Low-fat Vegetarian Mexican??

[Jenise]

I'm having two couples over on Wednesday night because one of them's leaving for almost two months. The female half of the other couple is vegetarian, and furthermore she has digestive problems that rule out cabbage and onion-family items. Bob needs to avoid fat. And the departing couple, who requested a Mexican menu, are bringing crab enchiladas (the vegetarian will eat some seafood but prefers not to--she lives on cheese). Tacos are an open idea, though I've done vegetarian tacos (hominy sauteed in butter and chilula) for them before. Could go with a potato-mix filling there. Rellenos? Love them, but they're just too unhealthy.

My usual morning creative flow isn't flowing yet this morning. Maybe I should go look over the on-line menus at places like Topolabambo, or whatever Rick Bayless' restaurant is called. In the meantime, anybody have any ready suggestions? Stuart?

she lives on cheese

Literally?

Seven days per week? (Even five would be a lot).

Wow.

she lives on cheese). Tacos are an open idea, though I've done vegetarian tacos (hominy sauteed in butter and chilula) for them before. Could go with a potato-mix filling there. Rellenos? Love them, but they're just too unhealthy.

Jenise, can your friend eat beans? I might suggest that you do refried pinto beans and use a LOT of cheddar. Doing this you could use the beans as filling for a veggie taco, and make a cold salsa type thing (sin onion) to top the beans with. You might use just a touch of Larry's mild red chile powder in the beans. I would be encouraged to say use lard to refry the beans, but that would be out because of her not eating meat or animal product. If you decide to do this (now or at a later time) puree only about 75% of the beans and leave the rest whole.

And the departing couple, who requested a Mexican menu, are bringing crab enchiladas (the vegetarian will eat some seafood but prefers not to--she lives on cheese).

A "vegetarian" that eats seafood?

What about those hominy-stuffed poblanos? Love 'em!

Make tacos for everyone else using ground turkey to cut the fat, and make the vegetarian ones from TVP, or tofu that's been frozen. When you thaw it is the texture and consistency of ground beef.

Sweet corn tamales with tomatillo sauce.

Make rajas without the onions for evreyone - and hold the cheese for Bob to cut the fat.

[Jenise]

she lives on cheese

Literally?

Seven days per week? (Even five would be a lot).

Wow.

It's just about all I ever see her eat--cheese and crackers. Even one night when they had us over for pizza (vegetarian of course, from Little Caesars), she didn't eat the pizza but instead some thicker bread dough thing covered with a thick raft of cheese that apparently they also make.

[Jenise]

Sweet corn tamales with tomatillo sauce.

That's a great idea. It's a time cruncher, but if one has the time the fact that you make more to freeze for later is always your reward.

[Jenise]

What about those hominy-stuffed poblanos? Love 'em!

That's a great idea, too. I made the hominy as a taco filling once at a taco party Vanessa came to, but re-worked inside the chiles, they probably wouldn't seem like a re-run.

[Jenise]

And the departing couple, who requested a Mexican menu, are bringing crab enchiladas (the vegetarian will eat some seafood but prefers not to--she lives on cheese).

A "vegetarian" that eats seafood?

I understand the conflict, but I do know a number of otherwise-vegetarians who eat seafood. In fact, I believe Rahsaan is one.

Fajitas...South Texas perennial favorite.

Grilled chicken or skirt steak for the carnivores....serve with fresh pico de gallo (or salsa), beans, grated heese, grilled onions or peppers

Grilled portobellos...(for the vegetarians) then slice into strips...and serve with the same toppings

Serve with fresh warm corn or flour tortillas

Richard

[Jenise]

Fajitas...South Texas perennial favorite.

Grilled chicken or skirt steak for the carnivores....serve with fresh pico de gallo (or salsa), beans, grated heese, grilled onions or peppers

Grilled portobellos...(for the vegetarians) then slice into strips...and serve with the same toppings

Serve with fresh warm corn or flour tortillas

Richard

Portobello fajitas! Now THERE'S a great new idea. Love it, will do it. As for the carnivores--I would actually rather cook all vegetarian if we're having one vegetarian in the house. Won't hurt anyone to eat that way, and I enjoy the challenge of making the meal. Too, I'll do almost anything to take away Vanessa's excuse to live on crackers and cheese for the night. She doesn't cook (they live on frozen food) and claims not to be into food--but it's no wonder, the food she eats is boring. She'd be more into it if she had more and tastier examples of healthy vegetarian food.

[Jenise]

Make rajas without the onions for evreyone - and hold the cheese for Bob to cut the fat.

Rajas? What are rajas--new one to me.

Jenise,

The portobello fajitas? With all the toppings? If you've not tried this..You'll never miss the meat. They're good.

Richard

Make rajas without the onions for evreyone - and hold the cheese for Bob to cut the fat.

Rajas? What are rajas--new one to me.

Slow cook onions (which you'd have to omit) and peeled poblano chile strips in lard, (which you'd have to sub vegetable oil for)then when they're all soft and oozy you melt cheese on them and serve them in corn tortillas. The way I've described them does not do them justice, but trust me, they're delicious

The thought of them without the onions strikes me sort of the same way making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the peanut butter would - because the onions bring a sweetness to the party that I would really miss.
But someone who hasn't had them before wouldn't know - they'd just think they were eating a chile and cheese taco!

