ABOUT THE RECIPE:

These flavorful Vegan Fajitas with Cashew Sour “Cream” feature the meaty texture of seitan drizzled with a delicious cashew sour cream. So good!

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

FAJITAS

• 1 large sweet onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons tamari, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 3 very large (or 4 medium) yellow, orange, or red sweet peppers, sliced
• 8 to 10 ounces “chicken-style” or plain seitan strips, or plant-based protein of your choice (see note for variations)
• 4 whole-grain tortillas, (used gluten-free if needed)
• Chopped scallions, for serving (optional)

CASHEW SOUR CREAM

• 2/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Dash of salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the fajitas, put the onion, 1/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon tamari, 1 teaspoon olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper in a large skillet. Cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low, add the celery, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add a bit more water, if needed, if the pan becomes dry.

Add the sweet peppers, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon tamari, and the seitan strips (or plant-based protein of your choice), and a bit more water or olive oil, if the pan has become dry. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the peppers are cooked and the seitan strips are heated through. Taste and add more tamari, if desired, and cook for 1 minute more.

While the seitan mixture cooks, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the tortillas in foil, and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until just warmed.

Meanwhile, make the cashew sour cream. Put the cashews, 1/2 cup water, lemon juice and dash salt in a high-performance blending appliance, and blend until very smooth and creamy, adding a bit more water, if a thinner consistency is preferred.

To serve the fajitas, put a warm tortilla on a large plate. Put one-quarter of the seitan mixture on one side of the warm tortilla; fold the other tortilla half over the seitan mixture. Drizzle with some of the cashew sour cream (see note). Continue with the remaining tortillas, seitan mixture and cashew sour cream to make 4 fajitas, in all. If desired, serve with Spicy Rice, garnish with chopped scallions, and serve

Chef’s Note: Many varieties of plant-based protein work well in place of the seitan this dish. You may use any meat analog, such as plain, sliced seitan or vegan sausages. For gluten-free options, use cooked white beans, pinto beans or black beans. Other vegan protein choices include: extra-firm regular tofu (that has been drained, pressed and cubed) or cubed (or thinly sliced) tempeh.

Chef’s Note: If you have some Cashew Sour Cream leftover, store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.