Vegan Recipe of the Week - Summer Sandwiches - Mexican Wrap

Mixed Beans with homemade Spicy Salsa, Lime Rice and Guacamole in a Soft Tortilla Wrap

For the Lime Rice:

Ingredients:

100g red rice, steamed

2 Tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

½ lime, zest and juice

salt and pepper to taste

dash of olive oil

Method:

Steam or boil the rice until cooked and then grate the zest of half a lime into the rice and stir. Add in the lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and coriander and stir well. Spoon into a bowl.

For the Guacamole:

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

1/3 red onion, chopped finely

½ -1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 small plum tomato, finely chopped

1 Tbsp coriander, finely chopped

2 tsp lime juice

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 Tbsp of soya cream (optional)

Method:

Cut the avocado in half and remove the stone. Scoop the flesh from the skin into a bowl.

Mash the avocado with a fork until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir into the avocado. Add the soya cream if you like a creamier consistency and flavour. If not using immediately, cover with cling film directly onto the surface of the guacamole to stop it browning. Can be refrigerated for 24 hours.

For the salsa:

See my salsa recipe here

For the sandwich - serves 4:

Ingredients:

4 large soft flour tortillas

A tin of organic mixed beans

Lime rice

Salsa

Guacamole

Method:

Warm the tortillas in a large dry frying pan.

Spread a layer of guacamole along the centre of each tortilla.

Top this with a layer of salsa.

Add a few spoonfuls of mixed beans followed by a few spoonfuls of lime rice.

Roll the tortillas up folding in the sides as you go.

Cut in half before eating.

Eat and Enjoy

VVx

The Ordinary Vegan - Innocent Veg Pots

This week on TOV, I'm looking at convenience food. I have hardly been at home over the last few weeks as I am caring for a terminally ill family member, and it is at times like this when we may not have the time or inclination to cook that we turn to convenience food. Whilst we know convenience food is usually not very good for us and full of processed rubbish, I have found Innocent Veg Pots to be a vegan friendly convenience food without the rubbish. They contain no artificial colourings or flavourings. They are low in fat and high in fibre and taste lovely.

These pots are healthy, full of fresh ingredients, they can be microwaved, warmed in a pan over the hob or even over a fire or BBQ. They contain 3 of your 5-a-day and 80-90% of your fibre GDA. All of the ingredients are vegetables, grains and spices.They come in 8 different varieties and are Vegetarian Society approved. They are labelled as suitable for vegans and are available at all major supermarkets. They retail for around £3.90 each but can be found on offer at the moment for £2.00 each at Tesco and 2 for £6.00 at Sainsbury's. So, they are not cheap but they are healthy and convenient and are a better option than going to a takeaway.

I have tried the Mexican Chilli and Indian Daal in the last week and they were both delicious! If home cooked vegan food is more your thing, come back tomorrow for another Vegan Recipe of the Week.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

Vegan Recipe of the Week - Fiery Fresh Mexican Salsa

This is a super easy, super fiery fresh Mexican Salsa which will add a spark to many dishes, including fajitas, wraps, salads, jacket potatoes, burgers, nachos, BBQs and crackers. You can cut down on the chillis and add more tomatoes if you like it milder.

Here's what you need (makes a small bowl of salsa):

12 baby plum tomatoes
1 green chilli pepper
1 red chilli pepper
The juice of 1 lime
1 red onion
4-5 cloves garlic
A small bunch of coriander
Sea salt

Method:

Place the tomatoes, chillies and garlic whole and unpeeled into a hot griddle pan or frying pan without any oil.

Turn the around until charred all over.

Take the stalks off the chillies and the skins off the garlic and tomatoes once cooled.
Peel and chop the onion and rinse the chopped onion under cold water for a minute or so.

Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a chunky consistency.

Add sea salt to taste.

Alternatively, you can make this using a pestle and mortar if you do not have a food processor.

The salsa will keep for 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

Eat and Enjoy!

If you like this recipe click here for more of my recipes.

Let me know if you try this recipe out in the comments below.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

The Ordinary Vegan - Hip Dippers

                                          

This week on TOV I am featuring Hip Dippers. This is a range of savoury snacks, baked breadsticks and salsas sold in Home Bargains. All of the products I have found for sale in my local branch are vegan (except for the sour cream dip), but only labelled as vegetarian. However, I have checked for dairy, honey or additives and have found no animal products on the ingredients lists.

First up are these Sundried Tomato and Black Olive mini breadsticks, they have a lovely flavour and are very crunchy, so hold dips well.

Next up is this Super Cool Salsa. They also do a Hot Salsa if you prefer some spice. This is a chunky and refreshing salsa with lots of flavour, lovely with the breadsticks or spread on crackers, nachos or in quesadillas.

The final product I tried was the Chilli and Garlic baked breadsticks, these were spicy and tangy and were lovely with the super cool salsa.

                                   

These chips and dips retail for around 89p for the breadsticks and 69p for the salsas so they are really good value and great to take to a party or just munch on whilst watching a DVD in front of the fire.

If homemade food is more your style, come back tomorrow for another fab Vegan Recipe of the Week.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

The Ordinary Vegan - Old El Paso Fajita Kits

This week on TOV, I am showcasing Old El Paso Fajita Kits. These are sold in all supermarkets and mini-marts in the UK and make a great quick evening meal. I also sometimes keep these in my cupboard for when I have omnivores over for dinner as they seem to be accepted by meat-eaters even though they can be totally vegan! Not all of the varieties are vegan, there are a couple of extra mild varieties which have milk powder, so check the box. My favourite flavour is the Roasted Tomato & Pepper Fajitas.

The kit comes complete with eight soft flour tortillas, salsa and fajita spice mix. All you need to add is veggies. In addition you can add vegan cheese, substitute 'chicken' pieces or strips and salad. The kits serve 4 people.

I used mixed peppers, a red onion, mushrooms, Morrisons Chicken-Style pieces, Cheezly, jalapenos and salad.

BTW, these Morrisons Chicken-Style pieces are fab, they are only £1.50 for a large bag and are vegan. Yay!

So, you just chop up your veggies and stir fry in a little oil in a pan, add your 'chicken strips' if using and then add the fajita spices. Stir fry for around 5-10 minutes and serve with warmed tortillas, the salsa sachet, salad, jalapenos and vegan cheese/sour cream (optional). They taste yummy!

Then serve and enjoy with friends, vegans, veggies, omnivores - everyone loves Mexican food!

This week, you have two TOVs in one, Old El Paso Kits and Morrisons Chicken Style Pieces. Both sold in major supermarkets and accessible to all, no cooking skills required! Super Easy! If cooking gorgeous vegan food from scratch is more your style, then pop back every Tuesday for the Vegan Recipe of the Week.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx