Vegan day 111: Arepa with avocado
Vegan snacks (part 2)
Another thing I learned from my Colombian friends- arepas!
I know I know.. arepas have origins mostly from Venezuela but they are popular in many other countries and this quick snack I learned from a very sexy size zero Colombian who eats these on the regular.
I have to say- this is the only food item that I eat frequently that is from the corn family and not organic (therefore GMO-aww). Try to find organic arepas– it’s not that easy. Honestly, I can’t even find these arepas. I live within 10 minutes of the best Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Kosher and Mexican neighborhoods- but not Colombian. One of my best friends from Queens has to pick these up for me every few weeks.
Arepa with avocado
and one tablespoon of either Earth Balance butter spread or flax seed oil (or best yet a combination of the two)
The brand I use is Delicias Andinas– obviously the vegans will get the ones without the cheese. These are also gluten-free! What’s nice about these arepas- is that they are fast and easy to make and only 104 calories. It’s what you put on it that matters. Here is a chance to add in nutrition! I used flax seed oil and avocado. Both are slightly caloric but good calories. Essential fatty acids and monounsaturated fats are healthy for our cells and necessary! Flax seeds are one of the best sources of plant based omega 3’s. Avocados are 70% monounsaturated fats- check an earlier blog for more information on avocados!
I was happy to learn very quickly that these arepas in particular will come out perfect if you have what I call – the arepa maker lol. I’m sure it has a real name but that’s what I call it. Put it on a gas flame and you are good to go!
Soon I will be making arepas from scratch– the small chunkier ones used to stuff for sandwiches. I need to find white or yellow Venezuelan or Colombian style masa harina flour! Then I will be ready for my experiment in making Arepas with sexy Avocado-Tempeh filling (Avocado Pepiada Arepa) from the book, Viva Vegan by Terry Hope Romero.
Disclaimer: The information given here is for educational purposes only. You should not use this to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.
[Friday April 20th 2012 blog]
