Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings: Baked Black Bean and Veggie Flautas

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Baked Black Bean and Veggie Flautas

Flautas are a great meal any time of year if you ask me. I love how they get crispy and are a Mexican finger food - and since most Mexican food is so messy, I relish flautas. Though traditionally fried, I baked them, as well, any time I have ever tried to deep fry something, we should have had the fire department or an ambulance on speed dial. Jennifer + Hot Oil = Disaster Waiting To Happen. I have stories that I will not share at this time, but let's just say I've had my oil incident, it wasn't fun, and that I've even had an exploding salsa incident - I was lucky that I didn't get hurt in either incident, but the kitchen didn't fare so well. I am one of those people who manage to hurt myself in ways I can't even explain. Just call me clumsy.

Anyways, flautas are also great as the oven only has to be on for a few minutes and they are great mediums for disposing of some of summer's abundance - we even got to use our first garden grown jalapeno and it was good.

These flautas got a big thumbs up from both Brett and I. The only thing I will do differently next time is not make so many, they are larger than they look!

Also, be forewarned, waiting to eat these things is torture. Flautas have some special insulation property that keeps them piping hot for a long time. So while you are starving, you have to stare down the steaming flautas hoping that your first bite won't involve scalding mouth.

Anyways....





















I made two variations on this flauta. I tried them with and without a thin "schmear" of refried beans since we had them on hand. It was good with the refrieds, but Brett and I thought the flautas stayed crispier and had a good zing without them.

Black Bean and Veggie Flautas
Makes enough filling for 10 small flautas.

1 cup black beans, cooked
1/8 cup traditional refried beans (optional)
1/2 cup long grain brown rice, cooked
1 small tomato, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup button mushrooms, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 hot banana pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 bell pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
juice of half a lime
ground coriander
chili powder
cumin
Mexican oregano
paprika
pepper
salt

small flour tortillas ("fajita sized")
salsa

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat a few tablespoons of water in a skillet. Add zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, onion, and garlic, and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.

Layer a few tablespoons of filling in each tortilla and secure each with a toothpick. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yummy!

21 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

I've actually never had flautas before - they look amazing!! And hey, I'm willing to scald my mouth for 'em - they look too tempting to wait to eat!! :0D

J said...

Veggie Girl - They are similar to taquitos except they are wrapped in a flour rather than corn tortilla.

I DID actually scald my mouth a little bit. After waiting like 10 minutes, I wanted to dig in!

Bianca said...

I don't believe I've ever had flautas. But they look great! Anything rolled up in a tortilla is great!

Anonymous said...

They look grand!

Anonymous said...

Those look delicious! And way to work in some of your produce in there--did you grow the pepper you used? And the zucchini too?

Courtney

Lisa (Show Me Vegan) said...

Add flautas to my out of control list of vegan food I haven't tried yet but want to!

Calimaryn said...

Those look so yummy!

J said...

Bianca - They are really easy to make, you should. And I agree, stuff it in a tortilla and I'm happy.

Rach-Ums - Thanks.

Courtney - Thank you. The peppers and tomatoes came from our container/community garden, we ended up preserving the zucchini from our garden, it was really big. The zucchini in this dish, the garlic, and the onions were from either our CSA or the farmer's market. :-)

Lisa - Hahahaha! The list grows daily doesn't it?

Calimaryn - Thanks.

Unknown said...

The recipe looks good, but I don't like black beans! Neither does my family.

J said...

Bobbi - Not a black bean fan?! Hmmm, that's too bad, the black bean is one of my favorites. I bet these would be good with any other bean though such as pinto, kidney, Anasazi, cranberry, maybe even a white bean. The flavor combination is what really makes the meal, so long as you keep that intact, you're fine.

Chile said...

I have another way to make something similar. I got the George Foreman grill that has a deep bake plate (interchangeable plates). When I make burritos, I fold them in half like a quesadilla rather than rolling them up. Then I put it in the grill on High for 5 minutes. Both sides come out toasty like a chimichanga. I won't eat them any other way now. :)

J said...

Chile - You know, the folks who make the George Foreman grill should really be giving you commission, I think you've got me sold on one! :-)

Chile said...

Have I listed here all the things you can grill? (Can't remember)

Corn, onion, garlic, green onions, fennel, hashbrowns, veggie burgers, zucchini, sweet potato slices, eggplant, peppers, asparagus, quesadillas, mushrooms, and other stuff I can't recall right now. One of those appliances I use almost every day.

J said...

SOLD! :-)

In all seriousness though, I think getting one of these would be a great idea. We have an outlet by the back door, we could take the grill out on the porch and not heat up the apartment at all. And the list of veggies you can grill, oh my goodness!

My birthday is on the 10th, I am hoping that either my co-worker will dig the one she has out of her garage for me, or that my dad will pick up one at a yard sale or second hand shop. Otherwise, come September, when the Buy Nothing Challenge is over, I'll go to the second hand shops and yard sales myself!

urban vegan said...

Viva las flautas!

Anonymous said...

I'm having blogger issues - so I'll repost...

I love flautas! I don't know how you always know what I love, sistah!
Qué rico!

VeganCowGirl said...

Delicious looking - as usual!
I have never tried these before. Thanks!

J said...

Urban Vegan - :-)

Shellyfish - Sometimes blogger can be a pain...

Aren't they wonderful? Well, if you like Mexican food, I'm probably a good person to come too, I'm a tad, well, obsessed.

Vegan Cow Girl - Thank you.

Oh, you should try them, they are super easy and super tasty, a great combination if you ask me.

Anonymous said...

Jennifer. I have a very serious question to ask you.....

Can you and Brett take me in as your long lost child? I assure you I will eat every single meal you ever make.

J said...

Leng - Hahahahaha! We DO have a spare bedroom. And I'll make you a deal, you teach me how to properly deep fry eggrolls, I'll feed ya whenever you want!

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