Velas Resorts Press Room

Riviera Maya, Mexico (September 14, 2021) - Guests staying at the AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya will now see even more healthy options added to its menu. Now available are new vegan tacos. The resort continues to enhance its menus seasonally with options to accommodate all guests' dietary restrictions, including house-made gourmet baby food. The new vegan taco offerings range from Jamaica tinga and mushroom alambre to pastor portobello. In case readers cannot make it to Mexico this fall, the resort shares its recipe for the pastor portobello style taco below to make at home.

Marinade

• 2 c roasted pineapple 
• 3 roasted tomatoes, chopped 
• 1.5 c white onion 
• 3 pieces of guajillo chili, chopped 
• 2 c pineapple juice 
• 5 garlic cloves 
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• salt to taste 
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions - In a hot pan, heat the oil then add the onion, pineapple, and chopped garlic over medium heat. Add the guajillo chili pepper and then the tomato, stir constantly until the tomato disintegrates. Add the salt and pineapple juice, simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend finely.

Pastor Portobello

• 10 pcs. portobello mushrooms
• ¾ c vegetable oil 
• salt to taste 
• pepper to taste 

Directions - Clean the mushrooms and remove the stem being careful not to break them. Spread in a baking dish, add oil, salt, and pepper on both sides. Add the marinade and let it absorb for 1 hour or more. In a hot pan with oil, sear both sides. Remove from the heat and slice in strips.

Avocado Salsa

• 3 ripe avocados 
• 1/2 c onion 
• 1 clove garlic
• 3-4 green tomatoes 
• salt to taste 
• pepper to taste 
• 1/2 c lemon juice 
• ¼ c fresh coriander 

Directions - Roast a medium onion, quartered, in the oven at 400 °F for 20 min. Place all the chopped ingredients in the blender, adding the liquid first, leaving the coriander for the last minute so that the sauce is fresh and green.

To put it all together, assemble the cooked mushrooms over a corn tortilla and top with the salsa.

For additional information on Grand Velas Riviera Maya, call 1-888-407-4869, or visit https://rivieramaya.grandvelas.com.

About Grand Velas Riviera Maya: 
The AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya is an ultra-luxury all-inclusive resort set on 206 acres of pristine jungle and mangroves and with the finest white sand beach in the Riviera Maya. Guests can choose accommodations among oceanfront, ocean view and a Zen-like tropical setting, embraced by the flora and fauna of the Yucatan Peninsula's jungle. All 539 designer-like suites are exceptionally spacious, more than 1,100 square feet each, all with balconies, and some with private plunge pools. All feature fully stocked mini bars, L'Occitane amenities, artisanal mezcal, and Nespresso coffee machines. Bathrooms deserve special mention with walk in glass shower, deep soaking Jacuzzi tubs and marble interior. Eight restaurants, including five gourmet offerings, present a tour through Mexico, Europe and Asia. Cocina de Autor, at the hands of world-renowned celebrity chefs Bruno Oteiza and Mikel Alonso, holds the AAA Five Diamond Award, the first all-inclusive restaurant in the world to win this prestigious distinction. Se Spa is the region's largest spa sanctuary at more than 90,000 square feet, known for its authentic Mexican treatments, offerings from around world and signature seven-step water journey. Other features include 24-hour Personal Concierge; 24/7 in-suite service; three swimming pools; two fitness centers; water sports; innovative Kids' Clubs and Teens' Club; baby concierge; Karaoke Bar; Koi Bar; Piano Bar, and business center. The resort offers more than 91,000 square feet of meeting space and outdoor areas for events inclusive of a 31,000-square-foot Convention Center, able to accommodate up to 2,700 guests. The resort has won numerous awards from Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA Today and several other magazines and major companies worldwide, including Virtuoso's Best Spa and TripAdvisor's Hall of Fame. A member of the Virtuoso Hotels & Resorts Program, Grand Velas Riviera Maya was built and is operated by Eduardo Vela Ruiz, founder and president of Velas Resorts, with brother Juan Vela, vice president of Velas Resorts, by his side. For reservations or additional information, call 1-888-407-4869, or visit https://rivieramaya.grandvelas.com.