meatless meals - black bean enchiladas

This is one of our family's current favorite meals - if you're new here, you might not know that we eat mostly a plant-based diet, with very little meat, and some dairy. I switched over after facing some yucky health issues, and now that I'm feeling better, there's no going back for me! My family watched how positive and beneficial the whole process was for me, and asked that I start using more meatless meals for our family dinners as well! I try to share recipes here whenever I get the chance! I've tweeted photos of this meal several times, and each time I have someone asking for the recipe. {Yay!} So I thought I'd share today!

Black Bean Enchiladas

1 package of fajita size flour tortillas
1 19 ox can of your favorite enchilada sauce
3 c. of cooked black beans
1 medium onion
1 medium bell pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3-4 Tblsp. chili powder
1 Tblsp. brown sugar
dash of oregano flakes
salt to taste {this will depend on whether you've used canned or dried beans that you've cooked at home}
1 cup of cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dice up the onion and bell pepper {red or green}, and toss into a good size pan with the olive oil that you've warmed over medium heat. We'll be adding the beans to this pan eventually, so it does need to be fairly big.

Cook the onion and pepper until they're soft. Then add the beans. If you're using canned {not my fave}, I'd be sure to rinse them before adding. As a side note, since we eat so many different kinds of beans on a regular basis, I have a bunch of "safe" plastic container that I've purchased so that can cook a double batch of beans, and then freeze enough for a second meal - that way it's as easy as opening a can, without all of the bad stuff. Plus, canned goods just generally taste like, well, can.

Add the chili powder, oregano flakes, brown sugar {this is optional, but it's nice to cut a tiny bit of the heat from the chili}, and salt to taste. All the while keeping it over the heat at a low simmer. If you need a bit of liquid, add some of your cooking liquid from the beans, or a bit of water. Not a lot - just so that it doesn't cook dry, into a paste.

Time to roll! Prepare a generous 9"x13" baking dish with a bit of enchilada sauce - just enough to cover the bottom, since we don't want soggy tortillas}, and set up a rolling station. I always lay a bit of parchment, since this part is a bit messy - that way, I can roll my enchiladas and toss the mess in the trash when I'm done. Don't mind my broken wooden spoon. It's one of those things I never remember to replace! LOL

If you're an enchilada rolling pro, you can ignore the next bit, but if not, read on. I learned from a pro, so I'll do my best to explain!

Add the bean filling, and just a bit of cheese. You really only need roughly a tablespoon of cheese. I'd say, I have between a third and half cup of the bean mixture.

Fold your tortilla shell in half. You can just see the edge of my tortilla in the blur of my photo. Enchilada rolling is more of a fold and pinch than anything else. Definitely not rolling from the edge.

After folding in half, then you roll. This may be completely obvious to most people, but it wasn't to me when I first learned. ;)

Stack them side by side in your prepared pan, with the open edge facing down. When you fold them the way I've tried to explain, they don't unwrap.

Stack side by side until the pan is full.

Drizzle enchilada sauce over the top.

Sprinkle with cheese:

Pop into the oven for 20 minutes. Pull out when the cheese is all melty and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve it up and enjoy! These are so yummy I could eat them at least once a week!

Post a comment if you have any questions, or even if you enjoyed them! I love hearing feedback on my recipes! This is an awesome recipe to use even if your family eats meat - and you're subbing one meatless meal a week.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

weekend adventures - carmel apple cinnamon rolls

in baking. I tried out a recipe for carmel apple cinnamon rolls. They turned out SO yummy! This is a photo as they were proofing in the pan! So. Seriously. Yummy.

And I did switch things up a bit - I didn't top them with the carmel icing, since I thought that they were plenty sweet to begin with. I think it would have been sugar overload. And that, people, is a novel concept for someone who grew up mainlining sugar. A testament to how I've changed. Or just how sweet these are...

Anyway, if you're interested in the recipe, you can find it here! And if you're interested in seeing what other goodies I check out around the internet to try out, you can check out my pinterest boards. Tonight I made the veggie lasagna from the Pioneer Woman! {With a few tweaks to make it mine - I'll be sure to share what I did another day!}

It's been such an up and down weekend. I received news on Friday that my grandmother's health is failing. So I keep getting reports back and forth. Bad. Good. Bad, bad. Better. It can't go on forever. So I'm trying to spend extra time getting ahead on a lot of things - just in case I need to drop everything for a trip home to the midwest... Happy Monday.

meatless meals - pasta with spinach, beans and ricotta

Since I seem incapable of keeping a defined schedule on my blog {hello - homeschool mom!}I've decided to rename my "Meatless Monday" posts to "Meatless Meals". Much less restricting. More or less.

