Exploring Mexican Cuisine with Alexa Soto

When did you start cooking and developing your own recipes? How do you educate people on how to prepare beautiful Mexican dishes with plant-based ingredients? Are people ever surprised to learn that your recipes are plant-based?

When I first explored a plant-based diet almost ten years ago, I was 20 years old and living with my Mexican grandmother and parents. It was a strange feeling, because while I felt compelled to learn to cook in a new way that was plant-based and honored my morals, I also longed to hold on to my Mexican heritage through food. With many phone calls to family members, asking for recipes, traveling to different parts of Mexico, and becoming familiar with seasonal produce at my local farmers market, I found a lot of inspiration. I get so much pure joy from sharing my passion for food in the way that feels most authentic to me, and that is highlighting plants and my culture at the same time! I really try to create food that is familiar to people or that just generates general excitement, with innovative new takes on classic Mexican recipes, to keep my community interested and excited to get into the kitchen.

What are some plant-based ingredients and/or vegan dishes that you would like to highlight as part of Mexican gastronomic traditions? Anything you would especially like people to know about these foods?

One of the oldest dishes in Mexican and naturally vegetal cuisine is molea unique experience of endless layers of flavor, consisting of chili peppers, nuts, seeds, spices, herbs, dried fruits, chocolate and tomatoes, creating a delicious sweet, spicy, salty and smoky sauce. A sauce that is the great star of the dish, made with love and a long list of plant-based ingredients, whose roots are found in the pre-Hispanic cooking techniques of indigenous peoples. Mole is usually served with chicken, but for a plant-based version, I love serving it with roasted oyster mushrooms or crispy tofu, or keeping it simple with some warm corn tortillas and a side of rice.

What do you imagine is the path forward to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables and return to traditional Hispanic eating patterns?

It is important to explore authentic Mexican dishes to truly honor and respect the diversity of this cuisine. Look beyond the dishes that are represented in America and instead explore regions of Mexico such as Oaxaca and Mérida where there are several dishes that use indigenous cooking techniques and plant-based ingredients. One that comes to mind is the mixing and grinding of nuts and seeds into sauces such as mole or roasted pumpkin seed sauce (Sikil P’ak) originally from Mérida. These ancient techniques are now frequently used in plant-based cooking.

What does National Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

I honor my culture daily through food, language, music, and tradition, so seeing others honor my culture rich in love and pride is truly special. I am beyond proud of my heritage and happy to share it with the world in a more intentional way throughout the month of September!

Tell us a little about your work and career.

I am a Mexican-American culinary enthusiast with a passion for vegan Mexican cuisine. I specialize in transforming traditional Mexican dishes into delicious plant-based versions, combining my rich cultural heritage with a modern, health-conscious twist. For the past decade, I’ve shared my recipes, snippets of my life, and my deep interest in mental health advocacy with my audience, which has grown into a community that feels like family.

Please tell us a little about your book.

A rich tapestry of traditional Mexican cuisine, reinvented with a plant-based twist to bring you simple, affordable and nutritious vegan delights from the first light of morning to the sweet end of dinner. With my own photography capturing the essence of each dish, Floors is your sincerest invitation to experience the treasured food of Mexican culture through a plant-based lens. It’s a celebration, a tribute to the vibrant plants that are the cornerstone of the kitchen we all love!

Vegan Zucchini with Cream

These delicious Vegan Creamed Zucchini are my Abuelita’s creamy zucchini dish. It’s so satisfyingly delicious! Serves 5-6 ½ cup cashews ½ yellow or white onion, thinly sliced 3 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced ​​into half-moons 1 liter cherry tomatoes or 2 Roma tomatoes, diced ½ – ¾ teaspoon miso paste 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups of filtered water pepper to taste A small handful of chopped cilantro

• Add the cashews to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for at least 15 minutes.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes, adding a little water as needed.
• Push the onions to the edges of the pan, add the zucchini and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, miso paste and minced garlic and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.
• Drain the cashews, then add them to a blender with the 2 cups of filtered water. Blend on high speed for 1 minute, until smooth.
• Add the cashew cream to the vegetables and mix. Season everything with pepper to taste and let it cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
• Enjoy it with tortillas or as a side!

For more from Alexa Soto, see Naturally Fed and @alexafuelednaturally on Instagram.