I love a bit of spice and like to cook with different ingredients. I have been using a really lovely smoky chipotle chilli paste in some of the recipes here. I could say I am a little bit addicted to it. I have also used the dried chipotle chilli, which is also great, you just have to hydrate it before using it, but its a great chilli to have in the cupboard.
Vegetarian Spicy Chipotle Rice
Such a good dish, really love to cook with wild grain rice to add texture and flavour to the recipe. Now I have used brussel sprouts in this recipe, not exactly a Mexican vegetable, but I was trying to use extra greens and if you cut them finely, you wont notice them!!
- couple of cloves of garlic
- Small onion
- Cup Mixed grain Rice
- Brussel sprouts (optional)
- Tbsp Spicy chipotle paste
- Tbsp Onion chutney
- green beans
- Sweet Corn
- Red & orange capsicum
- Mushrooms
- 1/2 tin tomatoes
- Quorn (optional)
- Coriander
1. Chop and fry off your garlic and onion.
2. Now I just use a handful of each vegetable when I don’t show quantities, then you can add or omit what you do or don’t have in your fridge!!
3. Thinly slice the brussel sprouts and roughly chop mushrooms and add to the onions, together with the chipotle paste & onion chutney and fry off for a few minutes.
4. In a separate pan, cook your rice (to packet instructions). I have used a mixed grain rice which takes 20 minutes
5. Add the tomatoes and remaining chopped vegetables and quorn, together with a tin of water and cook down. Add s&p
6. Finally, mix the cooked rice through, with some coriander and serve.
Fish Tacos
Who does not love a taco, you can of course do just vegetables, but with a nice slaw, a few fresh vegetables, its a simple, tasty and quick meal to have. There is a whole range of variations you can use for this, including different sauces, just make up different ingredients every time.
- White fish
- tacos
- tomatoes
- Corn
- coriander
- limes
- red or white cabbage
- carrot
- garlic
- avocado
- Sweet Potato
- cheese (I used vegan feta)
- smoked paprika
- mayonnaise
- chilli sauce
- Cut up the sweet potato and sprinkle fish and potato with smoked paprika and a little oil. Bake fish and potatoe in the oven, sweet potatoe first, for 10 minutes, then add the fish for about another 20 minutes at 180c. I also had a corn on the cob, which I cut the corn off, coated in paprika and cooked in the oven as well for about 10-15 minutes.
- For the sauce: Crushed garlic, mayonnaise, lime juice. Sriracha sauce or chilli sauce (optional)
- Guacamole: Smashed Avocado, chopped garlic, lime juice, coriander, chopped cherry tomatoes, mix together
- Slaw: ribbon cut carrots, I used the grater for this and thinly sliced cabbage, mixed with a little mayo.
- Now to assemble, I heated the tacos under the grill for about a minute. Spread chipotle chilli paste on the taco, then assembled with slaw, then fish, then guacamole and a bit of cheese, then sauce and coriander. Deliciiooooouss!!
Mexican Barley Greens
Well ok not exactly Mexican, but it does have a Mexican punchy flavour! Barley is a great alternative to cous cous. Similar in texture and it is low in gluten (but not gluten free). Lots of greens in this dish, let’s pack in those nutrients!!
- 1/2 cup barley per portion
- Handful Green beans
- Spring onion
- Handful kale
- Roasted butternut squash (30 mins)
- 2 tbsp Mexican paste
- Parsley
1. Cook barley in boiling water for 30 minutes. Make sure you rinse the barley first. It absorbs quite a lot of water, so about 2/3 water to barley.
2. Cut all vegetables. Add spring onions to frying pan with cooked squash. Add beans and kale, spoonful paste and 1/2 cup water and cook off.
3. Add the barley and the rest of the Mexican paste and toss through with fresh parsley and season. Cook for a minute and serve.
Button Bakes & Creates 