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Vegan Veggie & Black Bean Enchiladas

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Veggie-Black-Bean-Enchiladas ENCHILADA LOVE OVER HERE!

Just look at these beauties. So gorgeous, so tasty, so healthy, so amazing. I’m in love!

Vegan-Black-Bean-Enchiladas This recipe all started with an expired jar of enchilada sauce.

You see, I had planned on making some enchiladas for dinner recently, and so I went to the store to buy some enchilada sauce. Because, you know, I was too lazy to make my own.

I came home, ready to get down to business, and that’s when I noticed that the enchilada sauce that I JUST BOUGHT was expired. By 3 months!

That’s what I get for trying to go the easy route.

Black-Bean-Veggie-Enchiladas After a fit of rage ensued (not really, but kinda sorta yes it’s true), I took some deep breaths and decided to just make my regular enchilada sauce. I had all the ingredients, and it was easy, so fine. I’ll do it. I wanted enchiladas too bad to give up on the whole operation.

After THAT situation was handled, I got to work on the filling for these enchiladas. I just used a few veggies I had in my fridge. When they were done cooking, I then drizzled some super yum cashew cream on top, sprinkled pretty things on top (because I like pretty food), and stuffed my face.

 

Totally oblivious to the awful enchilada sauce experience I’d just had. Because DAMN, these things are GOOD.

Black-Bean-Enchiladas-Vegan

Vegan Veggie & Black Bean Enchiladas
 
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 4 Servings
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp flour (I used kamut flour)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 4 tbsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
Cashew Cream
  • ⅓ cup raw cashews
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Filling
  • ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 small bell pepper, diced (I used red)
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 1½ cups cooked black beans (or 1 15oz can)
  • ½ cup corn kernels
  • ¼ sliced olives (I used black olives)
  • 3-4 green onions, sliced
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro or parsley (I used parsley)
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 8 flour or corn tortillas (I used flour tortillas)
Instructions
Enchilada Sauce
  1. In a small pot, heat your oil until warm, over low heat, then add in the flour and whisk until there are no clumps remaining. At that point, you can add in your spices, tomato paste and vegetable broth. Whisk until smooth. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.
Cashew Cream
  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender and process/blend until very smooth.
Filling
  1. Add your oil to a large pan, over medium heat. Once warmed, add in your diced onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Then, add in the bell pepper and zucchini. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until softened.
  3. Add in your cooked black beans and corn, until it's all warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350F and add a big ladle-full of enchilada sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
  5. Add about 2 tablespoons of veggies to a tortilla, top with olives, green onion and cilantro/parsley. Roll it up tightly, and place seam-side down in your baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  6. Pour the enchilada sauce over your enchiladas, making sure to cover everything well.
  7. Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
  8. Serve with a drizzle of cashew cream, chopped cilantro/parsley, and a few more green onions on top.

 

Roasted Salt & Pepper Delicata Squash

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Roasted-Delicata-Squash My absolute favourite squash of all time is the gorgeous delicata squash. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s SO tasty! My favourite way to cook it is by roasting it in the oven with a bit of oil, salt & pepper. I can eat it as a snack on it’s own, that’s how good it is. Usually, though, it’s a side dish.

This recipe is hardly a recipe at all, considering there are only 4 ingredients (and one of them is the squash!). But it’s so delicious, I just had to share.

Delicata Slice your squash in half, and remove the seeds. This is the fun part. No really!

Normally I just throw out the seeds, but this time, I kept them, and roasted them, too, after the squash was done. They were so good!

Delicata-Squash Add to your baking sheet, toss with a bit of oil, salt & pepper. Then bake!

Vegan-Roasted-Delicata-Squash Come oooooon. Look at those little cuties? Don’t you just want to snatch them up and eat the whole entire bowl-full yourself?

No? Just me?

Roasted-Delicata-Squash-Vegan I added the squash to a rice bowl this time, with some sauteed greens and lentils. My belly was happy. Your belly would be happy too, if you made this squash! Do it!

