Veggie Enchilada Bake

Ooh the flavors that pop in this dish are soo good!

I love the combination of sweet potatoes, black beans and spinach. If I don’t have time do this this whole recipe, I just make quesadillas in my skillet with seasoned sweet potatoes, black beans and spinach and serve with guacamole.  If I do have time to put the enchiladas together, I go for it!

You can roll or you can stack layers. the layers are faster, the rolls are traditional.

Veggie Enchilada Bake

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: back beans, red sauce, spinach, sweet potato, tomato, tortillas
Servings: 6
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • knife
  • skillet
  • baking dish

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 bell peppers chopped
  • 2 cups sweet potato bite size
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 2 cans black beans or three bean blend rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
  • 8-12 tortillas organic corn or flour

Red Sauce

  • 1 15oz can tomato puree or crushed
  • 11/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp flour or GF flour
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne

Instructions

Prepare the sauce:

  • In a small pot, heat the oil over medium and add the flour, stirring into a paste.
  • Add the spices and stir to combine. Then add the water and whisk until smooth.
  • Add the tomato puree and stir to combine well. Allow to cook for 10 minutes at a simmer until thickened. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Prepare Enchiladas:

  • Saute onion until softened, then add the chopped sweet potato with a 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan to cook the potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes.
  • When potato is fork tender, add the peppers and beans. If your skillet is not large enough for all ingredients, transfer the potatoes and onions to a bowl, then continue to saute the peppers and beans.
  • Add the spinach in batches, stirring until it wilts, adding more as the spinach cooks.
  • Add 1/2 cup of the red sauce to the bean mixture and combine with the sweet potatoes and onion. Stir in the cilantro.
  • Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil the baking pan you're going to use. Add 1/3 cup of the red sauce in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly.
  • For traditional rolls: Add 1/3 cup of the vegetable mixture to a tortilla, roll and place seam side down. Repeat this until your pan is full. Cover with red sauce.
  • To make a layered bake: overlap tortillas slightly to line the bottom of the pan. Scoop half of the vegetable mixture over the tortillas, cover with another layer of tortillas and half of the red sauce. Repeat with the remaining vegetable mixture, layer with tortillas and remaining red sauce. You will likely need more tortillas for this method.
  • Bake 20-30 minutes at 350.
  • Serve with non dairy sour cream and / or guacamole

Peanut Soba with Broccoli

These noodles have a creamy nutty sauce that coats the noodles perfectly. This recipe is great warm or cold. I recommend buckwheat soba noodles, but you can use regular spaghetti noodles or Asian rice noodles.

In the recipe I list certain vegetables, but you can substitute almost anything, I like the texture of shredded or julienned root veggies and  purple cabbage. Try different combinations. I hope you like it.

Peanut Soba with Broccoli

Creamy noodles with crunchy vegetables.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: almond, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cashew, peanut, soba
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • Whisk
  • box shredder or food processor
  • Blender (optional)
  • pot
  • knife
  • Cutting board

Ingredients

  • 1 package Soba Noodles substitute spaghetti or rice noodles
  • 2 carrots julienned or shredded
  • 1 turnip or kohlrabi julienned or shredded
  • 1 cup purple cabbage thinly sliced or shredded
  • 1 head broccoli florets and stem peeled and shredded
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped peanuts or almonds

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1/3 cup tamari, soy sauce substitute coconut aminos
  • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp ginger minced
  • 1 garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 cup peanut or almond butter sub sunflower or cashew butter
  • 1/2 tsp hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

  • Cook noodles according to package directions. Add broccoli florets to the noodle cooking water in the last two minutes of cooking, drain and keep hot or rinse with cold water based on preference.
  • Shred or julienne the remaining vegetables and place in a large mixing bowl.
  • Combine the sauce ingredients in a blender or whisk well in a bowl to incorporate everything into a creamy sauce.
  • If you want to serve this warm, toss the noodles and sauce together in the cooking pot over medium low temperature adding vegetables and tossing well until heated through.
    To serve this room temp or chilled, toss everything together in the mixing bowl to coat, serve or chill.

