Protein-packed Enchiladas

These enchiladas have a wonderfully smokey flavor to them because of the chipotles in the sauce. And, not only do they have wonderful flavor, they are also packed with protein. The filling has beans, tofu, and cottage cheese, and the sauce is full of almonds. Healthy and delicious?! What could be better?


Nutty Enchiladas with Spicy Chile Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Filling:
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 carrots, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups minced onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 16-oz. package firm tofu
10 oz. fresh spinach, large stems removed (optional)
1 1/2 cups (1 15-oz. can) cooked, rinsed, and drained black beans
1 cup low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Sauce:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin seeds
3 cups (about 8) finely chopped plum tomatoes
1/4 cup sherry
1 Tbs. red or white wine vinegar
1 1/3 cups water
1 pinch ground cloves
1 [or 2] chipotle pepper (dried and soaked in hot water 30 minutes, or canned in adobo sauce), or 1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

4 10-inch or 8 6- to 8-inch flour tortillas

1. Make the filling: In a large skillet, preferably non-stick, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, garlic, and oregano. Saute for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, take the tofu out of its water, and put it into a bowl. With your hands, break up the tofu by squeezing it through your fingers. Stir the spinach, if you're using it, into the onions and carrots, and cook until the spinach wilts. Stir in the black beans, and then the cottage cheese, tofu, salt, and pepper. Take the pan off the heat.
2. Make the sauce: In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin seeds. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, making sure the garlic does not brown. Add the tomatoes, then the sherry, vinegar, and water, and let the mixture simmer for 4 minutes. Add the cloves and chipotle pepper, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes more, sitrring once or twice. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Grind the almonds fine in a food processor or blender. If you used a dried chipotle, remove it from the sauce. Add half of the sauce to the blender or food processor, puree the mixture, and transfer it to a bowl. Puree the second half of the sauce, and add it to the first half. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. If you used a dried chipotle and you'd like a hotter sauce, chop the chipotle fine, and stir it in.
4. Assemble the dish: Preheat the oven to 350. On your work surface, lay out 1 large tortilla or 2 small ones. Fill the tortilla(s) with one-quarter of the filling. Roll the tortilla(s) tight, folding in the sides as you roll. Fill the remaining tortillas the same way. Place the filled tortillas in a casserole dish large enough to hold them snugly. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas, then cover the dish with foil. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes. Serve the enchiladas hot.

Jamaican Rice Mon

This rice is a perfect all in one meal. There are protein sources, carbohydrates, and vegetables of all colors. And, to top it all off, there is a ton of flavor. When you are looking for something different and complete, this Jamaican Rice Mix-Up is the perfect meal.


Jamaican Rice Mix-Up (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 small sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin, about 2 lbs., or 1 small butternut squash
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. canola or corn oil, plus a little more for pan-frying the plantains
2 medium onions, minced
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 Tbs. curry powder, store-bought or homemade
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (optional) [we also added another one sliced on top when we served the rice]
2 cups thinly sliced collard greens, beet greens, or mustard greens
1 cup cooked black beans
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
2 ripe plantains or large ripe bananas (optional)
1 tomato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the pumpkin or squash in half. Scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon, and discard them. Place the halves face down on a baking sheet. Bake the pumpkin or squash for 1 hour or until it is easily pierced with a sharp knife. Remove it from the pan and let it cool slightly.
2. While the pumpkin or squash cools, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and salt, and bring the rice to a boil. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Steam the rice for 20 minutes.
3. While the rice cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, and cook them, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the ginger, the garlic, the allspice, the curry powder, and, if you like, the jalapeno. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. When the pumpkin has cooled slightly, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. Chop the flesh into large pieces.
5. When the rice is ready, reheat the onion mixture over medium heat. Add the rice, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the greens, toss well, and continue to cook for 5 minutes more. Add the pumpkin or squash and the black beans, and toss again. Season with salt and pepper.
6. If you'd like to garnish the dish with plantains or bananas, slice them in half lengthwise. Lightly coat a non-stick skillet with canola or corn oil, and set it over medium high heat. Pan-fry the plantains or bananas until they are golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning them carefully with a spatula. Transfer them to a paper towel.
7. Spoon the rice mixture onto plates. Top it with a little chopped tomato for color, and serve the plantain or banana slices alongside the rice.

Adam's Concoction

I put Adam up to the task of creating dinner one Friday night, and he came up with a delicious meal. We mixed lemon pepper pappardelle with sauteed zucchini and mushrooms, tomatoes, and pesto then tossed it with fresh mozzarella. Perfection!


