Taco Tuesday

Time for another Taco Tuesday. (Yay!) Here are today's six taco recipes to help you through the day, including Tempe Tacos and Eggplant Tacos. Enjoy!

10-MINUTE BLACK BEAN TACOS

This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)

Anyway, Sheela Prakash, Assistant Food Editor at TheKitchn, wrote, “When you come home extra late after a crazy day at the office, it may seem like your only options for dinner are takeout, those questionable leftovers in the fridge, or scrambled eggs and toast. You're starving and cranky and you need dinner fast, after all. Luckily there's a fourth option: these 10-minute tacos.

“Yes, making tacos in 10 minutes is absolutely possible. In less time than it will take you to wait for delivery (it feels like it takes forever when you're hungry), these hearty vegetarian tacos can be on your plate.”

To view these yummy tacos online, click here. Serves 4.

For the tacos:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

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

1/4 cup water

8 corn tortillas

For serving:

1 bag cabbage slaw or shredded cabbage

1 medium avocado, sliced

Salsa

Lime wedges

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans and water.

Cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and use the back of a fork to partially mash the beans, leaving about half whole. If there's any remaining water in the pan, simmer the mixture uncovered until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Meanwhile, heat the tortillas. Stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until warm.

Fill the tortillas with the black bean mixture and top with slaw or cabbage, avocado, and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftover taco filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

EGGPLANT TACOS

This is from Reiko on her blog, The Culinary Tribune. She starts off writing, “I love eggplant!…

“These tacos are so delicious!!

“If you like eggplant, try this.

“If you are a vegan or vegetarian, try this.

“If you want good tacos, try this.”

To view this online, click here. It looks like this makes 2 tacos.

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 eggplant, cut into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons water

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon garlic chili paste

dry oregano

ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon corn starch plus water (for thickening)

salt and pepper

2 taco shells

a few slices of red onion

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

Cook eggplant in oil until tender. Add water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili paste, oregano, and cumin. Add corn starch and water mixture to thicken it slightly. Salt and pepper.

Warm taco shells in a toaster.

Fill the shells with the eggplant. Serve with red onion slices, cilantro, and green onion.

SUMMER TACOS WITH CORN, GREEN BEANS AND TOMATILLO SALSA

This is from Martha Rose Schulman, in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Another way to use the versatile green bean in summer cooking. Cut into one-inch lengths and add to a mix of corn, chiles and green tomatillo salsa. Green beans are such a reliable and versatile summer vegetable. I serve them on their own, of course, but I also throw them into various pasta dishes and salads, and here I’ve used them in a taco filling. Cook the beans first, just until tender, then cut them into one-inch lengths and add to this sweet and spicy mix of corn, chiles and green tomatillo salsa.”

Serves 4; Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “Vegetarian Taco Night” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1/2 pound green beans, topped and tailed

4 ears corn

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red or white onion, finely chopped

Salt to taste

1 serrano chile, minced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 recipe fresh tomatillo salsa (also, recipe follows)

8 warm corn tortillas

1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbled feta, queso fresco or goat cheese

Preparation

Bring a large saucepan full of water to a boil and salt generously. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and cut in 1-inch lengths.

Cut the kernels off corncobs. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the corn and chile, and continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until corn is tender. Stir in green beans and cilantro, and about 1/4 cup of the salsa (more to taste). Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Top warm tortillas with corn and bean mix. Sprinkle cheese over the corn and add more salsa if desired.

Tip

Advance preparation: You can make this filling a few hours before serving, but the fresher it is, the better. Reheat gently in a pan.

QUICK FRESH TOMATILLO SALSA

This also comes from Martha Rose Schulman, in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. For this one, Martha wrote, “Tomatillos, which are closer botanically to the gooseberry than to the tomato, have a wonderful acidic tang. To get the best out of them they should be simmered or grilled for about 10 minutes, until they’re soft and the color has gone from pale green to olive. You can use them for a quick, blended salsa (like the one in this recipe) and also for a cooked salsa, which has a rounder, seared flavor. Use on tacos, or as chip or vegetable dip, or alongside grilled chicken or pork.”

Of course, if you’re a vegetarian, as I am, you can forget the grilled chicken or pork, but this salsa does work well alongside a variety of entrees.

Yield: 2 cups, serving 8; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in “Summer Tacos” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed

2 to 4 jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded for a milder salsa, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped onion, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, drained and rinsed

1/4 to 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (to taste)

Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1/4 to 1/2 cup water, as needed

Preparation

Place the tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until softened and olive green. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a blender. Add the chiles, onion, cilantro, and 1/4 cup water to the blender and blend to a coarse puree. Transfer to a bowl, add salt, and thin out as desired with water. Taste and adjust salt, and set aside for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to develop.

VEGETARIAN TACO SOUP IN THE CROCKPOT

I'm really not sure whether to post this on Taco Tuesday with the taco recipes or on a soup day. It fits perfectly with both.

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “I love Mexican food. Or, perhaps it's more accurate to say I love Mexican-American food. Or rather, I love both! This vegetarian taco soup recipe isn't going to win any awards of authenticity, but it's quick to prepare (you really just dump everything in the crockpot), easy, high-protein, nearly fat-free, and deliciously satisfying. Plus, it's a great vegetarian and vegan option for families on a budget. Keep it vegan by omitting the optional cheese and sour cream toppings, or use dairy-free and vegan substitutes.” Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 480 minutes (8 hours); Total Time: 485 minutes; Yield: 6 servings as a main dish

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 can corn kernels, drained

1 can kidney beans or navy beans, drained

1 can pinto beans, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 7-ounce can green chiles (optional - you may want to omit this if you're cooking for kids)

1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes (Mexican-style is best, if you can find it) - do not drain

1 package taco seasoning mix

1/4 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Optional garnishes:

tortilla chips or corn chips

grated cheese

chopped green onions

fresh chopped cilantro

Preparation

Cook on low crockpot setting for 8-10 hours.

