Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with forks, not knives

If you’re craving tacos and margaritas as you recognize the history of the day, choose from multiple delicious local Mexican restaurants. All offer plant-based and vegan friendly options suitable for every diner.

The newly opened El Patron was worth the wait, with a hefty menu, strong drinks, and plenty of options on their designated vegetarian menu. If you’re avoiding dairy, hold the cheese and add guac for creaminess. Swap out beef for beans or go for their veggie fajitas.

Up Ashville Highway at Colima Mexican Restaurant, both their refried and black beans are vegan and they offer a full vegetarian menu. All these dishes can be made vegan, other than the cheese-stuffed “vegetarian G” poblano.

Finally, hit up Mesquite Grill with plenty of plant-forward options like bean burritos, fajitas and tacos, all with their signature amped up spicy smoky flavor and plenty of spice, and authentical Spanish dancers performing from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Cinco de Mayo. Check back with El Patron and Colima for their Cinco de Mayo specials.

Recipe: Chickpea Omelette with Fresh Mushrooms

Mushroom season is here – stop by the Jackson County Farmer’s Market where you’ll find local offerings from Blue Ridge Mountain Mushrooms, and use them in this totally plant-based spin on a classic omelette, made with chickpea flour in the place of eggs. Adapted from The Conscious Plant Kitchen.

Ingredients

1/3 cup chickpea flour, Bob’s Red Mill brand or other

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/3 cup water

Turmeric, to taste

For filling: Mushrooms, spinach, onions, tomato, cheese

Method

Chop and sauté your mushrooms and onion until cooked through, add and toss spinach and tomatoes. Remove from pan and set aside. Thoroughly mix all omelette ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add a bit of olive oil to your pan to prevent sticking, then ladle omelette mix onto pan and swirl pan around to spread the batter. Add your filling to half. When bubbles appear and the omelette is beginning to brown on the edges and the center is no longer wet, use a spatula to fold it in half over the filling, and serve immediately.

Emmy Schneider-Green is a foodie and writer with a passion for demonstrating the benefits of a plant-based diet. She lives in Sylva.