Monday, March 19, 2012

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas
Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeño, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach, packed
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 12 oz. package (or can) green enchilada sauce
6 whole grain or corn tortillas
1 jar salsa (will not use all of it)
1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

1) Boil the chopped sweet potato until tender (~10 minutes), then mash. While the sweet potato is cooking, prepare the rest of your ingredients!

2) Preheat oven to 350. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the olive oil, garlic, black beans, jalapeño, bell pepper, mushrooms, fresh spinach, cumin, and chili powder for about 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.

3) In a deep baking dish, spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce. One by one, fill the tortillas with the mashed sweet potato and the black bean mixture, add a spoonful of salsa, and roll them up, seam down, so they are side by side.

4) Cover the tortillas with the rest of the enchilada sauce, the cheese, and the fresh cilantro. Bake 20 minutes, or until enchiladas are hot and the top is bubbling. Serve immediately with extra hot sauce or salsa on top, if desired.

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili

1 tablespoon canola/vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno chili peppers, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (28-oz) diced tomatoes (used one 15 oz can regular and one rotel)
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 cup water
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, chili peppers and garlic; cook and stir 5 minutes until softened.

Add tomatoes, beans, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes until thickened. Top with you favorite chili toppings. I added some monterrey jack cheese.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped carrots
7 bell peppers (1 cored, seeded and chopped; tops removed and reserved from remaining 6 then cored and seeded)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 pound baby spinach
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until transparent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes more. Add carrots and chopped peppers, cook until just softened, then add parsley and spinach (in batches, if needed). Let spinach wilt then stir in cinnamon, cumin and cooked quinoa and toss gently to combine. Add salt, pepper and cashews and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.

Set aside to let filling cool until just warm. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with oil then set aside. Divide quinoa mixture evenly among remaining 6 bell peppers, gently packing it down and making sure to fully fill each pepper. Top each pepper with its reserved top then arrange them upright in prepared pan. Cover snugly with foil and bake, checking halfway through, until peppers are tender and juicy and filling is hot throughout, about 1 hour. Transfer to plates and serve.

Farro and Wild Rice Salad

Farro and Wild Rice Salad
Eating, Etc.
The Salad

1c farro, soaked in water overnight
2c water
1c cooked wild rice
15oz can kidney beans
1c Trader Joe’s fire-roasted frozen corn
1c cilantro, finely chopped
2 fresh jalapenos, finely chopped
half of a red bell pepper
1/2c onion, finely chopped

1) In medium saucepan, place farro in water over medium-high heat. Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes until tender. Drain & rinse.
2) In a large bowl, combine farro, wild rice, kidney beans, corn, cilantro, jalapenos, bell pepper,
& onion.
3) Toss in dressing (recipe below). Refrigerate until time to serve.

The Dressing
1/4c red wine vinegar
1/4c olive oil
juice of half of a lemon
1/2tsp Italian seasoning
1/2tsp ground black pepper
1/4tsp fine sea salt
1/4-1/2tsp onion powder
fresh garlic clove, minced

1) In a small measuring cup or bottle, combine all ingredients and whisk or shake well.

Lentil Tacos

Staying with my parents while I'm in a transitional period and my stepmom and I have become quite the vegetarians. Haven't been taking pictures, but lots of veggie-tastic recipes to follow.

Lentil Tacos

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa
12 taco shells (used sprouted corn tortillas)
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Uncover; cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly.

Stir in salsa. Spoon about 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese.