How about Latin-inspired vegetarian cuisine? Over at IVU they have an awesome collection of over 80 vegetarian Caribbean recipes you might want to take a look at.

It’s quite an extensive list and the countries represented include Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Barbados and Cuba. With the island of Puerto Rico also in the mix.

Below are just a few of the many vegetarian recipes at IVU. Enjoy!

APPETIZERS
* Chile On Baked Sweet Potato
* Tostones (fried plantains)
* Mojo Sauce
* Wet Jerk Rub
* Triangle Mango Chili Jam

ENTREES
* Pink Beans and White Rice
* Calypso Pineapple Bean Pot
* Jerk Tempeh
* Caribbean Baked Tofu Cutlets

SALADS
* Beet Salad
* Aruba Garden Salad
* Chayote Salad

DRINKS
* Coco Loco (drink from the Dominic Republic)
* Guavaberry Wine

Click the link below to go to IVU and the recipe list.
http://ivu.org/recipes/latinam/caribbean-index.html

81 Vegetarian Caribbean Recipes To Flavor Your Holiday Meals is from groovy vegetarian

Prickly Pear Cactus is grown in the western United States and Mexico.  Long a staple of traditional Mexican cuisine, the benefits of this cool plant are just starting to be discovered.  Virtually every part of the plant — its flat plate, its flower, and its fruit — are edible and nutritious.

The cactus is packed with flavonoids, the compound also found in red wine which is known to improve the body’s response to allergens and viruses.  Flavenoids are also believed to fight cancer.

However the healthful journey doesn’t stop there — the cactus pads are packed with minerals like:

• potassium
• calcium
• iron
• and magnesium is found in the pads as well as beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) and vitamin C, making them a rival to spinach in healthfulness
• The juice from the cactus can heal cuts like aloe vera

According to a recent University of Arizona study, the plant’s fruit contains a special pectin which decreases LDL cholesterol levels and may help the body stabilize its glucose response.  The aforementioned study also found its pads to be effective in warding off Type II Diabetes, the adult onset type.

The prickly pear cactus is a delicious addition to pasta salads, soups, and more.  Next time you’re in the market – give this super food a chance.

Have you ever tried Cactus? If so, how. If not, will you be trying it.

Weekly Super Food Spotlight – The Cactus is from groovy vegetarian