Tag Archives: Beans

Black Bean & Spinach Enchiladas

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It’s no secret that I LOVE Mexican food, like completely mildly obsessed.  Finding vegan options however, makes it a little harder to get Mexican food that tastes even close to the meat and cheese filled dishes that are usually prepared.

We had enchiladas all the time when we were kids.  While I did love them, I look back and realize they were far from a healthy meal.  Lots of meat, cheese, sauce from cans (muy processed, no bueno), other dairy ingredients, and white flour tortillas.  Oh man.  That’s not going to fly these days, not in this house.  But just because we are making things healthier does NOT mean sacrificing taste.  I promise you will love these.  My über non vegans brother devoured the leftovers at work the next day asking for more!  I’d say that’s a success ;-)

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Even though it looks like a ton of ingredients, it comes together easily! 

For the sauce: (Adapted from Food Netwark)

  • 3 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tbsp flour

  • 2 tbsp chili powder

  • 1 tbsp oregano

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 8 oz tomato paste

  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

For the enchiladas:

  • 1 small/medium onion chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 cups packed organic spinach

  • 1/2 cup mushrooms

  • 5 green onion chopped, leave one for top

  • 1 cup organic corn

  • 2 cups organic black beans

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp pepper

  • large handful chopped cilantro, another small bunch chopped for top

  • 1-1 1/2 cups non dairy cheese blend  + handful for top (I used the 3 soy cheese blend from Trader Joes)*

  • 8 tortillas – I found brown rice tortillas at Trader Joes, otherwise whole wheat flour will work

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For the sauce:

  1. Heat the oil in medium saucepan.  Add flour and whisk.  Stir in all spices and cook for a minute.

  2. Add tomato paste and broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer while you prepare the filling

For the filling:

  1. Saute the onion and garlic for several minutes, about 7 to 10.  Add spinach and cook for just a couple of minutes, until spinach wilts.  Remove from heat.

  2. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except tortillas and what is reserved for topping.

  3. Add in onion and spinach.

  4. In a large oven safe dish, spoon about a cup of sauce on bottom of dish.

  5. Fill each tortilla with filling, make them stuffed but not so much that you can close it.  Roll it and close it, placing sealed side down in baking dish.  Could get a little messy, just a warning ;-)

  6. Spoon remaining sauce over tortillas.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese, green onion, and cilantro.

  7. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, serve and enjoy!!

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Do you love Mexican food as much as I do?  What is your favorite?

Vegan Empanadas

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Hola amigos!

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How much do you love Mexican food?!  If you don’t absolutely love it, we probably can’t be friends.  It’s like the best food, ever!  And although I don’t eat more than half of what is on a standard Mexican restaurants menu, I still love what I can eat.  Of course homemade Mexican food can be adjusted to include loads of veggies, beans, and grains, without losing the traditional flavors I cannot live without enjoy so much!

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I was talking with a couple of friends at work about some of our favorite foods.  It was a no brainer that when empanadas came up, I knew I had to make some myself.

Even though the dough is probably not the best thing out there to eat, they are packed with protein from the beans and meat substitute (cancels the bad out, right?!).  I love the flakey crust, and the filling was so flavorful.  I can’t wait to try making a sweet version with some fresh fruit!

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Empanadas:

  • 2 packages of empanada disks – I used this brand found at a nearby Latin grocery store

  • 1 large yellow onion (or 2 small) – chopped

  • 6 garlic cloves – minced

  • 1/2 cup organic corn – rinsed and drained if from a can

  • 1 can organic black beans – rinsed, drained, then mashed pretty well with fork – I had a couple of whole beans left in

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

  • 1 package of ground “beef” – I use this brand

  • 1/2 cup organic vegetable broth

  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

  • Salt & pepper

  1. Defrost empanada rounds.  Heat “butter” (Earth Balance) in a large skillet.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Add garlic about 3/4 way through.

  2. Add corn, beans, and spices.  Cook for about 7 minutes, until everything is heated through.

  3. Add “meat” and cook until “meat” is broken up and everything is heated through.  about 10 minutes.

  4. Add broth and combine until liquid is absorbed.

  5. Remove from heat and place in glass bowl.  Refrigerate until completely cooled.  Before assembling empanadas, mix fresh cilantro into cooled mixture.

To assemble the empanadas, place a large spoonful in center of disk.   Lightly dab a wet finger (have a bowl of water near) on edge of half.  Folder over and seal with finger then fork.

{ spoonful in center }
{ spoonful in center }
{ fork and edges }
{ fork and edges }

Heat oven to 400.  Brush baking sheet with olive oil.  Place empanadas on sheet.  Generously brush empanadas with olive oil.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove and enjoy!!!  Top with some fresh cilantro, avocado, or whatever your little hearts desire :-)

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This made about 16 empanadas.  I fed several people!  If you don’t need to make that many, and won’t eat them as leftover, freeze the rest unbaked.  Just defrost when you want to cook them.  Bake the same way, and don’t forget to defrost them first!

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What are some of your favorite foods?

Vegan Meatlessballs

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One of the fun parts of cooking vegan, vegetarian, or just healthier meals is the challenge of transforming classic meals.  It’s a lot of trial and error, but nailing a new recipe makes it worth it, at least to me.  I’m a total nerd that way though ;-)

Anyway, spaghetti and meatballs.  Pretty standard right?  Totally, but the trick here was to make a meatless version, and to not use and of that fake soy meat CRAPola.  As I have mentioned before, I really try to limit imitation foods and soy.  Soybeans often times contain A LOT of GMO’s and the fake meats, cheeses, etc, are often times heavily soy and or processed —> no bueno!!!

