Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos). Today's yummy offerings include Vegan Swedish Meatballs and Baked Hawaii. Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN BEAN AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS

This comes from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Ali wrote, “Enchiladas can be a bit of a project, but here, the process has been streamlined, making them a truly possible weeknight endeavor. Begin by sautéing peppers, onions and garlic until charred in spots, then blend half of the vegetables with canned tomatoes and chili powder for the sauce and combine the rest with black beans, shredded cheese and cumin for the filling. If you’re short on time, you could use store-bought enchilada sauce (you'll need three cups), but quality varies, so taste it and add whatever you think is missing: chipotle in adobo or chili powder for smokiness, hot sauce for heat, dried oregano or fresh cilantro for complexity and salt for overall flavor.”

Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020244-vegetarian-bean-and-cheese-enchiladas. (You might need to sign up for their newsletter to view this; it’s well worth it!!!)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper or poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, preferably crushed (see Tip)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (optional)

1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving, optional

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed

5 ounces mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)

10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas

Fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving

Preparation

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and hot sauce. Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)

Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread out the tortillas directly on the oven rack and heat until warmed and pliable, 1 to 2 minutes, then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Pour half the enchilada sauce (about 1 1/2 cups) into a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it to cover the bottom of the dish.

Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a little more than 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of one tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Top with sour cream and cilantro and serve immediately.

Tips

The sauce and the black bean mixture, minus the cheese, can be made, covered in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.

Avoid diced canned tomatoes. They are mixed with calcium chloride to help them retain their cube shape, so they won’t break down as well in the blender. The sauce will taste fine, but it will be noticeably chunkier.

VEGAN SWEDISH MEATBALLS

This is from Karissa, who posts on her wonderful blog, Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen. For this recipe, she wrote, “Super flavorful Vegan Swedish Meatballs that are also gluten-free, oil-free and nut-free.”

“Ultimate comfort food, at your service. But this comfort food is also healthy, so it’s a total guilt-free win.

“I HAD to make a vegan recipe for Swedish meatballs – the gravy alone is just so good. The meatballs are made from lentils, mushrooms, oat flour, soy sauce, and more seasoning. For the accompanying gravy, we’ll achieve that luscious gravy using a combination of coconut milk and soy (or almond) milk.”

I originally found this on Vegan Heaven, a blog from another blogger, Sina. I seriously advise checking out both Vegan Heaven and Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen. You won’t regret it

You can view this online on Karissa’s blog at https://www.karissasvegankitchen.com/vegan-swedish-meatballs/.

Ingredients

Meatballs

3 tbsp water

1/2 yellow onion chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup dry lentils green or brown

1.5 cup water

1.5 cup mushrooms roughly chopped

3 tbsp water

1 cup rolled oats

2 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp black pepper

2-3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce make sure its vegan

Gravy

1 cup unsweetened, plain soy or almond milk

1 can (13.5oz) low-fat/light coconut milk

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

pepper to taste

1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

2 tbsp cold water

Instructions

Meatballs

In a medium-sized pot, sauté the onion in 3 tbsp water until translucent on medium heat (add more water if necessary). Add in garlic and sauté for additional 2-3 minutes.

Add in lentils and 1.5 cup water. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 15-20 minutes (until liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender.)

In a separate skillet, sauté mushrooms in 3 tbsp water on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Blend oats in a food processor (or a blender) to create oat flour.

To the food processor, add in the mushrooms, lentils, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

Process until everything is combined. Don't process until it's total mush - some texture from the lentils and mushrooms should still be there.

Add more soy sauce (or salt) and pepper if needed.

Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes. It will become thicker and easy to roll.

Pre-heat oven to 425F degrees.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Roll into meatballs and place onto baking sheet. Spray with some cooking oil if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.

Gravy

In a medium-sized pot, add in all gravy ingredients EXCEPT for the cornstarch and water.

Bring to a simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to create a cornstarch slurry. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the gravy.

Return the pot to the burner and bring to a simmer again. The sauce should be nice and thick. If it's too thin, add a little more cornstarch slurry.

Pour the gravy over the meatballs. Eat as is, or serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.

