Verde (Tomatillo-Poblano) Chilaquiles

I learned how to make Chilaquiles as a line cook working at a restaurant.  At least once a week while we were prepping for service Noel and Bernardo (my amigos) would take turns making them for our family meal.  They were always made with a red sauce, somewhat spicy and super delicious.  Noel would always give me a hard time because I never made Chilaquiles for them.  So one day I came in a little early and I made Verde Chilaquiles and they loved them...I felt so great that the pressure was finally off.  But one can only produce the best dish when one learns from the best...and Noel and Bernie were truly the best!

Verde Sauce:

3 Tomatillos, skins removed
1 Poblano pepper
1 Jalapeno pepper
1 Onion sliced (skin on)
3-4 Garlic cloves (skin on)
1/3-1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/3-1/2 cup cashew cream (1/2 cup cashews, blended with 1 cup water)
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place all ingredients on a sheet tray and roast for 10-15 minutes until charred.  You may need to need to remove the garlic first so that it doesn't burn.  Let cool and peel and seed peppers.  Place in a blender and blend until smooth.  I did not add cilantro to my sauce because I added it to the pico de gallo and guacamole. 

After you make the sauce, turn the oven down to 325 degrees to toast the tortilla chips.  Normally, the tortilla chips are fried but you don't need to do this.  Baking produces the same end result without all the fat and calories.  When purchasing the corn tortillas I usually look for a heartier brand that will hold up to the weight of the sauce and cheese without becoming too soggy, but soggy is good too!  I like using the sliders because they cut perfectly into 4ths.  

Method:  Spray a sheet pan with vegetable spray and then spray the top of the tortillas lightly and sprinkle with salt.  Bake in the oven for about 12-14 minutes until crisp and lightly golden brown.  Turn chips over half way through the baking and keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

You have no idea how many gallons of pico de gallo I have made in my lifetime!  It is so easy and I prefer homemade salsa over store bought any day!  There is really no recipe for fresh salsa.  If you don't like white onion, add red onion and if you like it super spicy then add the whole jalapeno or leave in the seeds.  The most important thing is to dice and mince the tomatoes/vegetables perfectly...it's all about uniformity!... :-)

Pico de Gallo:

5 organic Roma tomatoes, seeded, julienned and diced
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely diced 
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Assembly:
I  like using individual cazuelas to serve my Chilaquiles.  (Serves 2) 

Baked Tortilla Chips
2 - 3 cups Verde Sauce
1 package Daiya Havarti-Jalapeno Style Cheese, shredded
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add chips to a large bowl, along with 1/2 of the shredded cheese.  Heat sauce on the stove, adding additional veg stock if the sauce is too thick.  Pour sauce over chips and toss evenly to coat.  Divide mixture evenly between cazuelas or ramekins and top with additional cheese.  Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes on a sheet tray until mixture is bubbly.  Remove from oven and serve immediately garnished with cilantro and green onions.

And now for the toppings.  At the restaurant we would always serve our Chilaquiles topped with pico, guacamole (avocado, cilantro, green onion, Vegenaise, lime juice, salt and pepper) and salad made with romaine lettuce, radish, jalapeno, tossed with a red wine-oregano vinaigrette.  It doesn't get any better than this.  To my friends...Noel & Bernardo...thank you for everything you taught me in the kitchen!   

Mexican Yuba Omelet

I love using yuba (tofu skins) because it is so versatile.  It's great for wrapping/stuffing, stir-fry's and soups.  You can purchase yuba at an Asian market, but I get mine freshly made at my local Sogo Tofu shop.  This yuba omelet tasted like the real deal because I also added shredded firm tofu, mixed with turmeric and black salt found at my local Indian market.  Black salt is an Indian spice that tastes like sulfur and imparts an "egg-like" flavor.  It is "rose" in color instead of black and a little goes a long way because it is very salty!   

For the enchilada sauce, you can purchase store bought or make your own using my recipe.  I cut the recipe in half for this dish, but if you want to make the full batch, you can store it in the fridge for a couple of weeks and use it for another meal.  For my avocado emulsion I used:  1/2 large avocado, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp vegan sour cream, a handful of cilantro leaves, the juice from a 1/2 lemon or lime, and salt and pepper to taste--then blended until creamy.

