presenting the simple, the fun, & the good via my Instagram profile.

As Mexico’s immediate neighbor, you can imagine the ubiquity of Mexican restaurants in El Paso. Mexican food usually equals Margaritas or Mexican beer or both. Margaritas are a highly contentious subject in El Paso. Carlos & Mickey’s is usually voted the best by locals, followed by Julio’s Cafe Corona, and Forti’s. Carlos & Mickey’s is known for its gigantic Margaritas, in which a one-per-person limit is now enforced. Peppe’s Restaurant & Cantina in Canutillo claims to be the “home of the Juan and only Margarita.” I’ve never tried it, but ya gotta love the catchphrase even if it’s not good.

I won’t say who has the best Margarita in El Paso for two reasons: I’ve never liked them, and the ones that I did like, were from chains. I also HATE to admit that I have enjoyed the Skinnygirl Margarita (you can find it cheapest at The Side Door Liquor Store next to The State Line and Spec’s). I love citrus, but I can’t stand overly sweet things, and that’s what most Margaritas are to me. I think most bad Margaritas suffer from using pre-made sweet and sour mix, rather than utilizing fresh ingredients. In my defense, the Margaritas that I most enjoyed at chains are probably temporary, featured items capitalizing on the agave nectar craze. My favorites are the Organic Agave Margarita from P.F. Chang’s, and the Platinum Presidente Margarita from Chili’s (pictured above. Let me know if you can’t see the recipe on the shaker).

I’ve always wanted to try a Dosarita, which is a Margarita with a mini upside down Dos Equis submerged in it. I heard that Bikini Joe’s offers a Margarita with an upside down Coronita submerged in it, so I naturally had to try it even if their food is subpar and limited in veg offerings. At first, the taste was odd and a bit tart, but as more Corona poured into the drink it got better, giving it a light effervescence.

I would have to honestly say that my partner makes the best Margaritas, but she won’t let me divulge her secret recipe. Instead, I’ll share this recipe that I got from a show on The Cooking Channel. I add a secret ingredient, which you can see hidden in the picture above. Can you guess what it is?

Margarita, courtesy of Drink Up

2 ounces or 1/4 cup blanco tequila
1 ounce or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons agave nectar* (I use less, but it’s up to you)

The Korean BBQ taco craze has of course not hit El Paso, but we do have the Tacoholics food truck, which serves up both beef and tofu. I’m happy to report that the tofu is so popular, they usually run out. The only problem is that the truck isn’t very consistent on its excursions, but if they are out, they can usually be found at Black Market from about 10:30 pm until they run out. The planets aligned and I was able to try the tofu tacos several months ago.  They were really tasty, but I thought the tofu’s texture was too soft.

Korean BBQ Tofu tacos from Tacoholics (cellphone pic)

I had been craving these tacos, so I thought I would try making my own since I’m not sure when I’ll be hitting up the taco truck again. I wanted the tofu to have more texture, so I froze it. Freezing and thawing tofu draws out moisture, giving it a chewier texture. If you’ve never frozen tofu before, you’ll just need to drain the tofu first, place it in a freezer bag or other container, and freeze it solid. Eliza (commenter below) says you don’t have to drain it. She just puts the whole package in the freezer. She also reminded me that this works best with extra firm tofu. When you’re ready to use it, just thaw it and squeeze out the excess water. Don’t freak out when the tofu turns a yellowish color, it’s normal. The tofu will keep in the freezer for up to 5 months.

I hate pressing tofu and I’ll probably never buy one of those TofuXpress presses. I was happy to find an easy, lazy method that’s Korean approved. I found this method while browsing through Debbie Lee’s new cookbook, Seoultown Kitchen. She recommends setting the tofu on top of a few paper towels and draining for about 10 minutes, then repeating on the other side. The book is fun and colorful, featuring a Korean take on pub food, including several vegetarian recipes. El Pasoans can request the book at the library here.

1st attempt (dredged in corn starch)

2nd attempt (without cornstarch. I forgot to add it.)