Roasted Salt & Pepper Delicata Squash
 
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Recipe type: Sides
Serves: 3-4 sides
Ingredients
  • 1 medium delicata squash
  • ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt (add more or less, to taste)
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (add more or less, to taste)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Wash the squash, then slice off the stem, and cut the squash in half, length-wise. Do not remove the skin. Remove and discard the seeds (or you can save them and roast them for a snack!). Slice squash into half-moon shapes, about ½ inch thick.
  3. Spread your squash out on a large baking sheet. Add the oil, salt & pepper, and mix well, with your hands, until every half-moon is covered.
  4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time, or until the squash has browned and you can easily pierce it with a fork or knife.
  5. Serve hot!

 

Pumpkin Donuts with Powdered Sugar Glaze

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Vegan-Pumpkin-Doughnuts

Pumpkin EVERYTHING is in full effect over at my house. What about yours? I’m eating this stuff like it’s candy, and I don’t see myself stopping any time soon!

Not that I’m complaining or anything…

The other day I opened up a can of pumpkin puree, just so I could smell it. SERIOUSLY. I had no intentions of making anything with it. I just wanted to smell that pumpkin smell and then melt into a puddle of OMG IT SMELLS SO GOOD.

I can’t make this stuff up. I’ve done some weird stuff before, but this just moved up to the top of my “crazy things I’ve done” list.

Pumpkin-Doughnuts

Anywho, that pumpkin went in the fridge, and then the next morning I had the urge to bake with it. After giving it another good, long sniff, of course.

But what to make? There’s cookies and muffins and cupcakes, oh my! But no. None of those were right. Pumpkin bread? Donuts? Yes. Yes, that’s what I’ll make. DONUTS.

Pumpkin-Doughnuts-Vegan

And so that’s what I made. Delicious, moist, pumpkin-y orange donuts with extra cinnamon and drizzled with a bit of icing (who cares if they’re for breakfast? A little icing never hurt anyone.)!

Pumpkin-Spice-Doughnuts

Pumpkin Spelt Doughnuts with Powdered Sugar Glaze
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spelt Doughnuts
  • ½ cup + 2 tbsp pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted (I used Earth Balance)
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1½ cup spelt flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp vanilla
Powdered Sugar Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp non-dairy milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
Pumpkin Spelt Doughnuts
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray doughnut pans with non-stick spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, add pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, non-dairy milk, melted vegan butter, baking soda, baking powder, flour, salt cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Yep, everything. Add it all to the bowl and mix until combined.
  3. Spoon into your prepared doughnut pans and flatten them with your fingers.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. While the doughnuts are cooling, you can make the powdered sugar glaze.
Powdered Sugar Glaze
  1. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until you reach the desired consistency. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add more non-dairy milk.
  2. Once doughnuts have cooled completely, drizzle the glaze over each doughnut. Sprinkle with more cinnamon and enjoy!

 

Spirulina Protein Power Bites

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I spotted it in the store a few months ago. It stood out and called my name: SPIRULINA.

Spirulina

I had heard about the almighty spirulina before, but I had never seen it at the store. Until THAT DAY. That day when I decided to look a little closer for this superfood that is such a rich source of calcium and iron.

And there it was. Sitting on a shelf. Calling my name.

Spirulina-Balls-Recipe

So I bought it. And it sat in my kitchen cupboard for over 2 months without being opened once. I’m a procrastinator, what can I say?

Spirulina-Balls

After seeing this full jar of spirulina at least 5 million times, I finally decided enough was enough, and set out to make something THAT DAY.

Spirulina-Balls-Vegan

It was a green smoothie. And it was delicious. I’ve made that smoothie a bunch of times now and even my picky kids will drink it!

But this is not that recipe.

Spirulina-Snack-Balls

I was feeling ambitious a few weeks ago, and decided to use spirulina to make something other than green smoothies, so I went with these adorable little bites of goodness.

And it worked – they are absolutely delicious, and healthy and everything I love in a snack.

But man are they ever GREEN. I stained my white t-shirt while making these, so if you plan to make them, I strongly recommend black everything!

