Marinated Veggie Fajitas

I love ordering veggie fajitas we when go out – not only because they are very few other vegan-friendly items on a Mexican menu, but because there are yummy! However, I never think to make them at home. Well all that has changed! After a little inspiration from Jo, I created this spicy lime marinade and made roasted veggie fajitas! They were so easy, and so good!! And were the perfect facilitator of consuming homemade flour tortillas I have a feeling this could go into the regular repertoire! I had the pleasure of finding purple bell peppers at the Farmers Market – always fun to find different colored foods. So along with a bell pepper, hot pepper, and onions, I included zucchini – as per another find at the FM..a giant zucchini (but I only used what would equate to a small zucchini in this recipe). I had to get the giant zucchini because it was only $1!!! I couldn’t believe it..I figured if I get sick of zuc’s in my veggies, then there’s always zuc cake or bread. These go super well with homemade tortillas (flour or corn) and black or pinto beans, not to mention papas refritas! This recipe makes enough for about 2 people, so double if you want leftovers or have to feed more peeps!

Ingredients:

Marinade:
juice of 1 lime
1-3 tsp minced garlic
1 jalapeño, minced *remove seeds for a D-level, keep seeds for S&J-level
1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed (or use regular black pepper)
1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed (or use ground coriander)
1 tsp chili powder
Fajitas:
2 purple bell peppers, julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
1 small zucchini, julienne
1 small yellow onion, julienne

sprinkle with salt to taste
canola oil for drizzling

Directions:

1. Whisk together marinade ingredients in a bowl, set aside.
2. Cut all the veg and place in a shallow baking dish. Pour on the marinade, and toss to coat all the veg. Sprinkle the top with a little salt and drizzle with a little canola oil (1-2 TBSP worth), cover and place in fridge for at least 1 hour, to overnight. I let mine go overnight to experience the full flavor.

3. Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast veg uncovered for 10 minutes, stir veg and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. Transfer to hot non-stick (non-teflon) skillet and sauté the veg for about 5 minutes. *You can add a touch more canola oil in the skillet if needed, but you probably won’t need it.
4. Serve with warm flour or corn tortillas (or both), along with fresh black beans and papas refritas. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro..and enjoy!

*Additions: I think next time I’ll add some more spices to the marinade, like cumin (seeds or ground) and a pinch of cayenne for an extra kick. Even a shot of tequila into the marinade might be delicious..if that’s how you roll. This would also be good served with grilled corn on the cob or mexican millet. As always, finish with dessert: a spicy chocolate ice cream, or even a lime or watermelon sorbet perhaps?!

Happy Cooking!