Day 39: Dinner

This is a terrible picture, but these were some good fajitas. I've made vegan tacos and burritos, but fajitas haven't been in the mix yet and it's about time.

A word to the wise: Don't wait to buy tortillas on or around Superbowl Sunday. Apparently there's a major run for them around that time- hey, quesadillas are the quintessential Superbowl snack. (How's that for alliteration?) Yes, Whole Foods was completely out of tortillas. Except the mega-gourmet kind, which were five dollars for a pack of six; I wasn't paying that much, so I got lavash bread instead. Lavash bread is a standard of Persian cuisine, and while it's best served with cream cheese, dates and walnuts, it tastes just like the ol' Latin American tortilla. Except rectangular, not round. You'll need to tear them in half if you're going to use them for that purpose.

Here's a few words about poblano peppers. On the heat scale they're somewhere between bell peppers and jalapenos, and they have a very distinctive flavor. You're going to want to peel them, because the skins will give you indigestion. The best way to do this is to roast them over a gas grill or burner; just hold them with tongs over the direct flame until they blister and blacken. Yes, this is a little scary, but it's also kinda fun. When they're all black, put them in a ziploc bag for about fifteen minutes. This will cause them to sweat, which will make the burned skin soft and easy to peel off. Rubbing them under running water will facilitate this. If you can't find them in the store or just don't want to go through the trouble, you can use bell peppers instead.

Here's how to make these:

• One large onion, sliced
• Two roasted and peeled poblano peppers, sliced
• One pound mushrooms, sliced
• One cup of corn (I used frozen)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 lb. cubed firm tofu (you really don't even need to drain it)
• Generous splash soy sauce or Bragg's
• Shredded vegan cheese
• Tortillas
• One cup cooked rice
• Salsa, for serving

1. Heat the oil in a skillet or wok. Cook onions for about 3 minutes, then add peppers, mushrooms, corn, tofu, and soy sauce. Cook until all is done, and then maybe a little longer to strengthen the flavors.

2. Heat the tortillas in the microwave until warm.

3. Serve with rice, cheese, and salsa.