Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Raw Vegan Tacos, Guacamole, "Sour Cream," and "Refried Beans"

Today I felt like I was in the zone, and finally got to try a recipe from my Raw Vegan idol The Sunny Raw Kitchen. The woman who runs it, Carmella, is so inspiring to me. She is so innovative with her raw foods and one day I hope I can be if not as talented, at least as dedicated as she is! ALSO she is from CANADA. Home of Wolverine.

So, I have a gushing crush. I know you still have N'SYNC in your iTunes. I'd say we're about even. Let's get to this stupendous 4-part recipe.

Raw Vegan Tacos, "Sour Cream," "Refried Beans," and Guacamole
original recipe here

Taco "Meat"
4 cups carrot, grated (a 1lb bag)
1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked
1/2 red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt

"Sour Cream"
1 1/2 cup cashews (soaked)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3-4 tsp apple cider vinegar

"Refried Beans"
2 1/2 cups sunflower seeds (soaked)
1/2 yellow onion
2 tsp chili powder
2 1/2 cumin
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cashew butter
3/4 cup water

Guacamole!
2 avocados
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt


-This whole recipe is RAW so that's why you can't put beans in the "refried beans." Hey, no one pays you to ask questions. This recipe yields a LOT of healthy food, definitely enough for a week for me. I cheated a little and used 100% pure white corn tortillas instead of raw dehydrated tortillas. So this raw vegan until the tortillas.

-First things first: make the 'meat.' I grated all my carrots in the food processor, set them aside. Then I processed all the other ingredients together, including the soaked sundried tomatoes. Mix the carrots and sundried tomato mixture together by hand. This tastes EXACTLY like ground beef taco meat- really cool.



-Let that sit and absorb flavor for at least an hour. Carmella's recipe says to stick this in the dehydrator for about a half hour after you let it sit, - but I didn't find that completely necessary.

-Next, make the "Sour Cream" - simply combine all the ingredients in the processor and then let it sit in the refridgerator until serving time. Tastes effing exactly like sour cream.



-Next, make the "Refried beans." Drain the sunflower seeds, and combine all ingredients in the processor. You're going to want to leave this mixture not completely "creamy" like with the Sour Cream, leave it piecey. I let this sit in the dehydrator for a half hour before I ate and it gave it a cool texture. But it's not necessary - especially for the lazy among us (usually me).



-Next, make the guac! It's a totaly bitch cutting up everything- but it really makes you (me) happy to see the bright colors of the carrots, the green avocado, the tomato, the bright olive of the cumin, the fragrant cilantro. Man, it could only get better if Wolverine were here to help me cook.

-Luckily, I had someone even better than Wolverine to be my cooking assisant - my amazing sister, who deals with my constant whining and one-track mind, and takes awesome pictures. Thanks, Knoxville.


 

-Okay so mix the gauc with a potato masher or your fist or someone you hate's fucking face. It doesn't really matter, it'll probably always come out the same, unless you use the last version in which case you might also have tears and blood inside your mix.



-Let that sit in the fridge until you're ready to eat.



- I really felt accomplished and like an 1800s pioneer woman after making all of this from scratch. Oregon Trail, represent.

You have just died of dysentery.

1 comment:

  1. I think I am not ready to go totally raw. I will try the taco meat substitute and homemade guacamole recipes then use it with my usual vegetarian refried beans and cow's milk sour cream. I am taking baby steps here, dears. ;)

    I am so hungry after I read your posts...

    Should the Phantom Photographer get a mention in your blog bio? (Frodo wouldn't have gotten far without Sam.)

    ReplyDelete