Lemon Pepper Pappardelle with Vegetables and Lemon Pesto

1 medium-sized zucchini, cut into rounds
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch basil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsp. lemon rind
1/2 a lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pkg. lemon pepper pappardelle
fresh mozzarella, torn

1. Heat some olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and mushrooms, sauteeing until the zucchini browns slightly.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pesto by combining the basil, garlic, cheese, lemon rind and juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are slightly chopped, then stream olive oil in through the spout until you have reached a creamy consistency.
3. Boil the pasta according to package directions.
4. Add the tomatoes to the zucchini and mushrooms. Allow them to soften slightly and heat through. Drain the pasta and add to the vegetables. Also add the pesto and cheese. You might not want to add all of the pesto that you made. Toss the pasta until thoroughly mixed.

Classic Combination: Soup and Sandwich

While flipping through Jamie Oliver's cookbook, my eye caught this beautiful picture of this grilled vegetable, mozzarella, and pesto sandwich. I may have drooled on the page it looked so good. Needless to say, we made this sandwich. To accompany the sandwich, we made a really simple, yet really delicious tomato soup. The soup was creamy with a nice little twang. This soup and sandwich meal was perfect for the cold, rainy days we've been having lately.


Ciabatta Sandwich of Grilled Vegetables with Pesto and Mozzarella (Jamie's Dinners, Jamie Oliver)

[We, unfortunately, didn't have the pesto with the sandwich. We were about to make it, but as I pulled out the basil from the fridge, I realized that it was dry and bitter. So, we improvised and put some sweet jalapeno jelly on the sandwich instead.]

This sandwich is good for using up grilled veg like asparagus, zucchini, fennel and eggplant-wonderful just griddled on a griddle pan and dressed with some good olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and fresh herbs. I keep any leftovers, stuff them into a chunk of ciabatta smeared with 1 Tbs. of pesto and add a little torn-up mozzarella. You could also add some grated Parmesan. Slices of prosciutto or grilled chicken pieces go really well too.

Wrap your sandwich up tightly in wax paper and aluminum foil before putting it i your lunchbox. Usually some juices come out of the mozzarella, so give the sandwich a good press down when you've finished making it to let the bread soak up the moisture and actually become more tasty because of it. When I eat this sandwich, I peel off the paper and foil from one side and then keep peeling back as I eat. This way I don't get juice all over myself.


Cream of Tomato Soup (Cooking Light, January-February 2007)

Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Place in a blender; process until smooth. Return tomato mixture to pan. Stir in 3/4 cup half-and-half; cook until thoroughly heated.

Cheese or Chickpeas?

When we were cooking up the bean burgers, the other recipe on the page caught my attention and I decided that I had to make it this week. Pasta is topped with this delicious chickpea and garlic sauce that has very similar flavors and textures to a cheese sauce. It's a fantastic alternative to caloric mac n' cheese. We took their suggestion and paired the pasta with sauteed broccoli rabe and garlic. I think I told everyone I work with about this wonderful meal. The best part is that there aren't that many ingredients and it takes only about a half an hour from start to finish.


Pasta with Chickpeas and Garlic Sauce (Cooking Light, January-February 2005)


2 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 (15.5-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (14-oz.) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]
1 1/2 cups uncooked medium seashell pasta (about 6 oz.)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic; saute 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, chickpeas, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. While garlic mixture simmers, cook pasta in boiling water 9 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
3. Place chickpea mixture in a food processor, and process until smooth. Combine chickpea mixture, pasta, tomatoes, minced garlic, parsley, and lemon juice; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Spicy Hot Bean Burgers

We made these bean burgers that were full of flavor and easy to make. The chipotle mayonnaise certainly didn't hurt them; Adam couldn't seem to get enough of it. We paired the burgers with a salad of lettuce, red onions, cheddar cheese, salsa, and crumbled tortilla chips. Yum-o!


Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise (Cooking Light, January-February 2005)

Burgers:
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. minced seeded jalapeno pepper
2 Tbs. reduced-fat sour cream
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 3/4-oz.) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tsp. canned minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Remaining Ingredients:
1 Tbs. canola oil
4 (1 1/2-oz.) whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
4 romaine lettuce leaves

1. To prepare burgers, combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pinto beans and corn; partially mash with a fork. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 3 1/2-inch patty, and refrigerate 10 minutes.
2. To prepare chipotle mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise and chipotle in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated. Place patties on bottom halves of buns; top each patty with 1 Tbs. mayonnaise, 1 lettuce leaf, and top half of bun.

