I absolutely love when fresh corn season comes around so I can enjoy this incredible tasting yet ridiculously simple recipe. I dream about this dish all winter long. It is imperative you use fresh corn, as frozen or canned corn will not do this dish justice. I always add chick peas to this dish to give it more texture and flavor but it's tasty without it as well.

Sweet Corn and Spicy Jalapeño Salad

1 ear fresh corn, husked and the kernels shaved off the cob
1 large jalapeño, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
2 tbsp high quality extra virgin olive oil or 3 tbsp if using chick peas
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 cups of cooked chick peas or 1 can drained and rinsed (optional)


1. Toss all ingredients together Adjust oil, salt and pepper according to personal taste
2. For maximum flavor, let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving

Total Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Cook Time: None
Servings: 2-4 side portions

I created this recipe on Cinco de Mayo to serve with refried beans, fresh salsa and corn chips. Ok, and margaritas. The result was delicious goodness. This recipe is easy to throw together as a great side dish or main course.

Mexican Rice

1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of earth balance
2 cups of long grain rice, thoroughly rinsed until water runs clear
1 medium onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and stems removed, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
I 14.5 can of whole tomatoes, pureed or 1 14.5 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 1/2 cups of vegetable broth or water
1 tbsp of ground cumin
1 tbsp of sea salt


1. Heat earth balance and olive oil in a large heavy cast iron pot over medium high heat.
2. Add rice and stir constantly until it begins to brown.
3. Add onions and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add jalapeño and red pepper and stir 2-3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add water or broth, fresh cilantro, cumin and sea salt. Stir well, reduce heat to medium low and cover with a slight air escape. Do not stir rice again until all the water is absorbed (about 20-30 minutes).
7. Once water is absorbed, uncover, stir and cook 5 more minutes uncovered, until fluffy.


Note: You can add other ingredients to this recipe for a more complete meal such as corn kernels or cooked beans (I’m a fan of adding chick peas) right before adding the broth/water. You may want to adjust the seasonings to compensate for the new ingredients.

Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 Minutes

The secret to this soup is using the right amount of jalapeño so it gives it a spicy kick without overwhelming the delicate flavors of the potatoes and leeks. Though I generally leave the seeds of jalapeños in for extra spiciness, they tend to overwhelm the flavor of this soup so I do recommend you remove them.

Potato Jalapeño Soup


1/4 cup of earth balance
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 leek (white part only) finely chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large jalapeño pepper with the seeds and veins removed, finely chopped
1 tbsp of sea salt
1 bay leaf
2 bouillon cubes mixed in water or vegetable stock, enough to cover potatoes
6 peeled, washed and cubed russet potatoes
2 cups of plain soy milk

1. Heat earth balance in large soup pot on medium high heat.
2. Add leeks, onions and salt and saute until translucent (about 5 minutes). Do not brown.
3. Add garlic and jalapeño and stir together for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, bay leaf,
bouillon or stock (enough to cover potatoes)
4. Bring to a light boil, cover and reduce heat to medium
5. When potatoes become soft (about 20-30 minutes), pull out the bay leaf
and drain the potatoes, making sure to save the liquid.
6. Mash with a potato masher or large fork. Do not use an electric mixer or the
potatoes will become gummy.
7. Once mashed, add the 2 cups of soy milk and stir over low heat. Add reserved broth slowly until desired consistency. Further puree using an immersion blender, a wire whisk, electric mixer (though only for a short period of time to avoid the gummy effect) or wait to cool and blend in a blender. You can also leave it slightly chunky for extra texture.
8. Serve with fresh ground pepper.

Total Prep and Cooking Time: 1-1/2 hours
Total Servings: 4-5 bowls

*A special thank you to Jannequin Bennett's book, "The Complete Vegan Kitchen" for suggesting mashing the potatoes before pureeing.