Spicy Peanut Thai Tacos

I've been cravin' me some tacos for quite some time now. It's not really a dish that we make a lot...as we obviously don't eat meat. But, I'm pretty sure it's mostly because I'd just prefer to eat my weight in chips and salsa instead. Anywho a little while ago, I bought a gazillion pack of those little baby corn tortillas and every time I open the freezer they've been beckoning me. It was time to make some bomb tacos. And these delivered. They aren't your typical tacos either. Brimming with thai-y goodness, sweet and spicy peanut butter sauce and fresh cilantro and basil, this dinner should please any thai loving freak, like myself. Thai is so gosh darn delicious.

I'm pretty sure anything can be infused with a thai influence. Thai lasagna? I haven't seen it yet...but I'd like to...

Spicy Peanut Thai Tacos

Inspired by Spabettie

Makes at least 10 small tortillas

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 Tbsp. garlic chili paste
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp. liquid aminos or soy sauce
• squidge of lemongrass paste (optional)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced fine
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 (12 oz.) block of extra firm or firm tofu, cut into thin strips
• fresh corn kernels cut from 1 cob or about 1/2 cup frozen
• 1 head of broccoli, thinly sliced and chopped small
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• at least 10 corn tortillas (I used the little baby ones)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Whisk the ingredients from the peanut butter through the chili powder in a small bowl. I used a pyrex measuring cup for an easy pour.

Thinly slice the tofu into about 16 or so thin strips. Arrange them so they aren't overlapping, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour just enough of the peanut sauce over the tofu strips so they are covered ensuring there is sauce leftover for serving. Bake the tofu at 325 F for 25 minutes.

Mix the corn kernels, broccoli and fresh herbs together in a bowl.

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Serve the tacos with a layer of veggie/herb mix on the bottom, then place one or two tofu strips over that layer and finally, drizzle with that scrumptious sweet and spicy peanut sauce. Feel free to even sprinkle some crushed peanuts on top to be super fancy pants!

Eventually, for the sake of portability, I mixed the sauce and the veggies together. Do what pleases you.

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These are certainly a tasty detour from a typical boring taco. A detour, I hope you will enjoy.

Chocolate Chipotle Black Bean Cherry Cookies

I love fudgy cookies. I love chocolate. I love healthy cookies and I love vegan cookies but most of all I love tasty cookies. And thus, I am delighted to announce that these Chocolate Chipotle Black Bean Cherry Cookies are all of those things.

They happen to be made with black beans. Now, I know what you're thinking...another black bean baked "goodie". I know, and I agree. I myself have been tricked into making several different cookies, brownies, etc. with black beans that were for lack of a better word...blech. These cookies are different, people! If you've been burned before by a promising black bean dessert recipe, let these be your rebound. A rebound that you'll fall so madly in love with that you'll marry and stay true to forever and ever...I do. That's a little extreme, but they are the real deal and when you find a keeper you hang on tight.

Chocolate Chipotle Black Bean Cherry Cookies

Inspired by My New Roots

Makes 12 cookies

• 2 flax eggs
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed very well
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp. pink Himalayan salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
• 1/3 cup molasses (or honey, maple syrup, etc)
• 2 tsp. hazelnut Kahlua (or vanilla extract or other liqueur)
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
• 1/4 cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries)
• 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (optional)
• extra chipotle powder (optional) and salt for sprinkling 

Alright, y'all you know the drill. Flax eggs are first! Place 2 Tbsp of ground flaxseed in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. of cold water. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow it to gel for at least 15 minutes. This is important. Preheat oven to 375 F.

Place all remaining ingredients in food processor, excluding chocolate chunks, cherries, optional nuts and sprinklings. Don't forget the flax eggs in the fridge! Pulse until well combined and smooth. Once whirled thoroughly, fold in the chocolate chunks, cherries and optional nuts if you want them in their original form. But...if you're lazy like moi, just pulse them a couple times in the processor to incorporate them into the dough. I prefer mine a little smaller and chopped up anyways. No need to be all proper with it.

Drop 12 cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Not wax paper! That would be a horrific catastrophe. I made this mistake as a flighty and unassuming teen. Parchment paper and waxed paper are not interchangeable. I refuse to assume that every home cook with modest capabilities understands this. I still have never used waxed paper properly, I just know it doesn't go in the oven. I learned the hard way. Anyways, once dropped, flatten the dough as the cookie really won't change shape when baking. Kiss your new loves with salt and extra chipotle chili powder (if you're tough like me, of course), and bake at 375 F for 15 minutes.

If you're feeling super fancy and snooty, I suppose you could ball up the dough and then flatten it. They might have a smoother cookie "look" about them that way. I wasn't feeling particularly fancy pants on this day, however, so I was perfectly content with them as they were.

Black beans, dark chocolate, cherries, flax and chipotle chili powder? It's an antioxidant convention! Did you know that beans are the healthiest bean of all? Click on the links in the ingredient list to learn more.

Lemon Blueberry Oat Muffins

What's better than warm and toasty blueberry muffins? Lemon blueberry muffins. Seriously, if blueberry muffins have been made sans lemon, someone's missed the point. So, what's better than scrumptious lemon blueberry muffins? At first glance you might shout, "Nothing! Obvs." but let me assure you that these lemon blueberry muffins flecked with oats and hints of hazelnut...are of a higher order.

These little vegan darlings are tart (like me)! Just how I like them. If, however, a sweeter muffin is desired, scale back the lemon juice or replace it with orange juice and/or add additional sugar. However, I think you'll find that the sweetness the blueberries lend make the perfect mouth-watering combination of sweet and sour.

These are the perfect to-go snack, breakfast or even a light dessert. They also stood up to conventional muffins (made with milk, eggs, and butter), and I received many compliments from unassuming non-veganites. I'm secretly creating unknowing vegans, one muffin at a time. I'm like a vegan superhero with yummy muffins as my weapons, protecting the dairy cows and chickens! Okay, that got weird and doesn't make much sense...thankfully these muffins do though.

Lemon Blueberry Oat Muffins

Inspired by Vegan Yumminess

Makes 12 muffins

• 1 flax egg (1 Tbsp. ground flax seed & 2 1/2 Tbsp. cold water)
• 1/2 cup vegan margarine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup erythritol (or additional sugar/sugar substitute)
• juice from 1 lemon (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup hazelnut milk (or other dairy-free milk)
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp. hazelnut kahlua (or vanilla extract/other liqueur)
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• brown sugar for sprinkling

The first thing on the agenda is to make the flax egg. Place 1 Tbsp. of ground flax in a small bowl and slowly whisk in 2 1/2 Tbsp. of cold water. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to allow it to gel. Meanwhile, spray a muffin pan with cooking spray or insert paper liners and preheat the oven to 400 F.

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Soften the margarine and add it to a large mixing bowl. Next, add the ingredients only through and including the salt and mix thoroughly. Add the flax egg and mix to combine.

In a separate, large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients excluding blueberries, hazelnuts and brown sugar. Next, add the dry ingredients slowly to wet ingredients and mix until just combined, adding the blueberries and the hazelnuts afterward.

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Divide the yummilicious batter equally into the muffin pan.  Sprinkle the tops with brown sugar and bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes or until edges become golden. Transfer muffins to a cooling rack. They should be stored in the refrigerator, if you have any leftover.

Oh you tart little muffins. You are so yummy and refreshing. A perfect spring snack.