 

Walnut Falafels

I LOVE these falafels even though they take a few more minutes to put together than some of my other recipes.

Everything is pulsed in a food processor to bring the mixture together. I use a mini ice cream scoop to portion and place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and then bake.

I serve these on a romaine leaf or piece of Naan bread with a cucumber, tomato, parsley salad and garnish with a little garlic tahini dressing.

Walnut Falafels

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: chickpea, cilantro, parsley, walnuts
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 3 cups chickpeas 2 cans, rinsed, drained
  • 1/4 cup onion
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup parsley chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper
  • Add walnuts to the food processor and pulse for 30 seconds to break them down into a meal.
  • Add remaining ingredients and pulse, stopping to scrape the sides of container, until it forms a chunky dough.
  • Use a mini scoop, or roll two tablespoons between palms to form into balls. flatten slightly on the pan.
  • Brush the top of each one with a little olive oil or use an olive oil spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to flip over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until evenly browned.
  • Serve with Mediterranean salad, hummus and drizzle of garlic tahini sauce, see notes.

Notes

For the Tahini sauce: combine 1/4 cup each of tahini and water, 3 Tbsp of lemon juice and 1 minced clove of garlic and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper. 
For Mediterranean salad: combine chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, garlic and a little olive oil and salt. toss and add to the Naan or Romaine along with the falafels.

Chickpea Hot Pot

This is a one pot meal, easy prep and then just wait for it to cook. The cook time will depend on the grain you use. Quinoa is quick cooking in about 15 minutes total, whereas, brown rice and farro will take about 30-40 minutes.

The picture is of the dish made with farro grain. Farro is an ancient Emmer wheat, so it does have gluten; however, it  has not been hybridized like traditional wheat is. Some people with sensitivities can tolerate the ancient grains with gluten (farro, spelt, einkorn) but have trouble with the traditional wheat. It is not suitable for those who have Crohn’s or a true allergy to gluten or wheat.

Chickpea Hot Pot

Easy one pot meal. This is delicious hot or cold.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, chickpea, farro, grain, kale, one-pot meal, quinoa, rice
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • knife
  • dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2/3 c uncooked quinoa farro, or brown rice
  • 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 4 c vegetables broth
  • ½ c orange juice
  • 1 ½ c cauliflower small florets
  • 2 c kale chopped
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

  • If you use quinoa, everything can go in together at once, except kale. In a large pot, sauté onion in olive oil until the onion softens. Add the quinoa, chickpeas, broth, orange juice and cauliflower, stir well. Bring pot to a simmer for 10 minutes.
  • If using farro or rice, after sauteing onion, add grain and 2 cups of broth and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Then stir in the orange juice, remaining broth, cauliflower, chickpeas and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add the kale at the end and cook for another 5 minutes until wilted. If the mixture gets too thick, add a little water. Season to taste.

 

BBQ Shrimp & Tahini Greens

This is the first recipe I’ve posted with an animal component. I focus on plant-based foods because they have the most benefit to us nutritionally. Personally, I eat primarily plant-based and will have a meal with some animal product about once or twice a month. For me, that has been working okay.

This is a quick and easy meal that comes together in under 30 minutes.

The recipe does not use a true bbq sauce, but if you have a favorite, then go ahead and sub it in.