If you're in a hurry, you can also set this on high in the crockpot for 3 hours.

Top each bowl of soup with optional garnishes to serve: cheese, a dollop of sour cream, some tortilla chips or corn chips and fresh chopped cilantro or green onions.

This is a thicker soup, similar to a stew. To thin it out, you can add a little vegetable broth or soy milk, if you like.

TEMPEH TACOS

I originally saw this on Oh My Veggies on the Vegetarian Tacos part of the site. You can read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-tempeh-tacos-from-betty-goes-vegan/.

This recipe begins, “Spicy tacos made with crumbled tempeh from Betty Goes Vegan by Anne & Dan Shannon.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 6-8 tacos

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. Mexican-spiced diced tomatoes (I used the tomatoes with green chilies)

1 fresh jalapeño, diced

2 – 4 tsp. chili powder (2 was plenty for us!)

3 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. lime juice

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. minced chipotle pepper

1/4 c. Bragg's liquid aminos (coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce work too)

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

2 tbsp. water

salt + pepper to taste

olive oil mister or cooking spray

dash of liquid smoke (I omitted this)

6-8 hard taco shells

vegan cheese, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, black olives, and lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Crumble your tempeh into a large mixing bowl. Then, using a large spoon, mix in the garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chipotle pepper, and Bragg's. Once your tempeh is completely mixed into the spices, mix in the onion and pepper. Then drizzle the water 1 tablespoon at a time into your mix while stirring your ingredients continuously. Taste a little bit of your tempeh and add salt and pepper to taste.

Spray your favorite cast-iron skillet or frying pan with a heavy coating of olive oil cooking spray, and then heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, toss in the tempeh mixture and liquid smoke. Flip your tempeh-vegetable mixture a few times so that it browns evenly. You'll know it's ready when your vegetables are tender and your tempeh has crispy edges. It should take about 10 minutes.

While your tempeh is cooking, heat your taco shells slightly in the oven following the directions on the package.

Once your taco shells are warm, fill them with the tempeh and vegetable mixture. Top with vegan cheese and set aside so it can melt slightly.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, black olives, lime wedges and anything else you like on your tacos!

Monday Recipes

Here are six yummy recipes to start off your week the right way, including Vegetarian Skillet Chili and Panettone Bread Pudding. Enjoy!

WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO

This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”

Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)

3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)

1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)

2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)

5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)

1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Easy Basil Pesto

Directions

Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.

Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.

CREAMY BROCCOLI MAC AND CHEESE

This comes from Chungah on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. If you haven’t checked out her site, you really should! Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Chungah wrote, “The EASIEST and CREAMIEST mac and cheese made in less than 30 min! Comfort food perfection! And it is the perfect way to sneak in those greens!”

Yield: 4 servings; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://damndelicious.net/2017/12/28/creamy-broccoli-mac-and-cheese/

Ingredients

8 ounces medium pasta shells

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups whole milk

1 cup half and half

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups chopped broccoli florets

6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, half and half and Dijon until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Stir in pasta, broccoli and cheese until well combined, about 3-4 minutes.

Serve immediately.

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “If you keep canned beans, tomatoes, onion and garlic in your pantry, you can make this dish on any weeknight without having to shop. The pickled onions aren’t strictly necessary, but they are simple to make and add a welcome tangy contrast to the beans. Pickled peppers are a fine substitute. If you have a bell pepper or jalapeño or two, chop them up and sauté them with the onions. And if you want to be fancy, grate the zest off the lime before juicing for the pickles, and stir it into the sour cream.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in “5 Easy Meals for the Distracted Cook,” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Pickled Onions:

1 lime

1 red onion or shallot, thinly sliced

Salt, as needed

Sugar, as needed

For the Chili:

Olive or grapeseed oil

1 large onion, chopped

Garlic cloves, to taste, minced

Chile powder

Dried oregano

2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Salt, to taste

Fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Make the pickled onions: Squeeze the lime juice into a bowl and add the onion or shallot, a large pinch of salt and a small pinch of sugar. Let rest for 20 minutes while you make the chili.

Heat a large skillet, then add the oil. When hot, add the onion and sauté until softened. Add the garlic, chile powder and oregano and sauté until fragrant. Add the beans and tomatoes and a few large pinches of salt and let simmer until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes.

Taste and add more salt, chile and/or oregano to taste. Serve with the pickled onion and any of the garnishes you like.

PANETTONE BREAD PUDDING

This is from Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Tejal wrote, “If you’ve bought a loaf of truly fantastic panettone, made in the Italian tradition from a natural starter, the kind that’s airy and melting, we hope you don’t have any leftovers. But if you find yourself with an excess of mass-produced panettone, or simply very old panettone that’s past its prime, here’s how to transform it into something special. Cut it into thick slices, as the pastry chef Elisabeth Prueitt does with brioche, when she makes her bread pudding at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Toast them. Now layer the bread in a wide dish, and pour over a whisked custard of milk and eggs. It will look like too much liquid, but as it bakes, the panettone will soak it all up, becoming moist and tender and impossibly rich. It’s close enough to a casserole of French toast to make it ideal for a special holiday breakfast, but sweet enough to step in as dessert on a cold night. Vanilla would be a classic way to flavor the custard, but panettone tends to be quite sweet and perfumed already, so taste the bread first before adding extras.”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour baking

This was featured in “Panettone Has Become an Obsession for American Bakers,” and can be viewed here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 to 8 slices panettone

6 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups whole milk

Confectioners' sugar, to garnish

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a deep baking dish that will fit all the bread slices in a single layer, overlapping slightly, about 9 by 5 inches. Place the sliced panettone on a sheet pan and lightly toast it in the oven so that it’s still flexible, but dry to the touch, about 10 minutes. Arrange toast in the baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt, then add the milk and whisk until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer over the panettone, allowing the excess mixture to fill up the pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bread has soaked up all the custard and puffed up, and the custard is no longer runny. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving, then use a fine-mesh sieve to dust all over with confectioners' sugar and serve.