 

And now for the filling...the best part!  I used everything that I love in an omelet or burrito.  I pan roasted baby fingerling potatoes, and sauteed red bell pepper, onion and garlic.  I also sauteed one link of Artisan Tofurky Andouille Sausages (had this in my fridge and wanted to use it up), but sauteed cremini mushrooms would of been my first choice.  I then added fresh spinach, salt and pepper to the mix and cooked until just wilted.

To assemble, I unwrapped the tofu skin.  Depending on the size you may need to cut the tofu skin, but since they are rather thin I like to leave them big so that when I stuff, roll and wrap, I get double the coverage.  I placed a layer of shredded Daiya Havarti Style Wedge on the bottom, followed by shredded tofu mixed with turmeric and black salt, followed by the potato/veggie mixture, topped with more cheese and wrapped it up like a burrito.  I then added a little olive oil to a saute pan and browned on both sides before placing in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes just to make sure that it heated all the way through and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and top with enchilada sauce, avocado emulsion, cilantro and finely sliced green onion.  Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner...I could eat these every day stuffed with a different combination of ingredients and sauces!  For my next one I'm going to stuff with a stir-fry mixture of fresh veggies, grilled teriyaki tofu and serve with Asian dipping sauces!  YUM!      

My Margaritaville

In 2008 I attended a six month professional wine course to become a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers.  I did this because I wanted to learn more about viniculture (the growing and harvesting of grapes) and vinification (turning grapes into wine).  But most importantly, I wanted to be able to identify all the flavor nuances in wine and how to pair wine with food.

The course was really intense and covered every wine growing region in the world (old and new), along with tasting and identifying over 3,000 wines.  Once the course was finished I had to take a six hour exam to become certified.   During the exam I had to blind-taste three wines and identify the grape varietal, the country they were from, and the approximate vintage year.   Following the blind tasting, I had to take a 100 question exam, which included two essays and then I was judged on restaurant service and presentation.  Needless to say at the end of the day when they called my name and said that I passed and I was now a Certified Sommelier, I almost cried...well I kinda did...I was exhausted!

So what does a margarita have to do with wine...nothing really, except that my favorite poison of choice during the summer months is tequila, really good tequila.  The bottles alone are beautiful and make you want to purchase them for decoration only.  Yes, I still enjoy going out to dinner and reading over the wine list and choosing the perfect wine to pair with our meal, but nothing is more refreshing to me than a good margarita!

So here are my tips of "Do's" and "Dont's" for purchasing a great tequila and making the perfect margarita...whether it is served blended or on the rocks.

• DO purchase a 100% pure blue agave tequila (read the label carefully).
• DON'T purchase a cheap tequila (no matter how tempting).  A good silver or blanco tequila should cost you between $20 and $30 for a 750ml bottle, and a good reposado (slightly aged) tequila should cost you between $30 and $40.  I do not drink anejo tequila which can be aged for up to a year or more and is a bit more expensive.
• DO drink a margarita "on the rocks" as an aperitif when going out to dinner at a nice restaurant.  
• DO use a reposado tequila when drinking a margarita on the rocks.
• DO drink a "blended" margarita when eating at a casual restaurant consuming mass quantities of chips and salsa...:-) or on a warm summer's day hanging out by the pool. 
• DO use a blanco or silver tequila when blending a margarita.
• DON'T purchase a pre-made margarita mix, ever!
• DO spend the time juicing your own fresh limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit or a combination thereof to make your own margarita mix.
• DON'T make a simple syrup using refined sugar to make your margarita.
• DO use "blue agave syrup", from the agave plant to make your simple syrup.
• DON'T use idolized salt or purchase margarita salt to rim your margarita glass.
• DO use a course natural sea salt and grind it to your liking to rim your margarita glass.
• DON'T use Triple Sec or Cointreau in your margaritas, use Grand Marnier instead.  Triple Sec and Cointreau have bitter undertones, while Grand Marnier is fruity and smooth.  
• DO use fresh fruit juices to flavor your margaritas.  Some of my favorites are watermelon, mango, pomegranate, cactus pear, tangerine or pineapple.
• DON'T use banana in your margaritas.  Bananas are good with rum, not tequila.
• DO use crushed ice when making a blended margarita.

