Monday, January 20, 2025

Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Dip and Breakfast Burrito

 A vegetarian dipping sauce along with a vegetarian breakfast burrito. 

Use the dipping sauce for chips, tacos, eggs, etc.

Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

1 1/2 to 2C Raw Cashews, soaked 30-60 min in hot water, drained
1 Roasted/blackened RedPepper (or jarred pepper, minus the oil)
1/2 Lemon, juice
1T (a splash) Apple Cider vinegar
1tsp Smoked Paprika
1tsp Garlic Powder
1/2tsp Dry Mustard
2T Tahini Paste
Salt


Red Pepper Dipping Sauce Technique:

Soak the cashews in hot water for about an hour

Lightly rub a thin layer of vegetable oil on the whole pepper skin
Roast/broil in a hot 400F oven, turning occasionally, until the pepper skin blisters and blackens
(Alternately, stab with fork and rotate over a gas-cooktop)

Once blackened, put the pepper in a tight plastic bag and refrigerate for (30 minutes)
The core can be pulled out, and seeds cleaned
The skin will peel off
(This does not have to be perfect as it will be blended)

Drain the cashews

Blend all ingredients, all spices, in a food processor or with an immersion blender, blending until smooth.
Add water, thinning, as needed.

Taste
(I've found this sauce might need more salt or lemon juice to brighten it up.  The sauce can be made days in-advance, keeping well refrigerated.)



Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito

This breakfast burrito is made with tofu and turmeric, and it looks and tastes like an egg burrito.  The sweet potatoes give it a filling and firm texture.  With the red sauce from above, these will be a hit.  This recipe makes about 10 to 12 burritos and it freezes well.


1C Red Lentils, soaked in hot-water for 1 hour
1 Firm Tofu, drained

Vegetables:
1 Sweet Potato, large, diced small
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced small, reserve 1/4 cup
1 Red Onion, diced small, reserve 1/4 cup
1Can Black Beans, rinsed,
1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded, diced small

Spices for the Vegetable mixture:
3T Olive Oil
2T Lemon Juice
2T Onion Powder
1T Garlic Powder
1T Cumin Powder
Salt
Pepper

Spices for the Tofu:
1T Turmeric Powder
2T Nutritional Yeast

For Garnish:
2C Tomatoes, chopped
1/2C reserved, Red Onions
1/2C reserved, Black Beans
Chopped Cilantro for garnish and color

1package, Tortilla Shells (I like the spinach ones, but these photographs I used flour)


Burrito Technique:

In a large mixing bowl, combine (do not blend):
Sweet Potato
Most of the Red Onion
Most of the Green Bell Pepper
Most of the Black Beans
Jalapeno
Spices (except Turmeric, except Yeast)
Lemon juice
Olive Oil

Line a sided baking sheet with parchment paper
Spread the vegetable mixture, relatively thin (1/2" thick)
Bake 425 (15-20min) until potatoes are cooked (nice to see some light caramelization, if you can)



In the same (now empty) mixing bowl
Add crumbled Tofu
Soaked Lentils
2T Nutritional Yeast
1T Turmeric Powder
Salt

Using an immersion blender, blend the tofu mixture
Spread and mix on top of the baked vegetables, form into a thin rectangle; lift the edges of the parchment paper to form a rectangle.

Bake again, for (15 to 20 minutes), until it firms
(after baking, and a slight cooling, it should firm-up like a soft brownie)

Assembly:
One at a time, briefly heat tortilla shell in an ungreased frying pan, flipping both sides.  Remove.
On the tortilla, spread a spoonful of the red-pepper dip (see above)

From the baking sheet, use a spatula and cut a horizontal rectangle slab, approximately 2" wide by 5" (1/2 sheet wide).  Place on burrito.


Sprinkle some tomatoes
Toss in a smattering of the reserved onions and bell pepper (for texture and color)
Chopped Cilantro

Roll the burrito.  Ready to eat.

Optionally:
Wrap in foil and bake 350F for (10 minutes)
or wrap in foil and freeze