Mexican Sunday Brunch

Aaahhh, Sundays! Sundays mean different things to different people. For some it's a day of rest after a long week of work. For some it means attendance at church to pray and give thanks. For some it means a day to spend quality time with family and friends.

Throughout my life, Sunday has always had some special meaning. When I was a kid, it meant that Mom was making Matzoh Ball Soup and a red sauce for some Italian dish (yes, Jewish and Italian mix perfectly). When I was away at school, Sunday meant bagels after a workout at the gym. When I was older, Sunday meant the Sunday New York Times and seeing how fast I could finish the crossword puzzle...in ink! And sometimes Sunday meant brunch.

Before we were Vegan, Tom and I would go to the neighborhood diner and indulge in a brunch we now look back on and cringe. Sure, it was delicious but just thinking about what we ate then makes our arteries seize up in horror. Now Sundays mean Vegan brunch and we love going out to have a healthy, delicious tofu scramble with lots of greens. I always order extra greens. But we can't always go out so I make Sunday brunch at home.

As a spin on the usual brunch menu, I made us a Mexican Sunday Brunch. A spicy Mexican tofu scramble with black beans, green chiles and cilantro. Eat it on its own or make a Mexican tofu scramble taco with charred corn tortillas.

Toppings include a fresh Pico de Gallo with juicy Roma tomatoes, spicy jalapeno peppers and sweet Spanish onions and my special Red Guacamole which is a mix of creamy avocado and Roma tomatoes with jalapenos and lime juice. Of course, your selection of toppings can include whatever you love: black olives, salsa, shredded lettuce, Spanish rice, vegan cheese shreds, etc.

And what's better on the side than home fries? My Spanish-Style Potatoes are so delicious; they are my favorite part of the meal. Red potatoes cooked in Spanish spices with onions until they are crisp and golden.

This is the perfect way to change up that usual tofu scramble. It makes a wonderful brunch but this meal would also make a delicious dinner served buffet style so everyone could pick and choose their own ingredients to make their perfect plate.

Sunday or a weekday, brunch or dinner, whenever you make this, it will turn your ordinary day into a fiesta!

Mexican Tofu Scramble

Ingredients

2 packages of extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 Tbs. safflower oil
3 scallions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. Mexican chile powder
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 Tbs. nutritional yeast (optional)
2 Tbs. ground flaxseed (optional)
1 cup water
1-4 oz. can green chiles
1-15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, then cook the scallions, bell pepper and garlic for about 3 minutes until softened. Break the tofu into large chunks and add to the pan. Toss it so it’s covered with the aromatics and then let it sit so it browns a little before flipping it. When it browns after about 5 minutes, toss the tofu to let it brown on all sides.

While the tofu is browning, make the spice mix in a small bowl or cup. Increase or decrease the amounts based on how spicy you like your food. Nutritional yeast and flaxseed are optional but healthy additions if you have them. Add the spice mix to the pan and toss the tofu to evenly distribute the spices. Add 1 cup of water to the pan and stir. This helps the spices distribute evenly and moistens the scramble. The water will cook out.

Mix the green chiles and the black beans into the tofu scramble. Let cook about 5 minutes until all the ingredients are heated through. Stir in the cilantro. Serve while hot.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

5 Roma tomatoes, diced
¼ large Spanish onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Mix all ingredients and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Red Guacamole

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados, pitted
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice

Directions

Cut the avocados in half. Rinse them with a bit of cool water. This will keep them from turning brown. Mash them in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste to adjust seasonings to your liking. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spanish-Style Potatoes

Ingredients

2 lbs. small red potatoes
1 Tbs. olive oil
¼ large Spanish onion, diced
2 tsp. Mexican Fiesta spice mix or a mix of pinches of cumin, chile powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cilantro, cayenne, and paprika)
1 tsp. kosher salt
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. You want all the pieces to be similar in size so they cook evenly. Put them in a large saucepot, fill with cold water until potatoes are just covered. Add a pinch of salt. Cover the pot and boil the potatoes until they are just fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the potatoes to the skillet in one layer and let them cook for a few minutes until they start to brown on one side. Add the onion and the spices. Flip the potatoes so they brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and serve while hot.

To make Mexican Tofu Scramble Tacos:

Brown corn tortillas in a skillet oiled with cooking spray or if you have a gas stove, you can char them directly on the burner.

Assembly: Take a corn tortilla, spread some guacamole down the center. Add a spoon of tofu scramble and top with the fresh pico de gallo and other toppings of your choice. Fold and eat! Serve with extra lime wedges. Enjoy!

The "V" Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.