Wow, a lot of good ideas! No onions makes it a challenge...

I like the idea of tacos or burritos with TVP (there's a very nice version available frozen from Morningstar Farms). If you can get Quorn, that would make a very nice chicken substitute- I've used it in fajitas, but what's a fajita without an onion? Green chile tamales, of course, but they're not low fat if you do 'em right. You can also do a variation of stuffed peppers and chile rellenos; skin and stuff the chiles with dead animal for the rest of the gang, cheese and rice for the nominal vegetarian. Then lay them as is in a baking dish, smother in some appropriate sauce (I like something mole-ish), then bake. Sprinkle with queso seco and chopped epazote.

Can you get any decent tomatoes? Oven roast, then skin and chop. Some garlic, chipotle, cilantro (sorry, Cynthia), chard, potato, green chile, a little masa harina for binder, stuff into a ramekin and steam or cook in a bain marie, then unmold (sort of like sformata).

Black beans and Mexican rice are, of course, a classic combo. For the latter, I'm ashamed to admit that I really like the Cook's Illustrated version.

edit: Hmmmmm.... how about stir-fried corn, garlic, and wild mushrooms, spiced with some chipotle powder and finished with cilantro and a squirt of lime?

Jenise, apart from 'low-fat vegetarian Mexican' sounding like the ultimate oxymoron, what works well in a veggie version is chiles en nogada, done with rice, cheese, onions and pine nuts and served with the traditional walnut sauce.

We also make sort of a mexican pasta. Called “Fideo”….uses vermicelli that is toasted (browned) in a bit of vegetable oil. Then drained on paper towels and added to a cast iron skillet w/ a can of tomatoes and about a ½ cup of chopped pickled jalapenos ( or a full cup if you like it spicy) then simmered down until most of the moisture is gone.

Used as side..like rice. Also, its even better the next day…we like to roll it up in a flour tortilla when eaten as a leftover.

Richard

[Jenise]

Make rajas without the onions for evreyone - and hold the cheese for Bob to cut the fat.

The thought of them without the onions strikes me sort of the same way making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the peanut butter would - because the onions bring a sweetness to the party that I would really miss. But someone who hasn't had them before wouldn't know - they'd just think they were eating a chile and cheese taco!

Heck, after reading your description, I'D miss the onions! You know what, I kind of worry that she doesn't really have a digestive problem, that she just thinks she does based on some badly prepared food somewhere else in her life (I never trust non-cooks to discern the difference), but at the same time there's no arguing with it, is there?

[Jenise]

I like the idea of tacos or burritos with TVP (there's a very nice version available frozen from Morningstar Farms). If you can get Quorn, that would make a very nice chicken substitute- I've used it in fajitas, but what's a fajita without an onion? Green chile tamales, of course, but they're not low fat if you do 'em right. You can also do a variation of stuffed peppers and chile rellenos; skin and stuff the chiles with dead animal for the rest of the gang, cheese and rice for the nominal vegetarian. Then lay them as is in a baking dish, smother in some appropriate sauce (I like something mole-ish), then bake. Sprinkle with queso seco and chopped epazote.

Can you get any decent tomatoes? Oven roast, then skin and chop. Some garlic, chipotle, cilantro (sorry, Cynthia), chard, potato, green chile, a little masa harina for binder, stuff into a ramekin and steam or cook in a bain marie, then unmold (sort of like sformata).

Black beans and Mexican rice are, of course, a classic combo. For the latter, I'm ashamed to admit that I really like the Cook's Illustrated version.

edit: Hmmmmm.... how about stir-fried corn, garlic, and wild mushrooms, spiced with some chipotle powder and finished with cilantro and a squirt of lime?

I don't know about Quorn. Haven't seen it, but haven't looked for it. And I've never cooked with TVP--this has me intrigued. I love tofu, and it would be interesting to try something new. The Co-op probably has this kind of thing--they certainly would have the largest number of vegetarian shoppers there, though my vegetarian friend does most of her shopping at Fred Meyer who have a whole vegetarian-store within-a-store. The vegetarian shopper doesn't need to deal with the rest of the store at all, and though there are no walls around it, produce, dairy, frozen--it's all right there.

Rice and beans--yes, I'll probably do both. I like the idea of your little timbale things, but tomatoes are lousy right now.

[Jenise]

she lives on cheese). Tacos are an open idea, though I've done vegetarian tacos (hominy sauteed in butter and chilula) for them before. Could go with a potato-mix filling there. Rellenos? Love them, but they're just too unhealthy.

Jenise, can your friend eat beans? I might suggest that you do refried pinto beans and use a LOT of cheddar. Doing this you could use the beans as filling for a veggie taco, and make a cold salsa type thing (sin onion) to top the beans with. You might use just a touch of Larry's mild red chile powder in the beans. I would be encouraged to say use lard to refry the beans, but that would be out because of her not eating meat or animal product. If you decide to do this (now or at a later time) puree only about 75% of the beans and leave the rest whole.

That's pretty much how I do refried beans when I do them, Bob, but in this case we've got to go low-fat and that's why this is so challenging an idea. I didn't even bring up that one of the six of us is on a low-carb diet. Now that would be really impossible!

FWIW, I get both the Quorn and the Morningstar Farms stuff (it's in a bag in the freezer case, called something like "starters") at Safeway.