Plant-based / Oil-free / Gluten-free / Sustainable
Handmade tie dye tortillas made with masa harina, spiked with veggies and superfoods.
A recipe inspired by an important staple in Mexican cuisine—difficult to turn down when faced with the smell of a freshly made, warm batch. Also inspired by my obsession with making things colorfully healthy. Though far from spooky, these have me dreaming of a vibrant, cheerful night under the moon lit streets of San Miguel de Allende to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.
First of all, I can’t post this recipe without discussing one of the usual suspects: maíz. Those who know me have heard me criticize corn and honestly, it does get a bit of a bad rap. However, when it comes to corn consumption, there are several advantages to consider so I will discuss these (maybe for my own reassurance).
For context, corn does not make its way into my diet rotation often specifically due to its low level of nutritional value. Pair that with its high carb and sugar content and I’ll pass (for a tastier, healthier vegetable–the options are endless)! Why not maximize on nutrients for each calorie consumed? Of course it’s unrealistic to focus on nutrient density for every meal but I find little use in purchasing and preparing corn for myself at home.
I subconsciously purchase fruits and vegetables keeping nutrient density top of mind. But I’ll also be the first to say that any vegetable, assuming the body reacts well to it, is better than no vegetable at all!
I like to reference the Aggregate Density Nutrient Index (otherwise known as ANDI). Dr. Fuhrman developed a formula that ranks food based on its nutrient density per calorie, it goes:
Health = Nutrition / Calories
ANDI Formula
Essentially, the higher nutritional density and phytochemical composition in a food, the higher it scores on the index. I don’t make my grocery list based on this index but it is a helpful guide and reminder to maximize nutritional intake because food is fuel.
HOW TO MAXI[MAÍZ]E ON CORN
So what are the benefits of corn?
- Corn is considered a vegetable but it is also classified as a whole grain due to the way it is grown. Therefore, it is naturally a gluten free grain for those with a gluten intolerance.
- Whole grains are a necessary part of our diet and whole grain corn tortillas qualify as a daily dose of whole grains, unrefined is key.
- Its high insoluble fiber content provides gut and digestive support.
All things considered, corn is the largest crop in the world with a production volume of 1.12 billion metric tons. The United States is the world’s leading producer by a landslide followed by China. For this reason I recommend finding non-GMO masa harina since most conventional crops are genetically modified and contain traces of glyphosate.
I’ve made all of my handmade tortillas using Bob’s Red Mill organic, non-GMO masa harina and I’ve found they always come out perfect! It is made with two ingredients: corn and lime juice.
I added ingredients to the traditional corn tortilla for a little extra spike of nutrition. It takes a little longer but the pay off is amaízing.
AÇAÍ
antioxidants, amino acids, mono saturated and omega fatty acids, B vitamins.
DRAGON FRUIT
magnesium, lycopene, fiber, vitamin C.
CARROT
antioxidants for eye health, immune fighting vitamin A.
CILANTRO-SERRANO-SPINACH
iron, potassium, immune boosting vitamins, anti carcinogenic chlorophyll.
How to Make Tie Dye Tortillas
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- silicone spatula
- measuring cups
- food scale
- blender
- tortilla press
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup masa harina non-gmo
- ¼ cup açaí sorbet thawed
- ¼ cup carrot juice fresh
Pink Purée
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp dragon fruit powder alt: thawed dragon fruit purée, beet powder, or beet juice
Green Purée
- ½ handful cilantro
- 1 handful spinach
- 1 roasted serrano pepper seeded
- ¼ cup warm water
Instructions
- Prepare green purée by soaking spinach, cilantro, and roasted Serrano pepper in warm water to soften for blending, 15 minutes.
- Prepare a few pieces of parchment paper for the tortilla press. Make sure the paper will cover the surface of the tortilla press to keep masa from sticking to it.
- Pour ¼ masa harina into a mixing bowl. Add one of the liquids or purées into the bowl and knead to combine until dough turns into a solid color. Gradually add masa harina if the dough feels too wet or sticky. Gradually add liquid if the dough feels cracky or dry.
- Make green purée. Blend spinach, cilantro, and roasted Serrano pepper with ¼ cup of warm water.
- Once dough is ready, roll masa into a masa ball.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 with remaining masa and liquid.
- Now that you have four different colored masa balls, create more golf sized balls using the masa from all four balls.
- Center masa ball inside tortilla press inbetween two sheets of parchment paper. Close and press down until masa spreads out evenly.
- Cook on a griddle in medium heat.
- Raw tortillas can be refrigerated and stored in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
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