But most importantly, DO have fun when making your margaritas...whether you serve them blended or on the rocks...it is the perfect summer drink!  Enjoy!     

Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Crema

These mini tacos are just too good!  My husband and I had like nine each for dinner on Friday night and then finished off the rest for lunch on Sunday.  I made the corn tortillas from scratch and you can really taste the freshness of the corn--so much better than the store bought version! 

For the spicy black beans and brown basmati rice, I cooked both the rice and the beans with an adobo spice blend.  I make all my own spice blends and I made this quite some time ago.  I don't remember the exact recipe ratio but it contained:  paprika, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano and salt and pepper.  If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your own spice blend then you can just use 1-2 tbsp chili powder or a taco seasoning blend.  Also Mexican markets carry an already pre-made adobo spice blend, but I find it to be a little bland.

I then made my own roasted tomato salsa, guacamole and a red and green cabbage salad with cilantro and lime juice.  I topped off the tacos with a cashew chipotle crema made with blended cashews, sun-dried tomato paste, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle powder, lime juice and salt and pepper.

I could eat these everyday--so healthy and delicious! 

Homemade Corn Tortillas & Roasted Tomato Salsa

I'm going to make this short and sweet because tonight is Mexican night and I absolutely can't wait to eat my mini tacos.  I made homemade corn tortillas (really simple and delish), as well as roasted tomato salsa.  I'll be serving my tacos topped with spicy Mexican rice, black beans, cabbage salad, guacamole, homemade salsa and chipotle crema!  I'll post photos and recipes tomorrow, along with my famous Pomegranate Margarita recipe.  Well at least it's famous in my household.  For the past two weeks I was away visiting my family in Maryland and my sister who doesn't drink alcohol at all was practically asking for margaritas every night...sorry Dana the truth is out!  And I think one is calling my name right now!

Roasted Tomato Salsa 

6-8 Roma tomatoes, roasted (see link)
3-4 Roma tomatoes, blanched, skins removed and grated
1 Jalapeno, roasted, skin and seeds removed
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 Jalapeno, seeds removed and finely minced (about 2 tbsp)
3 tbsp finely minced onion
1-2 tbsp minced cilantro
Juice of 1-2 limes (depending on size)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, slice tomatoes, toss in a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 1 hour until caramelized.  Remove from oven, let cool and remove skins.
• During this time add the jalapeno and roast for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and remove skin and seeds.
• Place roasted tomatoes and jalapeno in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Place in a bowl.
• Blanch remaining tomatoes for 1 minute, remove skins and grate on a box grater and add to roasted tomatoes.
• Add remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste and chill until ready to use. 

I don't know why I stopped making my own corn tortillas from scratch.  The texture and flavor is so much better than what you purchase at the store.  Yes, it takes about one hour from start to finish, depending on how many you make but it is so worth it.  This recipe made 24 small 5-6" tortillas.

I used 2 cups of masa and 1-1/3 cups of water.  You don't need a tortilla press--just a rolling pin and two sheets of plastic wrap coated with masa flour.  I also prefer smaller tortillas and so I used a small ice cream scoop to portion the masa.  The most important tip is to keep the masa covered with plastic while rolling out the tortillas.  Also, as you remove the cooked tortillas from the grill pan, wrap them in a kitchen towel to keep warm until all tortillas are done.

Also, no oil is needed in the pan.  Just make sure that you use a cast iron skillet or griddle because you need to cook them on medium-high heat and the more charred the better!  Cook them for about 1 minute per side and then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm.  Enjoy!

Mexican Pozole Soup

As you can see I'm still on my soup kick.  Soup is perfect for December when you're really busy running around shopping and it's cold outside.  And it has been really chilly in the Bay Area this past week.  It's also inexpensive and nutritious.  I was going to make udon soup but hubby wanted pozole.  I've never been a big fan of pozole because I don't like hominy--it's a texture thing for me.  But this soup has so many other textures with the addition of pinto beans and the cabbage salad that I don't mind the hominy.  Also, I love the flavor and color of this soup from the dried chilies--really looks festive with the brick red broth and bright green salad. 

