Vegi Enchiladas

While in the process of moving, I stayed with a friend for two weeks while I was still working at my old job, but the lease had run out on my apartment. This friend (you know who you are!) is a vegetarian, which was great because I got to try out a couple vegi/vegan recipes I had been saving for awhile! Unfortunately, this is the only one I remembered to snap pictures of, but I also tried a chilled avocado soup (delish!) and a vegan peanut noodle vegi bowl (yum!!). These enchiladas are A-mazing. I didn't miss the meat at all! If only I didn't have to cook meat for P, I could easily go veg-only (or, mostly veg at least!). 


Vegi Enchiladas
Adapted from Martha Stewart, then adapated from Kokocooks

4 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs ground cumin, divided
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ c all purpose flour
¼ c tomato paste
3 c vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 bag fresh spinach leaves
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) corn kernels, drained
1.5 c grated pepper Jack cheese (or about 9 oz)
16 corn tortillas (6-inch)
Fresh cilantro, chopped

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 Tbs of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp of the cumin, garlic powder, coriander, flour, and tomato paste. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tbs of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until softened. Add spinach and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in the black beans, corn kernels, remaining 1 tsp of cumin, and 3/4 c of the cheese.

Preheat oven to 375⁰F. Lightly spray 2 8-inch baking pans with nonstick spray. Set aside. Spread tortillas onto a large baking sheet. Lightly spray with nonstick spray. Spread a second layer of tortillas on top of the first layer. Lightly spray the top layer with nonstick spray. Bake until warm, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from oven. Spoon about 1/3 c of the enchilada filling into each tortilla and roll up. Place in the baking dish, seam side down. Pack the filled tortillas tightly in the baking dishes. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over the enchiladas. Pour sauce over them, making sure to cover the entire surface. Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

Vegetable Fajitas (chicken optional!)

Oh Saturday! If I didn't have to spend all of this lovely day studying, it would be so much nicer. It is sunny and beautiful outside, but me and cancer biology will be spending the day together, again. Sigh.

I made these the other night as a quick weeknight dinner. These were really meant to be vegetable fajitas, but since P won't eat a meal without meat, I also added chicken for him. So you could make it either way. It is quite filling as vegetable fajitas! The marinade is pretty yummy!

Marinade:

1 orange, juiced

1/2 lime, juiced (I don't have a juicer, I just squeezed!)

2 t orange zest/peel

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t salt

dash cayenne pepper

1 garlic clove 

1/3 c olive oil

Place marinade in a food processor or blender, and process until mixed. 

I would like to take this moment and comment on how much I love my Magic Bullet.

I use this thing almost daily. To make smoothies, scramble eggs, chop spices, make breadcrumbs, process marinade...I could be on the infomercial. :)

Anyway, here is the marinade:

Fajitas:
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 portobello mushroom cap, sliced lengthwise (make sure to "clean" and  cut off black underside!)
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
Tortillas (I used whole wheat flour)
Toppings optional (guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese)

Place in bowl with marinade and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
Once ready to cook, place in saute pan over med heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes).

Place in warmed tortillas and top with desired toppings (sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc)

Yum!

For the chicken variation, slice one chicken breast into long strips. Cook in saute pan until done (about 10 minutes) over medium heat BEFORE adding vegetables. Wipe pan clean, add vegetables and leave chicken in the pan with vegetables until done. 

Roasted Veggie White Pizza

I have flirted with vegetarianism in the past. And I have always had health concious eating habits, my mother was at the forefront of the organic/co-op/health food movement 20 years ago, so I started learning young! Since reading Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes and The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals I have been thinking about it more and more. Another great book, written many years ago that has the same message: Diet for a Small Planet. At this point in time, I know I can't be 100% veggie. But I do try to limit my meat intake. My goal is usually to eat meat only one time a day, or at least a small amout at two meals. I don't always meet that goal, but recipes like this help!

Roasted Veggie-White Pizza

1/2 red onion, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced

1 small tomato, sliced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pre made thin pizza crust (such as Boboli, or make your own!)
3 Tablespoons pesto (store bought is just fine!)
2/3 cup 2% shredded mozzerella
1/2 cup part skin ricotta cheese
1/4 cup basil
pepper to taste
cooking spray or olive oil

Preheat oven to 500. Arrange red onion, yellow bell pepper, zucchini on a jelly roll pan or baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat. Roast in oven 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

Reset oven to broiler. Preheat pizza pan under broiler for 5-10 minutes.

Coat crust with cooking spray or drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Spread pesto onto crust.

Sprinkle 1/3-1/2 cup mozzarella over crust. Sprinkle with basil.

Add ricotta to crust, distribute evenly.



Slide crust onto baking sheet. Broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is slightly melty (not brown!).

Remove from oven, spread cheese out with spoon. Sprinkle with pepper to taste.

Add roasted vegis, top with tomatos.

Top with remaining mozzarella. Broil another 5 minutes. Cut into slices.

Yum!