Notes

This recipe makes about 20 meatballs if measured at 1.5 tbsp each.

If you can't find vegan Worcestershire sauce, you can substitute more soy sauce and a dash of apple cider vinegar.

SPICY COLESLAW

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This easy, crisp slaw can be made a few hours ahead of time. It goes well with ribs and a cold beer, fried chicken or whatever summer feast sparks your fancy.”

Yield: Serves 6; Time: 10 minutes, plus hours’ refrigeration

This was featured in “Lone Star”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012539-spicy-coleslaw.

Ingredients

1 medium head green cabbage

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons pickle relish

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons pepper sauce, like Frank’s, or to taste

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut each half in half and slice each resulting quarter into thin ribbons. Mix with carrots in a large, nonreactive bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss. Season to taste.

The coleslaw may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few hours. Toss again before serving.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE

This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Chocolate chips dot this creamy, luscious cheesecake. A winning dessert that will please the eyes as well as the tastebuds.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cooking Time: 1 hour; refrigeration time: 2 hours; Serves: 14

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chocolate sandwich cookies (about 15), crushed

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 package (12-oz) NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided

2 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk

1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cookie crumbs with butter in medium bowl until moistened; press onto bottom of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup morsels.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs and flour. Gradually beat in evaporated milk and sour cream. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with remainingmorsels.

Bake for 25 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for additional 30 to 40 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. Place in refrigerator immediately; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Remove side of springform pan.

BEAN AND VEGETABLE STEW

Yield: 6 Servings (about 1-1/3 cups each)

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/905.shtml>http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/905.shtml

Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/22.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion

1 medium Idaho potato, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon flour

1-1/2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed, drained

1 can (16 ounces) tomato wedges, undrained

3/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Saute onion, potato, sweet potato, bell pepper, and garlic in oil in large saucepan 5 minutes; stir in flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Add remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper, to saucepan; heat to boiling.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 209; Protein: 7.7 g; Fat: 5.5 g; Sodium: 493 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg ; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 2 Bread/Starch, 1 Fat

BAKED HAWAII

This comes from the February 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “With a blending of coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts, this pie takes its cues from the tropics. Be sure to squeeze out any excess juice from the pineapple shreds, or it may dilute the filling. A quick freezing of the filling mix firms it up fast.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pkg. instant coconut-flavored pudding mix

1 3/4 cups nonfat milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 prepared crumb pie shell

1 3/4 cups canned shredded pineapple

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup crushed macadamia nuts as garnish

1/4 cup shredded coconut as garnish

2 Tbs. diced crystallized ginger, or more as desired, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 450F.

Mix instant pudding with milk and vanilla extract, and pour into prepared pie shell. Put in freezer immediately.

Drain pineapple, and reserve juice for another use. Squeeze excess juice from shreds, and put shreds in baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake for 15 minutes, or until sugar bubbles. Remove from oven.

Take firmed pudding mixture from freezer, spoon pineapple mixture over top and garnish with macadamia nuts, coconut shreds and crystallized ginger.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 310; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Sodium: 450 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 35 g

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Cocoa Black Bean Avocado Cream Tacos and Banana Chocolate Tacos. Enjoy!

SNAPPY TACOS

This is another good taco recipe from Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "Just two of these tacos provide nearly all the soy protein of the daily FDA recommendation of 25 grams." Yield: Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

4 tsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

12-oz. pkg. soy crumbles, plain or taco-flavored

1/4 cup dark beer (see Note)

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup salsa, drained

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

8 taco shells

Note: If you - like me - don't have dark beer (or any beer, for that matter), I suggest simply increasing the low-sodium vegetable broth to 3/4 cup

Instructions:

In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup onion and 1/4 teaspoon garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat and mix in soy crumbles, beer and broth. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder, oregano and jalapeños, stirring until mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reserved crumbles, salsa and cilantro and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes.

Spoon 1⁄4 cup filling into each taco shell. Top with some or all garnishes and serve hot.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 302; Protein: 22 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 633 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: g

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

This, as well as the next two recipes (Cocoa Black Bean Avocado Cream Tacos and Banana Chocolate Tacos), are from the May 2016 issue of Runner’s World, and can be found here. This one begins, “Corn tortillas are rich in flavonoids, which help protect against certain cancers.”

