Cookie and Kate

Epic Vegetarian Tacos

April 25, 2018 5 Comments

Alright, meet my new favorite taco recipe! These meatless tacos feature refried pinto beans, creamy avocado sauce, quick-pickled onions and fresh garnishes. They will please even the most adamant carnivores in your life.

If you ask me, every great taco possesses the following qualities: something hearty (beans), something creamy (avocado), something crisp (shredded cabbage), something tangy (pickled onions and feta), and lots of fresh flavors. These tacos have those qualities in spades.

These vegetarian tacos were inspired by an authentic Mexican taqueria in town, Bonito Michoacan. They offer one-dollar tacos on Fridays. I order beans and cheese on mine, then I load them up with my favorite condiments from their epic salsa and pickle bar. You can’t miss me—the girl with big hair, drippy-saucy tacos, dancing in her seat.

These tacos are fun to make when you have good company in the kitchen. Just assign the individual components (they’re all so simple) and you’ll have dinner ready in no time. I also offered some shortcuts in the recipe notes, if you’re in a hurry.

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Quick-Pickled Onions

April 23, 2018 19 Comments

Do you love pickled onions as much as I do? Pickling transforms raw red onions from pungent and crunchy to irresistibly tangy and crisp. I add some red pepper flakes for extra spice and a splash of maple syrup or honey to round out the other strong flavors.

These onions are the perfect condiment for tacos, burgers, salads, and more. The best part? These quick-pickled onions are ready to serve after a brief 30-minute cooling period. Start your meal prep with these onions, and they’ll be ready to go by the time the rest of your dinner is ready.

These onions are incredibly easy to make, too. I like to keep them on hand for any meal that needs some extra oomph. Leftovers are so much more exciting with quick-pickled onions in the fridge!

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Creamy Avocado Dip

April 21, 2018 25 Comments

Fair warning: You are going to want this avocado dip with every meal this week. I’m obsessed and I think you will be, too! It’s lusciously creamy, thanks to the ripe avocado, and bursting with fresh lime, cilantro and jalapeño flavor.

Like guacamole, you can serve this as a party dip with chips, or dollop it onto any remotely Mexican-ish meal. You can also thin out the avocado dip so it becomes more of a sauce, which you can drizzle onto nachos and more.

I make my guacamole by hand for the best texture, but this creamy dip is incredibly easy to to make in a food processor or blender. Just toss your a few basic ingredients into your machine of choice, and blend ’em up. Avocado dip is ready in five minutes, from start to finish.

Unlike store-bought creamy dips, this avocado dip is made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients. It’s a dip you can feel good about!

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Easy Refried Beans

April 19, 2018 30 Comments

Where have pinto beans been all my life? I dismissed them after a couple of lackluster Mexican restaurant meals, but I’ve recently realized pinto beans in their full glory. They’re creamy and rich, and mix in beautifully with scrambled eggs, soup, rice and more.

Pinto beans also make the best refried beans, since they’re so buttery. I recently crossed the refried black beans recipe with my pinto beer beans (both available in my cookbook) and ended up with these outrageously delicious refried beans.

Fresh cilantro livens up these refried beans, and a squeeze of lime juice makes them taste more complex. Flavor aside, these refried beans are also a healthy source of plant-based protein and fiber (12 grams of each per serving). You can read up on pinto bean nutrition here.

Bonus? This recipe is so easy to make! I used high quality canned beans to make this recipe quickly. I tried home-cooked beans and couldn’t tell enough difference to bother doing it again. If you prefer to cook your own beans, though, you certainly can.

Cook up some onion in olive oil, add spices and beans, and your refried beans are ready in under 25 minutes. This recipe is far superior to store-bought refried beans, and it’s become a staple in my kitchen. I hope it becomes a staple in yours, too.

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Gaby’s Cucumber Salad

April 18, 2018 32 Comments

Let’s clear up a few things about this cucumber salad. First of all, it’s Gaby’s Mom’s recipe. Second, it’s the most delicious cucumber salad I’ve ever met. Combined, crisp cucumber, creamy avocado and the most basic balsamic dressing create one stellar cucumber salad.

This recipe comes from Gaby Dalkin’s new cookbook, What’s Gaby Cooking: Everyday California Recipes. Perhaps you know Gaby’s blog, which has the same name. I’m always admiring Gaby’s simple, colorful, fresh-from-the-farmers’-market recipes.

Here’s what Gaby says about this salad: “My mom made this salad just about every night when I was growing up. It was so yummy that I’d eat half the bowl before we even sat down for dinner, even though I’d get yelled at for not saving any for my dad and sister… Now it’s my go-to side salad, and my husband eats half of it before we sit down for dinner.”

Here’s what I have to say about this salad: I’ve demolished this cucumber salad all on my own in one sitting. I want to plant Persian cucumbers in my garden so I can eat cucumber salad all summer long. I’d grow an avocado tree if I could—well, I’d grow an avocado tree for many reasons. Anyway, it’s that good.

I got so excited about this salad that I made a couple more of her simple side dishes from her book the other night, her charred sugar snap peas and Omi’s haricots verts salad. They were both so easy and so tasty.

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Best Red Salsa (Ready in 10 Minutes)

April 15, 2018 36 Comments

Fellow salsa lovers, this recipe is for you. This red salsa recipe offers fresh, authentic Mexican restaurant flavor. The best part? It’s super easy to make with six basic ingredients.

I developed this salsa for my cookbook, since my book wouldn’t have been complete without an amazing homemade salsa recipe. It took me about ten tries to get all the details just right, but man, this recipe was worth it.

I served this salsa at my birthday party and watched my friends’ eyes light up when they tasted it. Everyone asked for the recipe, so I’m sharing it on the blog for you today with all of my salsa tips and tricks.

Fresh salsa any time the craving strikes? Yes, please.

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