These healthy, wholesome recipes are meat-free by design, spotlighting Mexico's outstanding foods, instead of relying on hard-to-source ingredients or substitutions.

Ingredients

2 tbsp corn oil

2 tbsp minced onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large, ripe tomato, chopped

8 large poblano chillies, dry-roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium dice

250ml milk

pinch of bicarbonate of soda

200g Chihuahua, Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, thickly sliced

sea salt

To serve:

wheat tortillas

refried Beans

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole or large pan and sauté the onion and garlic until light golden. Add the tomato and cook until it loses its juice. Add the diced chile, a pinch of salt, and 120ml water, and bring to a boil. Add the milk and bicarbonate of soda and boil for five minutes. Check the seasoning, remove from the heat and pour into an ovenproof dish. Arrange the cheese slices over the top and bake in the oven for five to 10 minutes until the cheese is starting to melt and is turning golden in places.

3. Serve very hot, with freshly made, warm tortillas and refried beans.

Chef's tip: In the north, cooks always make this dish with milk but you can also use cream or half cream and half milk.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

4 small baguettes (15cm long)

60g butter

400g refried beans, seasoned

200g grated Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese

250-475 ml Mexican salsa or pico de gallo (see below)

For the pico de gallo salsa:

2 large, ripe tomatoes large, seeded and chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Cut the baguettes in half lengthwise and remove the excess crumb. Spread the butter over the cut sides and toast them a little, crumb-side down, in a frying pan or skillet. Spread a generous layer of refried beans then grated cheese over each half. Place on an oven tray and bake the molletes until the cheese melts.

3. Meanwhile, mix all the salsa ingredients in a bowl, with salt to taste. Serve the hot molletes with the salsa.

Chef's tip: This is a very traditional breakfast or lunch eaten by students.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

100g peeled pumpkin seeds, plus extra to garnish

50 g morita chile seeds, or any other dried chile seeds

1 onion, cut into wedges

1 bunch mint, leaves only

1 bunch coriander

2 large tomatillos, husks removed

sea salt

tortilla chips, to serve

Method

1. Toast the pumpkin and chile seeds in a dry non-stick frying pan or skillet until golden. Remove from the pan and add the onion. Dry-roast, turning, until nicely charred.

2. Put all the toasted seeds into a food processor or blender with the onion, mint, coriander, and tomatillos, and blend to a smooth sauce, adding a splash of water if needed.

3. Season with salt to taste and serve in a bowl as a dipping sauce with tortilla chips.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

4 tbsp caster sugar

3 large eggs

1 x 397g can sweetened condensed milk

1 x 377g can evaporated milk

90g good-quality cream cheese

Method

1. Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it melts. Cook until it turns a deep golden brown color, then pour the caramel into a flan mold and rotate the pan carefully, using a tea towel to protect your hands, so the insides are coated in caramel.

2. In a bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the milks, then the cream cheese. Whisk for five minutes until foamy, then pour into the flan mold. Cover with foil and place in a pressure cooker. Add water to come halfway up the sides of the mold, then place on the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes from the moment it starts to sound.

3. Let the pressure cooker cool, remove the lid and then the mold. Remove the foil and invert the flan onto a serving platter.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

400g tender green beans, halved

1 tbsp mustard seeds

10 to 15 fresh lemon leaves, halved (without midribs)

1/4 fresh coconut, peeled and cut into shavings using a swivel peeler

For the dressing

1/3 cup (70g) natural Greek yogurt

juice of one lemon

2 tbsp corn or olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 green chillies, finely chopped

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to a boil and have a bowl of ice water ready. Add the green beans and cook for five minutes, until tender and bright green. Drain and plunge into the ice water. Once cold, drain and leave in a colander to remove excess water.

Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Check the seasoning and set aside.

Toast the mustard seeds in a non-stick frying pan or skillet until fragrant. In the same pan, lightly toast the lemon leaves.

In a bowl, mix the green beans with the coconut shavings, mustard seeds, and lemon leaves. Mix in the dressing, check the seasoning, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 4.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.