Spinach Enchiladas

The is an excellent white sauce for the traditional "Mexican Flag" enchilada dish you might find. 

Ingredients
For the enchiladas:
1 lb. fresh organic spinach (we used the Wegmans 11 oz. organic baby spinach)

2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, halved
1 tbsp. butter
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
salt
2 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. grated monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend, divided
6 to 8 flour tortillas

For the cilantro cream sauce:
1-1/2 c. half-and-half
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. cornstarch, plus 1 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in a small amount of cold water
1-1/2 c. cilantro, chopped finely

Directions
Wilt spinach in large pot. Combine garlic, onion and mushrooms in food processor, and process until coarsely chopped. Melt butter in sauté pan, and sauté onion mixture until onion is translucent. Remove pan from heat, and set aside.

Make bread crumbs in food processor from sliced bread. Add spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg, chili powder and eggs. Process until blended thoroughly. Transfer to mixing bowl, and stir in onion mixture and 6 tablespoons cheese.

Preheat broiler. Spoon a portion of filling onto each tortilla and roll it up. Place each enchilada in casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat until you've used up filling. 

For cream sauce, mix half-and-half, cayenne, salt and a little of the dissolved corn starch in medium saucepan, and heat until thickened. The sauce should be creamy, not runny; add more cornstarch mixture as necessary. Off the heat, stir in cilantro. Pour cilantro cream sauce over tortillas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Broil until cheese melts and turns a nice golden color.

Brown Butter Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/4 c. cake flour
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1-1/4 c. (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned
1-1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. bourbon
2 eggs, at room temperature
10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
First, brown the butter by melting it in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. The butter will begin to bubble and foam and then quickly after, turn a golden brown with amber specks in the butter. Immediately remove from heat and pour browned butter into a small bowl and place in the refrigerator until cool to the touch.

In a large bowl whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

When butter is cooled, cream together with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, mix in the bourbon.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (You may think you can skip this step. You cannot.)

When the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking sheet. Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon (golfball-sized) balls (I used an ice cream scoop). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 24 large cookies.

Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa Burgers

Ingredients
1/4 c. uncooked quinoa
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. minced shallot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. buffalo sauce (see recipe for Buffalo Cauliflower)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
whole grain hamburger buns
crumbled blue cheese or blue cheese dressing
lettuce, tomato and/or avocado

Directions
Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat and let simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, add chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor or mini chopper and pulse until they are broken down into crumb-sized pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add oats to same food processor and pulse a few times to break them down into fine crumbs (but not a powder). Add to chickpeas in large bowl. Add to the bowl the shallots, garlic, buffalo sauce, egg, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked quinoa. Mix everything together with a large fork until well combined. If mixture is still too wet to form patties, add the 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs (or enough to hold the mixture together). Divide and shape into patties (made about 3).

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook patties for about 4-5 minutes per side.

Assemble burgers by placing patty on bun, topping with additional buffalo sauce, a bit of blue cheese, lettuce, and avocado or tomato if desired.

Buttermilk Farro Salad

Another one from Heidi Swanson's 101Cookbooks. Farro is all the rage now, so I thought I'd use up some buttermilk while trying to be hip.

Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/8 c. white wine vinegar
1/8 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 c. dill, chopped finely
1/4 . chives, chopped finely
3-4 radishes, sliced paper thin
2 small zucchini, sliced paper thin
1/2 bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced paper thin
2 c. farro, cooked and cooled

Directions
Combine garlic and salt on a cutting board. Mash into a paste using the flat side of a knife. Combine in a medium medium jar or bowl with buttermilk and vinegar. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then the herbs.

In a large bowl, gently toss the radishes, zucchini, and fennel with the farro grains. Add the dressing and toss again. Let sit for 10 minutes, taste, and adjust with more dressing and salt, to taste. Serve sprinkled with chives.

Serves 4 as a side.

Spicy Roasted Veggie Macaroni & Cheese

Made without butter and WITH lots of veggies, making this macaroni and cheese a little healthier.

Ingredients
2 to 3 c. fresh vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, red pepper, and squash, chopped
2 c. whole wheat pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c. milk
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. Panko breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with parchment paper, and coating with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Toss vegetables onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Bowties with Sugar Snap Peas, Lemon & Ricotta

Perfect for early summer when the snap peas arrive at the market!

