Happy New Year! Wave goodbye to 2019, and start fresh in 2020, woo hoo! It’s been a rocky year for me, I lost my Mother to cancer, and there have been a few other hard knocks, just show me my own strength. On the other hand, some great things have come my way, so I’ll be doing my best to focus on Gratitude.
I must surely be learning.
Happy Veganuary!
So, to ring in the new year, I offer these Tajin Spiced Bashed Potatoes with Avocado Crema. They are seasoned with the “hot” and trendy flavor of Tajin, the spice mix made for sprinkling on tropical fruits and crunchy veggies like jicama. It’s basically a mix of mild chilis and dehydrated lime juice, and it gives anything a bracing kick. Just in time for Veganuary.
My sneaky motivation is posting all these mouth-wateringly delicious dishes is, yes, I hope you’ll eat more plants. Like mostly plants, or even, All Plants. In the spirit of January rebirth, an organization in England founded the idea of “Veganuary,” and I hope you’ll consider giving it a go.
Click here for more info on Veganuary
The concept is simple enough, go all plant-based for a month. See how it goes. It’ll be easier than you think. Really. If you slip up, get back on track and slide into home base at the end of the month.
Sure, you’ll have to say no to the office birthday cake and the bacon-wrapped poppers at the bar, but really, is that such a loss? You’ve undoubtedly heard that eating vegan will make you feel better, so experience it for yourself. A month is long enough to see if it agrees with you.
Try My Recipes to Make Veganuary Easy!
If the thought of kicking meat, dairy and eggs sounds too hard, there are tons of resources for you. This blog is rife with easy, fast recipes. I’ve written (ahem) a few books that can help, if you are interested. My Vegan Meal Prep Book is designed to give you a plan for just such a month, with plans to just keep rolling along if you have a good time. Big Vegan is my biggest, most comprehensive recipe collection, and with over 26,000 sold, the last time I checked.
Happy New Year!
If you only make this recipe, you’ll be off to a good start. I wish you all the best, and that all your meals are great meals. Thanks for reading my blog, and I hope to see more of you in the coming year!
Tajin-Spiced Bashed Potatoes with Avocado Crema and Baba Ghanouj
Ingredients
- 1 pound small yukon gold potatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons Tajin Seasoning
- Coarse salt
Avocado Crema
- 1 clove garlic sliced
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Baba Ghanouj
- 12 ounces eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- First, place the potatoes in a pot with plenty of water to cover, bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce to a vigorous simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Drain and let cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Drizzle 1 tbs of the olive oil on a sheet pan.
- Slice the warm potatoes into 3/4 inch thick rounds. Use a metal spatula to flatten each one to about 1/2 inch thick. Use the spatula to carefully transfer to the sheet pan.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining olive oil, the Tajin, and salt.
- Roast for about 25 minutes. If desired, switch to broil for the last minute or so to brown the tops.
Avocado Crema
- While the potatoes cook, place the garlic in the food processor bowl and puree. Add the avocado flesh and puree, scraping down as needed. Add the lemon juice and pulse, then add coconut milk and salt and puree. Transfer to dipping bowl.
Baba Ghanouj
- Halve the eggplant and place on an oiled sheet pan, roast for about 20 minutes, until collapsing and browned. Cool on a rack.
- Place the garlic and eggplant in the food processor and puree completely. Blend until smooth, scraping down as needed.
- Add the lemon, tahini, salt, and a shot of olive oil. Scrape into a serving bowl.