Ingredients: 

6-8 dried New Mexico Red chilies, depending on size, stemmed, seeded, soaked

2 dried Ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded, soaked

1 dried Chipotle chili, optional, stemmed, seeded soaked

3 cups filtered water

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion diced small

1 green pepper, seeded, diced small

2 tbsp minced garlic

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, or more depending on consistency

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp Mexican dried oregano

3/4 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight, cooked until tender, or 1 14oz can rinsed

1 28 oz can white hominy, drained

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Tapatio Hot Sauce, optional

Method:

• Bring water to a boil, remove from heat, add dried chilies, cover and soak for 30 minutes until tender.
• Place chilies and liquid in blender and blend on high until smooth.  If you don't have a high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, you may need to strain the mixture.
• Add diced tomatoes, and blend on high again.  Set aside.
• In a dutch oven or stock pot, add olive oil and saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes until onions are soft.
• Add green peppers, spices, chili/tomato sauce, vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes for flavors to combine.
• Add pinto beans and hominy and cook until heated through for about 5-10 more minutes.  Reason with salt and pepper if necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with cabbage/radish salad.

Cabbage & Radish Salad:

1 1/2 cups thinly shredded green cabbage

1/4 cup thinly sliced red radish

1/2 avocado, finely diced

1-2 tbsp finely minced jalapeno

2 tbsp fresh mint, cilantro or parsley

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Portobello Mushroom Fajitas with Spicy Mojo Sauce

Mojo sauce first originated in the Canary Islands and migrated to the Caribbean Islands, Cuba and the Southern region of the United States.  There are a lot of different flavored Mojo sauces--some are red, seasoned with paprika, others are green due to the large amounts of cilantro and parsley, but I prefer the Cuban version made with sour orange and lime juices.  The high acidity of the sauce pairs really well with the earthiness of the portobello mushrooms.  In addition to the freshly squeezed orange and lime juices, I added minced garlic, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and chipotle adobo sauce for a smokey flavor and a spicy kick.

I garnished my fajitas with charred roasted tomato salsa, guacamole and cashew sour cream.  For a side dish I made re-fried pinto beans seasoned with minced onion, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin and cilantro.  

These portobello fajitas were probably the best fajitas I've ever eaten.  The combination of flavors and textures were amazing!

Sprouted Lentil Tostada with Lime Cream Fraiche

The other day when I sprouted lentils I had enough to make another dish and so I made a raw tostada with homemade tortilla chips.  Just for a taste comparison, I made two versions...one with raw tortilla chips and the other with corn tortillas, cut to size and baked in the oven until crisp.  I then put my husband through a taste test.  Surprisingly, he liked them both equally in terms of flavor and texture, and so did I.  They were very different, but were equally delicious.  Again, I do not have a dehydrator and so I baked my raw tortillas in the oven at the lowest temperature, about 150 degrees until crispy.  The first sheet tray of tortillas I cooked too long and they just crumbled apart, but the second tray turned out perfect and I was able to break them into different sizes so that I could stack the tostada with yummy, fresh ingredients!

Corn Tortilla Chips:

2 cups yellow frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 cup raw almonds, soaked
3/4 cup hemp seeds
3/4 cup golden ground flax seed
1/2 cup raw pinenuts
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2-2 1/4 cups filtered water--you want the batter to be thick, but still easy to spread.
Note:  I'm not certain how long the tortilla chips will take in a dehydrator, but probably 12-15 hours, maybe longer.

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to lowest temperature.
• Soak almonds in filtered water for about four hours, drain.
• Place almonds in a food processor and process until fine.
• Add corn kernels and process again, scraping down the sides.
• Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth.
• Line two sheet trays with silpats and divide batter between trays and smooth with an off-set spatula.  Cover the entire surface completely.  You want the batter to be about an 1/8" thick.
• Bake in the oven for about 3-3 1/2 hours, turning tray frequently and making sure that it does not cook too quickly.
• Once firm with no raw batter visible and pliable, remove tray from oven and carefully flip onto another tray and carefully remove silpat.
• Return to the oven and bake again on the other side until crisp, but still pliable, checking frequently and being careful not to burn.
• Remove from oven and let cool before breaking into desired pieces.

