Sequestration Meal #500

 

More from the genre of "go easier on yourself," I chose some simple, flavorful recipes and stuck it all in a bowl, then covered everything with a sprinkling of cilantro, and really this was one of my favorite meals!

First, of course, there is refried beans. I've gotten used to doctoring up my canned refried beans ever since I had to give up Goya, and I think I have it down to an art: Saute some onion in vegan butter, then add the beans, onion powder, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Heat through.

I find Mexican rice essentially compulsory with refried beans. Although there are more exciting versions, this time I went with something super simple, using a recipe I found at Thai Caliente, which required a shorter list of ingredients than most of the Mexican rice I make, and still got the job done. I didn't want something too dramatic because this meal truly is about the veggies.

I had some zucchini to use up, so I found a recipe at Isabel Eats for a roasted Mexican zucchini that sounded promising. I left out the cheese to make it vegan, even though I could have sprinkled on some vegan feta. I just wasn't in the mood. I really liked this zucchini and would make it again, for sure; it was also really easy--just mix and bake.

Finally, I made a recipe for Mexican mushrooms from Muy Delish I've made before and loved, and was probably the reason I wanted Mexican food in the first place. This one's pretty easy, too, but it's the most complicated of all the dishes I made here.

This would be great with a quesadilla or some homemade corn tortillas, but I wasn't up to that on this day. So here it is: A satisfying bowl of vegan Mexican-inspired goodies that happens to be super allergy-friendly. If you need to avoid allergens, check the label on your vegan butter if you're doctoring up your refried beans to make sure it's appropriate for you, or just use vegetable oil. It will still be great.