Tomatillo Enchiladas, Slaw, and Squash Casserole

Tomatillo Enchiladas, Slaw, and Squash Casserole

Tex-Mex Squash Casseroles in glass ramekins

Enchiladas, pre-baking

Notes

Recipes, Tips, and Substitutions

1. To make the enchiladas, I used the Viva Vegan! Green Tomatillo Sauce Recipe; the Viva Vegan! Pan-Fried Tempeh with Sofrito recipe, substituting seitan for tempeh; the Viva Vegan! Pine Nut Crema Recipe for the creamy topping; and assembled, accoridng to the Viva Vegan! Potato-Chickpea Enchiladas with Green Tomatillo Sauce Recipe. The sides are Cabbage Slaw, adapted from the Viva Vegan! Classic Cabbage Recipe, and Tex-Mex Squash Casserole, veganized from the Homesick Texan Tex-Mex Squash Casserole Recipe.

2. The ratio I used for the enchilada filling was: 1 Tablespoon of cheese (Chopped Tofutti Mozzarella, about 2 slices), 1/2 Tablespoon of diced onions sauteed in canola oil, and 1/3 cup of the seitan filling. Each tortilla was gently coated in the tomatillo salsa, filled with the filling ingredients, then rolled tightly and placed in a glass baking dish over a layer of tomatillo salsa. To give you a better sense, this is a photo of my enchilada prepping station, with tomatillo sauce, prepped tortilla, and fillings:

I then covered the tightly rolled enchiladas with the remaining tomatillo salsa and a layer of pine nut crema, and baked according to the recipe's instructions.

Tasting

This may have made me even more homesick! She's not much of a looker but overall the enchiladas were an excellent dish and all the components constituted a well-balanced meal. The caramelized onions added an amazing crunch and I greatly preferred the flavor and texture of this filling to that in the Sour Cream enchilada recipe. The tomatillo sauce is exactly what I was hoping for and easy enough to make; my only recommendation is to roast the raw tomatillos, rather than boiling them, to kick up the smoky flavor.The casserole is rich and indulgent; not very nutritious, but comfort food is meant to nourish the mind rather than the body. Besides, when you portion the casserole into ramekins, you can snap lids on 'em and place them uncooked in the freezer for later. Not to mention that the slaw is exceptionally healthy (and fat free); the crunchy tang balances out the creamy pine nut crema and mushy fatty casserole and the roughage ensures that your metabolism will keep purring.

Sour Cream Enchiladas with Saffron Garlic Rice

Sour Cream Enchiladas (R), with Garlic Saffron Rice (L).

Parsley, an enchiladean sombrero de fiesta (or party hat, for the uninitiated).

Freshly Baked
Prepped for Baking
Peekaboo!

Notes

Recipe:

The sour cream enchilada sauce is veganized from the Homesick Texan Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas Recipe; the enchilada filling is the Viva Vegan! Latin Shredded Seitan, Mexican Chile-Braised Variety Recipe; and the Saffron-Garlic Rice is adapted from the Veganomicon Saffron-Garlic Rice Recipe, which I discuss in the Paella with Soy Chorizo post.

Mini Cupcakes

From left to right, Dark Chocolate-Mint, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Chianti Wildberry, and Strawberry Shortcake.

Golden Vanilla and Basic Chocolate Cupcakes

Notes

Recipes

Based on the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World Golden Vanilla Cupcakes Recipes, Basic Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe, and Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Recipe.

Date, Plantain, and Walnut Scones

Date, Plantain, and Walnut Scones, adapted from the Veganomicon Banana-Date Scones Recipe.

Notes

Recipe and Substitutions:

1. The recipe called for granulated white sugar; instead I used organic granulated light brown sugar.

2. The recipe called for bananas; I substituted over-ripe plantains.

3. The recipe called for brown rice syrup; I tried agave syrup.

4. I toasted the walnuts in a hot, dry sautee pan to bring out their oil and a roasted flavor.

Tips:

I used a 1/2 cup measuring cup sprayed with Organic Canola Oil to give the scones a uniform, round shape.

