Enchirito! Black Bean Enchiladas

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Enchirito (Black Bean Enchiladas)

Enchirito (Black Bean Enchiladas)

I have a confession. I love the Taco Bell Enchirito. Before I had to go dairy and gluten free, I used to order it with beans instead of meat. I’ve been missing it lately and when I saw this post with a photo that looks a lot like an enchirito, I knew that I could make a version that I can eat. (I also bought that wonderful cookbook, which is a fundraiser for Woodstock Farm Sanctuary.)

Here’s my recipe for Vegan, Gluten-Free, Corn-Free Enchiritos.

Brown Rice Tortillas
Refried Black Beans
Enchilada Sauce (I use the Frontera Red Enchilada Sauce)
Vegan Cheese (like Daiya or Ste Martaen – this is St Martaen in the photo above)
Chopped Sweet Onion
Sliced Black Olives

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Heat refried beans on the stovetop. Add a few tablespoons of the enchilada sauce to the beans.
  3. Pour half of remaining enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
  4. Steam the brown rice tortillas (either stovetop with boiling water or wrap in a damp dishtowel and microwave for 15 seconds).
  5. Place the steamed tortilla in the baking dish so the back side is dipped in enchilada sauce. Fill with black beans and some chopped onion. Roll up like an enchilada, the outside will be coated with sauce.
  6. Repeat until the pan is filled or you have as many enchiladas as you’d like.
  7. Spoon and spread most of the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Reserve a couple of tablespoons for sauce.
  8. Cover with vegan cheese.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is melted (if Daiya) or sauce is bubbling. Don’t let it burn or brown.
  10. Top with a drizzle of the reserved sauce, chopped sweet onions and sliced black olives.

Indian Sweet Halwa

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Gluten Free Halwa

Gluten Free Halwa

Halwa Spices

Halwa Spices

I spent a lot of time at my friend Hemal’s house when I was growing up and her mom taught me how to cook Indian food. Because of that, I feel like Indian is my native cuisine. Halwa is a sweet dessert, but I like to make it a little less sweet and use it for special breakfasts. It’s typically made with semolina, but I found this gluten free version that uses Cream of Rice.

Gluten Free Halwa

My tweaks: I use Earth Balance instead of ghee, palm sugar instead of jaggery and use under 1/4 cup of the palm sugar. It will still be sweet. I added chopped dates AND golden raisins.


Vegan Shamrock Shake

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Shamrock Shake

Shamrock Shake

Shamrock Shakes have always been a special signal that my birthday is coming. Not a big deal at my advanced age, but when I was young, I would get so excited. I haven’t had a “real” one in years because I can’t tolerate dairy, but I understand that McD’s has changed the recipe to something that tastes more like disinfectant. Here’s a real mint version that tastes like the old kind!

Start with a Mint Simple Syrup. It’s worth the extra effort to make it with fresh mint, although you could use some mint extract instead.

Then make a basic milkshake recipe with 1 cup milk- less if you like it thicker (I use So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk) and 2 cups Ice Cream (I use Purely Decadent Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream), add a few tablespoons of the mint syrup and a few drops of green food coloring!

Enjoy!

 


Corned Tofu and Cabbage

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Corned Tofu and Cabbage

Corned Tofu and Cabbage

My birthday is St. Patrick’s Day and corned beef was one of the only meats that I liked when I was a kid. Since becoming a vegetarian I have missed it, especially at this time of year. A few years ago, I found this recipe for corned beef-esque tofu that does the trick to quell my cravings.

Corned Beef-esque Tofu

I serve it with this Ethiopian style cabbage dish. I know, not traditional Irish, but it’s a great cabbage dish.

Ethiopian Cabbage

My Tweaks: I always press the tofu and dry fry it for the Corned Tofu. I only use HALF the amount of the Seasoned Salt. Otherwise it comes out too salty for me. I add a teensy bit of agave to the spice mixture to add a little sweet to balance the savory. I omit the potatoes from the Ethiopian Cabbage dish. This time I used napa cabbage with a few chopped brussels sprouts because that’s what I had and threw in a couple of serrano peppers.

I’ve also used this tofu to make a great Reuben Sandwich with gluten free pita, vegan thousand island dressing and sauerkraut. Serve with a home-made Shamrock Shake (stay tuned for that recipe later this week).

Tofu Reuben and Shamrock Shake

Tofu Reuben and Shamrock Shake

 


Yummy Tom Yum Soup

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Tom Yum Soup

Tom Yum Soup

I love Thai food. If I had to pick one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, it would be Thai. My massage therapist said that lemongrass is good for joints and since I’m nursing a knee sprain, I thought I should have a big dose of lemongrass. I found this recipe and technically I think if the soup has coconut milk in it, then it’s a Tom Kha instead of a Tom Yum. I don’t care, though. It was delicious!

Vegetarian Tom Yum Goong

My Tweaks: I didn’t have Kaffir Lime leaves, so I used lime zest, bay leaf and lemon thyme as suggested here. I added some tamarind to the stock and used palm sugar instead of brown sugar. I omitted the basil and tofu and added one large sliced onion, peas, yellow bell pepper and napa cabbage. I also added lots of spice: Sriracha, crushed red pepper, fresh serrano pepper and togarashi. I like rice in my soup, so I served it with some left over steamed rice in the bottom of the bowl.


Moroccan Slow Cooker Stew

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Moroccan Stew

Moroccan Stew

I got this recipe in a Weight Watchers email several years ago and have made it many times since. Very easy, healthy and delicious! It reheats well, so it’s great to pack for work lunches. And I love anything you can make in the slow cooker!

Moroccan Slow Cooker Stew

My tweaks: This time I added some sweet potatoes and golden raisins. Also extra crushed red pepper because I like it spicy!