I posted a photo of my dinner last night, and had a few people ask how I made it and comment that it looked good, so I thought I'd share this simple, but yummy meal. It's really easy to toss together on a busy evening - which means you can still eat healthy on a schedule that's sometimes crazy. One other thing I like about it is the versatility. Since our family is transitioning into more and more meatless meals {I've been a vegetarian for 9 months now, but my husband recently decided that he'd like to join me after seeing the many health benefits I've experienced.} That means I can add a bit of Italian sausage to part of the pasta dish for the meat-eaters, and keep it simple for the plant-eaters. That's super important for me right now!

Pasta with Spinach, Beans and Ricotta

Ingredients:
1 pound of whole wheat penne pasta {or your personal favorite}
1-1/2 jars of Newman's Own Tomato Basil Sauce
1-1/2 c. cooked kidney beans
{I cook mine from dry because they taste SO much better. Plus, I love to add allspice berries while they cook to give them a hint of spice. You can, of course, use a can that you purchase at the store, and drain and rinse them.}
1 c. frozen spinach
1- 16 oz. container of ricotta cheese

Preheat your oven to 350*. Cook the pasta to al dente {soft, but not mushy} in boiling salted water. The package should have times listed if you need the info. Drain and pour the cooked pasta into a glass 9" x 13" baking dish. Pour over the marinara. Crumble the frozen spinach leaves into the pasta, and add the kidney beans. Stir to get everything evenly combined. Scoop half of the container of ricotta cheese by spoonfuls into the pasta dish and gently stir, trying not to break up the cheese too much. Dot the remaining cheese randomly over the top. Place in the preheated oven, uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the ricotta cheese fluffs up. Remove and let cool for just a few minutes before serving.

I love how the sweetness of the ricotta balances the bit of bitterness that the spinach tends to have! And spinach is healthier for you cooked, so it's a win/win!

Enjoy!

meatless mondays: grilled vege pressed sandwiches

I'll admit it. I've found a great new cooking show to love. And it's not found on the food network. Though with the advent of Ree Drummond's show next month, I may be enticed back, I've found the network has just gotten filled with a lot of reality tv style shows that aren't really my thing. And a lot of the "stars" that they're choosing to host their new shows, just aren't my style. I've had enough experience in the cooking industry that I want shows featuring techniques, herbs and spices that I've never used {or maybe sparingly} and that's tough to come by on their current lineup. I'd love to hear if you have a favorite to recommend, though!

Anyway - back to the new favorite:

I happened upon the show while catching up on a few Martha Stewart episodes this summer. I never, ever get to watch, so it's been fun. I'll always admire Martha's style and what she's done for modern homemaking. And yes, she's always been one of my go-to stops for finding any recipe that I might need, from cakes to salads and entrees.

Back to Mad Hungry. I was instantly drawn in by Lucinda's easy going {yet intensely driven} conversational style as she moved deftly around the kitchen preparing the day's meal for the show. Her recipes are typically quick to assemble, using easy to acquire ingredients. But she always seems to offer some little twist to vary you from the typical path in order to keep things exciting. I. Love. Her. Style. She means what she says. Bringing back the family meal. Her meals are typically pretty healthy {being a mom} and often offer great vegetarian alternatives or sidedishes that work well for me, while still getting dinner done for the guys. Once I found a bit more info on her, I found it small wonder that I admire her so much. She's been the food editor for Martha Stewart for quite a while. Yes. As I said before, Martha has taste.

If you're interested in learning more - check out her blog. And did I mention that she's awesome enough to answer questions on her facebook page? I made her Vermont Burgers {the turkey version} for the boys' birthday party last week, and posted asking if she thought I could make them ahead and freeze them, since we were going out of town for the days leading up to the party. And yes. She replied. So. If you're interested and have a chance, check out her show. I definitely recommend. For what it's worth.

Mmm. On to today's meatless monday post. I had this really awesome recipe designed and put together for curried chickpeas, but, um, misplaced my notes. {oops!}

It's really, really yummy, and based on what I've learned from my mother-in-law, so it's Jamaican style curry. More sweet and savory than heat. I'll be doing my best to locate those notes. {I really need one of these.}My meat eating guys devoured it, just like the meatless shepherd's pie - without a peep. Except to comment on how yummy it was.

So, in it's stead, I'll offer up this great meatless recipe that I recently tried from Mad Hungry. Pressed sandwiches.

I'll admit to being super busy with both of our boys having birthdays within 6 days of each other, so this was a last minute thing. Which meant that I couldn't make the fresh pesto. A bit of a bummer, really, since I know that's the best way. I also couldn't locate a ciabatta bread that was ok for our son with peanut allergies. {Most bread is marked "processed on the same equipment with nuts".} So, I went with a nice, crusty, fresh loaf of French, and some store bought pesto, which I left off of our little guy's portion, since it contains pinenuts. They were amazing. 

