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DC VegFest Prep: Arroz con Chorizo (v) y Platano Macho

 

What makes a good dish?

 

The seasonings and spices? Fresh herbs? Hearty ingredients?

Of course.

But mostly, it is the fondness of warmth approaching your lips and the reaction of your tongue beginning to salivate in response to familiarity. The feeling of home, satisfaction, and happiness.


Eddie Garza - Senior Manager of Food & Nutrition for the Humane Society, Culinary Coach, Published Writer, and Author of “¡Salud! Vegan Mexican Cookbook” - knows this feeling well. He is an activist in the movement to reform food systems in Latino communities, as well as a top speaker to many universities, conferences, and events. This year, Eddie Garza will join Grey the Rapper, Congressman Jamie Raskin, CEO/Founder of Miyoko Kitchen - Miyoko Schinner, and Dr. Ruby Lathon, in speaking @ DC VegFest on September 2. This year, vegn'vibes will be covering all of the major happenings. For those who don't know, DC VegFest is a free event hosted by Compassion Over Killing at the Yards Park. With all of the fantastic vendors coming this year, it is a party that can't be missed. Catch you in the beer garden! Keep checking for more information and get ready by dabbling into the story behind Eddie Garza's Arroz con Chorizo (v) y Platano Macho. The recipe is short, sweet, and feels like home.

 
Eddie Garza
 

"At Casa Garza growing up, we never let anything go to waste, including leftover rice. My father used to saute it with other ingredients to make bulky rice bowls. (Dad likes to think he invented the burrito bowl, but he might think the same of most of Taco Bell's menu.) One of my favorite rice bowls Dad made consisted of leftover Arroz Rojo (page 163), spicy chorizo, and ripe, sweet plantains. For this vegan version, I'm using my chickpea-based Garbanzorizo, which packs a protein punch and just the right amount of heat. It's a flavor combination that always takes me way back."

- Eddie Garza

 

Ingredients

serving size: appx. 4-5 cups, total time: 25 minutes**

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 Ripe Plantain, peeled and sliced

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 cup Garbanzorizo, pre-prepared (page 242)**

2 cups Arroz Rojo, pre-prepared (page 163)**

1 teaspoon Lime Juice

**see below

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil on a medium-high heat. Saute the plantain for appx. 7 minutes, or until browned and soft. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

2. Stir in the Garbonzorizo and saute for an additional 4 minutes.

3. Fold in the Arroz Rojo and heat through.

The Garza secret ingredient: Plantains are ripe when the skin is dark yellow with lots of patchy areas. To fastly rippen the plantains, roast them with the skin-on at 300 degrees-F for 45 minutes. Let cool completely in the refrigerator prior to use.

 

**

We understand. You don't have the cookbook, but that's okay! The point of this is to get our audience excited for the journey ahead! As always, take your own spin on the recipes.

Here's ours:

vegn'vibes Garbonzorizo

1/2 cup Dried Chickpeas uncooked, soaked 12 hours, minced in food processor

1/4 cup Sundried Tomatoes, blended with chickpeas

1 tablespoon Safflower Oil or Olive Oil

1/4 White Onion, chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

Stir together, allowing flavors to mix. Once evenly distributed, mix in below ingredients:

2 tablespoon Water

1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

2-3 teaspoons Chili Powder

2-3 teaspoons Paprika

1 teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Cayenne, or to taste

1 teaspoon Chili Pepper Flakes, or to taste

1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Cilantro and Lime, to taste

vegn'vibes arroz rojo

1 cup White Rice (long grain), steamed

1/4 cup Tomatoes, chopped

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1/8 cup Onions, chopped

(Optional: Add cooked Red Lentils and/or Sundried tomatoes)


Steam together to allow flavors to mingle.

 

And there you have it! Stay tuned for more updates on the 2017 DC VegFest. We are so excited to be there again this year and to meet more wonderful people. Until next time!


P.S.

Here is Nymeria at the Kombucha stand last year sending love & licks!

If you want more info, comment below or send over a note! We are also considering another vegn'vibes giveaway soon and would love to hear your feedback. Cheers and happy vegn'!


xoxo, k

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