By Melissa Pette

I can't start this column without giving thanks for so many messages, words of support to all the people who have taken their time to write. Sometimes it takes a while to reply but I always read and respond to all messages. Keep writing!

I would also like to take a few lines to review the churros recipe that a Switzerland citizen, Logan Egger, kindly shared with us a few weeks ago.

Among the ingredients of his churros recipe are 100 grams of cornmeal. The cornmeal should be added after having obtained the cassava dough, as follows:

First, peel the cassava. Cut it into small pieces. Then boil until it is soft. Let the cassava cool and add it to a large bowl. Mash the cassava until a dough forms. You must remove the remaining roots. Add a beaten egg and mash again. Then add the cornmeal and mashing again until obtaining a uniform dough.

The  complete recipe can be reached in the article “Expats shares Tico's yummy gluten-free recipes” published Aug. 21.

This week we have a new friend, Mike Parker, from Liverpool, Australia.

Boys love cooking too!

"I jumped the puddle from Australia to Costa Rica to play in the Festival of the Arts (FIA) in 2000. In my summer years, I was a member of a cultural group, we were invited by the Australian embassy in Costa Rica to play there. Since then, every chance I have  I go back to the green country that I love so much," Mike said.

Mike says he is vegetarian and eats almost everything with tortillas. "I'm the crazy dude of the family who makes homemade tortillas," he says.

Thanks Mike for sharing 10 taco recipes. Standing ovation for him! Of those, I chose three, which I also prepare at home, and they are a "must-do" when you don't have time, but are very hungry.

Vegan taco recipes
By Mike Parker
Liverpool, Australia

One of the great benefits of vegetarian food is that it is rich in antioxidants, sugars, trace elements, as well as the necessary enzymes for a healthy lifestyle. The vegetarian lifestyle avoids diseases such as cancer or cardiovascular problems. Being a vegetarian is allowing yourself to be healthy.



To prepare these delightful tacos, for 4 to 8 people, you will need:

• 16 large corn tortillas

• 2 large potatoes cut into cubes

• 1/2 cup of soy milk

• 2 tablespoons of soy butter

• 4 tablespoons of chopped white onion

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 1 cup of mozzarella cheese

• 1 cup of lettuce cut into strips

• 1/2 cup of cream

• 1/4 of red onion cut into strips

• And enough soybean oil for frying.

Cook the potato in boiling water with a pinch of salt. When the potato is soft, drain and mix with the butter, milk, chopped white onion and half the cheese.

Then, put the mixture on the tortillas, roll carefully and hold with a toothpick. Fry the rolls until the tortilla turns golden brown.

For the salad, in a bowl, add the lettuce, tomato sauce, cream, cheese and red onion, and mixes.

Serve the salad over the tacos.




Here we substitute the tortillas for fresh lettuce leaves. The ingredients are:

• 1 large lettuce

• 2 carrots chopped into small cubes

• 1 white onion cut into strips

• 1 celery stalk cut into strips

• 1/2 cup of walnut chopped into pieces

• 1 eggplant cut into small cubes

• 6 tablespoons of soy or olive oil

• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil

• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

• 2 red pepper chilis cut into small cubes

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 4 tablespoons of dark soy sauce

First, in a pan, add the olive oil and fry the vegetables. When the vegetables turn golden, add the dark soybeans and chopped walnuts. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes.

Now, for the sauce, in a blender add the sesame oil with the vegetable oil, garlic and red pepper chili. Blend for a minute.

Serve the vegetables on the lettuce leaves and top with the sauce.





You can substitute the quinoa with white cooked rice. The ingredients are:

• 1 cup sweet potato cut into squares

• 1 cup spinach leaves

• 8 corn tortillas

• 1 cup quinoa or white rice

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 1 cup soft white cheese crumbled

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

First, peel and slice the sweet potato. In a bowl, add the sweet potato, garlic, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let it rest for an hour.

Meanwhile, we cook the quinoa. Wash the quinoa well until the water runs clear. Some brands already sell pre-washed quinoa, so this step is not necessary.

In a pot with boiling water add the quinoa. Let it boil for about 2 minutes, lower over medium heat, cover and cook for about 10 or 15 minutes (it usually takes me about 15). The quinoa is ready when it has absorbed all the water. If the water has evaporated but the quinoa is still hard or raw, add a little more water.

Then, in a pan, add the sweet potato and its ingredients, also add the spinach and fry it for a couple of minutes.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds. On the tortilla put the spinach, a spoon of roasted sweet potato, quinoa and cheese. Try it and you will never eat beef tacos ever again!

Salud and keep smiling!


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Editor's note: Email your comments or inquiries to Melissa Pette at melissaamcr2017@gmail.com or share your recipes with AM Costa Rica readers. Send your homemade recipes with a horizontal photo of the dish to food@amcostarica.com.

 

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