I can’t unknow the magic that is road tripping through Mexico. Truthfully, I have a difficult time sitting still in any one place, so road trips are my love language. I met up with some local friends and we took the pickup truck down the coast of Mexico, stopping at every road side stand in sight, meeting as many people as I could. I fondly recall making friends with an absurd amount of los gatos on this trip, another reason why I always carry animal treats in my purse. Food=love.
There is something utterly romantic and captivating about traveling in a place where you don’t speak the language. Someone could be telling me to go play in traffic, and it would sound like sweet nothings putting me to bed. It’s all about perspective and perception and the end of the day- is it not? Tongues of a different language often are a gentle tap on the shoulder, reminding me that I’m not the center of the world. There are something like over 6,000 languages in the world, imagine how many stories that equates to. How dismissive to believe you couldn’t listen to someones story just because you speak different languages?
What is Street Corn?
Elota (aka corn) was popularized in Mexico City but you can find it being sold out of street carts all over Mexico and parts of USA. The history of street corn dates back all the way to Aztec culture, and is still widespread today. Modern day, you will find street corn being sold out of carts in the antojitos category which in Spanish translates to “little cravings.”
First, corn is skewered and grilled over a barbecue. Since I don’t have a barbecue, we are going to boil ours. Traditionally there’s a chili lime mayo sauce brushed over the corn, and it is covered in cotija cheese, chili powder, and fresh lime juice. If you are a corn lover, like myself, then this will become one of your go to barbecue sides. Of course I’ve made a few changes, as always, to make this recipe vegan friendly. Starting with plant based dairy products. I also included nutritional yeast as cotija replacement.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is one of my all time favorite ingredients… most likely because of its awesome nickname “Hippie Dust.” Once you know how to use it, you are going to start going through it so fast! The most common use of this powdery staple ingredient is for nutty and cheesey effect.
On top of that, it is great for your health. It is a full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. I love to throw this in soups for that cheesy taste! I truly see no down side with nutritional yeast. Some of my favorite uses for this fairy powder are…
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Queso
- Cheesy Broccoli Soup
- Quiche
- Crab Dip
- Seasonal Steamed Veggies
