Mexican TVP with Avocado and Potato Wedges

This was the best dinner I've had in a long time.... no joke, it's really that good.

Sometimes a simple dinner is all you need. The night I made this, I wanted a big plate of fries. The thing is... I don't really eat fries because they're usually deep fried. To satisfy my fries craving, I keep whole baked potatoes on hand. I bake them in the oven until they are gold and crispy. Then, when I'm ready to eat them, I take them out of the fridge and fry them in a non-stick pan with a little cooking spray. The texture is great, a soft interior with a crispy outside. 

In addition to fries, I was craving chili that night. Instead of making a whole pot of chili with all the fixings, I utilized the ease of textured vegetable protein. TVP is made from soybeans and comes dried in little pieces (think soy crumbles). To make, you simply rehydrate with stock or water, seasoning, and any add ins you want. You can bake it, fry it, or put it in a sauce... it's very versatile. I chose to cook it in a small pan with Mexican seasonings and Pace Picante Sauce. I topped the whole dinner off with half an avocado, cilantro, hot sauce, and plenty of ketchup for my potato wedges. The result was a really homey comfort food style meal.

These potato wedges are a go-to post workout item for me. I keep baked potatoes on hand and then sear them in a pan to give them a crispy outside.

RECIPE

MEXICAN TVP WITH AVOCADO AND POTATO WEDGES

Ingredients:

For the Mexican Style TVP

• 3/4 Cup Dry TVP Crumbles
• 1 Cube "Not-Beef" Seasoning
• 2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning (low sodium)
• 3 Tbsp Pace Picante Sauce

For the Sides

• 2 Cups Roasted Potatoes (cut into quarters or rounds)
• 1/3 Cup Avocado
• 2 Tbsp Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp Pace Picante Sauce
• Ketchup to Dip and Hot Sauce

Instructions:

1. Mix together all ingredients for the Mexican TVP in a small saucepan and add about 1 cup of water. Keep adding water as the TVP absorbs it until you reach a thick chili like consistency. Cook with a cover on low heat for about 8-10min.
2. Heat a non-stick pan to medium high and coat with cooking spray. Place down the potato pieces and season with salt and a little of the taco seasoning. Fry about 5min each side or until crisp and gold.
3. To serve, place the TVP in a bowl and layer with fresh cilantro and the extra Pace Picante Sauce. Place avocado on top with a little salt. Pile up the potato wedges and go to town on the ketchup and hot sauce.

Total Macros

P: 40g, C: 85g, F: 11g, kCal: 600

*This is a big pile of food. For a lower calorie version, cut down the amount of TVP and use a little less potato.

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Thanks for stopping by! I am not a nutritionist but I am a nutrition junkie. I love looking for new recipes that help me achieve optimum health and wellness. I hope you enjoy these and if you have something to add or share, feel free to leave a comment.

TTYL