A day that’s supposed to celebrate Mexican patriotism, instead conjures up images of frat boys in factory-made sombreros, red, white, and green beads, drinking out of plastic margarita cups. All of this festive decor will find itself in the dumpster tomorrow. (And we had just finished getting rid of all the plastic Easter eggs and St. Patrick’s Day streamers.)

This year instead of wallowing in holiday cynicism, I decided to let it inspire me to create a great meal. Luckily, my neighborhood has dozens of small Mexican shops and produce stands, where the veggies are a steal. (I bought my supplies for this entire meal for under $10!)

I decided, rather than serving up some seitan, or veggie crumbles, which are taco staples in my vegan household, to go with something a bit more authentic and light: black bean tacos with mango salsa. Here’s my recipe:

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Ingredients

Hummus (store-bought or made from scratch – see below)
8 corn or flour tortillas
½ cup chopped green onions
1/2-1 cup favorite salsa

Directions

1. Spread a tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of hummus and place in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

2. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and salsa. (You could also eliminate the salsa here and instead top the finished quesadilla with it.)

3. Top with a second tortilla, and cook until the bottom tortilla is warm and turning golden brown, about 3-5 minutes, depending on how high you have your flame. Turn and cook the second side for another few minutes, until it, too, is golden brown.

4. Remove from pan and cut in half or into triangles. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup water-packed, roasted red peppers
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed butter)
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ teaspoon cumin
Salt, to taste

Place the beans in a food processor or blender with roasted peppers, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and cumin. Process until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. You may add a little water to thin it out. Salt to taste.

Serving suggestions and variations:

• Serve with a side of rice and beans.
• Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner – or just as a snack.
• Serve as party finger food; though they really are best served hot!
• For some extra spice, add minced jalapeno peppers to the hummus. Or add a pinch of cayenne.
• You can also serve these with guacamole and non-dairy sour cream.
• Non-dairy sour cream: Wildwood or Tofutti brand sour creams are both delicious. You can find them at Whole Foods or other large health food stores. (Or ask your grocer to carry them.) If you want to make your own, simply add one 12-ounce box of silken tofu to a blender or food processor along with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Add a dash of cayenne for some color and "bite."

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