Bulgogi Marinade from Gourmet

1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained & sliced or cubed to your shape/size preference
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (my addition)
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons mirin
2 teaspoons water

Combine all of the marinade ingredients. You can optionally sprinkle cornstarch over the tofu. Pour the marinade over the tofu and toss until coated. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat corn tortillas on a skillet or over an open flame. Serve with avocado, shredded red cabbage or Napa cabbage, cilantro, sesame seeds, and Sriracha sour cream.

Sriracha Sour Cream

¼ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons (or more) Sriracha
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon soy sauce

Combine until well blended.

Back in the fall, I had a chili potluck at my house to help me decide which of the two chilis I should enter in the Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-off. Someone offered to bring cilantro pesto, and I must admit I was a bit confused. Why would someone bring pesto to a chili potluck? I didn’t realize that it would double as a delicious dip and be super addicting. This pesto is thicker than the usual pesto (which of course can be changed by adding more oil or liquid), raw, vegan, and good for you. Sounds disgusting, but it actually has a bright, flavorful taste that goes well with pretty much everything. Instead of salt, soy sauce is used, elevating this pesto to umami heaven.

I rarely share recipes that I haven’t created on my own or altered, but this recipe has to be shared completely unaltered. There are a few changes that you can make if you need too though, such as omitting the olive oil and nutritional yeast flakes. The most annoying, time consuming part for me, is to clean and pick the cilantro leaves, but I suppose you could roughly chop the bunches, stems and all. I don’t like to include too many stems, because I feel it makes it bitter.

Bonus: This recipe was adapted from Dr. David G. Williams’ recipe. Cilantro is said to help flush toxic metals, such as lead, aluminum, and mercury out of your body. This is particularly helpful to those who still partake in fish, or those who eat certain Mexican candies or still use some cooking vessels from Mexico. Dr. Williams recommends eating 2 teaspoons a day for 3 weeks for flushing out heavy metals. Use this pesto as a spread, dip, salad dressing, pasta sauce, addition to guacamole and salsas, etc. The pesto can also be frozen.

Thank you Maria & Larry for bringing this pesto, and thank you Sukie for sending me the recipe!

Shirley’s Cilantro Pesto

2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup raw almonds or cashews
2-3 cups packed fresh cilantro (about 2-3 bunches)
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon Tamari or soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, optional
1/3 cup olive oil

Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Roasted carrot soup w/cilantro pesto #veganinstagr.am/p/e6rER/

— Lisa Martinez (@epvegsnob) January 6, 2012

A raw carrot is my least favorite vegetable, but a cooked carrot is a whole different story. I had been craving a creamy curried vegan carrot soup that I used to make a lot, but I couldn’t find the recipe. VSEP used to publish a full-on newsletter, complete with articles and recipes, including a delicious curried carrot soup. When I couldn’t find it, I decided to make a simple roasted carrot soup, sans the curry.

It seems to be carrot soup season, as Fairy Healthy Life posted a delicious sounding carrot and apple soup, and Earth Balance posted a creamy vegan carrot soup complete with oats. Here’s a carrot soup I came up with when a couple of purchases and cravings came together:

Roasted Carrot Soup

1 lb. carrots, peeled & sliced into ½″ slices
1 shallot, peeled & thinly sliced (you can also use onions or garlic)
2-4 cups vegetable broth
olive oil, salt, and pepper

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Place carrots and shallots in a roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over them. Combine until all vegetables are completely coated.
• Bake in oven for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through and browned.
• Puree carrots with 1 cup of vegetable stock. Add more stock until soup reaches desired consistency.
• Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
• You can also add milk, pureed silken soft tofu, or cashew cream to make it a creamy soup.

The recipe for the cilantro pesto can be found here.

In 2011, El Paso saw more movement than usual in the restaurant scene, or at least that’s how it seemed. Let me know if I’ve left anything out, and tell me about your favorite food memories of 2011, whether they be in a restaurant or in your kitchen, vegetarian or not.