BROCCOLI FRITTATA

Yield: 4 Servings

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/692.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese

1/2 tsp dried dill

2 cup fat-free egg substitute

2 cups frozen chopped broccoli

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp margarine

1 large onion, diced

Directions

Mix cottage cheese and egg substitute together; set aside.

In large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, saute onions in oil for 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add broccoli and dill; saute for 5 minutes, or until broccoli mixture softens. Set vegetable aside.

Wipe out frying pan. Add 1 tsp. margarine and swirl the pan to distribute it. Add half of the vegetable mixture, and then add half of the egg mixture; lift and rotate pan so that eggs are evenly distributed.

As eggs set around the edges, lift them to allow uncooked portions to flow underneath. Turn heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until top is set.

Invert onto a serving plate and cut into wedges.

Repeat with remaining 1 tsp. margarine, vegetable mixture, and egg mixture.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 150; Calories from Fat: 30; Protein: 19 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 390 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 2 Meat; 1 Fat

GINGER PUMPKIN PIE

Kathy Kingsley is About.com's American Food expert. She writes, “Flavored with fresh ginger and honey, this pumpkin pie is sure to become one of your go-to holiday recipes.” Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 85 minutes; Yield: Serves 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Pastry

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons ice water

Pumpkin Filling

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 16-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Honey Whipped Cream

3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream, chilled

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Make the pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, vegetable shortening, and butter in a food processor and pulse on/off until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube, and process just until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.

Press the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc, about 1-inch thick.

On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Turn the edges under, and crimp or flute the crust. Set the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Brush about teaspoon of the egg around the edge of the crust.

Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, sugar, ginger, pumpkin pie spice and salt to the eggs, and mix until well blended. Pour the filling into the pie crust.

Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is set. If the edges become too dark during baking, carefully cover them with foil strips (see Recipe Notes). Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. If not serving right away, cover and chill.

When ready to serve, make the honey whipped cream. Put the cream into a medium bowl. Add the honey and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Serve the pie topped with the whipped cream.

Recipe Notes

• To make a foil collar to prevent edges of pie from browning too much, fold a 12-inch-long piece of foil into a strip with 3-inch-high sides. Stand the strip on the oven rack around the pie dish. Secure the overhang with a paper clip. The collar doesn't have to touch or cover the crust to protect it.

Friday Recipes

It's a definite wintery day in most of the U.S. Watching The Today Show, I'm glad that here in Florida, it's only muggy and cloudy. Yes, we have a cold front coming in, but cold is a relative term, especially when there are places where schools and businesses are closing due to snow.

There are some days when it helps to have something to do around the house. Here are six recipes to try, both quick and easy (Meatless-Ball Subs), snacky (Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes), or very warming (Vegetarian Chili with Winter Vegetables). Enjoy!

MEATLESS-BALL SUBS

1 package Meatless Balls (see note)

1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce

4 hoagie rolls

cheese slices

Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.





Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.



Makes 4 meatless ball subs.

Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.

RED VELVET MINI CUPCAKES

This comes from The Food Network and begins, “Oil takes the place of butter in these cupcakes, making them lower in fat, but also making the crumb moist. Also, all of the flour is whole wheat! The frosting is simply sweetened reduced-fat cream cheese, but it's plenty tasty.”

Total: 1 hr; Active: 20 min; Yield: 48 mini cupcakes (2 cupcakes per serving); Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/red-velvet-mini-cupcakes-recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup lowfat (1-percent) buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Nonstick cooking spray, for coating ice cream scoop

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 48 mini muffin cups (2 large tins or 4 small) with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the oil and granulated sugar on medium-high speed with a hand mixer in a large bowl until well combined. Add the egg and beat until well blended. Beat in the food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.

On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and then beat into the batter until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cupcakes.

VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH WINTER VEGETABLES

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also from The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “I have made several versions of vegetarian chili; in some the beans take center stage, others are just as focused on vegetables. This thick, satisfying chili is equally focused on both. I particularly like the way the sweet flavor and comforting, creamy texture of the winter squash plays against the spicy flavors in the chili.” Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Serves 6 to 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 recipe simmered pintos (follows)

2 tablespoons grapeseed, sunflower or canola oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 large or 2 medium carrots, cut in small dice

1 red pepper, diced (optional)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons mild ground chili (or use hot, or use more)

1 tablespoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground

1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano

2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in 1 cup water

2 cups diced winter squash (about 3/4 pound)

Salt to taste

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Grated cheddar or Monterey Jack, or crumbled queso fresco for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Heat the beans on top of the stove in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy nonstick skillet and add the onion, carrot and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, stir together until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add the ground chili and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture begins to stick to the pan. Add the tomatoes and oregano, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is beginning to stick to the pan, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste dissolved in water and bring back to a simmer. Season with salt to taste and simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and fragrant.

Stir the tomato mixture into the beans. Add the winter squash and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes. It is important to stir often so that the chili doesn’t settle and stick to the bottom of the pot. It should be thick; if you desire you can thin out with water. Taste and adjust salt.

Shortly before serving stir in the cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls. If you wish, top with grated cheddar, Monterey jack, or crumbled queso fresco.

Tip: Advance preparation: The simmered beans can be made 3 or 4 days ahead and the chili will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. You will probably want to thin it out with water is it will continue to thicken. It freezes well.

