Nopales (Cactus) Salad

Nopales (Cactus) Salad

by | Mar 29, 2018 | Health, Home, Recipes

Move over taco Tuesday because tostadas are here and they’ve brought company (aka nopales)!

My Mexican roots involve a lot of delicious food…much of which I no longer eat.  I grew up on tacos, posoles, combination plates, and, many times, meat plays center stage.  I won’t even get into the different ways meat is prepared but it is a staple in Mexican cuisine!  Luckily, there are meat-free options that can be made with little to no effort. 

I’ve got to first and foremost give credit to my mama for this Nopales Salad.  My mom would make this all the time while I was growing up and on a recent occasion she made it I was excited to think there is still a childhood food that I could eat 🙂  I can’t say that happens to often so it makes me feel connected to my heritage to enjoy dishes like this one.

You might be thinking: wait, so what are nopales?? 

Nopales are the Spanish term for cactus. Mexicans might have some cactus growing in their backyard which they can chop and prepare but, this recipe is made EASY thanks to a jar of nopales.  You can find tender cactus slices in the Hispanic food section at you grocery store.  I use the Dona Maria brand but any should be fine as long as there aren’t any added flavorings. 

Make this salad when you’re craving a light, fresh meal or enjoy it as a side to barbecue dishes! 

nopales salad tostada

Nopales (Cactus) Salad
Recipe Type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 servings
A fresh nopales salad perfect for enjoying on its own or as a side dish to any Mexican food.
Ingredients
  • 1 30oz jar of nopales
  • ½ large white onion, chopped
  • 4 small roma tomatoes, diced
  • Juice of one lemon, more to taste
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¾ tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Tostadas, for serving
Instructions
  1. Before beginning the salad, clean the nopales. Add the nopales to a colander and rinse them in cool water. Shake off as much water as possible and add them to a bowl.
  2. Chop the onion and tomatoes and add them to the bowl with nopales. There should be an even distribution of each ingredient. Season with lemon and the spices and your salad is ready!
Notes
I like to make this ahead of time because the nopales get a chance to marinate and there is no worry about the ingredients getting mushy or soggy. Two hours should be fine but you can also make it a day ahead!

Let me know what you guys think if you give this simple recipe a try.  I would also love to hear what some of your childhood foods are from your cultural background. 

Thanks for being here!

Chocolate Cinnamon Breakfast Shake—Mexican Hot Chocolate Inspired

Chocolate Cinnamon Breakfast Shake—Mexican Hot Chocolate Inspired

by | May 25, 2017 | Health, Home, Recipes

Oftentimes I go to bed dreaming of what I’m going to eat the next morning for breakfast.  The flavors of peanut butter and cinnamon on toast, berry-filled smoothies, or zucchini oats occupy my mind.  It might be a problem how much I think about food but if it’s wrong then I don’t want to be right!  Especially when it comes to breakfast—the best meal of the day!

Sweet breakfasts are my usual but chocolate, surprisingly, does not make a daily appearance in my breakfast or snacks.  Simply because it is one of those flavors that you crave the more you eat it, or, conversely, crave less if you don’t eat it.  I remember the days of being a chocoholic and it wasn’t pretty.  Now, I can go weeks without tasting chocolate in any form, and I’m quite fine, but once I taste some chocolate muffins or homemade chocolate peanut butter cups I find I’m craving it daily!  Not that I’m complaining.  Thankfully, my chocolate interests are much tamer these days and I channel my sweet tooth in what I’d say is a nutritious manner.

Exhibit A: Chocolate Cinnamon Breakfast Shake.

chocolate cinnamon breakfast shake

Truly, this combination came about when I accidentally threw cinnamon into my chocolate smoothie.  I spice up my breakfasts with cinnamon—AKA the wonder spice!—almost every day.  It adds a warm, comforting feel but also enhances the sweetness in foods.  Though, cinnamon with cherries, frozen cauliflower, spinach, and chocolate protein powder isn’t a pairing I was prepared to make.  Fortunately for me, cinnamon can do no wrong.

The smoothie turned out to be reminiscent of Mexican Hot Chocolate.  If you wanted to tap into that flavor profile a bit more, then a dash (or approximately 1/8 tsp) of chili powder would add some heat.  Though, the cinnamon is enough—especially if you want to keep your smoothie strictly sweet 😉

Let me know if you give this a try!

chocolate cinnamon breakfast shake

UPDATE:

I’ve updated the recipe below to include an option for how to achieve the same Mexican Hot Chocolate flavor if using a protein powder other than ALOHA.  Tone it Up chocolate plant-based protein or Nuzest chocolate protein would both work.