The EP food trend of 2011 was…sweets! Yogurt shops popped up all over El Paso, and cupcake/dessert bakeries infiltrated my Groupon/Living Social deals inbox. Sweet Corner opened up downtown and received a bit of publicity from local media.

Clockwise from left: Tabla, Roasted Cauliflower @ Tabla, Veggie Burger @ Tom's, Vergi-e Pizza @ The Pizza Joint, Veggie Nachos @ The Pitch, Salsas @ Bikini Joe's

So much happened in 2011. This is in no particular order.

• Commonwealth closed down, making way for newcomer Tabla. The owners of Ripe brought Spanish tapas to the Union Plaza district downtown. I attended their grand opening and got to try a couple of dishes for free. There aren’t too many options for vegetarians, but the dishes that are veg friendly are tasty and the vegetables are perfectly cooked. Unfortunately, the white bean dip contains bacon. Chef and staff are very friendly and accommodating, so they might be able to make dietary modifications.
• The Ripe family was busy in 2011 when The Drifter food truck decided to stop drifting & set up permanent shop at Tom’s Restaurant on Boston St. in the Kern area. I tried the veggie burger (Boca patty) topped with Manchego & Romesco sauce. Loved the Romesco sauce!
• John Geske, owner of Geske’s Firegrill & The Garden, took a risk investing in Bikini Joe’s at the former Casa Verde location near Bassett Place (Center). This place has a fun atmosphere and that’s about it. No veg options except for side dishes and a sad salad that was supposed to have greens, but only had iceberg lettuce. Pros: free self serve chips and salsas bar, Corona Ritas. Geske has hopes of turning this restaurant into a chain. Good luck?
• 2900 closed down, but The Pitch opened a few doors down. This sports bar is veg friendly! The veggie nachos are amazing, but can be really salty  at times. Other veg options include portobello burgers, veggie tacos, veggie nachos, veggie quesadillas, & grilled cheese. I heard that these are the same owners of Coach’s Grill, which unfortunately closed down as well this past year.
• The Pizza Joint also opened in the same shopping center as The Pitch. Order veggie pizza by the slice or as a whole pie in a fun, eclectic setting with beer on tap. Open until 3 am on Fridays & Saturdays! Kind of reminds me of Two Fisted Mario’s in Denver, but not nearly as delicious & cheap (sorry). Vegan sauce is available upon request (?).
• The original Jaxon’s at Mesa closed down, and Montana Steakhouse quickly took its place. The steakhouse had 4 locations in Juarez for almost 30 years before coming to El Paso.
• A couple of new chains came to El Paso in which none resonated well with me. Potbelly offered poor customer service and scanty servings. Baja Fresh also offered poor customer service and poor food quality. The manager couldn’t tell me whether or not their bean offerings were veg friendly. In better news, their rival (?) Chipotle will be opening up their first EP location in the 2900 shopping center (this place is a buzzing!)!!! Schlotzsky’s returned to the westside with a Cinnabon. I used to be a huge fan of this place, but I forgot how expensive it is!
• Spec’s opened up in the Sunland Park area. This was probably the best news of the year. This Texas chain has a wide variety of beer, wine, liquor, cigars, & fine foods at mostly reasonable prices. Their deli serves an awesome veggie sandwich, as well as a veggie burger (haven’t tried it yet).
• A new Mediteranean place opened up on the westside called Zino’s. Veg options include falafel, vegetarian platter, & pasta dishes. My mom loved this place, & I really liked their falafel & fries (they had garlic, spices, & cheese), but their hummus was a weird orange color.
• Everyday Gyro opened on Cincinnati. Food was subaverage & a bit salty. I think I’d rather grab falafel at Sinbad, Zino’s, or Al-Zaituna. Their fries were really good (had fresh garlic) & the hummus was pretty good, with an earthy taste.
• The eastside finally saw the return of an Indian restaurant in the area. Indian Curry Leaf opened up in the Sun Pointe Shopping Center on Lee Trevino. Everyone has raved about this place, but I wasn’t impressed when I tried their lunch buffet. Either way, I’d give them a second chance because I love Indian food & they’ve begun offering weekday lunch specials in lieu of their buffet.
• The Drifter may have closed shop, but Create Gourmet Eats food truck began its operations in 2011. They offer the usual veg option of a portabella sandwich, but the bread & toppings make this sandwich pop. Create has hopes of making it onto the Eat St. show on the Cooking Channel, so be sure & vote for them before Jan. 31. I guess they’re all about mainstream media because they completely ignored my review of them (I sent a link) & chose to only promote certain reviews. Otherwise, they are super nice & friendly.
• I found Jonathan of Belle Sucre at Ardovino’s Farmers Market, and was blown away by the bread (type of baguette?) that I bought. They also specialize in candies, cookies, cakes, pies, & pastries. They have plans of opening a retail location on the westside, and I am all too excited.
• Hoppy Monk finally opened up their kitchen a couple of months ago. I was underwhelmed by the lack of veg options & the greasy, bland appetizer that I ordered (Trappist mushrooms). I also didn’t appreciate being charged for an extra aioli when I only received two (menu said it came with 3). They’re still working out the kinks, so hopefully everything will be improved upon.
• Primo’s Craft Beer has opened & I have not been there yet! It’s located in the UTEP area, and boasts a wide beer selection.
• Steak houses and seafood restaurants popped up all over town, but I’m not going to list them for obvious reasons. Let me know if one offers a good veg option (I have a steak lover at home).
• Someone on Facebook reminded me to mention Valentine’s Kitchen, next to Hope and Anchor, which supposedly serves up some really good food. Doesn’t sound very veg friendly though. Check out this review from the UTEP Prospector.