A BIG POT OF SIMMERED PINTOS

This also comes from Martha Rose Shulman of The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. For this one, Martha wrote, “This pot of beans was Step 1 for the other Recipes for Health...If I know that I’m going to use these beans for a Mexican dinner I season them with cilantro and, if I can find it, epazote. If I want Italian or Provençal flavors I make a bouquet garni with bay leaf, thyme, parsley, maybe sage, and most definitely a Parmesan rind. This week, since I am using my beans as a starting off point for other dishes, I season them only with onion, garlic, bay leaf and salt. The dishes that will follow throughout the week will introduce more flavors.” Serves 6.

To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016030-a-big-pot-of-simmered-pintos.

Ingredients

1 pound (about 2 1/4 cups) pinto beans, washed and picked over for stones, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight in 2 quarts water

1 medium onion, cut in half

2 to 4 large garlic cloves (to taste), minced

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste (I think beans need a lot, at least 1 teaspoon per quart of water used)

Preparation

Place beans and soaking water in a large, heavy pot. Add halved onion and bring to a gentle boil. Skim off any foam that rises, then add garlic and bay leaf, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Add salt and continue to simmer another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beans are quite soft and broth is thick and fragrant. Taste and adjust salt. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove and discard onion and bay leaf. For the best flavor refrigerate overnight.

Tip: Advance preparation: The cooked beans will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and freeze well.

THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER

This recipe from The Food Network Kitchen begins, “This gingerbread cookie is super-spicy from the very first bite. Molasses makes it chewy and white sugar rounds out the spices. Cayenne, allspice and a hefty dose of black pepper result in a complex, lingering heat that is surprising and pleasant.” Total Time: 5 hr 20 min; Prep: 1 hr 10 min; Inactive: 3 hr 40 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: Eighteen 4-inch gingerbread people; Level: Intermediate

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/the-spiciest-gingerbread-cookies-ever.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling (see Cook's Note)

3 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 large egg

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup meringue powder (egg white powder)

Cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots, chocolate chips, raisins or other candies for decorating

Directions

Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.

Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.

Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.

Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).

Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)

Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.

Special equipment: a small offset spatula

BAKED ZITI

This was originally posted on my Confessions of a Foodie blog on April 2, 2010. Great for a yummy, easy meal.

What to fix when you've just gotten home from work and you want something good, hot and with a minimum amount of effort? Baked Ziti fits the bill on all three counts. And if you're like me, chances are you have all the makings in your cupboard and fridge.

Here's what it takes:

16 ounce box of ziti
26 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce
1 jar-full of water
2 C shredded cheese

Okay, I can hear you asking, "What brand of spaghetti sauce? What type of sauce? And the cheese...Cheddar? Mozzarella? Can it be the stuff already shredded and in a bag or does it have to be a block of cheese that I grate and measure?" Here's the good part: Use what you have.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Dump the dried ziti into the pan. (No, no, do NOT cook the ziti first. Dump the ziti uncooked straight from the box.) Pour the spaghetti sauce into the pan and add one jar-full of water into the pan. Stir to mix. Add most of the shredded cheese, reserving 1/4-1/2 cup of cheese. Stir to mix. Bake in pre-heated oven for 35 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake for another 5 minutes for a total time of 40 minutes.

Serve with a salad and possibly garlic bread.

See? Simple, hot, good and with at minimum amount of energy. What could be better for an after-work or weekend dinner?

Thursday Recipes

Here are today's six yummy recipes to help you through the day, including Vegetarian Skillet Chili and Winter Vegetable Bean Soup with Pesto. Enjoy!

ALMOND JOY ENERGY BITES

I found this on Runner’s World website in an article titled “18 No-Bake High-Protein Energy Bites for Easy Fueling.”

This particular recipe is from Ali at Gimme Some Oven. It begins, “These Almond Joy Energy Bites taste like the candy bar we all love, but are made with healthier ingredients and sweetened with dates.”

Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes.

To view this online, go to https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/almond-joy-energy-bites-recipe/

Ingredients:

12 oz. (about 2 cups, loosely-packed) Medjool dates (**see note below about types of dates and substitutions**)

2 cups almonds

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)

Directions:

Add dates and remaining ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Blend the mixture for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture has moved past the crumbly stage and begins to clump and stick to the sides of the food processor.

Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to measure out a tablespoon of dough (or your desired size) and roll it into a ball. If desired, roll the ball in a bowl of coconut flakes. Or just set it aside to eat as-is. Repeat with the remaining dough. (Alternately, you can flatten the dough into the bottom of an 8×8-inch parchment-lined baking dish, then cut it into bars.)

Store the energy bites in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

**I used Medjool dates in this recipe, which are already nice and soft. If you substitute another kind of date, you may need to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first in order to soften then. (Then drain them before using.)

APPLE-CHEDDAR MAC AND CHEESE

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Raise your hand if you like mac and cheese? And when it's teamed with apples, you'll want to raise both hands!” Serves: 4; Prep Time: 25 to 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups dry elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups small diced, unpeeled, tart green or red apples

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups whole milk, lower fat milk can be substituted

1 small bay leaf

2 1/3 cup shredded sharp white or yellow Cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon dry sherry (see second note)

Salt to taste

Ground white pepper to taste

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs can be substituted

Directions

Butter a 1 1/2-quart round casserole.

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan according to package directions until al dente. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and drain well. Return the pasta to the saucepan and add the apples.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until tender. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until simmering gently. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove and discard the bay leaf and then stir 2 cups of the cheese and the sherry into the milk. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the cheese melts. Remove the pan from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and apples and stir gently to combine. Transfer the mac and cheese to the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the panko. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or just until heated through and lightly browned. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Note: You can bake the mac and cheese in individual ramekins. Butter them and bake for about 15 minutes.

Note: If you’re like me and don’t have alcohol around the house, no worries. Omit the Sherry, or add 1/2 teaspoon of milk or water with the cheese.

