BLACK BEAN VEGGIE ENCHILADAS

Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas
Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
12 corn tortillas*, warmed
1 cup enchilada sauce*
1/4 cup nutritional yeast



Directions:
In a large skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and mushrooms in oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the beans, corn, chilies, spices and cilantro; cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Top with enchilada sauce and n. yeast or cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 12 enchiladas.

*Sauce ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cups vegetable stock
10 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out.
Yield:2 1/2 cups of sauce

*Tortilla ingredients:
2 cups masa harina
1 1/2 to 2 cups water

Directions:
To make 12-14 tortillas, start with putting 2 cups of masa flour in a large bowl. (Hint: for added "lift" you can mix in 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.) Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of very warm water to the masa flour (according to the directions on the package, some brands may call for different amounts of water). Mix in and let sit for 5 minutes or so. Begin working the masa with your hands to make the dough. Work the dough for several minutes. Press the dough with your fingers and the palms of your hands as if you were kneading bread dough. If at any point through the tortilla making process the dough seems too dry or too wet, add a little more water or masa to the dough.

Pressing the Tortillas:
I don't have a tortilla press so I use a 1 gallon zip lock bag.
Slit one side of the bag, place a ball of the dough in the center of the bag and roll with a rolling pin to approximately 6"

Cooking the Tortillas:
Heat a griddle or a large skillet on high heat. Working one at a time, hold a tortilla in your hand, carefully removing the wax paper on each side. Allow the tortilla to rest half on your hand, and half hanging down, and gently lay the tortilla down on to the skillet. Start working on pressing the next tortilla. Cook the tortilla on the hot pan for 30 seconds to a minute on each side. The tortilla should be lightly toasted and little air pockets forming.

Veggie Thai Peanut Noodles - Vegetarian Style

Adapted from Once a Month Mom

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Sesame oil
16 ounces linguine noodles
1 cup snow peas (could substitute broccoli)
1 cup red/yellow/or green pepper, cut into strips
1 cup baby carrots or thinly sliced carrots
2 cups mushroom cut in half or whole depending on size

Sauce:
1 cup water
4 Tablespoons lime juice
6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon chili sauce (more or less depending on heat preference)
3 Tablespoons honey
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Garnish:
1 cup peanuts
0.5 cup cilantro, chopped
3 medium limes, wedged

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute chicken and veggies in oil. Cook the linguine to al dente in boiling water. Make the peanut sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Add drained noodles to chicken and veggies. Mix the sauce with noodles mixture. Cook about five minutes.

Lentil Shepard's Pie - My Version

Adapted from FatFreeVegan.Com

Ingredients
Mashed potatoes of your choosing
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces mushrooms (I used oyster)
Two 15-ounce cans lentils, lightly drained but not rinsed. (I cooked from dry using veggie broth)
2 tablespoons dry red wine,
1-2 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos (soy)
2 teaspoons seasoning blend (I used pizza herbs)
8 baby spinach or greens
1 cup fresh bread or panko crumbs

Instructions
Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a small mixing bowl. Mash until fluffy with butter or milk of your choosing.  Cover and set aside until needed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add the lentils and their liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the wine, soy sauce, seasoning blend, and pepper. (I needed to add more veggie broth) Cook gently for 5 minutes.  (If needed, make a corn starch and water paste to thicken)

Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until it’s all wilted down. Remove from the heat; taste to adjust seasonings to your liking.

Lightly oil a 2-quart (preferably round) casserole dish, or two deep-dish pie plates. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom. Pour in the lentil mixture, then spread the potatoes evenly over the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to turn golden and slightly crusty. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.

Pot Stickers and Rice

Ingredients
(Pot Stickers)
1 packages of round wonton wrappers
1 pound ground pork
4 scallions
1/2 head of Napa cabbage
1 can water chestnuts (chopped and drained)
1 shredded carrot
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 TBSP Liquid Aminos (or soy)
1 tsp ground ginger
(Rice)
1 cup uncooked rice
1 chopped carrot
1/2 large chopped onion
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions
Potstickers - Mix all ingredients and place by spoonfuls in the center of won ton.  Seal edges with water.  Brown pot stickers until golden then add 1/3 broth and replace lid quickly. (Think back to when you made Rice A Roni.  It's the same concept).  Cook until broth is absorbed and the top of the pot stickers are cooked completely  (5-6 mins). Serve with browned side up.

Rice - Cook rice according to directions.  Meanwhile, saute carrots and onions until desired firmness.  Add frozen peas.  Add to rice.  Sprinkle with soy, and pepper.

Sauce - A simple sauce was created with sherry, soy, and brown sugar from dipping the pot stickers.

Freezing - After wontons are assembled, but before cooking, place on cookie sheet to freeze.  Once frozen,  package and store in airtight container or zip-loc bag.  This recipe was enough to freeze half the prepared filling for the next time, feed my family of 3 adults, and freeze about 20 assembled pot stickers.

Creamy Triple-Mushroom Pasta with Toasted Walnuts

Adapted from Chronicle Books Blog

2 small dried mushrooms (any variety) (I used 2 woodear)
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose/plain flour

3 oz/75 g fresh shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced
6 oz crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large onion sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups/360 ml plain soymilk or other milk (I used Almond Milk)
1/4 cup/60 ml white wine (I used Rose')
1 tbsp tomato paste/tomato puree
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch ground turmeric
1/2 cup/15 g fresh parsley or basil
1/2 tsp salt
Angel Hair Pasta
1/4 cup/30 g chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil for cooking the pasta.  In a spice or coffee grinder, grind the dried mushrooms to a fine powder. Put them in a small bowl and stir in the flour. Reserve.

2. Place garlic and onions in cast iron skillet with lid.  Cook on medium to high heat enough to brown the bottom of the skillet.  Add shiitakes and stir until browned.  When the vegetables starts to sizzle, sprinkle them with the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Keep stirring and scraping until the flour is well moistened and the mushroom powder is very fragrant.  Add 1 cup hot water.  I used drained pasta water to release brown bits from the bottom.

3. As the mushroom mixture cooks, whisk together the milk, wine, tomato paste/puree, yeast, nutmeg, cayenne, and turmeric in a measuring cup.  Remove the pan from the heat and use a heat-safe spatula to stir in about one fourth of the soymilk mixture until smooth. Continue to add the soymilk mixture in fourths, stirring after each addition until all is incorporated. Stir in the parsley and salt and keep warm.

4. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with the toasted walnuts, and serve.

Terrible glare in this picture, but I wanted to share how "creamy" this vegan sauce turns out.  

HEARTY LENTIL and MUSHROOM SHEPHERD'S PIE

Hearty Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie

Adapted from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

Ingredients:

4 large or 5 medium potatoes

1/2 cup almond or rice milk

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup baby carrots, sliced

1/2 cup celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large portabella mushrooms, stems removed and coarsely chopped

One 15-ounce cans lentils, (or about 2 cups cooked lentils with a little of their cooking liquid)

1/2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup ounces baby spinach or

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions:

Mash the potatoes, then add the rice milk and mash until fluffy. Cover and set aside until needed. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add the lentils and their liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in 1 cup of the potato water, soy sauce, basil, thyme, rosemary and pepper. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch with just enough water to dissolve in a small container. Stir into the lentil mixture.

Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until it’s all wilted down. Remove from the heat; taste to adjust seasonings to your liking.

Lightly oil a 2-quart casserole dish. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom. Pour in the lentil mixture, then spread the potatoes evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to turn golden and slightly crusty. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

TOMATO BUTTERNUT STEW WITH COUSCOUS

Tomato Butternut Stew With Couscous
Adapted from Group Recipes.com



Ingredients:

2 lb whole butternut squash
1 cup chopped sweet onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
5/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1 ¾ cup vegetable stock
2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
5 medium tomatoes, diced
1 ½ cups water
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ cups couscous, uncooked


How to make it:

Peel and remove seeds from squash. Cut into 1-inch pieces; set aside.

Heat ¼ cup of water in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon cumin. Cook 1 minute more.

Add broth, squash, chickpeas, and tomatoes.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until squash is tender.

Heat water to boiling in medium saucepan.

Stir in remaining cumin and salt; then stir in couscous.

Cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Serve stew over couscous in large shallow serving bowl

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THREE BEAN VEGETARIAN CHILI

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

This is a recipe video I found on Live Life 365. I changed it to canned tomatoes from fresh, and used the same spices I do with traditional chili.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 15oz can organic fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 15oz can organic tomato sauce

1 cup red quinoa, uncooked

1 15oz can organic pinto beans, drained

1 15oz can organic black beans, drained

1 15 oz can organic kidney beans, drained

1 tsp ground red pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp cumin

1 1/2 tbsp chili powder

Directions:

Heat a large skillet and add olive oil, put in onions and saute for about 5 min.

Meanwhile in another pan cook the quinoa according to directions, it is prepared the same as rice.

Add the garlic to the onions, saute about 5 min. more.

Add tomatoes, sauce, and spices. Bring to a boil.

Add the beans, lower heat and simmer for 20 - 30 min.

Fold in the quinoa, and cook down about 15 min.

LENTIL "MEATBALLS" over PENNE PASTA

Lentil "Meatballs" over Penne Pasta

Ingedients:
2 Cups Lentils
4-5 Cups Vegetable Broth
1 Cup Oats
1 Cup Cornmeal
1 Egg
1 Bunch of Parsley (Chopped)
3 Scallions (Chopped)

Directions:
Bring 2.5 cups vegetable broth to a boil. Add lentils and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Place in blender or mash. Place lentils in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Add enough broth until you can form the mixture into balls. Fry in small amount of olive oil/butter mix until brown on all sides. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 mins. Serve over your favorite pasta, rice, or just plain sauce.

VEGETABLE STUFFED PEPPERS

VEGETABLE STUFFED PEPPERS

6 green, red, or yellow bell peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup carrots
1 jalapino diced
2 stalks celery sliced
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup tomato veggie juice
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 uncooked jasmine rice
1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
Salt
Pepper

Sauté onion, garlic and carrot until tender
Add remaining vegetables, spices, and cilantro. Cook for 5 min
Add veggie juice and broth then rice bring to boil stirring for 10 min

Cut tops off Peppers, remove seeds, and blanch for 3 min

Stuff peppers, replace tops, and bake in a *375 oven for 30 min.