Spirulina-Snack-Bites

 

Spirulina Protein Power Bites
 
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Recipe type: Snack
Serves: 15-20
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dates
  • ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup almonds
  • 2 tbsp spirulina
  • 3 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a food professor and process until well combined.
  2. Roll into balls and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

 

Vegan-Spirulina-Balls

Vegan Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

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Vegan-Cauliflower-Mac-and-Cheese

Have I mentioned that I love mac & cheese? ‘Cause I doooooo, and I just can’t get enough.

This time, it’s mac and cheese made with a creamy cauliflower cheese sauce. De-lish!

Cauliflower-Mac-and-Cheese

I’ve made numerous mac and cheese recipes in my life, but I think this one takes the cake. It’s cheesy and creamy and satisfying and YUM YUM YUM.

Even my mom, who is far from vegan, loved this dish and asked for the recipe. Mom never asks for the recipe! I knew it was a keeper when even she loved it.

Cauliflower-Mac-and-Cheese-Vegan

I added some smoked paprika on top for a bit of smoky flavour, but you don’t have to. But it’s delicious and it’s pretty, so why not?

Also, a bit of vegan parmesan cheese never hurt anyone. Throw it on there.

Eat up, eat more, and do a happy dance for delicious vegan mac and cheese. Yes!

Vegan-Mac-and-Cheese-Cauliflower

Vegan Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
 
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Recipe type: Pasta
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 cups elbow macaroni
  • 1 large head cauliflower, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Paprika, as garnish (optional)
  • Vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
  2. Fill a large pot with water, and bring to a boil. Add in the chopped cauliflower and carrots. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until softened. Drain, and add to a food processor or high speed blender.
  3. Add in the oil, water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Process/blend until smooth.
  4. Add cheese sauce to your pot full of drained pasta and mix well.
  5. Serve, with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese and some paprika, if desired.

 

Mac-and-Cheese-Cauliflower

Roasted Buttery Spaghetti Squash with Garlic & Basil

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Vegan-Garlic-Spaghetti-Squash

Last year, a friend of mine told me she was eating a gluten-free diet and told me that instead of pasta, she often ate spaghetti squash for meals. So, being a skeptic, I was all “pffft, I bet it tastes nothing like pasta and everything like mushy squash”.

She made me some for lunch a few days later, with a roasted red pepper sauce, and steamed veggies and YOU GUYS. It was AMAAAAAAZING!

Spaghetti-Squash-Dish

I now eat spaghetti squash whenever I can get my hands on it. Which is all the time now that it’s fall and squash is in every grocery store, around every corner, all over the place.

Recently, I’ve been playing with my recipes to be a bit more simple, and most as side dishes, as opposed to the star of the show.

Garlic-Spaghetti-Squash

This dish is my favourite. It is

Creamy
Bright
Soft
Garlic-y
Simple
Healthy
Rich
Absolutely Delicious

I usually serve it with some grilled tofu steaks, mashed taters and steamed veggies. Or I just shovel it in my mouth on it’s own. I won’t judge you if you do the same.

Spaghetti-Squash-Vegan

 

Roasted Buttery Spaghetti Squash with Garlic & Basil
 
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Recipe type: Sides
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 small spaghetti squash
  • 3 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh minced basil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Pierce the squash a few times to let steam escape while it cooks. Bake for about 1 hour, or until you can easily pierce it wish a sharp knife. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
  2. Cut squash in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Set aside for roasting or just toss them in your compost. Using a fork, scrape the squash. You should be able to easily get long strands that look like spaghetti. Set aside.
  3. Heat a large pan over low-medium heat. Once warmed, add in the vegan butter and minced garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until garlic is very lightly browned. Add in the fresh basil, salt, pepper, and spaghetti squash. Mix well.
  4. Add in the vegan parmesan cheese, mix well, and adjust salt & pepper, if necessary.
  5. Serve. I find it to be a bit too heavy for main dish, but it works great as a side or a small lunch, alongside a crisp, green salad or other roasted veggies.

 

Crazy Good Baba Ganoush

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baba-ganoush-vegan

Here’s a true story: Up until a few months ago, I had never eaten eggplant. Everyone I knew said it was either gross or bland or awful or terrible… you get the idea.