Per Serving: 600 calories; 33 g fat; 20 g saturated fat; 100 mg cholesterol; 660 mg sodium; 48 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 27g protein

VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “If you keep canned beans, tomatoes, onion and garlic in your pantry, you can make this dish on any weeknight without having to shop. The pickled onions aren’t strictly necessary, but they are simple to make and add a welcome tangy contrast to the beans. Pickled peppers are a fine substitute. If you have a bell pepper or jalapeño or two, chop them up and sauté them with the onions. And if you want to be fancy, grate the zest off the lime before juicing for the pickles, and stir it into the sour cream.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in “5 Easy Meals for the Distracted Cook,” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Pickled Onions:

1 lime

1 red onion or shallot, thinly sliced

Salt, as needed

Sugar, as needed

For the Chili:

Olive or grapeseed oil

1 large onion, chopped

Garlic cloves, to taste, minced

Chile powder

Dried oregano

2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Salt, to taste

Fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Make the pickled onions: Squeeze the lime juice into a bowl and add the onion or shallot, a large pinch of salt and a small pinch of sugar. Let rest for 20 minutes while you make the chili.

Heat a large skillet, then add the oil. When hot, add the onion and sauté until softened. Add the garlic, chile powder and oregano and sauté until fragrant. Add the beans and tomatoes and a few large pinches of salt and let simmer until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes.

Taste and add more salt, chile and/or oregano to taste. Serve with the pickled onion and any of the garnishes you like.

WINTER VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO

This recipe, from FamilyTime, begins, “The easy-to-make basil pesto adds great flavor to this hearty soup, featuring carrots, potatoes, turnips and leeks. Best of all, it's ready in less than an hour.”

Serves: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium carrots, diced (about 2/3 cup)

3 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)

1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

2 large leeks, white part only, sliced (about 2 cups)

2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)

5 1/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)

1 can (about 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Easy Basil Pesto

Directions

Heat the carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, celery and 1 3/4 cups broth in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Reserve 1/2 cup of broth for the Easy Basil Pesto. Stir the remaining broth, beans, bay leaf and red pepper in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with the Easy Basil Pesto.

Easy Basil Pesto: Place 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup reserved broth in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with Italian bread sticks. For dessert serve lemon bars.

PANETTONE BREAD PUDDING

This is from Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Tejal wrote, “If you’ve bought a loaf of truly fantastic panettone, made in the Italian tradition from a natural starter, the kind that’s airy and melting, we hope you don’t have any leftovers. But if you find yourself with an excess of mass-produced panettone, or simply very old panettone that’s past its prime, here’s how to transform it into something special. Cut it into thick slices, as the pastry chef Elisabeth Prueitt does with brioche, when she makes her bread pudding at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Toast them. Now layer the bread in a wide dish, and pour over a whisked custard of milk and eggs. It will look like too much liquid, but as it bakes, the panettone will soak it all up, becoming moist and tender and impossibly rich. It’s close enough to a casserole of French toast to make it ideal for a special holiday breakfast, but sweet enough to step in as dessert on a cold night. Vanilla would be a classic way to flavor the custard, but panettone tends to be quite sweet and perfumed already, so taste the bread first before adding extras.”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour baking

This was featured in “Panettone Has Become an Obsession for American Bakers,” and can be viewed here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 to 8 slices panettone

6 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups whole milk

Confectioners' sugar, to garnish

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a deep baking dish that will fit all the bread slices in a single layer, overlapping slightly, about 9 by 5 inches. Place the sliced panettone on a sheet pan and lightly toast it in the oven so that it’s still flexible, but dry to the touch, about 10 minutes. Arrange toast in the baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt, then add the milk and whisk until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer over the panettone, allowing the excess mixture to fill up the pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bread has soaked up all the custard and puffed up, and the custard is no longer runny. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving, then use a fine-mesh sieve to dust all over with confectioners' sugar and serve.

APPLE & CRANBERRY CRISP

Not sure where this recipe is from...maybe that infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list?

Filling:

12 apples

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Juice of one lemon

Topping:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Filling: Peel and core apples. Cut into bite-size chunks. Combine with all other filling ingredients. Spoon into generously buttered ramekins.

Topping: Combine all ingredients. Using fingers, crumble butter until mixture resembles peas. Spoon generous 2 tablespoons on top of each apple-filled ramekin.

Place ramekins on baking sheet. bake for 35-45 minutes, until browned on top.

Makes 10 generous servings.

Mexican Food

I love Mexican food. What's not to love? Enchiladas, quesadillas, and a whole lot more. Yum!

If you love Mexican food as much as I do, you're sure to love at least one or two (or all) of today's six recipes, including Black Bean Vegan Enchiladas and Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas. Enjoy!

FARROW BLACK BEANS MEXICAN BOWL [VEGAN]

This recipe comes from One Green Planet, and begins, “My idea was to make a one pan, flavorful, Mexican meal – so I flavored the warm oil with garlic and oregano first and then mixed in the rest of the ingredients except lettuce and avocados. I love the fresh and crunchy texture of lettuce, and fresh sliced avocados give this Farro Black Beans Mexican Bowl a light creamy texture. Serve this healthy, nutritious and vegan Mexican bowl to yourself and feel the happiness and energy flowing in your body.” Cook Time: 10 minutes; Serves: 4; Calories: 435

To view this online, go to http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/farro-black-beans-mexican-bowl/.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

2 tsp oregan

1 cup red onions (chopped)

1 cup green bell pepper (chopped)

1 tbsp jalapeno pepper (seeds removed and chopped)

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

3 roma tomatoes (blanched, peeled and mashed)

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup sweet corn kernels

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

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp lime juice

2 cups farrow (cooked)

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 whole avocado (seed removed and sliced/chopped

Preparation

Heat oil in a nonstick pan and add garlic, oregano and onions. Saute well.