BBQ Shrimp and Tahini Greens

This quick and easy recipe is light and tasty, just right for a weeknight meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bbq sauce, cabbage, kale, light, shrimp, tahini
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • colander, skillet, pot with lid, measuring cups

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs shrimp raw, wild caught, easy peel
  • 1/4 cup ketchup no sugar, fruit sweetened, organic
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos substitute soy sauce or balsamic vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 cups cabbage chopped
  • 4 cups kale or chard chopped
  • 2 Tbsp cider or rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup tahini

Instructions

  • For the Shrimp: Thaw if needed, in a colander under running water. When thawed, peel and place into a bowl.
    In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, coconut aminos and garlic, set a side.
  • For the greens: Chop the cabbage and kale or chard. chop the onion.
    In a pot with a lid, add 2 Tbsp of water and add the onion, saute for 3 minutes until it starts to soften.
    Add the cabbage and kale and 2 Tbsp of water, cover and steam for 5 minutes.
    Remove lid, add vinegar, 1/4 cup water and tahini and stir well to coat the greens. If sauce is too thick, add 2 more tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper.
  • While the greens are cooking, cook the shrimp:
    Add the ketchup mixture to a skillet and warm over medium-heat, add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally until shrimp is just cooked through and opaque.
  • Serve Shrimp over greens. Enjoy!

Mushroom Bolognese

Italian cuisine is a favorite for plant-based meals. When I come across ways to pack in extra veggies, I will always try. This sauce is perfect for adding in extra veggies and it can be used in so many ways.

Try it with lentil walnut loaf balls, crumble in some tofu, ladled over rice or pasta, or especially good over roasted spaghetti squash.

Mushroom Bolognese

A veggie packed sauce that is wonderful on gluten free penne pasta or roasted spaghetti squash.
Prep Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: gluten free,, plant-based, sugar-free, vegan
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • dutch oven
  • knife
  • food processor (optional)

Ingredients

  • 2 cup yellow onion chopped
  • 1 cup carrots about 3
  • 1 cup celery 2-3 stalks
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 (15 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes diced with juices
  • 1 Tbsp tamari
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat, when hot add 2 tablespoons of water along with the onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Add carrots, celery and mushrooms stirring to combine and cook until all become a bit tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water, followed by remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
  • While sauce is cooking, prepare pasta, rice or roast a spaghetti squash.
  • When sauce has thickened a bit, serve over your choice of starch.

Notes

To make light work of the chopping, cut the onion, carrots, celery  and mushrooms into similar sized chunks and place in a food processor and pulse each until finely chopped. there's no need to wipe out container between ingredients. 
If you'd like the sauce to be more "saucey" and less chunky, process half of the cooked sauce in the food processor until smooth and add back to remaining sauce.

Lentil Walnut Loaf

I’ve tried several different meatless loafs and this one that I adapted from Oh She Glows is my favorite at this point.

The lentil walnut mixture can be used to make meatless balls as well. Be sure to press the mixture together tightly when patting it into the loaf pan or into balls.  Try the balls with the mushroom Bolognese sauce or make the loaf slices into meatless loaf sandwiches, that are sure to bring back good childhood memories of grandma’s meatloaf sammy’s.

Lentil Walnut Loaf

This is a hearty plant-based loaf that really is delicious. Oats, flax and walnuts add texture and nutrient density. This recipe is adapted from Oh She Glows.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten free,, nuts, vegan
Servings: 4 people

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lentils
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 cup sweet onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup celery (2 -3 stalks) minced
  • 1 cup carrot (2-3) minced
  • 1/3 cup apple shredded
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 3 tablespoons ground flax seed
  • 1 cup oats
  • Pinch of cayenne optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Grease a 5X9 loaf pan. Add lentils to a pot and cover with water. Cook at a simmer for 25 minutes. then drain and add to a large bowl, mash them with a fork into a chunky paste.
  • While the lentils are cooking, warm oil in a skillet and add onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook stirring to prevent garlic from burning. Cook until onion and celery are tender, about 10 minutes, then stir in apple and herbs, stir for a couple minutes and remove from the heat.
  • In a food processor or blender, pulse the oats into a coarse flour, then add the walnuts and pulse on and off to break them into small bits.
  • Transfer the walnuts and oats to the lentils in the mixing bowl and add ground flax. Mix to combine.
  • Stir in the skillet veggie mixture and season to taste. If the mixture seems dry, add 2 tablespoons of water and mix well. Getting your hands into the mix can help to combine and soften the texture of the mixture, also making sure that the mixture will hold shape. Add more water if needed.
  • Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan and press firmly to form a loaf.
  • In a small bowl combine tomato paste and balsamic vinegar, mix well and spoon over the top of the loaf.
  • Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until edges are brown and its firm to the touch. Serve by the slice or crumble over salad.

