and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. As in the traditional recipe, the colors of the Mexican flag are well represented: just in time for Cinco de Mayo. (Although chiles en nogada is generally eaten for Mexican Independence Day –- which falls in September — it is one of Puebla’s traditional dishes, which makes it  appropriate for Cinco de Mayo in my book! Especially since your standard American-style nachos are deemed appropriate and would basically not exist in Puebla!)

Anyway, if you have a couple hours to spare (nothing with stuffed roasted poblanos is ever quick and easy to prepare), I highly recommend this recipe. The filling is just the right amount of sweet and savory, and the walnut sauce provides the perfect creamy compliment. Plus it’s just so elegant!

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