My recipe ended up something like this:

Pressed Grilled Vege Sandwiches

• 1 red bell pepper (about 7 ounces)
• 1 medium size eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 medium size zucchini , cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• olive oil, for grilling
• sea salt
• 4 oz. store bought pesto sauce
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella ball, sliced roughly 1/4" thickness
• 2 loaves of fresh, crusty French bread
• 
  
• Prepare your grill for cooking, and throw your red pepper on the back. Watch and turn as the flames crisp the outer skin. While this is cooking, place the eggplant and zucchini slices on the grill that you've given a light coat of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt. Grill those, flipping once until cooked tender. Once the red pepper is a bit blackened on all sides and starting to deflate a bit, remove and let it rest. While it's resting, slice the loaves of bread lengthwise, horizontally, and pull out most of the doughy center. {this makes great homemade croutons for your salads if you're interested.} Coat both the top and bottom halves of the bread with pesto. Layer the grilled vege on the bottom half of the bread. Then peel, seed and cut your grilled red pepper into strips. Add to the sandwich and top with the slices of fresh mozzarella. Finish with the top portion of bread that already has pesto. Place between two pans and add a weight to the top to press it flat.  After pressing, cut in slices to serve. 

They were definitely a hit!! No one believed that there wasn't any meat on them {extended family included}. They were filled with flavor, and loved by all - even my self proclaimed eggplant hater of a husband. Yes. I won him over! I so wish I had photos, but between the hustle and bustle of the party, and the rain storm that descended as we finished grilling, I don't have much, even from the party! I'm sure we'll be making them again, so I'll have to make sure I get some photos then!

Happy Monday!

meatless mondays: meatless shepherd's pie

I mentioned starting a "meatless monday" regular posting previously here, and since it's monday, well, I thought I'd give it a go. I really love cooking, and since becoming a vegetarian, I still feel like I eat really, really well. The idea for this recipe came from Kelleigh's post here. This is my take on the recipe, and it's so yummy that the guys mowed through an entire 9"x13" pan, with my husband commenting later, "Wait, that was meatless?!" {Which he of course knew from the get-go - that was just his way of expressing just how good it was!}

You could easily make this recipe vegan, just by subbing in a bit of earth balance butter, omitting the cream cheese and using your favorite milk substitute when making the potatoes for the top! Everything else is already a go.

Meatless Shepherd's Pie

Pour ½ pound dry lentils into a pot, cover with water and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to use later.

Peel and dice 4 large potatoes, put them into a pot, cover with water, add a dash of salt and simmer until tender. Drain and add:

½ c. milk

 1 T. butter

 3 T. cream cheese

1 t. salt

Mix until all of the potatoes are blended to a smooth mash. You may need additional milk, depending on how starchy your potatoes are. Cover and set aside to keep warm. About this time I preheat my oven to 350 degrees, then start on the lentil seasonings.

1 T. olive oil

2 medium onions

1 bell pepper

3-4 T. chili powder

½ t. cumin

1-2 t. sea salt

2 T. brown sugar

Dice onion and pepper and add them to a heated sauté pan with the oil. Saute until translucent and glossy. Drain the reserved lentils, keeping some of the lentils and add to the pan. {Honestly? I lift them out of their pot with a slotted spoon.}  Add the additional seasonings and stir well. Add some of the reserved juices until you have a bit of a sauce.

Spread the lentil mixture in the bottom of a glass 9x13 pan. Add 1 c. frozen sweet corn and mix. Layer with 1-2 (1 pound) bags of frozen mixed veggies (Depending on how much your family loves the veg. I used one, but I think I could have added more.) Spread the hreserved mashed potatoes over the veg, and pop into the preheated oven. (At this point you could add shredded cheddar cheese, but we didn’t have any on hand, and it was lovely without!) Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until your veggies are cooked tender. Remove from the oven and let it rest a few minutes before serving. 

Enjoy!! Post questions if you have any - and if you make the recipe, please share! I'd love to see your take on  one of family's new favorite recipes!

patriotic shortcake and meatless adventures

The shortcake from my previous post that I made for our July 4th bbq. It. Was. So. Good.

And I'm always, always on the look out for meatless recipes that my family will enjoy! Since I know it's the healthiest way to go, it's good to be able to share great experiences with them - and things that convince them that they aren't losing or giving anything up. It's also a great way to help your budget and the planet! I'm thinking I might start a "meatless monday" post soon - to share ideas for meatless meals that your whole family will enjoy, not just your vegetarians.

This idea came from Kelleigh's post for "Lentil Sheperd's Pie". I'll be sharing my take on the recipe this upcoming monday! I'm considerably less on the cheese/dairy, and more on the seasonings. Our family mowed through an entire 9x13 pan for dinner with just a tiny portion leftover. ^_^