Creamy Cool Mexican Salad

Bo and I eat Mexican food a lot.  Blame it on our mutual love of New Mexico, but we can't get enough of the stuff!  We have some variation of Mexican food at least once a week...and sometimes we go on "kicks" and eat Southwestern food almost every day.  It varies, but in general, we LOVE spicy, creamy, beany (is that even a word?), peppery Mexican food!

With that said, I always have a plethora of pantry/refrigerator items that could turn into a Southwestern feast at any time.  Imagine this:

• it's 6:00PM on Saturday evening;
• your husband has just reminded you that you will be feeding an extra, hungry, male mouth this evening;
• you have been attending a physically demanding yoga workshop for the past two days, and are therefore exhausted; and
• you are already starving.

What would you do?  

Well...I can't exactly answer that.  

HOWEVER, I can tell you that that is exactly the scenario that I found myself in this past Saturday, and here is what I did:

Cool, crisp, crunchy, and delicious, this Mexican salad is both hearty and light - making it perfect for the warmer months.  Open a few cans, chop a few vegetables, and dash in a few spices and WHA-LAA(!), a salad is born!  If you love Southwestern food and/or salad, this recipe is for you!

Creamy Cool Mexican Salad
Serves 4-8 (4 as an entree, 8 as a sidedish)


3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 jalapenos, minced
2 avocados, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
2 T lime juice
2 heaping T veganaise (or mayonnaise)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne (we used 1/2 because we like it HOT!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Add the diced/minced tomatoes, bell pepper, and jalapenos to a large salad bowl.
• Pour in the drained and rinsed beans and corn.
• In a small mixing bowl or a medium jar, mix/shake together the lime juice, veganaise, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
• Pour the dressing over the salad mixture.
• Add the diced avocados on top.
• Toss to fully incorporate all ingredients.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to an hour (any more than an hour and the avocado will start to turn).
• Serve atop salad greens with rice, tortillas, or chips alongside!

With the help of a good friend, we devoured all but about 1/2 cup of this salad in a single sitting!  The dressing was the perfect complement to the fresh and crunchy vegetables.  Even before I was vegan, I wasn't much of a mayonnaise fan.  However, this salad really needs the creaminess that it lends.  Don't skip the mayo!  As for the jalapenos, we like it HOT!  If you don't want so much heat, just cut it down to one jalapeno (as opposed to two), and reduce the cayenne to 1/4 tsp.  That should do it!

Next up on the ABC blog- all about my yogatastic weekend!  I learned so much, and I can't wait to share it with you here on the blog, and with my students in the studio.  I am a little sore (ok, I'll be honest, I'm a LOT sore), but every sore muscle is worth it.  I had an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. time, and I feel more excited than ever about my yoga practice and my ability to share it with others!

Question of the Day:

Mild vs. Medium vs. Hot: how do you like your Mexican food?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Senora's Potatoes + Salsa Hummus

On Sunday evening I was in the mood for "breakfast for dinner."  However, this was no ordinary breakfast craving because I wasn't in the mood for pancakes, I wasn't in the mood for French toast, and I wasn't even in the mood for oatmeal or a breakfast casserole (which are both solid standbys in my recipe repertoire).

So, I asked, what was I in the mood for?!

Hashbrowns!

But not just any hashbrowns...I was in the mood for Senora's potatoes.

Who is Senora?  Well, her full name is Senora Lourdes (Lulu) Rodriguez, and she was my family's host when we visited Guanajuato, Mexico numerous times from 2000-2002.  Each time that I, my Pee Paw, my Mee Maw, or my mother (or a combination thereof) made our way down to Guanajuato, we would stay in Senora's home for the duration of our visit.  She served as our "host family" by providing us food, lodging, and a willing individual with whom we could practice our Spanish. 

But Senora was so much more than that!  Our family and hers became close.  For several years our visits were quite regular (every 4-6 months or so).  In fact, during our last visit, Senora gave our family a beautiful piece of art (a sculpture of a native warrior) that would serve as a reminder of our time spent in the beautiful city of Guanajuato. 

On top of all that, Senora was a magnificent cook!  Every meal that we had seemed to top the one before it.  It's amazing that we all didn't gain 10-15 pounds while we were living in her home (then again, I'm sure that had to do with the fact that we walked up and down hill-y streets all. day. long.).

The houses are built into the mountain.



The pathways to homes are very steep and narrow.


My time in Guanajuato has had a profound impact on making me the woman I am today:

• I, in large part, majored in Spanish during my undergraduate degree program because I fell in love with the Spanish language during my time in Mexico;
• I chose to write my graduate degree thesis on Hispanic migrant children in the American public school system because they reminded me of the children's faces in Guanajuato; and
• I worked as a translator throughout my graduate degree program in an effort to serve immigrants in this country while maintaining an advanced level of written and spoken Spanish.

Even now, I jump at any opportunity to use my knowledge of the Spanish language!  What can I say?!  I am a dork who loves to speak Spanish!  :)

Okay, okay...so enough about my past.  You want a recipe, right?!  The following recipe is based off of my memory of how Senora Lulu made breakfast potatoes (i.e. hashbrowns). 

Note: My mom also cooks this recipe, and she does it a little different than I do (i.e. no tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, or cilantro).  I, however, find that these additions take the recipe to the next level!

Senora's Potatoes
Serves 2

1 medium, Russet potato
1/2 red onion
2 large jalapenos (We like it HOT in the Behne house!)
1 yellow bell pepper
2 tomatoes
1 T oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
shredded cheese, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

• Place the potato, onion, and jalapeno into the food processor.  Pulse 5-7 times until shredded.

• Place the potato mixture into a heated (medium high), well-oiled skillet; pat into a flat circle.

• Meanwhile, dice the bell pepper and tomato.
• After approximately 4-5 minutes, check if the potato mixture is beginning to brown.  If so, using a spatula, flip section of the hashbrowns so that they can brown on the other side.

• Add bell peppers and tomatoes to the potato mixture.  Cook 2-3 minutes.

• Add seasonings and toss to incorporate.
• Sprinkle cheese on top, cover, and allow to melt.

• Serve with a garnish of cilantro, fried eggs (optional), and a side of salsa hummus (see recipe below).

Now, about that salsa hummus...when I started to make my "Roasted Garlic and Cayenne Hummus" Bo protested because he wanted something different.  So, I asked him what he wanted, and he suggested adding salsa to the mix.  Little did I know that this would turn out to be de-lic-ious!  Without a doubt, this recipe will be added to my regular hummus rotation.

Salsa Hummus
Serves 8-10

1 can great northern beans, drained
2 T tahini
2 T EVOO
4 T medium or hot salsa (we used medium)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne

Directions:

• Add all ingredients to your food processor. 
• Whirl for 2 minutes, or until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Up Next - a "blue" book review!  Any guesses to which book I am referring to?!

Question of the Day:

Do you cook any recipes that remind you of a person or a place?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo