taco balls

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Vegan cooking (like all cooking) can be time consuming. Some days I have hours to spend in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes, but more often than not, I’m pressed for time and need to get dinner on the table fast. On those days, here are some of the recipes I turn to:

1. Hummus and pinto bean pita pizza (pictured above, recipe follows)

2. Mexican Tofu Scramble

3. Breaded Tofu with Sweet Potato Fries

4. Taco Balls

5. Pesto Pasta

Hummus and Pinto Bean Pita Pizza

Ingredients:
5 whole wheat pitas
1/2 cup of roasted red pepper hummus
1/2 of a red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 of a red onion, finely chopped
1 (15 ounce) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of Daiya shredded cheddar cheese
optional: 3 Tbsp of fresh cilantro

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Once the oven is heated, toast the pitas directly on the oven rack for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oven. Spread hummus evenly over each pita. Top with the rest of the ingredients in the order listed above.

Put the pitas on a baking sheet and cook for about 7 – 9 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Cut into fourths and serve.

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Tacos are a well-loved dinner around here, if I served them every night I’d get no complaints. Since I know everyone will eat anything taco related, I’ve gotten creative with how I serve them. I call these taco balls. I serve them with salsa and sour cream (recipe follows), or over a bed of lettuce like a salad and sometimes I put them into a pita and serve it like a sandwhich.

These also make a great appetizer. Just make them a bit smaller and serve them with dipping sauces, such as sour cream, guacamole or salsa.

Taco Balls
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons flaxmeal
6 tablespoons water
1 cup corn meal
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegan shredded cheddar cheese (I use Daiya)
2 hard taco shells, crushed
4 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
1. In a small bowl add the flaxmeal and 6 tablespoons of water, mix well and set aside. Poor the corn meal on a flat plate and set aside.
2. In a large bowl add the black beans and mash with a potato masher or fork.
3. Once the beans are mashed, add the flaxmeal mixture, cheese, crushed taco shells, green onions, cilantro, chili powder, cumin; mix thoroughly.
4. Form the bean mixture into balls then roll it around on the plate with the corn meal, covering all parts of the taco ball with the corn meal.
5. Put the taco balls on a flat plate, cover and refrigerate for about an hour. This step helps the taco balls stay firm when you cook them.
6. Heat the olive oil on medium high heat and fry the taco balls, turning to cook on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Serve

Sour cream (from: refresh, by Ruth Tal)
2 cups of hard tofu
3 Tbsp of sunflower oil
3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1 tsp of raw sugar
1/2 tsp of sea salt
2 Tbsp of filtered water

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.