Black Bean & Red Quinoa Enchiladas

Ingredients

4 tomatillos

4 garlic cloves

2 limes

1 large bunch cilantro

1 poblano pepper

1 onion

½ c. red quinoa

15-oz. can black beans

1 tsp. cumin

4 flour tortillas

1 c. Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling, on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Remove the papery layer from the tomatillos. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut the limes into quarters. Roughly chop the cilantro. Peel and small dice the onion.

Add the red quinoa to the boiling water. Cook for about 18 to 22 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a medium bowl.

Place the poblano pepper and tomatillos on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 9 to 11 minutes, or until the skin of the pepper is browned. When cool enough to handle, carefully remove and discard the skin and seeds from the pepper, then finely chop. Finely chop the tomatillos.

In the same pot used for the quinoa, heat a little olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the onion and garlic and cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the poblano pepper, tomatillos, and ½ cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Simmer 4 to 6 minutes, or until thickened and slightly reduced in volume, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add the juice of two lime quarters.

While the salsa simmers, drain and rinse the black beans. To the bowl of cooked quinoa, add the black beans, the cumin, half the cilantro, the juice of two lime wedges, and about a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread about ½ c. of the quinoa mixture into the bottom of a baking dish. Divide the remaining mixture between each tortilla, placing it on half of the tortillas. Roll them up, then place them in the baking dish, seam side down.

Pour the salsa verde over the enchiladas, then sprinkle the cheese over the top; lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes before serving. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and lime wedges.

Chickpea & Dill Pitas

Ingredients

1 c. plain yogurt

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ tsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. cayenne

1-15 oz. can chickpeas, well-drained and rinsed

1/3 c. fresh dill, finely chopped

½ c. shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp. plain dry bread crumbs

2 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 tbsp. tahini

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

¼ tsp. ground cumin

Vegetable oil

6 pita pockets

Directions

Lightly mash half of the chickpeas in a medium bowl. Add the dill, shallots, bread crumbs, and lemon juice and mix well. In a food processor, combine remaining chickpeas, tahini, salt, pepper and cumin, until smooth. Add to the mashed chickpeas, mix well, and form into six to eight patties.

Oil a 12-inch skillet over medium heat and cook the burgers until very crispy and dark golden on both sides, about six minutes. Don’t flip them too often. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags on a wire rack.

For yogurt sauce, combine yogurt, garlic, curry powder and cayenne. Stir until blended thoroughly.

Stuff the patties into pita pockets. Drizzle with yogurt sauce. Serves 3. 

Blueberry Turnovers

Ingredients
3 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 egg yolk
1 c. blueberries
2 tsp. corn starch
pinch of salt
egg wash (one egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water)
powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a bowl, add the cream cheese, lemon zest, half of the sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk. Mix it together with a wooden spoon and set aside. In another bowl, add the blueberries, remaining sugar, corn starch, and lemon juice and set that aside for a few minutes as well.

Dust some flour on your work surface, and working with one piece of puff pastry at a time, roll it out slightly with a rolling pin until it's 10" square all around. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out four circles out of each piece of puff pastry. Place the cutouts on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Dollop about two teaspoons of cream cheese in the center of each one, and top that with a tablespoon of the blueberry mixture. Brush the edges of the cutouts with the egg wash. Fold over one half and seal it shut in a half-moon shape. Brush the top with the egg mixture as well, and make a tiny slit at the top of each one with a sharp knife.

Bake them for 25 minutes or until golden brown, making sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through for even coloring. Let them cool a few minutes and then dust with powdered sugar.

Harissa Eggs In Purgatory

Ingredients
1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. red onion, minced
2 tbsp. red bell pepper, minced
1-15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
4 tbsp. prepared harissa
1 tbsp. parsley, chopped
4 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the oil then the onion and saute until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, harissa, salt and pepper and increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until the liquid reduces a bit, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, carefully add the eggs, salt and pepper and cover. Cook until the top of the eggs set, about 4 to 5 minutes, or to your liking. Top with chopped fresh parsley or chives and serve. Serves 2. 