Clockwise from left: Buffet @ Indian Curry Leaf, Portabella Burger @ Create Food Truck, Vegetarian @ Potbelly,Veggie Delight @ Spec's

2012 Brings Good & Bad News

• Sunset Pizza is closing down on Jan 21. This breaks my heart immensely. I’ve always thought that they served the best pizza in town, and this place holds significant memories. Fortunately, their menu & passion will carry on under a new name & location at Tosca Pizzeria, 4017 N. Mesa (where San Francisco Oven used to be) in March 2012.
• El Paso is finally getting a Chipotle!!! It will be located near UTEP in the shopping center at 2900 N. Mesa. Some people are disappointed by another burrito place opening in our predominantly Hispanic town, but haters gonna hate. I LOVE this place. It’s delicious and veg friendly.
• We’re still awaiting the opening of Square Cow Burgers, Beer, & Wine. I sure hope they have a veggie burger.
• VSEP will offer an Indian cooking class, as well as continue to host bake sales and dinners.
• Fire (inside the DoubleTree Hotel) stopped serving the DoubleTree Hugger sandwich. It turns out that Kipp’s Cheesesteak’s veggie sandwich is cooked in beef stock.

Personal Highlights

I saved my personal highlights for last in case you didn’t want to read them. 2011 was a great year for me foodwise. I fully devoted myself to this blog, and my pictures improved dramatically when I invested in a fancy camera.

• VSEP events: The Vegetarian Society hosted some fun and educational events. My favorites were the Arirang Tour & a cooking class held at Singapore Cafe.
• I won a Big Green Egg Grill from Harmony Valley Foods for my Chili Chile Cheeseburger recipe!
• The El Paso Times interviewed me & wrote up a nice big article in the Living section, which in turn, drove a lot of traffic to this blog.
• Finally attended La Vina’s Wine festival. Read about it here.
• Picked my own veggies in La Union, NM from The Maze’s garden.
• VSEP sponsored my participation in the 23rd Annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili-Cook Off. Alas, I did not place.
• I participated in Vegan MOFO. This really helped me find focus and inspiration. It also accelerated the amount of posts I wrote during that month. Most importantly, the sense of community was amazing.
• Found out that Hot Dog on a Stick serves veggie dogs on a stick. $3 is what you pay for nostalgia, convenience, & greasy goodness.
• Lean Cuisine started offering Veggie Cuisine entrees featuring Gardein products. You can find them at Walmart.
• I also invested in an iPhone and I hate to admit it, but I love it. I’ve posted less restaurant reviews due to the Foodspotting app. Other apps I frequently use are Instagram, Epicurious, and Urbanspoon.