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina (corn flour)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups warm tap water

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine masa and salt. Slowly pour the water into the dry ingredients and mix until the dough is just moistened and forms small clumps. Add more water, if needed by the tablespoon, but don’t let dough become too moist. It should feel like play-dough.

Divide dough into 12 golf-ball size balls. Cover with a damp paper towel. Cut a quart-size ziptop plastic bag up both side seams. Place one ball of dough between the plastic sheets and press down firmly with a medium pot or a tortilla press to form a 4 -5” circle about 1/8” thick.

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium and lightly brush with some oil. Cook the tortilla for 1 minute, or until darkened in some spots and the dough looks dry. Flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and fold over to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, brushing the skillet with more oil as needed.

Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 69; Protein: 2 g; Carbs: 15 g; Fiber: 1 g; Total fat: 1 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Sodium: 99 mg

COCOA BLACK BEAN AVOCADO CREAM TACOS

This one begins, “Cocoa adds richness to this hunger smashing fiber-rich bean filling. As a giant cousin of the banana, plantain contains twice as much vitamin C to keep your blood pressure from boiling over. The creamy avocado sauce adds a dose of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.”

Ingredients

2 tsp. canola or grapeseed oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 ripe plantain, lots of black spots on skin, peeled and diced

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 1 large lime)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 avocado

8 small corn tortillas

1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, plantain, black beans, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper; cook 3 minutes more. Stir in cilantro and 2 Tbsp. lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Blend together sour cream, avocado, remaining 2 Tbsp. lime juice and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Top tortillas with beans, red pepper, avocado cream and pumpkin seeds. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 408; Protein: 11 g; Carbs: 59 g; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 12 g; Total fat: 16 g; Saturated fat: 5 g; Sodium: 320 mg

BANANA CHOCOLATE TACOS

Chocolate? Bananas? On tacos? Sure, why not? This one is from the May 2016 issue of Runner’s World, and begins, “This taco is a smart dessert choice as research shows dark chocolate can improve brain functioning. Each bite also has the carbs needed to restock your muscles after a spirited run. Plus, ricotta is rich in whey protein to make it easier to build stronger muscles.”

This can be found here.

Ingredients

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 Tbsp. almond butter

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1–2 tsp. orange zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 oz. chopped dark chocolate

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 small bananas, sliced into 1/2" pieces

4 small (6") whole-wheat tortillas, heated according to package

1/4 cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

Stir together ricotta, almond butter, syrup, orange zest and vanilla.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is melted. Stir in cinnamon.

Spread ricotta mixture on tortillas and top with banana. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top and sprinkle on coconut flakes. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 439; Protein: 14 g; Carbs: 54 g; Fiber: 13 g; Total fat: 20 g; Saturated fat: 9.5 g; Sodium: 342 mg.

CHICKPEA TACOS

This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Turns out, tacos don’t have to be hot to be delicious. The chickpea-avocado mash used as a filling here is prepared and served at room temperature. (It makes a great sandwich spread as well.) Because the fat content of taco shells can vary, look for brands that contain approximately 6 grams or fewer per shell.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. chopped cilantro

4 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

8 corn taco shells

2 cups baby salad greens

1 cup prepared salsa (medium or hot)

1/2 cup nondairy sour cream

Place avocado in small bowl, and mash with fork. Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.

Set taco shells in napkin-lined basket. Place salad greens, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls, and set out alongside chickpea-avocado mash.

To serve, let each person build their own taco by filling each shell with 1/4 cup chickpea-avocado mash, some greens, salsa, and sour cream.

nutritional information Per Serving (2 tacos): Calories: 402; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

POTATO TACOS

Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "These tasty tacos are spicy! Feel free to reduce the amount of chipotle if you prefer milder flavor." Serves 2.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1/2 small red bell pepper, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 medium potato, baked and diced

1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

2 whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Instructions:

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add chipotle, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds. Add potato, toss well to coat and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Divide potato mixture among tortillas and serve hot, garnished with condiments as desired.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 181 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 0 g