Meatless Monday Roundup: 4 Mexican Recipes

In this heat, Mexican food may seem like a crazy idea. But in fact, the cuisine of the sunny, warm country is spicy, and spicy food helps you cool down! Bearing this in mind, consider Mexican food this Meatless Monday. While many Mexican dishes are heavy on meat, there are many traditional delicacies that are veggie friendly. These meatless Mexican recipes are sure to help cool you off and keep your meals exciting… and delicious!

Credit: Image by Sheri Giblin.

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Get the ball rolling with our delicious black and white Mexican bean soup. The combo of beans, corn, chiles and cilantro makes for a hearty, protein-packed soup that vegetarians will love. To make the soup truly meatless, sub vegetable broth for the chicken broth called for in the original recipe. Feel free to dial up the heat a bit, and serve with a dollop of cool sour cream.

Credit: Image by Sheri Giblin.

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These enfrijoladas de espinaca or spinach and black bean tortillas are a delicious vegetarian main for any Meatless Monday. Using prepared black bean soup to make them makes it even easier to put this dish on the table on a weeknight. Serve with queso fresco and avocado to cool the spicy dish down a bit.

Credit: Image by Sheri Giblin.

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Of course, if you really can’t stand the heat, there is always another option. An orange and jicama salad could be just the ticket. Jicama is a refreshing vegetable traditionally eaten in Mexico. It doesn’t have much flavor on its own, but it’s packed full of water and is a great carrier for other flavors. A hint of spice from the chipotle powder makes this salad the perfect hot weather treat; it’s sure to cool you down! Consider adding other fruits like mango or apple to add more heft to the already delicious concoction.

Credit: Image by Sheri Giblin.

Image: Ray Bouknight

Finish things off with a Mexican hot chocolate shot. This diminutive dessert comes complete with a spicy whipped cream foam… but it would be just as delicious poured over vanilla ice cream — affogato-style — to cool you down at the end of a hot summer day.

Top Image: George Zagas

Emily Monaco is a food and culture writer based in Paris. Her work has been featured in the Wall... More about Emily Monaco

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