Fakitas! "Fake Beef " Fajitas...

Fakitas!

Go ahead, try pronouncing that one. Fa-kee-tas!

Last year (the year before?) Morningstar Farms introduced veggie-based Steak Strips and, for the first time in many years, we could eat “steak” fajitas once more. Jack dubbed them "fakitas" because he enjoys giving silly names to things (please don't ask!). These were first tried with guarded anticipation, but the imitation beef strips soon won us over.

This makes a seriously good, incredibly quick dinner. The “steak” is surprisingly similar to the real thing, in both texture and flavor, except it is vegetable based. We gave up red meat many years ago and are happy that we did so, but when these “fake meat” products were introduced (Boca Burgers, Boca crumbles, etc.) we were very pleased.

These “steak” strips are good sautéed with onions and peppers and served on big whole
wheat rolls with some spaghetti sauce and mozzarella, but in fajitas they are wonderful.

Basically, sauté veggies a bit, then add the steak strips, a sprinkling of fajita seasoning, some water, and cover the pan until the strips are almost done. Uncover and stir until most of the liquid is evaporated. Squeeze a lime half over all. Serve with good stuff like (light) sour cream thinned with (skim) milk, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, and salsa. Whole grain tortillas complete the meal

I cannot emphasize how good these are, and how quick and easy. I use fresh veggies, but I’ve seen a frozen “fajita veggie blend” in the grocery store and those would be fine, too. The strips may look a little too “formed”, but that is their only negative we have found.

Today was another early-spring blessing. Fifty degrees and sun. I couldn’t resist hobbling outside to hang some laundry (lately, it seems as though if it weren’t for laundry, I’d never get outside) and I snapped a few photos of Spooky enjoying his outside time as well.

The very tips of the hyacinths in the flower bed in front of the smokehouse are poking up, so I covered them with some evergreen branches (casualties of the wind last week) for protection since we are to receive 2-4" of snow over the weekend. Ah, March!