Other Ingredients:

1 cup sprouted French green lentils
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup shredded jacima
1 cup shredded green cabbage
2 tbsp minced cilantro leaves
Juice of 1-2 limes
Sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
Pico de Gallo Salsa (Roma tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, lime juice, s&p)
Guacamole (Avocado, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, s&p)
Cashew Creme Fraiche (Cashew cream, lime juice, minced cilantro, s&p)
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Method:

• In a medium bowl mix together sprouted lentils, corn, jacima, green cabbage, minced cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.
• To plate, place a couple of tortilla chips on a plate and top with sprouted lentil mixture, top with a couple more chips and add more lentils.  Garnish with guacamole, cashew cream, pico de gallo and cilantro leaves.

BBQ Seitan Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa

This recipe for BBQ Seitan Quesadillas is really good.  I had left over BBQ sauce from July 4th that I wanted to use up.  You can either make your own sauce or purchase your favorite brand.  I used original seitan from Sweet Earth, but tempeh would also taste really good, or you could easily make your own seitan.

Charred Pineapple Salsa:

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, sliced into 1/4" rings and cored
2 tbsp finely minced jalapeno, seeded first
2 tbsp finely minced red onion
2 tbsp finely minced cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Heat a grill pan or skillet on medium-high and cook pineapple slices on both sides until lightly charred and caramelized.  Set aside to cool and then dice and place in a bowl.
• Add all other ingredients and stir to combine and and chill until ready to use.

Guacamole:

1 large ripe Hass avocado, peeled and diced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp sour cream or Vegenaise
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Mash avocado with a fork until smooth and add other ingredients and stir to combine.

Quesadilla Ingredients/Assembly:

1 8 oz package seitan
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Daiya Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Daiya Mozzarella Cheese
1 red onion, sliced
1 package whole wheat flour tortillas
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lime
Cilantro leaves
Canola Oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

Method:

• Slice seitan into strips and lightly fry in a saute pan.  Add BBQ sauce to taste, heat through and set aside.
• In another saute pan, add a little canola oil and saute red onion until caramelized, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Thinly slice red cabbage, add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• To assemble, heat a large saute pan on medium heat and brush lightly with canola oil.
• Lightly coat one flour tortilla with BBQ sauce, sprinkle with cheddar and mozzarella cheese, add strips of BBQ seitan, caramelized onions and top with more cheese.  Press another flour tortilla on top and transfer to saute pan and fry on both sides until golden brown.
• Transfer quesadilla to a cutting board and cut into slices.  Garnish with guacamole, red cabbage, pineapple salsa and cilantro leaves.

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers with Chipotle Sauce

These bell peppers are packed with protein and fiber because they are stuffed with quinoa and black beans.  It's also a great use of veggies that are in season right now by using zucchini and corn.  This dish is totally fresh, light and easy--perfect for a healthy summertime dinner.

Chipotle Sauce:

4 dried New Mexico Chilies, stems and seeds removed
1 3/4 cups filtered water
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder (or more or less to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp Vegenaise or Follow Your Heart Sour Cream
Kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Method:

• Place chilies in a small sauce pan, add water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let steep for 20 minutes until soft.
• Add softened chilies and water to a blender and blend on high until smooth.  Strain sauce through a strainer and return to blender.
• Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Stuffing Ingredients:

2 organic red bell peppers, sliced in half, seeds removed
2 organic orange or yellow bell peppers, sliced in half, seeds removed
2 organic green bell peppers, sliced in half, seeds removed
1 cup quinoa, cooked and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, diced small
1 organic red bell pepper, diced small
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp fresh minced basil leaves
2 tsp fresh oregano, minced, or 1 tsp dried
2 zucchini, diced small
2 ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed from the cob
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Method:

• Preheat broiler to 475 degrees and place peppers on a baking sheet and set aside.
• Rinse quinoa under water for a few minutes and add to a sauce pan.  Add enough water to cover by 4", bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until seed open up.  Drain really well through a strainer, fluff and set aside.
• Heat a large saute pan on medium-low, add olive oil, onions, diced bell pepper, garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes until soft.
• Add herbs, zucchini, and corn and cook for about five minutes until vegetables are soft.
• Stir in cooked quinoa, black beans, lime juice and season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, cover and keep warm while preparing peppers.
• Place peppers under the broiler for about 5-7 minutes on each side until slightly charred and crisp-tender.  Flip frequently making sure that they cook evenly and do not burn.
• Remove peppers from broiler and immediately stuff with warm filling.
• Drizzle with chipotle sauce and garnish with minced parsley.
• Serve immediately.