Add green bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, tomatoes. Mix, cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Add sugar, corn, black beans, salt, lime juice.

Mix very well and cover and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.

Lastly add farro and mix well so that farro is properly coated and turn off the flame.

In a serving bowl/plate empty the pan. Top it with lettuce and avocado and serve.

BLACK BEAN VEGAN ENCHILADAS

This comes from Joyce Gan, “the recipe developer, blog post writer, and food photographer” for Light Orange Bean. It’s a cool site that I recently discovered.

Prep time: 35 mins; Cook time: 25 mins; Total time: 1 hour

Tools: 10”saute pan and spatula, strainer, knife and cutting board, potato masher, medium sized mixing bowl, 9”×13” baking dish, pastry brush, aluminum foil.

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4-6 servings

To view this online at Joyce’s site, go to http://lightorangebean.com/black-bean-vegan-enchiladas/.

Ingredients

1 tbs canola oil

1 medium size yellow onion (finely chopped, approximately 8 oz)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbs chili powder

2 tsp cumin powder

2 cups cooked black beans

1 tsp salt

2 cups tomato puree or 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce + 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup + 1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1 medium size jalapenos (seeded, finely chopped, approximately 1 oz)

8 oz vegan cheese (Mexican style GoVeggie preferred)

12-14 (5.5-inch) corn tortillas (gluten-free if desired)



Instructions

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the beans and tomato puree and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low. Mash the beans with a potato masher and simmer 5 minutes.

Remove the bean mixture from the heat and strain, reserving the sauce. Transfer the strained bean mixture to a medium bowl and mix together with 1/2 cup cilantro, jalapenos, and 4 oz of cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Microwave 5 tortillas at a time or follow the package instructions to soften. Scoop about 1/4 cup bean mixture into each tortilla and roll it up tightly. Place the filled and rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Finish all tortillas.

Dip the pastry brush in the sauce and brush the ends of each tortilla. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, bake for additional 2-3 minutes until the cheese is slightly brown.

Garnish with the remaining cilantro before serving.

Notes

If there is any remaining bean mixture, it can be used as a filling in tortilla shells without any further cooking. Add lettuce if desired.

Due to different recipes of making tomato puree, the liquid content may vary. Gradually add excess water when making the bean mixture if necessary.

WILD MUSHROOM QUESADILLAS

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always been a little leery about going out picking wild mushrooms. I wasn’t wild about mushrooms as a kid, but I’ve grown to just about like them. But wild mushrooms? Nah-ah, no thanks. I’ve heard too many horror stories…

That said, this comes from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking email. Kim wrote, “You don't have to use wild mushrooms, of course, but if you can get chanterelles — oh man. It takes a bit of time at the stove, but when the quesadilla is done, you have a great handheld food that is, among other things, very kid friendly.” Phew! Thank you, Kim, for adding that disclaimer about not having to use wild mushrooms!!!

This recipe yields 8 servings (Time: 30 minutes) and was featured in “THE CHEF: TRACI DES JARDINS; Tortillas Let a Cook Come Home Again”. It can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound chanterelles, black trumpet or other wild mushrooms (or substitute oyster, crimini or clamshell mushrooms; do not use shiitake), roughly chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup minced yellow onion

4 ounces grated Oaxaca or domestic Muenster cheese

4 ounces grated panela or aged mozzarella cheese

4 ounces grated cotija or Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of ground coriander

8 8-inch flour or corn tortillas, preferably homemade (recipe follows)

Preparation

Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When oil shimmers, add mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté until mushrooms release their liquid, liquid evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add onions. Sauté, adjusting heat as necessary, until onions are soft and entire mixture is golden brown but not burned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Using a food processor or a knife, finely chop mushroom-onion mixture, then transfer to a large bowl. Add grated cheeses, cilantro, oregano and coriander. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat, and add remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. While pan heats, place a large spoonful of mushroom-cheese mixture into center of a tortilla, and fold tortilla in half to make a half-moon. Place filled tortilla in preheated skillet and cook, turning once, until tortilla is nicely browned on both sides and cheese is melted. Repeat to make 8 filled tortillas. Serve immediately.

GRANDMA SALAZAR’S TORTILLAS

This also comes from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking email. Kim wrote, “This recipe for flour tortillas came to The Times in 2005 from Traci Des Jardins, a San Francisco chef whose heritage is Cajun on one side and Mexican on the other, via her maternal grandmother, Angela Salazar...These make for really delicious tortillas.” Kim had added, “You’ll see ‘bacon drippings’ in the ingredients.” I've omitted the bacon drippings, as well as lard (it originally read ‘bacon drippings, lard or vegetable shortening’) and left it as simply the vegetable shortening.

Makes 12 8-inch tortillas.

This was featured in “THE CHEF: TRACI DES JARDINS; Tortillas Let a Cook Come Home Again” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Preparation

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add bacon drippings and mix by hand or with a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. Slowly mix in 1 cup cold water. Add just enough additional water (about 1/3 cup) to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough.

Divide dough into 12 balls of equal size. Place on a board or baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel; allow to rest for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll tortillas into 8-inch rounds. Place between sheets of waxed paper. At this point dough may be covered and refrigerated until cooking time, or used immediately.

Heat a griddle over medium heat. Remove tortillas from waxed paper and cook one at a time until puffy and slightly brown, about 30 seconds a side. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm until serving.

GRILLED VEGETABLE AND BLACK BEAN FAJITAS

This yummy recipe is from The Scrumptious Pumpkin.

Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 12 fajitas, 6 servings (2 fajitas per serving; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here

Ingredients

For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 organic zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

16 ounces organic black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

3/4 teaspoons cumin

3/4 teaspoons chili powder

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below)

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced

12 organic whole wheat tortillas

Salt

For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup green onions (scallions), chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime, freshly squeezed

Salt

Instructions

For the Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Fajitas:

Prepare the grill for 375 degrees F.

