Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

      This is a recipe that I have fallen in love with, reason being, I used to work at The Cheesecake Factory, and since I was a vegetarian, I would order these at least once a week. Once I moved on from that job, I would still make these, but not often, as they were a bit time consuming. 
      The only reason these aren't very time consuming for me now, is because I short-cut it. I almost always have a fresh container of pico de gallo and salsa verde ( salsa verde recipe) in my fridge, and if not there I have a canned jar in my pantry and I always have the raw ingredients on hand.  So the only thing I really have to make is the southwestern sauce and the cakes, which is super easy. You can always use the original recipe which is right here ----->Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes and use the recipe for the pico and salsa verde that is on there as well!

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

makes 8 medium sized cakes

1 1/2 sweet corn, fresh or frozen

1/2 c. vegan butter (I use Earth Balance.)

3 Tbsp. vegan sugar (I use coconut sugar.)

1/8 tsp. salt (It's a pinch of salt, if you don't have a 1/8 tsp. I have actually never even seen one.)

1/2 c. GF masa harina (It's just corn flour but could be CC if made in a wheat-processing facility. I haven't had any problems with mine.)

2 Tbsp. GF Flour Mix (I use my own without any gums.)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Puree 1 c. of corn in food processor and add butter, sugar and salt, combine until smooth. Add masa harina, and GF flour, and mix until smooth. Mix in remaining corn by hand. On a parchment lined pan, measure out 1/4 cup sized patties and make into 2-3 inch patties. Put into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned on one side, then flip and bake for another 5-7 minutes until other side is browned. 

Southwestern Sauce

1/2 c. vegan mayo (I use veganaise.)

1 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. water

3/4 tsp. vegan sugar or agave (I use coconut sugar.)

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. onion powder

salt and garlic powder to taste

Mix everything together in a small bowl and chill in fridge.

Optional toppings: Sliced avocado, cilantro.

Enjoy!!!

Sweet Potato Tots with Dipping Sauce

       I LOVE tots, actually I'm pretty sure any person in my generation loves tater-tots, and if they don't, they might be an alien. There is something about those warm, crisp, golden nuggets of potato that will always, ALWAYS, make me feel better. Bad day? Have some tots! Not feeling well? Have some tots! Seriously, if you knew the amount of time that I have spent on trying to find tots/eating tots/talking about tots, you would think I have a problem. A hot-tot problem. And well.... I kind of do. I already knew how to make tots with regular potatoes, but a bit ago I went to a restaurant and they had sweet potato tots. Wow, you can imagine the emotions went through me at that point. I love sweet potatoes, and now you are telling me that they make tater-tots out of them? Why wasn't I informed? Who kept this secret from me? Anyways, it was love at first bite, and I knew at that moment I needed to make my own.
      So my main thing that I try to do, cooking-wise, at least, is take a regular recipe and make it into a GF/Vegan recipe. That's what I did here. This is the original recipe -----------> Sweet Potato and Bacon Tots with Creamy Mustard Sauce. Obviously, me being GF and Vegan, I couldn't keep the recipe the way it was, so I changed it, and it turned out amazing! It's a bit time consuming, but so worth it. I also suggest that if you make it, double the recipe and flash fry/freeze half to put into the freezer and then you can bake them just like you would with store bought bagged ones.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Bacon Tots 

2 large sweet potatoes

3 Tbsp. coconut bacon (aka Facon)

1/2 tsp. salt

3 heaping tsp. gluten-free flour

1 tsp. flax meal

3 C. oil

Boil sweet potatoes for 15 minutes, then pulse in food processor until chopped finely. Or shred on box grater. Put sweet potatoes into a clean and dry dishtowel and wring out water from potatoes. 

Add the coconut bacon, salt, flour and flax meal and mix well to combine.

Roll into a small log and cut into tater-tot sized pieces.

Heat oil to 300 degrees F. Working in batches, fry tots until golden brown in color. About 2-3 minutes. 

Sprinkle with salt while still hot. Serve with sauce (recipe below) or sometimes I wait for them to cool down some more and sprinkle some powdered sugar and cinnamon on top of them. Totally turns it into carnival fried junk status but with less guilt, because it's still a sweet potato.

Creamy Vegan Mustard Sauce 

3 Tbsp. vegan mayo

2 Tbsp. maple syrup (honey works too, if you eat honey)

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 

salt and pepper to taste

Mix together ingredients until smooth and keep in fridge until ready to eat.

Double Dose Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze

I got bored and decided to make an average bruschetta even better, it does take a bit of work but believe me its well worth it! That's all I'm going to leave you with, it's that good, and I gotta go back to eating it.

Double Dose Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze
makes about 20 pieces

• 1 medium baguette, cut into slices, drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a garlic clove and put under broiler for 1-2 minutes
• 1 large tomato or 5 plum tomatoes (diced)
• 1 jar of sun dried tomatoes (drained) or a handful of just dried ones (diced)
• 1/2 red onion (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (aged is better)
• 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese or vegan mozzerella cheese like "Teese"
• extra shredded basil

For glaze-

• 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Mix tomatoes, onions, garlic, chopped basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and let sit in fridge for at least 10 minutes.
2. While mixture is sitting combine balsamic vinegar and sugar for glaze in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, let simmer til reduced by at least half.
3. On each bread slice put bruschetta mix, topped with cheese and put on baking sheet, when all slices are done, stick under broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
4. Take out of oven, top with glaze and rest of shredded basil.

That's it, enjoy!