Black Bean Tostadas with Pineapple Salsa

I had left over chili from last night's dinner and so I decided to make tostadas.  Normally I would make a black bean puree (recipe below), but I wanted to use up the chili.  I just reduced the chili until it was really thick, like a puree. 

These tostadas would also make a great appetizer for a party.  For this recipe, I used 4" corn tortillas that I purchased from a Hispanic market.  If you can't find the smaller tortillas, just use the regular size.  However, if I were serving these as appetizers, I would cut each tortilla with a 2-3" round cookie cutter for an individualized two-bite serving. 

Baked Tostadas:

8 4-1/4" corn tortillas
Canola Cooking Spray
Kosher salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and place tortillas on tray.
• Spray the tortillas lightly and sprinkle with kosher salt.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes until crispy and lightly golden brown.  Turn tortillas every 2 minutes for even browning and be careful during the last few minutes of cooking so they don't burn. 

Black Bean Puree: 

1 14.5 oz can of organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 medium onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 cup vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp canola oil or cooking spray
Note:  You can also use pinto beans but I like the contrast using the black beans.

Method:

• Heat canola oil in a saute pan on medium and cook onions until soft.  
• Add garlic and spices and cook for a couple of minutes longer.  Add a little vegetable stock to prevent burning.
• Place all ingredients, except vegetable stock in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth, adding a little bit of vegetable stock to get the right consistency.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Pineapple-Avocado Salsa:

1 large can pineapple slices or chunks, drained and diced small
1 avocado, diced small
1 tbsp jalapeno, finely minced
1-2 tbsp red onion, minced
1 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 tbsp pineapple juice
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Method/Assembly: 

• Mix together all ingredients in a bowl and chill for about 30 minutes for flavors to combine.
• In addition to the pineapple-avocado salsa, I finely shredded green cabbage and tossed it with a little lime juice, salt and pepper.
• Layer the tostada with bean puree, shredded cabbage and salsa and sprinkle with a little minced cilantro.  Enjoy!

Potato, Cheddar & Pasilla Enchiladas

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Did you know that on Cinco de Mayo American's consume over 70 million pounds of avocados according the the California Avocado Commission!  That explains why I had to go to three grocery stores yesterday to find a ripe avocado--they were sold out!  Lesson of the day--purchase your avocado's several days in advance.  And since I only purchased one avocado I decided to make an avocado emulsion instead of guacamole.  It's just as delicious, but turns one avocado into two!

Avocado Emulsion:

1 large ripe Hass avocado
1 large lime
2 tbsp Follow Your Heart sour cream
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp water (more or less to get a creamy consistency)

Method:  

• Place in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  Chill until ready to use.

Enchilada Sauce:

8 New Mexico Chilies
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp Mexican dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Note:  To save time, you can purchase canned Enchilada sauce, but making it yourself is easy and tastes so much better.

Method:

• Remove stems and seeds from chilies and toast lightly in a dry saute pan to bring out the smokey flavor.
• Bring water to a boil.  Place all ingredients in a blender and pour boiling water over.  Cover with lid and let sit for 20 minutes until chilies soften.  Blend until smooth and strain through a mesh strainer into a bowl.  Keep warm and set aside.

Potato, Cheddar & Pasilla Mixture:

1 1/2 pounds organic russet potatoes, washed peeled and cut into chunks
2 tbsp Follow Your Heart sour cream
1 tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread
1/4 cup Daiya cheddar cheese
2 tbsp or more soy or almond milk
2 pasilla peppers, roasted, skins and seeds removed, finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Method:

• Pre-heat broiler to 450 degrees and roast pasilla peppers until lightly charred on all sides.  Place in a bowl, cover and let sit for five minutes to steam.  Remove skin, seeds and dice peppers.
• Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft.  Drain water, place in a bowl and mash with a hand masher.  Add sour cream, butter, cheddar, peppers, soy or almond milk and season with salt and pepper to taste.  You want the potato mixture to be firmer than normal mashed potatoes so that it doesn't ooze out of the tortilla when baking.