K enough with that rant, onto the Meatless meatball, actually more like beanballs?

You will need:

  • 1 can (15oz) organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 flax egg – 1 tablespoon ground flax +2 tablespoons warm water, set aside for a few minutes to gel
  • 1/2 medium onion – chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste – mix with a little water to thin before adding to mixture
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • a large handful of parsley – chopped
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 heaping tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Enough of your favorite red pasta sauce to cover and serve with pasta, i used about 2 cups

Now for the easy part…

  1. Pre-heat over to 350.
  2. In a food processor, pulse beans a few times.  You want them chopped, but not pureed.  Keep it choppy.
  3. In a large bowl, transfer beans and mix in tomato paste.  After combined, toss in the rest of the ingredients and mix together.
  4. Roll mixture out into balls, place on baking sheet, then toss them in the oven.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  6. In a large saucepan, heat sauce.  Place meatballs in sauce.  Spoon sauce over meatballs, make sure to coat them all.
  7. When meatballs are all coated and sauce is heated, top the meatless balls over some pasta and Enjoy!!

 

Taco Tuesday Vegan Fiesta!

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Taco Tuesday, original post huh?  But seriously, who doesn’t LOVE Mexican food?  And here in Southern California, there’s about 1 good restaurant on each block, each claiming it has the best Mexi food in town.  And it is all goooooood,  only problem?  It’s mostly burritos the size of your head.  Or taco plates the size of your torso filled with greasy rice, beans, cheeses, and more.  Add a couple cervezas or a margarita, ay dios mio….

Here’s a healthier, easy Taco Tuesday meal.  Just heat up some CORN, not flour, tortillas, add some beans, and load on the veggies.  Easy peasy and delicious!  Now you deserve a beer or marg with your meal!

What you’ll need:

  • Corn tortillas – make sure the only ingredients are corn and water, maybe lime or lemon too
  • Beans – see below for my homemade “re-fried” bean recipe
  • Chopped lettuce
  • diced tomato
  • sliced avocado
  • shredded “vegan” cheese – I used an almond based mozzarella
  • fresh chopped cilantro
  • any other veggies you choose – I sautéed mushrooms

Fixings for the tacos & tostadas

For the beans, I would either use low sodium black beans, or get creative and re-fry them, in a healthier way.  I had some left over black beans from my last batch of homemade beans and decided to try it…

Cooking down the water

You will need:

  • 1 1/2 cup of beans ( which will be enough for 3 tostadas or about 6 tacos) or 1 can
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt – more if needed
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • pinch of cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, mash-up beans with fork or spoon until beans are pretty well mashed.  In a medium skillet on medium heat, heat a tablespoon of vegan buttery spread, I use Earth Balance.  Add onion and garlic, stirring for about 5 minutes.  Add mashed beans and 2 tablespoons of water.  Mix with onion.  Add spices and combine.  Stir for a couple of minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Beans should become paste like.  

In another pan on medium heat, heat up a tiny bit of oil.  One at a time, heat up tortillas, cooking for about 2 minutes on each side; or you can simply warm in oven or microwave.  Remove beans from heat.  Spread beans on taco shell and fill with veggies.  Top with fresh cilantro, salsa, hot sauces…and ENJOY!!

Fixin’ up the tacos

Tostada base

Tostada Fiesta!

What is your favorite Mexican food?

Kale and Mixed Bean Soup

2 Replies

It’s not very often I find a vegetable or fruit I don’t like.  I’m lucky, the list is short.  Blueberries are on the list, and strawberries only came off the list a couple of years ago.  It’s weird, I know.  Kale was on the list too.  I just couldn’t get into it.  The only way that green monster produce was getting into my diet was by way of juicing.  And that’s only because when juiced with other things, I don’t taste it’s in there.  It wasn’t me kale, it was you.  I know you are so nutritious, help fight cancers, high in Antioxidants, and really help detoxify the body, but I don’t know that you will be a go to veggie for me…

Well, that mindset changed recently.  Yep, kale is being cooked with in this house!  No longer being masked in juices, it’s now being celebrated as a main ingredient.  Not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me, but I’m just going along with it.  Kale is so good for the body, and I am happy that my body decided to come around to it.  

This soup felt super hearty, packed with nutritious veggies and beans.  It was easy to make and I had plenty of leftovers for lunch and dinner then next couple days.  

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What you’ll need:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • a few stocks of celery chopped
  • 4 cups of packed kale, stemmed and chopped
  • 1 can black beans, organic and low sodium
  • 1 can cannellini beans, organic
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 quart of vegetable broth, low sodium
  • salt and pepper

In a large pot on medium heat olive oil.  Cook onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minute.  Add rosemary and a few pinches of salt.  Toss in carrots and celery, cook until almost tender, about ten minutes.  Add kale, mixing until kale cooks down, about 7 minutes.  Once kale is cooked down but not completely wilted, add in beans and tomato.  Mix well.  Add quart of vegetable broth and several pinches of salt and pepper, mix and let cook on medium heat for another ten minutes.  Reduce heat and let simmer until ready to serve.

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Enjoy!!

xo – Gigi