Ingredients
Salt for pasta water
1 lb. sugar snaps
1 lb.  dried pasta bowties
1/2 c. (about 1 oz.) pecorino romano or parmesan, finely grated
A glug, then a drizzle, of olive oil
Coarse or fine sea salt for sprinkling
Black pepper, freshly ground
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
Few leaves of mint, slivered
1 c. ricotta

Directions
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. While waiting, string sugar snaps and cut into 1/2-inch segments. Cook bowties for two minutes less than the suggested cooking time on the package, then add sugar snaps to pasta. Cook for one minute more. Reserve one cup pasta cooking water, then drain the sugar snaps and bowties. Add them back to the empty pot with 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, grated cheese, a glug of olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook on high for one minute, tossing constantly. Add a splash more cooking water if pasta looks too dry. Turn the heat off, dollop ricotta all over in large spoonfuls and, without stirring, tip pasta mixture into a wide serving bowl. (I do this because I love the idea of finding slightly unmixed pockets of ricotta.) Drizzle pasta with a small amount of olive oil, then squeeze lemon juice over the whole dish, sprinkle with mint, and finish with an extra sprinkling of parmesan. Serve quickly. 

NOTE: Lemon juice, rather rudely, discolors green vegetables so be sure to add this only right before serving.

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a side dish. 

Enchilada Skillet

I found this recipe on www.plainchicken.com, but obviously needed to adjust to accommodate my meatless preference. This is quick and easy, and tastes very similar to traditional enchiladas without all the work! 

Ingredients

2 c. mixed veggies, like zucchini, carrots, and red peppers, chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1-12 oz. jar enchilada sauce 

1-15 oz. can black beans

1/4 c. vegetable broth

1 c. salsa

1/2 c. heavy cream

8 oz. pasta, like penne or campanelle

1 c. cheese, shredded

2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a 12-inch skillet, until hot. Add onions, garlic, and veggies until slightly softened. They don't need to be completely cooked because they will continue to cook with the pasta. Add enchilada sauce, black beans, broth, cream, salsa, and pasta. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until pasta is tender. Remove skillet from heat. Top with cheese and mix in. Serve with chopped cilantro. 

NOTE: I believe this would work well in a crockpot! Just toss in all the ingredients and cook on low for several hours. Check often to make sure veggies are not mushy and pasta is tender. 

Serves 4. 

Coconut Corn Salad

Yet ANOTHER Heidi Swanson special. Her recipes are so fresh and delicious. This one is perfect when you have farm fresh corn... I probably wouldn't make it at any other time of year. I made a couple of adjustments based on what I had on hand.

Ingredients
3 tbsp. of butter or olive oil
5 ears of corn, shucked
fine grain sea salt
2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes, well toasted
1 c. sliced almonds, well toasted
3 tbsp. red onions, diced
juice of one lime

Directions
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn, sprinkle with a couple of pinches of salt and stir well. You want all the corn to be coated. Cook for just a minute, until the corn looses its raw edge, stir in half the thyme, and then transfer the corn to a large serving bowl. Just before you're ready to serve, add most of the almonds, most of the coconut flakes, the rest of the thyme, red onions, and juice. Stir well. Taste, season with more salt to taste, and serve topped with the remaining coconut and almonds (and another jolt of juice, if needed!).

Serves 4 as a salad.

Yellow Bean Salad with Coconut-Cilantro Dressing

My adaptation on a recipe from Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks, for beans fresh from the garden!

Ingredients
1 lb. yellow runner beans (or, use green beans!)
1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
5 green onions, green parts trimmed and reserved
a big handful of cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
3/4 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 tbsp.sunflower oil
1 c. coconut milk, well mixed
1-2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste1 tsp. agave
2 big handfuls pepitas, toasted
1 avocado, diced (optional)

Directions
Cut the beans into 1-inch segments on a deep bias. Cook in a pot of well-salted water for just 30-45 seconds, drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain, and aggressively shake off as much water as possible. Set aside.

To make the dressing, pulse the chile, onions, cilantro, garlic, salt, and sunflower oil into a paste with a food processor. Pulse in the coconut milk in two additions, before adding the lemon juice to taste, a half tablespoon at a time.

Place the beans and avocado (if using) in a large bowl with most of the pepitas. Toss well with a generous amount of the dressing. Serve in a bowl or platter topped with the remaining pepitas and scallions. 

Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Pineapple

A recommendation from Tracey Henderson, this veggie burger is one of the few that holds up on the grill! Full of protein and Indian flare, it was super easy to throw together for a quick dinner! Sweet potato fries accompanied ours! 

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. adobo seasoning
1/4 c. fresh chives or scallions, chopped
1/2 c. quinoa, cooked
2/3 c. panko breadcrumbs
4 slices fresh pineapple
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil
1/4 c. Veganaise
lime zest
black pepper, freshly ground
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Directions

Place the chickpeas, coconut milk, curry, garam masala, adobo seasoning, and garlic powder in a food processor. Pulse until pureed. Stir in the chives, Quinoa, and panko crumbs. Form into 4 patties.
Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Mist patties with olive oil spray and grill patties until golden brown on each side. Then set aside the patties, mist pineapple with sesame seed oil spray and grill until grill lines appear on each side of the fruit.

In a small bowl, stir together the lime zest, pepper, and Veganaise.
Serve the Chickpea burgers topped with grilled pineapple, your flavored Veganaise, and a bit of lettuce on top of of your burger buns.