Assembly:

12 corn tortillas (I like using smaller corn tortilla for enchiladas.  I used a taquito style 4 1/2" in size.)
1/4 cup canola oil (for brushing or dipping)
1/4 cup Daiya cheddar cheese

• Cover the bottom of your casserole dish lightly with enchilada sauce.
• Brush tortillas on both sides lightly with canola oil.  I work with four tortillas at a time.  Stack tortillas on top of each other and wrap in a damp paper towel and place in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften.  Dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce and fill with 1-2 tbsp potato mixture.  Roll up and place in casserole dish, repeat for all tortillas.
• Or you can heat the oil, place in a bowl and dip tortillas in oil (without using the microwave) and then dip in enchilada sauce.
• Cover enchiladas with remaining sauce, cover with foil or a lid and cook in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until heated through.  During the last few minutes of cooking, sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top.
• Serve enchiladas with a big dollop of avocado emulsion and a salad of shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, finely minced jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. 
• Enjoy! 

 

Chipotle Mexican Burrito Bowl

The only fast-food restaurant that I will eat at is Chipotle Mexican Grill.  I can order a delicious vegan burrito or salad and I feel like I'm eating healthy.  Here's my version of their burrito bowl. 

This salad has a lot of components to it, but you can choose to make whatever components you like.  Also, you can purchase the roasted tomato salsa, and use canned beans if you're in a hurry.

Rice:  

• You can use white basmati rice, but I used a multi-grain rice made up of brown and red basmati, black barley, red radish and wild rice.  Every time that I purchase a different kind of rice in the bulk section of the grocery store, whatever is leftover goes in the container and mixed together.  It's healthy, nutty, crunchy and nutritious.
• When you cook rice, use a 2:1 water to rice ratio.  For this dish, I used 1 cup of rice and cooked it for 35 minutes on medium-low and then let it sit for 10 minutes covered off the heat.
• Mix in 1 tbsp minced cilantro and the juice of a 1/2 lemon and salt and pepper to taste, keep covered and set aside.

Black Beans:

• I always use dried beans when I cook, but you can use canned (rinsed well) if you don't have time.  You don't need to soak the beans overnight before cooking. 
• Add 1 cup of beans to a 3qt sauce pan, cover with lots of water, add 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp chili powder and 1 bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and simmer for about an hour until tender.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Roasted Tomato Salsa:

5 large Roma tomatoes (stems removed)
2 tomatillos (optional) peeled and rinsed (stems removed)
1 medium jalapeno pepper (stem removed)
2 1/4" slices red onion
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chipotle powder or 1 tsp of chipotle adobo sauce (depending on how much heat you like)
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp minced cilantro

Method:

• Preheat broiler to 450-500.  Please tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeno and red onion on a sheet tray and broil until charred on all sides.  Keep an eye on the vegges because they will char at different times.  The tomatoes will take the longest, but the onion will char quickly.  You definitely don't want everything burned to a crisp!
• Let vegges cool to room temperature and pulse in a blender.  Do not peel them before blending.  Add seasonings, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, and pulse again.
• Add salsa to a bowl, stir in minced cilantro and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour for flavors to blend and salsa to chill.

Sweet Corn-Poblano Salsa:

In the summer when corn is in season, I would use two ears of fresh corn, roasted on the grill and then remove the kernels from the cob.  However, for this recipe I used frozen corn kernels instead.
 
2 cups frozen organic yellow or white corn, thawed
1 medium poblano chili, roasted, skin removed and finely diced (If you make the salsa from scratch then place this on the same sheet tray under the broiler when you're roasting the other veggies.)
1/2 medium jalapeno, seeds removed and finely minced
1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp minced cilantro
Juice from 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour for flavors to combine.

Guacamole:

1 large ripe Hass avocado
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 tsp minced cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Peel, remove seed and mash avocado with a fork in a bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Chill until ready to use.

Sauteed Onions & Green Peppers:

1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp canola oil

Method:

• Heat a saute pan on medium heat, add canola oil, onions, green peppers and oregano.

• Saute on medium until slightly soft and lightly charred.  Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. 

Last but not least, shred some romaine lettuce, pile it all on a plate starting with the rice and ending with the salsa!  A great combination of flavors and textures...just delicious!