Trying to eat more plant-based meals but avoiding your favorite Mexican foods because you just can’t go for another plate of black beans and rice or another order of quesadillas? Or are you tired of trying to make dinner out of pico de gallo and tortilla chips?

Too often, vegetarian Mexican recipes take a classic Mexican dish and simply omit the meat. That’s fine if you’re talking about black bean burritos, but it doesn’t always work. The result is often a dish that leaves you unsatisfied.

You can do so much more than subbing in pinto beans, bell pepper, and sour cream and calling it good. Think about what the meat you are eliminating is bringing to a dish, and see if you can mimic those flavors and textures with something else.

Is it providing fat, umami, texture, all of the above? Once you know what’s missing, then start thinking of what vegetables can take their place.

When writing my vegetarian Mexican cookbook,Plant Powered Mexican, I thought a lot about how to create dishes that highlight Mexican flavors and are also incredibly satisfying.

Let these recipes be a guide to help you use fruits and vegetables in your own kitchen in new and creative ways.