So, believe me when I say I was disappointed when I received 2 of them in our farm share box in July. I was going to have to throw them out. Because – gross. bland. awful. terrible. Right?

Well, thankfully, I didn’t throw them out. No offence friends & fam, but I wanted to try them myself instead of just taking your word for it.

baba-ganoush

I tried them roasted. Bland. Gross. Awful. Terrible.

I tried them steamed. Even more bland. Even grosser. Even more awful. Even more terrible.

And then I only had one eggplant left, so I asked my friend Pinterest for help, and found this recipe from Minimalist Baker: Baba Ganoush. Like hummus! I love hummus!

So I made it. I tried it. I devoured it. I guess I do like eggplant. Prepared certain ways, of course.

vegan-baba-ganoush

I’ve received at least a dozen more eggplants from the local farm since July, and I’ve always either made eggplant fries (recipe for those coming soon!) or baba ganoush. I used Dana’s recipe as a base, then added a few more of my faaaaaavourite things, and that created some seriously crazy good baba ganoush.

I wonder if I could get my friends & family to eat it…

Crazy Good Baba Ganoush
 
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Recipe type: Dips
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1-2 tbsp avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
  • 1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch circles + bit of salt
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to broil on high.
  2. Sprinkle your eggplant circles with a bit of salt and allow to sit for about 15 minutes to remove excess liquid. Wipe clean with a dry paper towel or dish cloth.
  3. Arrange eggplant on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 1-2 tbsp of oil, and broil for about 8 minutes, turning once, until the eggplant is golden brown and soft.
  4. Add eggplant to your food processor, along with garlic clove, lemon juice, tahini, extra virgin olive oil, onion powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Adjust for seasonings. Add fresh parsley and pulse until just combined.
  5. Serve with fresh veggies and enjoy!

crazy-good-baba-ganoush

Smoky Barbecue Chili with Vegan Sour Cream

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Homemade-Barbecue-Chili-Vegan

Okay FINE. It’s fall. I get it. I’m accepting the cold weather that won’t seem to go away. I’m accepting that soon enough, my kitchen will be bursting at the seems with all things pumpkin (no complaints there!). I’m accepting that OMG CHRISTMAS IS COMING.

I suppose I should get going on my shopping then, huh?

But first – chili. Smoky barbecue chili. To help ease my pain of no more summer.

Homemade-Vegan-Barbecue-Chili

This is such a fun change from the regular chili that I make. I love adding Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, because I find it has a sweet, smoky flavour that is really delicious in chili. I also added smoked paprika because, why not? Smoky goodness up in huuuurrrrr.

Vegan-Barbecue-Chili

You don’t have to feel bad eating this chili either. It’s loaded with veggies, veggies, and more veggies. And with a silky white drizzle of delicious, homemade vegan sour cream added on top?

Hot damn! This is a tasty meal. A tasty, healthy meal that I ate two bowls of last week. In a row. I am not ashamed!

Barbecue-Chili

Smoky Barbecue Chili with Vegan Sour Cream
 
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Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
Barbecue Chili
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium-large red bell pepper, diced
  • ½ large onion, peeled and diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 6 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 3 tbsp tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup cooked kidney beans
  • 1⅓ cup cooked black beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 tbsp barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Chopped green onions for garnish, if desired
Sour Cream
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
  • ¾ cup water
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Barbecue Chili
  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the pepper and onion and cook until onion becomes translucent (about 5 minutes). Add in the garlic and good for another minute or so, or until lightly browned.
  2. Add in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and mix well.
  3. Add in the beans, frozen corn, and barbecue sauce, and mix again. If it looks too thick, add in some more vegetable broth, just a bit at a time. Remember that it will thicken as it cooks, so you don't want it to be too thick right off the bat. Cook for about 20-30 minutes.
  4. About 15 minutes before the chili is done cooking, add in your chopped greens, salt and pepper. Adjust s&p as necessary.
  5. Serve, topped with vegan sour cream, chopped green onions, or whatever else you like on your chili!
Sour Cream
  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high powdered blender and process/blend until smooth. Will keep in the fridge up to 5 days.