I’m over the moon excited to introduce Plant Powered Mexican, my new vegetarian cookbook that will be released this fall! This book includes over 70 vegetarian dinner recipes made for busy families like yours and mine each one full of fresh, vibrant Mexican flavors. I just know you are going to love it!
I want to start off this post by saying one very important thing.
Thank You.
Because you read this blog, because you cook my recipes, because you subscribe to my newsletter, because all the things you’ve done to support me and ¡Hola! Jalapeño over the years. Because all of it—Thank YOU!
It is because of you that I was able to fulfill my lifelong dream of writing a cookbook and I definitely could not have done it without you.
Now, let me tell you about this book that I know you will earmark, cook, and eat from because there are so many delicious recipes!
a vegetarian cookbook for everyone!

You know we don’t strictly eat vegetarian food but that’s what makes this cookbook so great. The vegetarian recipes in Plant Powered Mexican are made with every type of eater in mind.
I wanted to create recipes that are hearty and filling enough to satisfy even the most avid carnivores. Lucky for me I live with two of them so if they didn’t pass the Hiro and Armando test, I knew they weren’t going to make the cut.
vegetarian cooking for a healthier planet
One of the main reasons I chose to focus on plant based eating is how much better it is for our planet.
My hope is to inspire more veggie love and meat free meals by making them as absolutely irresistible as possible. If we all eat just one or two vegetarian meals a week that will make a huge difference in the overall health of the planet.
are there vegan recipes?

Yes! About half of the recipes in Plant Powered Mexican are vegan and almost all of them are vegan adaptable.
As I’m sure you know, Armando has a dairy allergy so we don’t eat a ton of cheese or dairy products and many recipes in this book reflect that.
Most recipes use olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter and rely of the intensity of chiles and spices to bring rich flavor to the dishes.
There are a few exceptions where cheese is the main focus of the dish as well as a few recipes for eggs.
But most of the recipes where cheese or dairy appears it can just as easily be removed.
are there gluten free recipes?
Yes! Over half (about 65%) of the recipes are gluten free.
The flavors are firmly planted in the Mexican world of corn, beans, and rice so most of them are naturally gluten free!
foolproof recipes for busy families
If you are anything like me, you are constantly thinking about what to make for dinner but rarely what to drink, have for breakfast or dessert.
This constant need to have a meal on the table at the end of the day is why I only focused on main dish dinner recipes. I think it’s easy for people to think of vegetables as sides but more challenging to think of them as the main course.
Plant Powered Mexican contains a wide range of dinner recipes broken down into seven chapters based on how they are cooked.
There are recipes for the grill, oven, stove top, instant pot, even recipes that require no cooking at all!
Most importantly, there are close to 100 recipes that are scaled down and simple with the busy family in mind.
let’s take a sneak peek!
The recipes included in this book are destined to be new family favorites, because they certainly are in our house. They are easily adaptable and highlight the bright Mexican flavors we all love.
Let’s take a look!
from the stove:

Fideo Seco with Tomato Salsa, Mexican Crema, Roasted Kale, and Queso Fresco
This quick (I’m talking under 30 minutes) meal is incredibly satisfying and loved by all—my kids gobble it up! Thin vermicelli gets toasted in oil then cooked in tomato sauce. On top? Garlic-Chipotle Roasted Kale (recipe in the book), a swirl of Mexican crema and a crumble of soft Queso Fresco.

Winter Vegetable Enmoladas
There is a recipe in the book for a simple Instant Pot Mole Amarillo. With that mole you can make these truly special Enmoladas. Corn tortillas bathed in mole sauce and topped with tender winter vegetables.
from the instant pot:

Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
I took our most favorite Deep Dish Black Bean Enchilada Casserole and adapted it for the Instant Pot! Now you can make this cozy casserole packed with good-for-you roasted veggies, black beans, and chipotle sauce in half the time.
from the oven:

Weeknight Cheesy Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Can you make a pan of deeply indulgent cheese enchiladas—with homemade chipotle enchilada sauce I might add—in under 30 minutes? Yes!!
from the grill:

Stuffed Poblanos with Cinnamon-Scented Sticky Rice, Goat Cheese, and Mint
There are many recipes in this vegetarian cookbook that reflect our Southern California lifestyle and aren’t strictly Mexican. These generous stuffed peppers are a perfect example. Grilled poblano peppers filled with a creamy goat cheese and sweet corn rice mixture. They’re easy enough for a weeknight but fancy enough to make for friends.
extras:

Sunday Salsita
The last chapter of the book are a few little extras to round out any meal. This easy salsa is one Armando makes almost every weekend to go with scrambled eggs, warm tortillas, and bacon. It’s warm in temperature and heat level and simply perfect for breakfast.
plant powered mexican is available for preorder now!
The book will be released just in time for the holidays. Preorder your copies now for all the vegetable lovers in your life! Plant Powered Mexican is available for preorder from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or BAM!