Chocolate Cinnamon Breakfast Shake
Recipe Type: Breakfast, Smoothie
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Cinnamon accompanies cherries, cauliflower, spinach, and chocolate protein powder to create a flavorful smoothie reminiscent of Mexican hot chocolate.
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 c cauliflower, frozen
  • 3/4 cup frozen spinach
  • 1 cup frozen cherries
  • A serving of chocolate plant-based protein powder (I used ALOHA)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp almond butter
  • 1/8 tsp chili powder (optional, but recommended for Mexican chocolate flavor)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cacao powder*
  • 1/2 tsp sugar in the raw or coconut sugar*
  • a pinch of Himalayan pink sea salt*
  • 3/4 cup coconut water + 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or plain water + almond milk)
Instructions
  1. Blend up the coconut water and spinach so no spinach bits remain. Then, add in the chocolate protein powder, cauliflower, and cherries. Blend, pushing down on the sides of the blender with a spoon to help the mixture along.
  2. When mostly combined, add in the cinnamon, chili powder, almond butter, and almond milk. If using a protein powder other than ALOHA, add cacao powder, raw sugar, and sea salt.
  3. It will be a very thick mixture, but that’s how I like my breakfast shakes. Add in a bit more almond milk or water, if desired.
Notes
I like to blend up the ingredients in steps to make it easier on my blender. If you have a strong blender, feel free to toss all of the ingredients in at once.[br][br]*The original recipe was tested with ALOHA chocolate plant-based protein powder. It has a stronger chocolate flavor and slightly sweeter taste. You can use another chocolate protein powder, like Tone it Up plant-based powder, but, to compensate for flavor differences, add the starred ingredients: cacao powder, raw sugar, and sea salt. They’re all necessary to bring out the hot chocolate flavors!

 

Quinoa Taco “Meat” Recipe

Quinoa Taco “Meat” Recipe

by | Mar 8, 2017 | Health, Home, Recipes

When I was in high school, the cafeteria used to serve junk like pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, or hot dogs.  I like a slice of pizza once in a while but what I love is food that makes me feel good.  There was a limited supply of salads because the school must’ve thought no one would want to eat salads.  On the contrary, everyone would make a beeline for them right at the start of lunch (teachers included).  Every day there was a different lunchtime salad option.  Wednesdays used to be Taco Salad day.

My very favorite!

Salad with Quinoa Meat

You know the one.

It has a bed of lettuce, ground beef crumbles, tomatoes, black or pinto beans, shredded cheese, crunchy tortilla chips, and salsa.  If you order something similar at restaurants, it will probably come with some guacamole, too.  It has all of the yummy taco flavors but is totally healthy because there’s some lettuce in there, am I right?  Well, today’s quinoa taco meat recipe is inspired by my old favorite salad but completely plant-based.

I use a taco seasoning recipe from My Blessed Life which I then add to cooked quinoa, warmed up in a pan.  It provides the Mexican taco flavors but also adds a bit of protein and texture to a salad.  My favorite salad is shown in the pictures.  I like using the quinoa meat with a romaine lettuce base, cilantro, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and a red salsa for topping.

It is so simple and find myself making this all too often!  Let me know if you give it a try.

Salad with Quinoa Meat

 

Quinoa Taco “Meat” Recipe
Cuisine: Vegetarina, Vegan
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 serving
An easy-to-make “meat” alternative to add some Mexican flair to any dish. It is the perfect base for beans, vegetables, or any other proteins you would like to add.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 tsp taco seasoning (see notes)
Instructions
  1. There is not really a science to making the taco meat. I throw some quinoa into a pan and warm it up with the spices. Half a cup of quinoa to 1 tsp of homemade taco seasoning or store-bought should work, though adjust based on your taste for spice.
Notes
Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning via my Blessed Life[br]1 tsp garlic powder[br]1 tsp onion powder[br]1 tsp sea salt[br]1 tsp ground cumin[br]1 tsp paprika[br]1 tsp chili powder[br]Simply, mix all seasoning ingredients together.

Seasoning recipe can be found at My Blessed Life.