Vegan Huevos Rancheros (and a brief poll)

There's a brief poll at the end of this post. If you would be kind enough to give your opinion in comment form, it would be much appreciated (even if I don't like what you have to say...)


Ok, so no video today... My old Dell laptop (yes, it was old at the ripe age of 3) crapped out its hard drive, so I've been furiously trying to save files and import them to its replacement (an ACER Extensa 4420... at just over $400, this thing was a steal)...

But I digress.

Today's recipe is all about comfort food... you know, those meals that make things better, no how crappy your day has been. We've all got 'em... and since I'm still working through the batch of chili I made a while back, it was time to veganize one of my other favorite comfort foods...

Huevos rancheros.

I wasn't sure how to tackle this one, but it turned out to be fairly easy. About the worst thing I can say is that it takes several skillets, which is usually a no-no in my world. But hey, sometimes a bit of comfort food is worth it. So here we go...

Vegan Huevos Rancheros

2 corn tortillas
Olive oil
1/2 package Morningstar Farms Soyrizo
1/2 package firm tofu, drained, pressed, and crumbled
1/3 medium red onion, finely diced
1 roma tomato, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/3 tbsp cayenne pepper, ground
Fresh guacamole

Place tofu in a medium skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Heat for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.

In a separate skillet, brown the Soyrizo in 1 tbsp olive oil.

Place 2 tbsp olive oil in yet another skillet, heat. Fry corn tortillas for about 1 minute on each side, transfer to serving plates.

Place a layer of Soyrizo crumbles on each tortilla, then top with tofu mixture.

Layer on onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, and cilantro. Top with guacamole.


Good for your body? Probably not (although much beter than the omni version).

Good for your soul? Boy howdy!


Speaking of "good for the soul", VeggieGirl did a post on yeast-free sweetbreads. Ah, the siren call of carbs run amok...


Ok, so here's the poll.

The Veggie Guy is kicking around the idea of adding a cookbook to his list of endeavors. Obviously, this would be a collection of vegan recipes, but I want to focus on meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. If I published such a book, would you most likely:

A) Buy it
B) Borrow it
C) Steal it
D) Recommend it to a friend
E) Roll your eyes and chuckle
F) Say, "Please, I have enough cookbooks already. I need room for groceries, hombre!"
G) Flat out advise me against such a hoopleheaded endeavor?

So let's hear it! If none of the above apply, make something up, or just say, "Meat."

Quick Baba Ghannouj Demo

The Veggie Guy and his imp-ish sidekick, Aria, return with a kinder, gentler demonstration on making baba ghannouj for fun and profit - or at least for a tasty snack with pita chips.





In case you don't have time to follow along (or you've seen enough of my videos to realize they're complete rubbish), here's the breakdown:

Vegan Baba Ghannouj

2 eggplants (aubergines)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 cup soy milk
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tahini
1/3 tsp ground cayenne pepper (BIG surprise!)
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

With a large knife, make several slits in each eggplant to keep them from exploding in the oven (believe me, I've had it happen. Nothing like a late-night date with a can of oven cleaner).

Place eggplants directly on top oven rack and bake for 50 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes to make sure eggplant is roasted thoroughly. Remiove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

De-stem and peel skin from eggplants. Cut eggplant flesh into 1/2 inch cubes, transfer to blender.

Add soy milk, garlic, olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, tahini, and garlic to eggplant. Puree for 60-90 seconds.

Pour into serving bowls. If desired, chill for 30 minutes before serving.

So there you go. No shennanigans, no pumpkin roadkill... just a tasty Mediterranean dip with a nice little kick. Aren't you proud of me? :-)