Clockwise from left: Arirang Market, My winning burger entry, La Vina Winery, Lean Cuisine & Gardein joined forces, Chickpea Soup recipe forVegan Mofo, La Union garden

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and comment in 2011!

Anyways, enough about my Internet troubles, on to the food! To make up for my absence, I have a special treat for El Pasoans. Not that this post isn’t for non-El Pasoans, it’s just that this will mean more to those who have ever dined at Jaxon’s. Allow me to provide some background info for those unaware. Otherwise, just skip down to the recipe below.

Jaxon’s Restaurants & Brewing Company has been specializing in southwest cuisine since 1973. Jaxon’s has evolved throughout the years, operating 4 locations throughout the city at one point. Most recently, all that remains are the Airway (central) and Remcon (west) locations. Jaxon’s has garnered various local awards, as well as national award winning handcrafted ales and lagers.

You either love Jaxon’s or you hate it, and I’ve had mixed emotions throughout the years. Their quality and service can be inconsistent at times. I’ve grown to love their brewery and the fact that they have vegetarian options (veggie burgers- black bean patty or portobello mushroom). Lately, their beer offerings have been waning. At one time, they had all 6 or 7 of their brews on tap. The last time  I went to the Remcon location they only had 2 on tap. My favorites are the Andale IPA, Silver Star Light, and Borderland Lager.

Jaxon’s is known for their “famous” soups which consist of Green-Chile Potato, Chicken Tortilla, and Iron Tender Steak. I used to love the Green-Chile Potato soup until I found out that it has chicken stock. It’s a decadent carb lovers dream: rich and creamy potato soup with a good kick, topped with tortilla strips and a large mound of jack cheese. The El Paso Times recently published an article with the recipe, but I’m not sure if it’s really the Jaxon’s recipe, as the source is cited from the Junior League Cookbook. Either way, I was satisfied with my lighter and vegetarian results.

Copycat Potato-Green Chile Soup

1 fresh jalapeño pepper, minced
4 fresh long green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and finely chopped (you can also use canned or frozen)
1 small finely chopped onion
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable broth (I used 1 Rapunzel bouillon cube)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup half and half or milk
Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1. Saute onion for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add jalapenos, cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add green chile, potatoes, salt, water, and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes.
3. For the bechamel sauce: In a separate pan, melt the butter over low heat, add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly poor in milk while whisking. Cook over low heat until thickened.
4. Puree about half of the potato mixture with an immersion blender or blender.
5. Stir in the bechamel sauce and add freshly cracked pepper. Season with salt if necessary.

Serve with tortilla strips and cheese.

I coated a corn tortilla with cooking spray, cut it into strips, and toasted on a baking sheet for 3-5 minutes on each side in a 400° toaster oven.

To make up for the lack of festive food, I felt the need to cook something seasonal and comforting today. I also made the decision to finally use the package of winter squash that’s been sitting in my freezer for months. Creamy pasta and greens is my favorite comfort food, so I came up with a winter squash, kale, and white bean pasta dish. While it wasn’t a spectacularly good dish, I think it’s worth making again. I especially want to revisit this recipe to try it with sausage.

