Category: Mains

To roast the veggies: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the vegetables from sticking.

On one pan, combine the cauliflower and sweet potato. On the other pan, combine the bell peppers and onion. Drizzle half of the olive oil over one pan, and the other half over the other pan. Same with the cumin.

Sprinkle both pans lightly with salt and pepper, then toss each one until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil and spices, adding another light drizzle of olive oil if necessary. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer across each pan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the veggies and swapping the pans halfway.

When you’re ready to assemble, reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9″ square baker. Stir the cilantro into the salsa.

To assemble, spread ½ cup salsa evenly over the bottom of the baking pan. Add a single layer of halved tortilla pieces, arranging them so they completely cover the salsa.

Top with ½ of the beans, ⅓ of the vegetables, ½ of the of spinach, and ⅓ of the cheese.

Make a second layer of tortillas. Top with ½ of the remaining salsa, all of the remaining beans, ½ of the remaining vegetables, all of the remaining spinach, and ½ of the remaining cheese.

Make a third layer of tortillas. Top with the remaining salsa, vegetables, and cheese.

Cover the pan with parchment paper (I tent mine in the middle and wrap the edges around the handles) or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes, or until heated through.

Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, to give it time to set and reach a palatable temperature. Before serving, sprinkle the top lightly with additional chopped cilantro.

Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

With your hands, crumble tofu into the pan. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet occasionally and adjusting heat as necessary, until tofu browns and crisps as much or as little as you like, anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with the chili powder, cumin and cinnamon; stir and cook, continuing to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan until the mixture is fragrant, a minute or two. Stir in vinegar and adjust the seasoning taste. Garnish with cilantro and scallions and serve with warm corn tortillas or over rice.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add rinsed quinoa and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add vegetable broth and water and bring back to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to low, cover with a secure lid, and cook for 15-25 minutes, or until liquid is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork, then crack lid and let rest for 10 minutes off heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).

Add cooked quinoa to a large mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients (salsa, nutritional yeast, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oil). Toss to combine. Then spread on a lightly greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet.

Bake for 20-35 minutes, stirring/tossing once at the halfway point to ensure even baking. The quinoa is done when it’s fragrant and golden brown. Be careful not to burn!

This quinoa taco meat goes extremely well in crispy taco shells and soft taco shells, and I also think it would be perfect on nachos, taco salads, tostadas, and in enchiladas.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and salt over a low heat until soft, around 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Stir in the spices and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stock and stir well. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for around 15 minutes.

Add the beans and turkey to the pan and continue to simmer for a further 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse and until you have a nice thick sauce.

Season the meat with salt, pepper, and cumin.

Cut open the dried chiles with scissors and remove the seeds.

Fry the dried chiles with a small amount of oil in a frying pan for 2-3 minutes, moving constantly so they don’t burn. Set aside.

Add the chiles from the previous step to a small pot with boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until softened.

In the same frying pan where you fried the chiles, add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the onions and tomatoes until they are browned. Add the garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and all of the remaining spices except for the ground cumin and ginger. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, moving it around often.

Add the chiles (including the water), the ingredients from the previous step, and the ginger, cumin, apple cider vinegar and water to a blender and blend until smooth. It will still be pretty thick, but that is fine. Strain and set aside the resulting sauce for the next step.

Pour the sauce over the meat in a large bowl and cover. If using the oven or stovetop methods, you will want to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. If using the electric pressure cooker option, you can marinate it, but it isn’t necessary.

Follow the cooking instructions according to your preferred method below.

Add the meat with the marinade to a large stockpot and cook over medium heat, covered, for about three hours, or until the meat falls off the bones and is easy to shred.

Add the meat with the marinade to a large oven-safe dish and cover with aluminum foil and cook at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 2 hours or until the meat is easy to shred.

Add the meat with the marinade (or just the meat and the marinade separately if you chose not to marinate it) to the pot of the electric pressure cooker.

Follow instructions for your electric pressure cooker to bring it to high pressure and cook for 45 minutes. Release pressure naturally for 5 minutes and then use the quick pressure release option to release the rest of the pressure. Remove the lid per instructions and the meat will be tender and ready to shred.

Remove the meat and shred it. You can then serve it over the soup made from the sauce that the meat cooked in or you can serve it with tortillas as tacos with cilantro, lime, onions, and salsa.

To make the braised pork: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pat the pork dry of any juices and generously season with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the pork in the pot and brown well on all sides. Remove the pork and reduce heat to medium, add the onion, carrot, celery, fennel, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Cook to soften the vegetables, about 10 minutes, then deglaze the pot with the wine, scraping up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken stock and stir, slide the pork back into the pot and bring liquids to low boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning the meat 1/2 way through cooking. Keep the pork in the oven until the meat is tender and falls apart when pulled at with a fork.

Remove the pork from the pot, place on a platter, and when cool enough to handle, pull the meat apart with 2 forks, divide the meat and reserve one half. Strain the cooking liquids and add to the reserved pork.

To make the pickled onions and chiles: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the vinegar, water, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and coriander seeds, and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Arrange the onions and pepper rings in a small container with a tight-fitting lid and pour the brine over the top. Cool, cover, and store chilled for a minimum of several hours and up to several days. Cook’s Note: The pickled onions and peppers make powerful companions to the smoky mild stew.

To make the red posole: Seed and stem the ancho chiles. Place the peppers in a pot and cover with stock, add a little water, if necessary, to cover. Reconstitute the peppers by bringing the liquids to a low boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer, and cook until the peppers are soft. Carefully transfer the peppers and their liquids to a food processor and process until smooth.

Meanwhile, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil, a couple turns of the pan, in a skillet over medium heat, and add onions, garlic, and season with paprika, chile powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are very soft, 10 to 12 minutes, stir in the pepper puree, hominy, cilantro, 2 cups chicken stock, honey, the juice of 1 lime, and 1/2 the pulled pork. Add just enough water to form stew as loose or thick as you like, 1 to 2 cups additional liquid. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal.

To serve, heat the stew over medium heat. Once hot, spoon the stew into shallow bowls and top with pickled onions and jalapenos, queso fresco, and serve with warm charred tortillas for dipping and wrapping.