Easy Enchiladas with Easy Cashew Cheez

more enchiladas
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

The cashew cheese we made the previous night was so delicious, we decided to try it atop some enchiladas. This is the easiest enchilada recipe ever since it consists of a lot of pre-made elements (the enchilada sauce, the black beans, salsa, etc).

In future incarnations, I imagine we'll stuff these enchiladas with roasted veggies (cauliflower, chickpeas, broccoli, carrots) and even different kinds of rice (spanish rice, etc.). It's very quick and easy to make and tastes really gourmet.

Ingredients

• 1 package of corn tortillas
• 1 can of enchilada sauce (we used green enchilada sauce)
• 1 recipe of cashew cheese
• salsa
• 1/4 cup cilantro (for garnish)
• 1 can of black beans
• 2 cups of cooked brown rice
• a little canola oil for heating the tortillas
• Native Kjalii Foods Roasted Fig Mole (totally optional--we found this at our local health food store, but it does not seem to be widely available)

Prepare 2 cups of cooked brown rice per the package instructions.

When the rice is within 10 minutes of being done, start heating the tortillas. Heat the oil in a 8-inch pan and when it's hot, heat the corn tortillas for 5 seconds on each side.

Dip the heated tortilla into the enchilada sauce.

Add ~1/4 cup or rice and ~3 tbsp. of beans into the tortilla (the amount of the filling is really up to you).

Add a line of salsa and a line of mole sauce and fold the sides of the tortilla up.

Zig zag cashew cheese on top and add cilantro to garnish.

tomato vegetable curry

curry
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

This is a quick variation of Yamuni Devi's vegetable curry from her book Yamuni's Table.

You can also mix up the veggie content a little. Sometimes we add carrots, sometimes potatoes, sometimes corn. It all works really well!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds
• ~1 tbsp. ground coriander
• ~2 tsp. hot or mild curry
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 to 3 cups plain tomato sauce
• ~1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk or plain vegan yogurt
• lots of steamed vegetables and legumes (We just used a whole cauliflower, 5 oz spinach, and a 14 oz can of chickpeas. Carrots and corn kernels also work very well.)

Toast mustard seeds over medium heat (until they start popping--cover the pan!).

Stir the curry and coriander into a half cup or so of water.

When the mustard seeds have popped for about 20 seconds, pour the spice mixture into the pan over the mustard seeds.

Swirl around and and let the spice mix cook down. (If some of the spice mix remains behind in your cup, add a bit more water, swirl, and pour into the pan.)

When the spice mixture is almost dry, add the tomato sauce. Stir until well combined.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Then add steamed vegetables and legumes.

Continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so, occasionally stirring very gently so as not to mash the vegetables.

Finally, stir in the coconut milk or vegan yogurt, heat through, and serve over basmati rice.

Baked Polenta with Tomato-Pepper Sauce

Adapted from Sunset Magazine (November 2006).

Tom and I made this for Heather's bday celebration last night. It was relatively quick to make -- I was even able to do some prep with Dylan in tow -- and it got quite a positive response. You can do a lot of the prep in advance and then just save the final broiling to just before mealtime....

We doubled the recipe and had more than enough for 5 big adult eaters (well, 4 big eaters and one small eater).

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1-28 oz. can of Fire Roasted crushed tomatoes (or just crushed tomatoes)
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (or Italian herbs)
• 1 medium yellow onion, halved lengthwise and then cut into thin wedges
• 1 medium bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin slices
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• one small head of broccoli cut into small bite-size pieces
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 2 tubes of prepared polenta sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 8 oz. Follow Your Heart vegan mozarella, cut into 1/4 inch slices.

Pre-heat broiler to high.

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan set over medium heat.

Add tomatoes and oregano and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

While tomatoes are simmering, heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and broccoli and stir to combine.

Cover pan and lower heat to medium and cook until broccoli is done, about 5-8 minutes.

Add in tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

While sauce is cooking, pour remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. oil into a 9x13 baking pan and tilt to coat the bottom of the pan.

Add polenta slices to pan and turn to coat them in oil.

Arrange polenta slices in slightly overlapping rows.

Broil polenta about 4 inches from heating element until golden brown and crispy (about 10-15 minutes).

Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange mozarella slices over the top.

Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown (about 2 minutes).

Let cool slightly before serving.

Butternut Squash and Corn Risotto

Tom made this for our first wedding anniversary dinner. We served it with sliced francese, David's salad and some sauteed brussels sprouts. Delicious!

To save prep time while our guests were here, we stirred in most of the stock and let it absorb into the risotto, then put it in the refrigerator while we played a game of Puerto Rico with Heather, David, and Assaf. Right before dinner, we reheated the remaining stock, ladled it in, and served it immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 pound butternut squash
• 4 c. vegetable stock
• 4 c. corn chowder
• 4 oz. fresh or frozen corn
• 2 tbsp. minced Italian parsley
• olive oil for sauteeing
• 1 tsp. dried thyme or 2 tsp. fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1.5 c. arborio rice

Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise and bake it face down on a lined cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 375F.

Scoop the squash out of the skin and place it in a food processor.

Add a 1/4 c. of the stock, nutmeg, and parsley.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Puree until smooth.

Put the butternut squash sauce on a burner on low and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining vegetable stock and corn chowder to a simmer.

In a large wok or saute pan, saute the onions until soft (about 5 minutes).

Add the arborio rice. Saute another 3 minutes until rice is translucent, stirring constantly to keep rice from sticking.

Add the wine and stir until absorbed.

Add vegetable stock one ladle-ful at a time. Stir until liquid is absorbed before adding the next.

After about 1/3 of the stock has been absorbed, add the corn and thyme and stir in.

Continue adding stock per previous instructions.

When all of the stock has been added, stir in 1/4 c. of the butternut squash sauce.

Divide the remaining sauce onto 6 plates and scoop about 1 c. of arborio rice onto the sauce.

If desired, add a sprig of parsley to the top and serve.

Gallo Pinto

We discovered this dish when we traveled to Costa Rica. It was a reliably tasty dish practically everywhere we went. It's traditionally a breakfast dish, but we also like to eat it for dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 c. cooked long grain rice
• 1 c. red or black beans
• 1/2 c. finely diced white onions
• 3 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste
• Lizano Sauce (a sauce similiar to Tabasco but milder -- you can substitute with Tabasco or, better yet, fresh salsa)

more...

Heat oil in a frying pan for approximately 1 minute. Saute onions until caramelized. Add beans and to the sautéed onions and stir over medium-low heat for a minute. Combine cooked rice to sautéed onion and beans. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add cilantro. Serve immediately and add the Lizano Sauce (or salsa) to taste.

Curried Cauliflower over Basmati Rice Pilaf

(adapted from Yamuna's Table by Yamuna Devi)

For this recipe, the tomatoes and the curry powder are the make-or-break ingredients. Use high quality fresh tomatoes (acidic heirlooms and dry-farmed tomatoes are great) or a good canned tomato like Muir Glen. If you use canned tomatoes, you will get a chunky sauce rather than a creamy glaze, but the recipe tastes great that way, too. As for curry powder, the best I have found is from Penzeys, but Indian markets are bound to sell great curry powder, too.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs mustard seeds
• 1.5 tsp coriander powder
• 2 to 3 tsp (really good) hot curry powder
• 2 Tbs margarine (optional, for a richer taste)
• 1 medium cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 to 3 cups of (really good) chopped tomatoes
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• chopped cilantro

Steam the chopped cauliflower in a steamer for about five minutes and toast the mustard seeds over a medium heat until they begin to pop.

Meanwhile, combine the coriander and curry powders in a small cup, add a quarter cup of water, and stir.

When the mustard seeds have reached the popping point, add the powder mixture and 1 Tbs of margarine (if you're using it). Stir.

When the liquid has almost completely cooked away, add the chopped tomatoes. Stir to blend in the powder mixture.

Cook the tomatoes and spices over a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and most of the liquid has cooked away.

Stir in the salt and pepper, and then mix in the cauliflower.

Stir until the cauliflower is completely coated with the tomatoes mixture.

Partially cover and cook over medium-low for another 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is soft.

Stir in the second tablespoon of margarine (if you're using it) and chopped cilantro.

Serve next to the rice.

Variation 1: Substitute a combination of any of the following for up to half the cauliflower on an equal volume basis:

• cooked chickpeas
• sweet corn kernels
• waxy potatoes (cut into small cubes and steamed for about 10 minutes)

Variation 2: If you are worried about the damage caused by boring tomatoes, add 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger (fresh or powdered) to the tomatoes along with the salt and pepper.

Spanakorizo (Greek Rice and Spinach)

(adapted from VegNews)

Simple and delicious rice dish....

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ~ 1 lb. of fresh spinach
• 1 1/2 c. uncooked long grain white rice
• 3 c. hot water or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. fresh dill or 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• juice from 1 lemon
• kalamata olives
• 1 tomato
• vegan "feta" (optional)

Heat oil in large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).

Chop spinach and add to the pot. Cook until wilted (about 1 minute).

Stir in the rice, water or broth, dill, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer until the rice is cooked (about 20 minutes).

Add desired amount of chopped kalamata olives, diced tomato, and vegan feta.

Drizzle with lemon juice just before serving.