Peanut Tofu Stew

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1-15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp. curry powder
1-15 oz. can coconut milk
3 c. fresh kale, chopped
1 block extra-firm tofu, cut into 1" cubes
4 c. vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. fresh ginger
1/3 c. creamy, natural peanut butter

Directions
In a soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and saute onions until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, cayenne and curry powder and continue to saute until onions are soft (about five minutes total). Add a can of coconut milk and peanut butter. Continue to stir over medium heat until everything is combined. Add vegetable broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add tofu and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Add kale just a few minutes before fully heated. Add salt to taste. Serves 4, or 6 with couscous.

Vegetarian Shepherds' Pie

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash

1 head of garlic

1/4 c. olive oil 

2 c. bread crumbs

1 c. milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped 

1 tbsp. flat parsley, chopped

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled but not peeled

1/4 c. melted butter

1/2 c. smooth goat cheese 
1 c. half-and-half 

3 c. sliced mushrooms

6 c. zucchini

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 cloves garlic cloves, minced

1 c. lentils (cooked), kidney beans or chickpeas

Fried shallots to garnish

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 °F. First, cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 ½ hours. As an alternative, place on a plate and cook in the microwave on high for about 20 minutes.

Put the garlic head on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and put in the oven for 30 minutes or until the garlic is very tender.

In a bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the milk. Let stand for 5 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Mix in the eggs and herbs. Put aside.

Mash the potatoes with the butter, goat cheese, cooked garlic puree and cream to make them nice and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the spaghetti squash flesh with a fork and put it in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and put aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 °F. Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and sauté the onions, carrots and celery over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, and zucchini and continue cooking until brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cooked lentils or beans and the bread mixture. Stir and put aside.

In an 9 x 13 inches baking dish, spoon the vegetable mixture onto the bottom. Layer with the spaghetti squash, then the potatoes and smooth them down. Cook in oven for 30 minutes or so until top is slightly browned. Garnish with fried shallots to taste.

Lemon Blueberry Muffin Bread

Ingredients

2 c. all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 c. blueberries

2 tsp. lemon zest

½ c. plain yogurt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add the blueberries and lemon zest and toss to combine.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the yogurt, then the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated and being careful not to crush the blueberries.

Scoop batter into your loaf pan and bake for an hour and 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before gently inverting onto a plate. 

Red Curry Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)

a bunch of scallions, thinly sliced with white and green parts separated

2 tbsp. Thai red curry paste

2 tsp. lemongrass

1/2 tsp. ginger

extra firm sprouted tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 c. vegetable broth

1 15-oz. can of diced tomatoes in juice

3/4 c. coconut milk

1-2 c. of green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tbsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed

Directions

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and white parts of green onions and saute for five minutes, or until veggies start to brown. Add curry paste, ginger and lemongrass and saute until fragrant, about a minute more. Add broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add coconut milk, tofu, and green beans and simmer five minutes more, or until beans are tender. Stir in lime juice and remaining green onions.

Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Hazelnuts

Ingredients

6 tbsp. butter

8 oz. whole wheat pasta

1/2 c. hazelnuts

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. shallot, minced

2 c. chopped Brussels sprouts, stems removed

1/3 c. Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

First, brown the butter. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown, and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind; set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add a little salt, then add the pasta. Cook pasta to al dente, cooked through but still a little firm. When the pasta is done cooking, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts until they become lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. (You can also toast the hazelnuts in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes — watch closely to prevent burning.) Place the toasted hazelnuts on a towel and rub together to remove the skin. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the pasta and hazelnuts. Pour browned butter over the pasta and sprouts. Stir well. Cook until pasta is heated. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Chipotle Sweet Potato & Brown Rice Egg Skillet

Ingredients
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 red onion, chopped
2 tbsp. poblano pepper, minced
2 medium sweet potato, shredded
1/2 to 1 tsp. chipotle powder and water
Juice from one lime, freshly squeezed
1/2 c. brown rice, COOKED
3 tbsp. cilantro, chopped and divided
2 eggs
1 avocado
2 to 3 tbsp. cojita cheese, crumbled

Directions
In a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium low heat. Add onion and peppers, cooking for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in shredded sweet potatoes, lime juice, and two tablespoons of water. Cover and let cook for 4 to 5 minutes, just until sweet potatoes are becoming soft. (Sky actually browned the sweet potatoes in advance a bit). Stir in the cooked brown rice and cilantro. Make a well in the center of the pan and crack both eggs. Cover, and reduce the heat to low, cooking eggs until desired firmness, about 7 to 12 minutes. Serve with wedges of avocado, a sprinkle of cojita, and cilantro. Serves 1 to 2.