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. Yay! Today's offerings include Vegan Tempeh Tacos with Creamy Cashew Sauce and Tasty Black Beans and Corn Tacos. Enjoy!

MUSHROOM CHICHARRON TACOS

This some from Jocelyn Ramirez in The New York Times cooking newsletter. Jocelyn wrote, "This simple recipe calls for pan-searing meaty oyster mushrooms so they become as perfectly crispy and golden as chicharrón. Paired with fresh pico de gallo, these mushrooms feel satisfying with their natural umami savoriness. This quick dish tastes like juicy carniceria tacos that balance the richness of fried meat with the acidic punch of salsa."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 40 minutes

This can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022424-mushroom-chicharron-tacos.

Ingredients

For the Pico de Gallo:

1 large beefsteak tomato, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 large ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 jalapeños, stemmed and finely chopped (seeded if desired)

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)

Coarse kosher salt

For the Mushroom Tacos:

18 ounces oyster mushrooms (from 2 to 3 medium clusters)

1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

Black pepper

12 corn tortillas

Preparatioin

Make the pico de gallo: Combine the tomato, avocado, jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl and season with salt. Gently fold together. Set aside to allow flavors to marry while the mushrooms cook.

Make the tacos: Tear the oyster mushrooms into bite-size pieces, leaving some mushroom tops whole. To make sure the mushrooms become crisp, cook in two batches: Heat a large cast iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high and coat with half of the oil. Once the oil is hot, add half of the mushrooms in a single layer without crowding the skillet. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate, then repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms. Return the first batch to the skillet, and add the cumin and salt, and season with pepper. Stir well, then remove from the heat.

While the mushrooms are cooking, warm the tortillas on a comal or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until soft and pliable. Wrap them in a dish towel to keep them warm until ready to serve. Divide the mushrooms and pico de gallo among the warm tortillas. Serve immediately.

VEGETARIAN TACO BAKE

This is from Casey Barber on the Today Show site. It begins, "Taco night! Those two little words bring big smiles to everyone in the family, and now there's a new way to do tacos that might be even easier than the traditional method — and it's vegetarian, too! This easy rice and beans casserole combines everything you love about tacos in a fun, scoopable package. Whether you like bowl-style Mexican meals or classic crunchy hard shells, you'll find something to love in this meal.

"Make it with leftover rice or your favorite whole grain, substitute black beans or kidney beans, or even add a freshly-chopped jalapeno if you really want to spice things up! Scoop and serve and watch the smiles."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Servings: 4-6

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/vegetarian-taco-bake-t84181.

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can pinto beans or ranchero beans, drained

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles

3 cups cooked brown or white rice (from 1 cup dried rice)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup + 1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided (see below)

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Tortilla chips for serving

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix the beans, tomatoes, chiles, rice, chili powder, salt, and 1/4 cup cheese together in a large bowl.

Pour the mixture into a 9-inch square or round baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese evenly over the casserole.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve with tortilla chips on the side or for scooping.

CALIFORNIA TACOS

This is from WhirledPeas on AllRecipes. It begins, "These tacos are full of fresh vegetables and lime. They're quick and easy to make and they manage to be both healthy and very budget-friendly!"

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235121/california-tacos/.

Ingredients

3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 avocados, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 corn tortillas

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cooked white rice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 dash green pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste (Optional)

Directions

Mix tomatoes, avocados, onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, and garlic together in a bowl. Drizzle lime juice over tomato mixture; toss to coat.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange tortillas, 2 at a time, in hot oil; cook until crisp, about 1 minute per side. Remove tortillas using tongs and repeat with remaining tortillas.

Spoon 2 tablespoons black beans and 2 tablespoons cooked rice onto each crisp tortilla; top with tomato mixture. Garnish tacos using remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and green pepper sauce.

VEGAN TEMPEH TACOS WITH CREAMY CASHEW SAUCE

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "POV: It’s one of those evenings where you’re one email away from curling up under the table in an exhausted heap – but you’re also hungry. You could go out to eat, but how could you possibly be expected to pick a restaurant when you’re already mentally fried? So, cooking something it is, but it’s got to be comforting, simple, and really, really fast. Enter these vegan tempeh tacos with a creamy cashew sauce.

"These tempeh tacos are not high art, they are not a mole with 23 ingredients, they are not long-simmered. We love all those things, but we’re just not always up for making our own on a Tuesday night. What they are, however, is super-fast (literally minutes; count up the times in the recipe if you don’t believe us) and satisfying. The creamy vegan sauce is a great texture and temperature play with the tempeh; obviously your favorite bottled hot sauce and/or salsa would be a welcome addition to the party too."

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/tempeh-tacos-with-cashew-sauce/. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

Cashew sauce

1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

pinch of sea salt, or to taste

pinch of black pepper, or to taste

Tacos

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp chile powder

1/2 tsp each ground cumin and sea salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 8 ounce package organic tempeh, cubed

8 5-inch corn tortillas, warmed

Optional garnishes

red cabbage

avocado

pico de gallo

lime wedges

hot sauce

Preparation

Prepare sauce: In a blender, purée all sauce ingredients and 5 tbsp water until smooth.

In a large skillet on medium-high, heat oil. Add onion, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add chile powder, cumin, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add tempeh and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until golden, stirring frequently.

Divide tempeh mixture among tortillas, top with cashew sauce and optional garnishes of your choice.


TASTY BLACK BEANS AND CORN TACOS

This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Filled with beans and vegetables, these healthful tacos will be a kid’s favorite." Makes 12 tacos.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

Black Beans and Corn Filling

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium-sized zucchini, diced

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup mild enchilada sauce

Tortillas

12 6- to 8-inch corn or flour tortillas

Toppings, Optional

Note: No toppings were listed, but I would suggest shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and/or sour cream. A diced avocado would be nice, too. Or if there's something else that you love to top your tacos with, go for it! Just one thing: Enjoy!

Instructions:

To make Black Beans and Corn Filling: Put all ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until heated through.

To prepare Tortillas: Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle on stove over medium-high heat. Lay tortillas in single layer on skillet or griddle for about 10 seconds. Turn and warm other side. Remove from heat, and wrap in a napkin or dishcloth until ready to assemble tacos.

To assemble, set a tortilla on a plate, and spoon on some filling. Top as desired, roll up and eat.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 100; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 170 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 1 g

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

Garnishes: See my note under Toppings for the Tasty Black Beans & Corn Tacos, above.

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