Another Jamie Dinner

We decided to do it up Jamie style for our Tuesday night dinner. We thought the potatoes were good, but they were just a precursor to the fantastic-ness of this meal. We made rigatoni with sweet tomatoes, eggplant, and mozzarella that let us play with our new pasta maker (it will definitely still be delicious without homemade pasta too though). We finished the meal with a chocolate-orange souffle that Adam made. I still think about this meal and we made it over a week ago.


Rigatoni with Sweet Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Mozzarella (Jamie's Dinners, Jamie Oliver)

This sauce is creamy and succulent enough to make even those who don't love eggplant to lick their plates clean.

1 firm ripe pink, black, or white eggplant
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 14oz cans of good-quality plum tomatoes
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
optional: 1-2 fresh or dried chillies, chopped or crumbled
a bunch of fresh basil, leaves ripped and stalks sliced
4 Tbs. heavy cream
1 lb rigatoni or penne
7 oz cow's milk mozzarella
1 piece of Parmesan cheese, for grating

1. both ends of the eggplant and slice it into 1/2 inch slices, then slice these across and finely dice into 1/2 inch cubes. Some people prefer to season their eggplant with salt and let it sit for a while in a colander to draw out the bitterness, but I don't really do this unless I'm dealing with a seedy, bitter eggplant. This dish is really best made using a firm silky one.
2. Now put a large saucepan on the heat and drizzle in 4 to 5 Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil. When it's hot, add the cubes of eggplant, and as soon as they hit the pan stir them around with a spoon so they are delicately coated with the oil and not soaked on one side only. Cook for about 7 or 8 minutes on a medium heat. Then add the garlic and onion. When they have a little color, add the canned tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Stir around and season carefully with salt and pepper. At this point, if you wanted to give the dish a little heat you could add some chopped fresh or crumbled dried chilli, but that's up to you. Add the basil stalks, and simmer the sauce nice and gently for around 15 minutes, then add the cream.
3. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the package instructions until it is soft but still holding its shape, then drain it, saving a little of the cooking water. I like to put the pasta back into the pot it was cooked in with a tiny bit of the cooking water and a drizzle of olive oil and move it around so it becomes almost dressed with the water and oil.
4. At this point add the lovely tomato sauce to the pasta. By now the eggplant will have cooked into a creamy tomatoey pulp, which is just yum yum yum! Season carefully to taste with salt and pepper. When all my guests are sitting round the table, I take the pan to the table, tear up the mozzarella and the fresh basil, and fold these in nicely for 30 seconds. Then very quickly serve into bowls. By the time your guests start to eat, the mozzarella will have started to melt and will be stringy and gorgeous and really milky-tasting. Just lovely with the tomatoes and eggplant. Serve at the table with a block of Parmesan cheese and a grater so that everyone can help themselves.


Chocolate Clafoutis with Caramelized Oranges (Jamie's Dinners, Jamie Oliver)

5 oranges
3 3/4 oz best-quality bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
5 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
2 large eggs
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 oz best-quality white chocolate, broken up
1 pint of creme fraiche

1. Preheat your oven to 400. Firstly zest 3 of your oranges, then carefully remove the outer peel and slice them across into wheel-shaped pieces just under 1/2 inch thick. Break the bittersweet chocolate up, place in a small bowl and slowly melt it over some simmering water, giving it a stir once in a while with a spatula.
2. You will need a deep 8 inch metal tin or earthenware dish to cook the clafoutis in. Rub the inside of it with a little of the butter. To make the clafoutis, sift the flour into a separate bowl, add the almonds, half the sugar, the salt, eggs, yolks, orange zest and milk. Whisk up until sooth and then add the rest of the butter to the melting chocolate. Scrape all the melted chocolate and butter into the batter mix and pour into your pan. Poke little pieces of white chocolate into the batter, then place the pan in the oven and bake for around 16 to 20 minutes. It will rise and should be firm around the edges but sticky and gooey in the middle. This doesn't mean it's undercooked...it means it's perfect! So be careful not to overcook it or it will just be like a boring sponge.
3. While it's cooking, bring the other half of your sugar to the boil with about 6 Tbs. of water on a medium heat until you have a golden caramel. Remove from the heat, add the juice from your remaining oranges and stir it in to loosen the caramel syrup slightly. Arrange your oranges nicely on a plate, pour over the caramel and serve with your chocolate clafoutis and a bowl of creme fraiche.