Layer first the onion, then the bell pepper, and finally the zucchini on a grill vegetable basket. Season with salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add the black beans to the basket, season with additional salt, and cook about 2 minutes more, or until beans are heated through.

Meanwhile, as vegetables are cooking, prepare the spice mixture. To a large mixing bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Season with a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil until well combined.

Immediately after removing the basket from the grill, pour the still-hot vegetables and beans into the mixing bowl. Stir and combine until the seasonings have melted into the vegetables and everything is well coated with oil.

Spoon the vegetable-black bean mixture onto whole wheat tortillas. Top with heaping spoonfuls of Fresh Homemade Salsa (recipe below) and slices of avocado. Roll up tortillas, and serve.

For the Fresh Homemade Salsa:

To a mixing bowl, add the tomato, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Add the lime juice and season with salt. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Storage: refrigerate salsa in a covered, airtight container.

EASY MEXICAN RICE

This also comes from Diana Rattray, Southern food expert with The Spruce. Diana wrote, “This is a tasty and quick rice to make to go with burritos or fajitas. Use packaged ‘ready’ rice to make this even faster.” Total Time: 10 minutes; Prep: 5 minutes; 5 minutes; Yield: Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 cups cooked rice

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

1/3 cup tomato sauce, or to taste

Directions

In a saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat, cook the green onions for 1 minute.

Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute longer.

Stir in the rice, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix. Heat through.

Desserts - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post is dedicated to desserts! Here are six yummy dessert recipes to help you through the day, including Red Velvet Doughnuts and Panettone Bread Pudding. Enjoy!

REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

This is from The Food Network. Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Yield: 12 pieces.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 (12-ounce) package Hershey's milk chocolate chips

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter, salt and powdered sugar until firm. Slowly melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. You may also melt them in a microwave oven set on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through the heating time. Grease the muffin tin cups and spoon some chocolate into each cup, filling halfway. With a spoon, draw the chocolate up the edges of each cup until all sides are coated. Cool in the refrigerator until firm. Spread some of the peanut butter onto the chocolate in each cup, leaving room for the final chocolate layer. Cool the cups again to firm up the peanut butter. Pour some chocolate onto the top of each candy and spread it to the edges. Let sit at room temperature, or covered in the refrigerator. Turn out of the pan when firm.

CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE

This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”

Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15

Ingredients

4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package; I highly recommend using vegetarian marshmallows)

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.

Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.

After the cake is cool, cut into squares.

RED VELVET DOUGHNUTS

This is from Diana Rattry, Southern food expert for The Spruce. Diana wrote, “These red velvet doughnuts are as delicious as they are attractive. They make a wonderful treat for any time of the year, and the vibrant red color makes them an excellent choice for a Valentine's Day or Christmas morning.

“Glaze the doughnuts with a cream cheese frosting or plain vanilla icing and decorate them with red sugars or candies. These doughnuts will be an instant hit!”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 10 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Doughnuts

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (5 1/2 ounces)

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk*

1 tablespoon red food coloring

4 tablespoons butter ( melted, cooled slightly)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

Vanilla Icing

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon butter (melted)

1 tablespoons water (or more, as needed)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Icing

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)

2 tablespoons cream cheese (softened)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk (or more, as needed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Spray doughnut pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk or spoon to blend thoroughly.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg with the buttermilk (or sour milk), red food coloring, melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and vinegar.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until blended.

Spoon the batter into a small plastic food storage bag.

Cut a small corner from the bag and pipe the batter into the cavities of the doughnut pan, filling them about half full.

Bake standard size doughnuts for about 10 to 12 minutes. Bake mini doughnuts for about 6 minutes.

Dip the tops of the doughnuts into the cream cheese or vanilla icing to glaze or spread with the icing (see below).

The recipe makes about 10 standard baked doughnuts or about 16 to 18 mini baked doughnuts.

Vanilla Icing

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, combine the sifted powdered sugar with the light corn syrup, melted butter, 1 tablespoon of water and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Beat the icing, adding more water in small amounts until the desired consistency is reached.

Cream Cheese Icing

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, combine the powdered sugar with the softened cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk.

Beat the icing, adding more milk in small amounts until the desired consistency is reached.

*Sour milk is a good buttermilk substitute. To make sour milk, put 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add milk to the 1/2-cup line. Stir and let stand for about 5 minutes. It might look curdled, but that's okay.

CHAI-SPICED PEAR PIE

This is from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you might remember me posting quite a few recipes from Audra (although it’s been a while). Her blog rocks! If you haven’t checked it out, you really should. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

This recipe begins, “I can’t possibly let you enter Thanksgiving week without another pie recipe. As the person in charge of desserts in my family, I’m always looking to make something classic with a twist and this gorgeous pie is just that apples get all the attention in the fall, but baking with firm, sweet pears is in my opinion just as good but way more unique and impressive.

“This pear pie is tossed with warm chai spices like cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and even a crack of black pepper. The result is just a bit more kick than what you’re probably used to with apple pie, but that same warm, melt-in-your-mouth goodness just waiting for a scoop of vanilla.”

Yield: 1 9-inch pie

To view this online on Audra’s blog, click here.

Ingredients

2-3 single layers of Pie Crust (see note)

10 cups of peeled, thinly sliced pears (from about 8-10 pears depending on size, use something firm like bosc)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3-4 twists of freshly ground black pepper (1/8 teaspoon, optional)

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Keep crust chilling in the fridge while you prep the pears.

In a large pot or dutch oven, toss together the pears, brown sugar, flour, and spices. Stir in water and dot with the butter.

Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, tossing everything around to par-cook the pears a bit. Keep checking to see when a pear slice is "bendy" and slightly tender, but for me I cooked them for 10-15 minutes.

Allow pears to cool while you prep your dough. If you are doing a lattice or braided crust, roll some of the dough out now, form the braids, and freeze them until pie is ready to be assembled. If you are just doing a double crust- wait until the pears are mostly cool.

Roll out one layer of crust and drape over the bottom of a 9- inch pie pan leaving a bit of overhang. Pour the cooled pears into the crust and top with another sheet of pie crust, a lattice top, or the braids.

Trim and crimp edge of crust and pop the whole thing in the freezer for 10-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425.F. Place pie onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then reducing the heat to 350F and baking for another 45-50 minutes.. If the crust seems to be getting too dark you can drape some foil on top for the remainder of the baking.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

*If you want a little extra pie dough to work with for a decorative crust, I like to have a bit extra and usually make 3 batches of crust. If you are just doing a classic top, two single layers is fine!

CHEESECAKE-STUFFED RED VELVET COOKIES

This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “The classic flavors of red velvet cake are transformed into cookies with the cream cheese baked right inside.”

Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Active Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cookies; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Filling:

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cookies:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (see Cook's Note)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, scooped and leveled

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon buttermilk

1 teaspoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Confectioners' sugar, for coating

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling at a time onto the parchment so that you have 12 dollops. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Coat your hands generously with confectioners' sugar and scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into your hand. Put one of the frozen cream cheese dollops in the middle of the dough and place another tablespoon of the dough on top of the cream cheese. Shape the dough around it to completely enclose the cream cheese, and then roll to coat in the confectioners' sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese, coating your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges and can be easily lifted with a spatula, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Cook's Note

When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)

PANETTONE BREAD PUDDING

This is from Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Tejal wrote, “If you’ve bought a loaf of truly fantastic panettone, made in the Italian tradition from a natural starter, the kind that’s airy and melting, we hope you don’t have any leftovers. But if you find yourself with an excess of mass-produced panettone, or simply very old panettone that’s past its prime, here’s how to transform it into something special. Cut it into thick slices, as the pastry chef Elisabeth Prueitt does with brioche, when she makes her bread pudding at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Toast them. Now layer the bread in a wide dish, and pour over a whisked custard of milk and eggs. It will look like too much liquid, but as it bakes, the panettone will soak it all up, becoming moist and tender and impossibly rich. It’s close enough to a casserole of French toast to make it ideal for a special holiday breakfast, but sweet enough to step in as dessert on a cold night. Vanilla would be a classic way to flavor the custard, but panettone tends to be quite sweet and perfumed already, so taste the bread first before adding extras.”

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour baking

This was featured in “Panettone Has Become an Obsession for American Bakers,” and can be viewed here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 to 8 slices panettone

6 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups whole milk

Confectioners' sugar, to garnish

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a deep baking dish that will fit all the bread slices in a single layer, overlapping slightly, about 9 by 5 inches. Place the sliced panettone on a sheet pan and lightly toast it in the oven so that it’s still flexible, but dry to the touch, about 10 minutes. Arrange toast in the baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt, then add the milk and whisk until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer over the panettone, allowing the excess mixture to fill up the pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bread has soaked up all the custard and puffed up, and the custard is no longer runny. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving, then use a fine-mesh sieve to dust all over with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Taco Tuesday

It's Taco Tuesday again. I don't know about you, but I love tacos.

For some reason, my parents seldom made tacos when my sister, brother and I were kids. But after we moved to Florida, Mom started making tacos occasionally. Okay, more like once a week...But they always consisted of the basics: hard shells, ground beef, tomatoes, grated cheese, and lettuce. Now the possibilities are endless.
That said, here are today's six taco recipes, including Crispy Thai Roasted Cauliflower Tacos (a vegan taco) and Banana Chocolate Tacos (yes, really!). Enjoy!

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 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.”

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.

CRISPY THAI ROASTED CAULIFLOWER TACOS [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

This comes from One Green Planet, and starts off, “These cauliflower tacos are an explosion of flavors and textures that will leave you wanting more. The crispy Thai cauliflower is mellowed by a tasty slaw and the whole taco is tied together with a delightful avocado-lime sauce. These tacos are sure to be crowd pleasers.”

This recipe is: Dairy-Free and Vegan; Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Tacos:

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

4 cups cauliflower florets

2 teaspoon Thai seasoning (see below)

4 small, gluten-free tortillas

For the Slaw:

3 cups purple cabbage, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

3 tablespoon cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon flaked toasted coconut

2 teaspoon each extra virgin olive oil and lime juice

1 teaspoon agave

1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

For the Avocado Lime Drizzle:

1 avocado, pitted

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup water

2 limes, peeled (flesh only – take the skin and white bits off with a knife)

For the Thai Seasoning:

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried lemon zest

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

A few pinches of dried chili flakes

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a bowl, whisk together the curry paste, olive oil, and lime juice to make a thinner paste.

Toss the cauliflower in the mixture and stir it to coat.

In a small jar, combine all spices for the Thai seasoning and shake them together to blend.

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the Thai seasoning over the cauliflower and stir it to coat.

Line a baking sheet with foil and scatter the cauliflower florets in a single layer.

Roast them for 15-20 minutes or until they are crispy.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the cabbage slaw in a large bowl.

Stir the olive oil, lime juice, and agave together. Then, pour it over the slaw and stir everything in.

In a blender, puree all ingredients for the avocado drizzle. Transfer it to a bottle with a squeeze top, or a sealed jar as you’ll have extra to store in the fridge.

When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the oven.

Divide the cabbage slaw between 3-4 tortillas, then evenly distribute the roasted cauliflower. Drizzle the tacos with avocado sauce and garnish with additional cilantro and toasted coconut if desired.

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

POTATO TACOS

Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This 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