This week veggie box feature… Cinco de Mayo Recipes

With Sunday being Cinco de Mayo this week’s theme is easy and delicious recipes for your celebrations featuring this week’s vegetables.

 

What is Cinco de Mayo?

It is a yearly celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. But many think it’s Mexico’s Independence Day which it is not, that is celebrated in September. 😊

 

Whether Cinco de Mayo is part of your culture or you just enjoy delicious Mexican food I hope you enjoy this week’s recipes.

 

Recipes

 

Spicy Cucumber Margarita

Created by: Ciao Chow Bambina

For your Cinco de Mayo Happy Hour! Yes, you can drink your vegetables! This one is for all of you who like to get creative with your cocktails, (you can also make a mocktail version) this recipe is for you!

 

Ingredients:

1 cup of your favorite tequila (with or without alcohol)

1/2 thinly sliced jalapeño, plus more for garnish

1/2 thinly sliced cucumber, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup agave syrup

1/2 lime and sugar for rimming the glasses

Instructions:

1. To make the jalapeño infused tequila: Place 1/2 thinly sliced jalapeño, 1/2 thinly sliced cucumber and 1 cup tequila in a cocktail shaker. Give a gentle muddle to the vegetables, cover, and allow to sit at room temperature for a few hours.

2. Before making the margaritas, remove jalapeños and cucumber from the tequila.

3. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the flavor-infused tequila, lime juice and agave syrup. Shake!

4. To rim the margarita glasses, first pour sugar on a large plate. Rub the edge of each glass with a lime wedge and then dip into the sugar.

5. Strain the margarita into glasses, garnish with slices of lime, cucumber and jalapeño.

6. Cheers!

 

Mango Pico de Gallo

Created By: Six Hungry Feet

Make this part of your Happy Hour or a topping on your fish tacos or tamales for dinner! This Pico de Gallo is sweet, tangy, refreshing, healthy and the perfect salsa to add to your tortilla chips, nachos or tacos.

 

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes

½ small red onion

1 mango

½ cup cilantro

1 jalapeño pepper

Juice from 1 lime

Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, mango and cilantro. Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl.

2. Add the lime juice and season with salt to taste.

3. Chill for about 20 minutes in the fridge and serve.

 

 

Simple Mexican Coleslaw

Created by: Karlynn Johnston

Easy and fast coleslaw, a powerhouse of healthy vegetables that also happen to be delicious! Perfect for lunch or a side or topping with dinner!

 

Ingredients:

4-5 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage

1 1/2 cups peeled and grated carrots

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Dressing:

1/3 cup lime juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp honey

2 cloves garlic minced

sprinkle of salt and pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions:

1. Toss together the salad ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.

2. Combine the dressing ingredients together blend with a hand blender. You can also just shake them together, but use 1/2 tsp garlic powder instead of cloves.

3. Toss together all of the ingredients in the large bowl until the salad is completely covered in dressing. Serve and enjoy.

4. This salad is even better when marinated overnight in the fridge before serving.

Tip: Leftover coleslaw makes for a quick and delicious lunch throughout the week!

 

 

Fiesta Cucumber Corn Salad

Created by: Food.com

Healthy, crunchy, spicy - and sooo easy! This is so good as a salad to accompany Mexican food - but it does pack a peppy punch of its own.

 

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, seeded and chopped (not peeled)

1 (8 3/4 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped

1⁄2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1⁄2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

4 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

1⁄2 tsp cumin

1⁄4 - 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Toss together all ingredients in a glass bowl.

2. Cover and chill at least half an hour before serving (I like it to sit in the refrigerator overnight, stirring occasionally.).

 

 

BBQ Pulled Carrot Tacos

Created By: Yup it’s Vegan

Loaded vegan tacos filled with tender BBQ pulled carrots and quick refried black beans makes a delicious dinner!

 

Ingredients:

For the BBQ pulled carrot:

2 cups shredded carrot (3 to 5 carrots)

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

For the quick re-fried black beans:

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 white or yellow onion diced

1 and 1/2 cups cooked black beans with liquid

salt and pepper to taste

For the BBQ pulled carrot tacos:

6 corn tortillas BBQ pulled carrots (above) quick re-fried black beans (above)

2 avocados cubed

1/4 head of purple cabbage shredded (optional)

dressing or sauce of choice (I used ranch)

other toppings as desired

Instructions:

For the BBQ pulled carrots:

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet. When hot, add the shredded carrot and quickly stir to distribute the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring and flipping the carrot occasionally.

2. Once the carrot is starting to dry out and lightly brown, add the BBQ sauce and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the carrot is cooked to your preference. I like mine to still have a little bit of bite to them. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, hot sauce, etc.

For the quick re-fried black beans:

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is starting to brown.

2. Add the black beans with liquid and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally (taking care to scrape around the bottom of the pan) and mashing the beans as you stir, until the mixture has thickened to your liking.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the BBQ pulled carrot tacos:

1. (optional, but recommended) Warm the tortillas in a skillet for 30-40 seconds per side to make them more pliable for filling.

2. Spread a dollop of re-fried black beans onto a tortilla, then top it with a handful of the BBQ pulled carrots, and the other toppings to taste. Enjoy!

Notes:

BEAN COOKING LIQUID: If you are using canned black beans, simply use the entire contents of can including the liquid. If you are using beans that you cooked yourself, use about 1/4 cup of reserved cooking liquid, or substitute with vegetable broth.

MAKE AHEAD: Carrots and beans can be cooked in advance and reheated before serving. The beans thicken as they cool, so add a splash of liquid when you're reheating them.

TOPPINGS: Mix and match your favorite toppings, but I don't recommend skipping the fresh cabbage (can use this week’s green or the above cabbage slaw recipe), as it provides a little crunch which gives a needed texture contrast!

 

 

Taqueria-Style Spicy Pickled Carrots

Created by: Buckwheat Queen

These are easy to make and delicious to add to your tacos, tortas, or any Mexican dishes. This is not a canning recipe, so keep them in the fridge. Refrigerate them for up to 4 weeks. 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 tsp coarse sea salt

¾ pound carrots

1 small yellow onion

6 medium fresh jalapenos

2 cloves garlic

1 TBSP vegetable oil

2 large bay leaves

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 tsp dried Mexican oregano

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Whisk vinegar, water, and sea salt together in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, and simmer until salt is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

2. Peel carrots and cut them into 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Cut onion into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 strips. Cut stems off jalapenos and cut each jalapeno into 6 strips. Slightly crush each garlic clove.

3. Warm oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, oregano, and cumin seeds. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add onion, jalapenos, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and fragrant but not soft, about 15 minutes.

4.Place vegetables in a 24-ounce wide-mouth canning jar. Pour in the cooled vinegar mixture until liquid reaches 1 inch from the top. Pour olive oil on top and secure the lid. Allow to cool to room temperature. The carrots are ready to serve after 1 hour but best after sitting for 24 hours.

 

 

Friendly Reminder: Looking for additional inspiration? ALL recipes from the past two years are available on the blog for reference. 😊