Notes

To mince the carrots and celery quickly, roughly chop the carrots into large pieces and chunk the celery and add to a food processor and pulse until minced.  

 

Herbed Hemp-Pine Nut Spread

Are you looking for a creamy cheese alternative? This hemp-pine nut spread hits the mark with its creamy texture and herby goodness.

This can be used in just about every way you would use a dairy cheese spread, but it makes a stunning presentation when it is layered with pesto and tomato or olive tapenade, or with cranberry relish for the holidays. It can be rolled into a ball and coated with chopped nuts or seeds and dried fruit or used to stuff mushroom caps or on top of gluten free crackers or toasts.

It is also used to make a cream sauce for green beans or potatoes.

Herbed Hemp – Pine Nut Spread

creamy cheese alternative that can be layered with pesto, top a cracker or fill a mushroom cap. Get creative!
Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hemp seeds, pine nuts
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 cup hemp seeds
  • ½ cup pine nuts may substitute macadamia or cashews
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp of white miso can be omitted – add ½ t salt
  • 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
  • water
  • 1 tsp sage
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp rosemary

Instructions

  • Combine everything, except the herbs, in a food processor or blender and process until a thick paste forms.
  • Start slowly with the water by adding 3 tablespoons initially and adding more if needed. When a creamy consistency is reached, add the herbs and pulse to combine. Serve this as a spread or dip.
  • This can be layered with pesto, olive tapenade or cranberry relish to make a festive presentation.
meatless burger

Buffal-Oat Chickpea Burgers

Are you looking for a meatless burger recipes? Meatless burgers are all the rage now! And if you don’t trust “lab meat” and need another alternative for a burger, try this Buffal-oat Chickpea burger that you can customize to your liking.  If you’re wondering if you should eat the Impossible Burger, I wrote a post about that.

This burger gets its protein from oats and chickpeas, or you could use any cooked beans, cannellini, black or kidney. The vegetables add flavor but also moisture as the burger cooks.

The flavor profile can change depending on the spices and sauces you add. The recipe is written for a Buffalo burger, but omitting the buffalo sauce and substituting salsa for a Mexican burger or adding mushrooms and smoked paprika for a smoky flavor are great ways to change it up. Or use BBQ sauce instead of the spicy buffalo sauce.

This is your burger, you really can have it your way! I like a little less spice, so I reduce the buffalo sauce and serve it topped with vegan mayo, tomato and microgreens. Yum!

Buffal-oat Chickpea Burgers

Protein rich plant burgers that hit the spot1 Wonderful topped with vegan mayo, tomato and microgreens.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: buffalow sauce, chickpea, oats, veggie burger
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • chef knife
  • baking sheet or skillet
  • 1/2 cup measure

Ingredients

  • 4 tsp flax or chia meal plus 5T water
  • 3 T nutritional yeast
  • 4 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 tsp granulated onion
  • 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
  • 2/3 cup oat flour
  • 2 Tbsp Buffalo sauce or 1 tsp cayenne powder plus 2 Tbsp water
  • 3 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped cauliflower
  • 2 cans chickpeas

Instructions

  • In a food processor or with a knife, finely chop the vegetables. The vegetables can be anything you have on hand or need to use up. You just need the combined amount, 2 cups, of vegetables in any combination
  • Combine flax meal and water in a small bowl, stir and set aside to thicken.
  • n a large mixing bowl, combine spices, oats and flour. Stir in the water, buffalo sauce and soy sauce. Mix well.
  • Add the flax mixture and chopped veggies. Stir well.
  • Use the food processor to pulse or a fork to mash the beans in a bowl and add the beans to the oat mixture.
  • Mix well pressing everything together to form a firm dough.
  • Use a half cup measure to scoop and make into patties.

