Eddie Garza - Salud! Vegan Mexican Cookbook: 150 Mouthwatering Recipes from Tamales to Churros

CHAPTER 1
LA COCINA VEGANA

CHAPTER 2
BREAKFAST

ARROZ SIN LECHE
(MEXICAN RICE PUDDING)

TOFU HUEVOS RANCHEROS
(RANCHERS EGGS)

MIGAS
(PAN FRIED TORILLAS AND TOFU EGGS)

CHILAQUILES
(PAN FRIED TORTILLAS WITH SALSA RANCHERA)

MOLLETE
(OPEN-FACED BREAKFAST SANDWICH)

CHAPTER 3
SALADS, SOUPS, AND STEWS

SOPA DE FIDEO
(MEXICAN NOODLE SOUP)

GUISO DE FLOR DE CALABAZA
(SQUASH BLOSSOM STEW)

PICADILLO
(BEEF-STYLE STEW)

CHAPTER 4
SNACKS AND APPETIZERS

ELOTES
(CORN ON THE COB)

ALMOND QUESO COTIJA
(ALMOND COTIJA CHEESE)

CASHEW QUESO FUNDIDO
(CASHEW CHEESE DIP)

SEAFOOD-STYLE ALBONDIGAS
(MEATBALLS)

PAPAS BRAVAS
(SPICY POTATOES)

CHAPTER 5
TACOS, TORTAS, AND TAMALES

TACOS DE SUADERO
(BEEF-STYLE TACOS)

TACOS AL PASTOR
(PINEAPPLE AND CHILE-MARINATED PORK-STYLE TACOS)

TACOS DE NOPALES
(NOPAL CACTUS TACOS)

SEITAN BISTEC TORTAS
(STEAK-STYLE SANDWICH)

JACKFRUIT CARNITAS TORTAS
(PORK-STYLE SANDWICH)

BLACK BEAN BURGUESA TORTAS
(MEXICAN BLACK BEAN BURGERS)

CHAPTER 6
BURRITOS, FAJITAS, AND MS

EL ORIGINAL
(CLASSIC BEEF AND BEAN BURRITOS)

BURRITOS ENMOLADOS
(BURRITOS IN MOLE SAUCE)

ENMOLADAS VERDES WITH CHICKEN-STYLE SETAS
(CHICKEN-STYLE ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN MOLE SAUCE)

CHAPTER 7
RICE, BEANS, AND SIDES

ARROZ ROJO
(RED RICE)

ARROZ ENCHILADO
(SPICY CHILE RICE)

ARROZ SIN POLLO
(RICE AND VEGAN CHICKEN)

ARROZ CON FRIJOLES NEGROS
(RICE AND BLACK BEANS)

ARROZ CON CHORIZO Y PLATANO MACHO
(RICE WITH VEGAN CHORIZO AND PLANTAINS)

ARROZ A LA TUMBADA
(RICE AND VEGAN SEAFOOD)

ARROZ CON NOPALES
(RICE WITH NOPAL CACTUS)

NOPALES GUISADOS
(STEWED NOPAL CACTUS)

CREAMED CALABACITAS
(LITTLE SQUASH)

RAJAS CON CREMA
(SLICED PEPPERS WITH CREAM)

CHAPTER 8
SAUCES AND SALSAS

CHAPTER 9
DRINKS AND DESSERTS

CHAMPURRADO
(THICK MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE)

CAPIROTADA
(MEXICAN BREAD PUDDING)

BUUELOS (FRIED TORTILLAS)
WITH CINNAMON PILONCILLO
AND CARAMEL SAUCE

CHURROS WITH SPICED
MEXICAN CHOCOLATE SAUCE

CONCHAS
(MEXICAN SWEET BUNS)

CHAPTER 10
STAPLES

SEARED CHICKEN-STYLE SETAS
(OYSTER MUSHROOMS)

GARBANZORIZO
(MEXICAN CHICKPEA CHORIZO)

F or as long as I can remember, Ive been passionate about cooking. Its always played a major role in my life. My mother likes to tell the stories about how I made her breakfast-in-bed crepes when I was seven years old as a get well gesture, and how I baked a three-tier cake for my own 10th birthday. She always seems to leave out the part about how my cake turned out lopsided and flat. Truth is, it wasnt until after I learned a few things working at Spiral Diner, an all-vegan restaurant and bakery in Dallas, that I got my baking chops down.

I was born and raised in the South Texas border town of Brownsville by Mexican immigrant parents and an abuelita who taught me everything in the kitchen. My grandmother came to the United States from Guanajuatoarguably the most beautiful state in all of Mexicoand brought with her many wonderful traditions and food rituals, like communal cooking.

From an early age, I learned how to make Mexican staples like homemade corn and flour tortillas, beans a la charra, and Mexican red rice. I was also taught more elaborate pre-Hispanic foods like tamales, many of which we gave away as Christmas presents to friends and family. In fact, I still vividly remember making the rounds every Christmas eve to all my tas and tos houses to proudly hand-deliver their dozens of tamales that took us all day to make.

Spending my childhood in the kitchen with Grandma was exciting and incredibly enriching. From her, I learned to embrace my mestizo heritage and celebrate the joys of Mexican cooking.

Mexico has a rich and diverse food history. In pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican cuisine, there was a big focus on fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. Grandma simplifies it: Before the Spanish came to Mexico, food was provided by the sun and earth. My Spanish ancestors fused their culinary traditions with indigenous foods to shape modern Mexican cuisine.

In the ancient Maya civilization, growing plants for food was so vital that the vast majority of the people were involved in vegetable farming; developing sophisticated systems to maximize production of beans, squash, and maize. Yum-Kaaxthe Young Maize Godwas perhaps the most important of the Maya deities, and is often depicted in Maya mythology wearing a headpiece in the shape of an ear of maize. Maize, just like rice in most East Asian countries and wheat in Europe, was the grain that served as the base for virtually every meal for the Maya.