Random travel tidbits

We have been in Mexico over the last few months and always find new and different plant based food items that I want to share with you.

Cherimoya fruit

Inside a cherimoya

Join me as I write about these unique plant based food tidbits. First let me share this new fruit which I tried once in Ecuador several years ago and still remember its delicious taste - sort of like a creamy custard. I bought one in San Miguel de Allende and tried it again with the same enthusiasm. The season for them is short and I saw them only this one day so will have to be on the look out for them in the future. It is the "cherimoya" which some say is a cross between a pineapple and banana. The creamy texture of the flesh gives the fruit its secondary name, custard apple. Mark Twain called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit none to man". I hope you get a chance to try it.
I ate one just scooping out the flesh with a spoon. I also used a second one replacing an avocado in the recipe for chocolate mousse below. It tasted good though was a little less creamy than the avocado. Try them both if you find a cherimoya.

Garbanzo beans (close up)

Garbanzo (chickpeas)

Another subject....I just celebrated another birthday and we went to Guanajuato for an overnight trip - a beautiful colonial city about 1 1/2 hour away from San Miguel de Allende. We wandered the streets, stayed in a lovely apartment up a narrow alleyway and enjoyed a few delicious plant based meals. While walking we passed several vendors of steamed garbanzo beans in their shells. They were offered plain, with lime or with salt and spices. We chose the lime and they were delicious. It reminded me of travels in New York City in the winter with chestnuts roasting. We have seen these before but not tried them and will surely try them again.

falafel platter at Habibi Restaurant

We ate at a delicious falafel restaurant (not a common food here in Mexico!) called Habibi and had a cappucino with soy milk at another favorite - Santo Cafe which sits over a bridge with a view of all the comings and goings on the street below.

Soy cappucino

A few days later we celebrated Thanksgiving - not a typical holiday here in Mexico. Many of the gringos have their own celebrations at home or in restaurants. It is a favorite holiday of ours as both Richard and I have such fond memories of family gatherings during childhood and adulthood and this year we both missed our families very much. The turkey part of the holiday is not part of our celebration and I am always happy to be eating the delicious side dishes that make the meal special. This year we celebrated with just the two of us at home for dinner but spent the morning in a rural community with an organization called "Libros for Learning" giving out books to set up a library in a very small one room schoolhouse about 20 minutes outside of town. This organization is indirectly connected to our organization called Libros para Todos. Giving of ourselves on a holiday of Thanksgiving felt good as we have SO VERY MUCH to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving at the Neulist's

My thanksgiving meal consisted of roasted vegetables, gingered sweet potatoes and cauliflower/quinoa with tomato mushroom gravy.

Chocolate mousse 

Now to my special dessert - which I usually make with avocado but you can see from my note above - it can be made with cherimoya or even a banana. I got the recipe from my friend Marcia and when I make it I think of her - especially her idea of having just one or two spoonfuls/day which makes it last almost a week. (that is if I don't share it with anyone else!!)

Vegan Chocolate Mousse       

1 ripe avocado, mashed
1/4 cup chocolate cocoa powder (dark, no dairy)
1/4 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 packets stevia

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Keep in refrigerator.

Thanks for traveling with us and stay tuned.....the next post from me will be from Spain.