To cook:

  • Place skillet over medium heat, wipe the pan with a little oil if necessary, place burgers into pan and cover, cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes.
  • Burgers should be light brown on each side, cook longer if needed.
  • To bake a larger amount, place burgers on a parchment-lined pan and bake for 30 minutes, flipping half way through the cooking time. Patties can be frozen for quick and easy dinners

Notes

*Flavor profiles:
To change up the burger flavors, omit the buffalo sauce or cayenne and add the followig:
For Mexican burgers, add 3 Tbsp of salsa and 1 tsp of cumin.
For Smokey Mushroom, add 1 cup mushrooms sauteed until dry and add 1 tsp smoked paprika.

Cauliflower Happiness + 3 Recipes

I’m sure the cauliflower farmers are happy with all the new cauliflower products out there (pizza, buffalo tenders, tortillas) and the push to substitute this bland low carbohydrate vegetable for potatoes and rice. But we can be happy as well, because it is easy to prepare and is a nutritional powerhouse boasting high amounts of vitamin C and B6, calcium, magnesium phosphorus and potassium, antioxidants and fiber. All this leads to improving memory, inflammatory response, blood pressure, cardiovascular risk and cancer reduction.

I love it and use it as a base for cream sauces, frozen and added to smoothies, and as the star of a crunchy turmeric salad. If you try these recipes, please leave a comment.

Creamy Cauliflower White Sauce / Gravy

Creamy and dairy free sauce that can also be used as gravy with a few additions.
Prep Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, cream sauce
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cauliflower separated into florets
  • 1 cup yellow onion
  • 1-3 garlic cloves to taste
  • 1/2 cup cashews soaked to soften
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup broth or plant milk
  • 1 T white miso
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning or thyme, oregano, marjoram
  • pinch cayenne or black pepper to taste
  • For Gravy: 1 lb mushrooms sliced

Instructions

  • Add the cauliflower, onion, garlic and water to a pot, bring to a boil and turn heat down to low, cover for 10 minutes until cauliflower is very tender.
  • When done cooking, add the mixture to a blender along with the cashews, broth/milk, miso, and seasonings. Let cool a bit so the heat doesn't blow the top off the blender. 🙂  Blend for a full minute, scrape down the sides of container and blend for another 30 seconds. It should be thick and creamy. 
  • Use this as a white sauce for noodles, over root vegetables to make a scalloped casserole, in a squash lasagna or to make creamed greens. 
  • For a gravy, slice and sauté mushrooms and another 1/2 cup of chopped onions, and pour this sauce into the pan once the mushrooms have cooked and lost most of their moisture. Use the gravy over grains, cooked with lentils, on top of veggie burgers or as a Rague with kale, chard and collard greens.

Cauliflower Berry Smoothie

Prep Time5 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: berries, cauliflower
Servings: 1
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1-2 cups spinach
  • 1 cup nut or oat milk
  • 1/2 tsp spices to taste cinnamon & ginger, or maca & cacao

Instructions

  • Blend everything until thick and smooth. Drink Up!

Turmeric Cauliflower Salad 

This crunchy, creamy and satisfying salad hits the spot. A one bowl meal.
Prep Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, turmeric
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups cauliflower florets in bite size pieces
  • 2 T red onion chopped
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 1 cup chickpeas optional
  • 2/3 cup veganaise or mayo
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (more to taste)
  • 1 T rice or cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Veganaise, turmeric, vinegar, mustard and pepper. Taste this and see if you'd like more turmeric.
  • Break up the florets and add to a mixing bowl along with the onion, celery and chickpeas. Stir mixture, tossing to coat everything with the dressing. chill and serve. Keeps for 5 days.