Taco throwdown for the office

I don't know what I got myself into when I said I'll compete with veggie tacos. I guess I thought us vegetarians needed something to eat, and needed to represent. All my dishes are meat, gluten, casein and soy free since I want Maya to eat them as well. Here's what I made:

Black Beans:

Ingredients:

Black beans (fresh or canned). f fresh soak overnight and cook - (three cans worth)
Cumin Powder 1.5 tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Peanut oil 2 tbsps
Salt to taste.

Method:

Warm the peanut oil in medium flame.
Add the ginger garlic paste and cumin powder and toast.
Add the black beans, salt and chilli powder, and stir.
Cook in medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Mexican (ish) Rice: 

Ingredients

Long grain basmati rice - 3 cups
Jalapeno peppers
Tomato paste (4 - 5 heaped tbsps)
Ghee (clarified butter) 3 tbsps
Bay leaves 1-2
Cinnamon sticks 1-2
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Organic vegetable broth (low sodium) - 1 can

Method:

Heat the ghee in a wide pan on medium.
Add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom powder and chopped jalapenos.
Add the rice and stir fry for about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and coat the rice with it.
After another minute, add the vegetable broth.
Add water if necessary (the ratio of rice to liquid should be 1:2). Fish out the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Cook in medium, covered for about 20 mins.
Keep stirring to ensure rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Roasted vegetables with Indian spices

Ingredients

Vegetables - Onions, Peppers (red and green). 

Mushrooms
Garlic powder

Kitchen King masala, I used this brand.

Chat masala (optional) - Both of the above are available in any Indian grocery store.

Salt to taste

Light olive oil

Method

Slice all the vegetables, removing seeds from the peppers. 

In a bowl, toss the vegetables with a table spoon of oil, salt and two spoons of the spices mentioned above. If you are using chat masala note that it already has salt added so don't add any additional. 

Grease a baking dish with oil/spray. Spread the vegetables and cook at 425F for 20-22 minutes.

Broil for 1 minute. Serve warm

Guacamole

Ingredients: (This is just a diary free guacamole topping. )

Avacado 5 to 6
Lime juice 5 tbsps
Chopped cilantro
Chilli powder 1 tbsp

Method:

Scoop out the guacamole and mash with a spoon.
Add chill powder, salt and lime juice.
Mix well and garnish with chopped cilantro.