Creamy Winter Squash & Kale Pasta

Makes about 4 servings

1 pkg. frozen pureed winter squash, thawed (or 1 cup of cooked & pureed butternut squash)
1 bunch of kale (or your favorite green), rinsed & torn into bite-sized pieces
½ cup raw cashews
2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground nutmeg
3 cups dried whole wheat penne, or your favorite pasta
salt & pepper
1 ½ cups reserved pasta water or ‘chicken’ or vegetable stock
1 can of cannellini beans (optional), drained & rinsed
fresh lemon

Cover the cashews with water & soak for 30 minutes or more. Drain & rinse them; puree with ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional) & enough water (about ½ cup) to form a thick, liquidy consistency.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat oil or butter in a dutch oven or large pan, add garlic, & cook for a couple of minutes or until slightly golden. Add kale, season with salt, pepper, & nutmeg (I grated for about 5 seconds); cook for a few minutes, or until the kale is bright green and tender. Add squash puree & water or stock. Slowly stir in cashew cream (you may want to use less). Add beans & simmer until heated through. Squeeze about ½ of a lemon & stir. Season with salt & pepper if needed.

Click on the links to get more info on Christy and her book, and view all of the event details in the flyer below.

• Read a review of the book @ the Lone Star Plate Blog>>
• Preview the book at Amazon>>
• Request the book from the El Paso Public Library>>
• Visit Christy’s site>>

What do you plan on making this Thanksgiving?

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes from Epicurious
My favorite site features some hearty meatless main ideas that includes lentil croquettes, oven baked tempeh, and pot roast seitan. If you have the Epicurious app, you’ll want to check out their handy Thanksgiving guides.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menus from Bon Appetit
Classy menus that indicate amount of time to prepare and number of servings. Menus for 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 people that will take 1-3 hours to prepare. Some include wine pairings.

Vegetarian Holiday Recipes from Cooking Light
The Beet Wellingtons dish looks beautiful and sounds delicious. There’s also a recipe for tamales! They have a vegan feature this year, but it’s not worth linking to because it’s just a bunch of side dishes.

Meatless Monday: 15 Vegetarian & Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
Beautiful and mostly unique recipes from the Blisstree site. The seitan roulade and the hazelnut & chard ravioli look amazing. Most recipes indicate if they can be made vegan or gluten free.

Pinterest
Have you ever been on the Pinterest site? It’s addicting! It’s an online pinboard where you can organize and share things that you find on the web. You have to request an invite to create your own pinboard, but you don’t need one if you’re just going to browse. Click on these links to get ideas and recipes.
Vegetarian Thanksgiving
Vegan Thanksgiving

You can also refer back to my 2010 recipe list for even more recipe links.

FYI, I’ll soon be posting a roundup of some veg Thanksgiving recipes that have caught my eye.

Here’s a list of the events going on this month that are veg friendly. Please let me know if I’ve left anything out. I didn’t include Let’s Cook El Paso, which takes place this Saturday, November 12, because I wasn’t sure how veg friendly it would be. Feel free to also tell me if you plan on going to any of these events and if you liked/disliked them.

Please note the upcoming deadlines to register on some of the events. 

Saturday, November 12 
VSEP Vegan Bake Sale: 9:30 am-2 pm
Cielo Vista Natural Market, 8900 Viscount
Part of the proceeds will go to a local animal shelter.
If you would like to volunteer to bake or staff the table, please contact Liz at liz.walsh.rotifer@gmail.com or call 915-342-7630.

Sunday, November 13
Hope & Anchor’s 3rd Annual Chili Cook Off: 4 pm (3 pm for participants)
$20 to compete (entry fee due Saturday, November 12), $5 to taste chili, $2 hot dogs
Proceeds benefit the Rescue Mission of El Paso
Carnivore & Herbivore Categories. 1st Place: $100, 2nd Place: $50, Crowd Favorite $25 (I’m totally taking cred for this addition)

Saturday, November 19
Compassionate Thanksgiving Dinner (Reserve & pay online by Nov. 15): Meet & greet @ 6 pm, Eat @ 6:30 pm
Sunland Park Holiday Inn, 900 Sunland Park Dr.
Cost: $15
With special guest speaker, Dr. Melanie Joy! You can check out her newest book at the library. Request Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, & Wear Cows from EPPL’s online catalog here.

By the way, I’m thinking of starting a Vegan Drinks meetup in El Paso. Would anyone be interested in planning, promoting, or attending?