Vegan Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

   I've made these a couple of times now, and absolutely love them. The first time I made enchiladas, Ryan came home from work, saw them in the baking dish as asked "Mexican manicotti?". Yea, pretty much. A tomato-y sauce, a tortilla instead of the pasta, and a tasty filling. That's pretty much it, right? 

     Enchiladas are extremely versatile and can be packed full of whatever your little heart desires. My personal favourite is a mixture of quinoa with black beans, spinach, corn and green onions. Super tasty, and besides rolling the enchiladas, there is minimal prep. I've included a pretty easy recipe for enchilada sauce, a thin tomato sauce seasoned with smoked and hot spices, along with cumin and coriander. But alternatively, if you want to make this recipe even easier, you can used canned or jarred, pre-made enchilada sauce, normally in the Mexican section of grocery stores next to the taco kits and what-not, though I am not sure if they're vegan (I've just never looked).

Serves: 4-6
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 8-10 12" Tortilla wraps
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 can black beans, strained and rinsed
• 4 green onions, washed and chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, washed, stems removed and chopped
• 1 cup spinach, chiffonaded or finely chopped and packed tightly
• 1 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp coriander

Sauce (optional)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large clove of garlic, finely minced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp each of onion powder, chili powder, smoked chipotle, smoked paprika, cooriander and salt
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp cold water
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Cook quinoa: either follow package instructions or place quinoa in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 1/2 cups water and cook for 8 minutes on 60% power, then 5 minutes at full/100% power. Remove from microwave when all water is absorbed, if any water remains, microwave for additional 1 minute increments at 100% until quinoa has completely absorbed liquid. Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, start the sauce if using. In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat, warm olive oil with garlic until fragrant. Toss in all the spices to quickly toast, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, and slowly incorporate the broth and water while stirring. Continue to stir the sauce while incorporating the cornstarch and water mixture. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until thickened (will thicken more as it cools). 
3. While your sauce is cooking, mix together all filling ingredients in a large bowl. 
4. Preheat oven to 375°F and coat the bottom of a large rectangular pyrex dish (9x13") with a bit of sauce.
5. Start rolling! Evenly distribute the filling among the tortillas, roll up (you can leave the ends open or closed, it's up to you) and place seam down in the baking dish.
6. Cover enchiladas with the remainder of the sauce and bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes.
7. Serve with a guacamole for a tasty treat!

Summer Swiss Chard Pasta

       Based on Grandpa Mark's pasta, this savoury dish is packed with one of my favourite veggies out of the garden, swiss chard. You can enjoy this dish year round, but it's best in the summer with greens and herbs from the garden or the market. I prefer using swiss chard, but you can also use spinach (like Grandpa Mark used to do) in this tasty pasta sauce.

Serves: 3-6

Ingredients

3 Tbsp or 1/8 cup olive oilOne large white onion, cut into chunks4 cloves of garlic, minced1/8 tsp red chili flakes1 tsp dried basil or about 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves cut into strips1/2 tsp dried oragano1/4 tsp dried thymeHalf a large bunch or 300g Swiss Chard, stems and greens chopped2 cans chopped tomatoesOne can (514mL) chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed About 300g pasta

Preparation

1. In a large pan on medium heat, add olive oil, onions, garlic, chili flakes and herbs and sauté for 2 minutes.2. While the onions are sautéing, chop up the swiss chard stems and add them to the pan. Sauté the mixture for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the swiss chard stems begin to soften up.3. Add two cans of tomatoes and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile start a pot of salted boiling water for your pasta.4. Add the beans and the chopped swiss chard to the sauce. Cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.5. Once the sauce is complete, you can add your pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook to al dente. Meanwhile remove your sauce from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.6. When you pasta is finished, strain and spoon the pasta onto plates and cover with sauce. Any leftover pasta can be tossed in olive oil so that it does not stick.7. Garnish with fresh basil if desired and enjoy!

Chipotlé Mexican Mania

Living in Toronto, we quickly learned to love Chipotle Mexican Grill. Their burritos and bowls are the best. Fresh ingredients, loads of vegetables - what's not to love? Oh wait the price! We much prefer making our own at home! We've gathered and worked on a delicious guacamole, cilantro-lime rice and mexican black beans, all inspired by Chipotle's vegetarian fair. All the recipes are fresh, easy and delicious, so give them a try!

Serves: 4

Guacamole

• 2 Hass Avocados, ripe and mashed
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1-2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
• 2 heaping tbsp chopped cilantro (fresh)
• 1/4 lime juiced or 2 tsp lime juice
• 1/8 tsp salt or to taste

Mash avocado and then mix together with all other ingredients in a bowl and serve with chips or as a topping for burritos, bowls, tacos,... 

Cilantro lime Rice

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 lime, juiced or 1 tbsp+ 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/8 tsp salt

Cook rice with two parts water in a rice cooker or on the stove in a medium sauce pot, following package instruction. 
When all water is absorbed, remove from heat and let steam for 5 minutes.
Mix salt and lime juice together and then add to the rice along with the cilantro.
Mix and serve.

Black Beans

• 2 cans black beans, 1 drained, 1 undrained
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp asian 5-spice (or allspice)
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt or to taste
• optional: 3 chipotles en adobo sauce, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small pot and stew over medium heat for around 30 minutes.

• Serve with lightly sautéed green peppers and red onions, cheese, lettuce and salsa on a large tortilla to make your burrito.
• If you prefer burrito bowls, as I do, layer the ingredients: rice, beans, sautéed green peppers and red onions, crunchy lettuce (ex. romaine), with salsa, cheese, and guacamole, grab a fork and dig in!