Tasting:

Delicious. Dense and a bit crumbly but moist. The caramel undertones of the brown sugar's molasses paired well with the dates, and enhanced the depth of the flavor profile. The plantains did not mash as well as overripe bananas would have and consequently did not completely combine into the batter mixture; they appear as the yellow flecks in the final product. I think the subtle color enhancement is nice and the toothsome, starchy texture of the chunks contrasted pleasantly with the softer scone and the harder walnut chunks. The scone half at left is smeared with a teaspoon of Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks Margarine. While the scones were quite good cold, I highly recommend serving them warm (or re-warmed in the oven) with margarine or fruit jam.

Blueberry, Blackberry, and Lemon Zest Muffins

Blueberry, Blackberry, and Lemon Zest Muffins. Adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking Blueberry Lemon Muffins Recipe. The crumb topping recipe is veganized from the Food & Wine Crumb Topping Recipe.

Notes:

1. I used agave instead of granulated sugar and whole wheat pastry flour instead of white, so these turned out denser and darker than they might otherwise if I had used the suggested ingredients.

2. I really like foil muffin tin liners. The muffin gets crispy, pops out cleanly, and does not stick, which often happens with paper liners.

Paella with Soy Chorizo

Roasted Red Bell Pepper stuffed with Vegetable Paella, topped with Sauteed Onions and Soy Chorizo.

Notes

Recipes:

The Soy Chorizo is El Burrito SoyRizo. The Paella is adapted from the Veganomicon Saffron-Garlic Rice Recipe.

1. Start by prepping the rice. I followed the recipe instructions, omitting the optional almonds and adding some defrosted peas in the last ten minutes of cooking. Also, definitely use a non stick sauce pot for cooking and make sure you watch it carefully after adding the peas because the bottom of the dish transitions quickly from "socarrat" (crunchy, super flavorful grains that absorb the oil and garlic left over from sauteeing the vegetables) to "inedibly burnt."

2. Once the rice is cooking, turn your attention to preparing the rest of the meal. Hollow out half of a red bell pepper and roast it for 10 minutes on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven. Once you've got it in the oven, prepare the chorizo topping by chopping up some yellow onions and garlic and sauteeing it in a bit of olive oil over medium heat for about five minutes until lightly caramelized. Prepare the sausage by taking it out of the plastic casing, giving it a rough dice, and throwing it in the pan for five more minutes. Finally, plate the pepper, stuff it about 3/4 full with rice and then top with the chorizo mixture and serve immediately.

Tasting: I had initially envisioned preparing a more traditionally styled paella, intending to add the chorizo and bell pepper into the rice while cooking. However, the texture of the sausage was less firm than I expected and I worried about it breaking up while cooking. Also, the bell pepper was incredibly fresh and crisp, which contrasted with the starchy softness of the cooked rice and the chewy fattiness of the sausage. Moreover, I thought the contrast of the red chorizo and pepper with the yellow and green of the saffron and peas would generate more visual interest. The rice was flavorful, but mild enough to deflect some of the grease and heat from the chorizo topping. The light smokiness of the roasted pepper was also a welcome addition and rounded out the flavor profile in each bite.

Lemon Blueberry Muffin, Snickerdoodle Cookie, and Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Muffin

Lemon Blueberry Muffin (L), Snickerdoodle Cookie (C) , and Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Muffin (R).

Notes

Recipes:

1. The snickerdoodle cookie recipe is from the Vegan Yum Yum Snickerdoodles Recipe.

2. Both muffin recipes are from The Joy of Vegan Baking: Blueberry Lemon Muffin Recipe and Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Muffin Recipe.

Tasting:

1. Snickerdoodles

These snickerdoodles are a staple in my kitchen. I've tried so many other recipes and had the cookies either make a melted mess across the baking sheet or hold up, only to crumble hopelessly when trying to plate them. Depending on how firm you like your cookies, take them out a minute or two earlier for a slightly softer, chewier cookie or leave them in for the full time and allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes for a crisp, crunchy cookie.

2. Muffins

I prepared these for a vegan bake sale and received effusive compliments! The blueberry lemon are really interesting because the expected pairing of blueberry with lemon is punched up by the texture of the zest and the soft, melt-in-your-mouth quality of the muffin itself. You can use frozen berries, but I recommend fresh and folding with a very gentle pan, because that way you have the color contrast of the lightly yellow muffins and rich blue spots. The banana muffins were also excellent, dense and just a little greasy. They're also amenable to iterations: I made plain, chocolate chip, walnut, and chocolate-chip-walnut, which were all well received.