Baked sweet potato black bean chipotle burritos

I wouldn't call this a recipe-- it's more like a flavor combination that's more than the sum of its parts. Black beans and sweet potato are amazing together. You can stick with the basics, or add complements like corn, peppers, tomatoes, spinach... the list goes on. Since I had poblano peppers from the garden, I fire-roasted them to add in. Usually I use whole black beans, but this time I only had refried and it was great. Time to clean out the fridge and make burritos!

Baked sweet potato black bean chipotle burritos

vegan, gluten-free

serves 4

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 medium sweet potato (the orange kind), chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or diced
• 1 can of black beans (whole or refried)
• 2 tsp of sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo. Add a chili if you like spicy.
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lime
• 4 tortillas (corn or other gluten-free)
• 2 C cooked rice
• *1/4 C cilantro, chopped
• *1 fire-roasted poblano pepper, chopped
• 1/2 large red pepper, chopped
• *1 C crumbled tempeh bacon
• *2 C raw spinach
• *1 C cheeze (I used the orange Daiya)

*optional

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Put about 1 tsp olive oil on a baking sheet, toss sweet potato til coated. Bake for 15 minutes then set aside.
• Fire-roast the pepper if you haven't yet. Here's how.
• Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add garlic.
• Add spices, salt, black beans, sweet potato, and other optional veg: tempeh, corn, peppers, etc. Cook for about 5 min, turn off heat and add lime juice and cilantro if using.
• Fill each tortilla with 1/2 C rice, a quarter of the black bean & sweet potato mix, 1/2 C spinach, and 1/4 C cheeze.
• You can use the same, already-oiled baking sheet from roasting the sweet potato-- roll up burritos, using a toothpick to hold them closed if needed. Sometimes I spray them with a little bit of oil for better browning. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Eat with your favorite salsa. I suggest roasted tomatillo!

Quick red posole

Sadly, although we had maybe four weeks of summer total here in Portland, autumn has already arrived. The only consolation is that it becomes mandatory to wear scarves, cuddle cats on your lap, and eat soup. One of my favorites, since the first time I had it a couple of years ago, is pozole (or "posole"). It's a hearty Mexican stew-- either tomato- or tomatillo- based-- with hominy and other veggies, garnished with loads of fresh things like lime juice, cilantro, oregano, radish and avocado. I've only made it myself a few times, but far and away the best results have come from the "Quick red posole" recipe from Terry Romero's amazing Latin cookbook, Viva Vegan.

Yes, you can make this filling stew in half an hour. I added a faux meat and served it over spinach to add some green. Garnished with fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, and a dab of Tofutti faux sour cream, this meal was memorable. The hominy maintains its chewy bite, the lime juice added at the end pumps up the sweetness of the tomatoes, and the fresh garnishes add a layer of green pop. I am so excited to eat these leftovers. Heck, I might have posole for breakfast!

Tostadas with mango slaw

You get home late, you're tired, it's hot out. Making dinner is a choooore. Am I right?

Quesadillas would be great, but they're so much work to put together and then a mess to clean up. Ready for the revolution? Its name is "tostada!"

First and foremost, arm yourself with a batch of this mango slaw (I use peanuts instead of cashews). It keeps for days, and there are so many easy, hot-weather meals you can make with it. Last night I boiled some thin rice noodles, browned some julienned ham tube (just make sure it's vegan and gluten-free. ALWAYS read the ingredients, every time), and tossed a spoonful of chili garlic paste in with some mango slaw. You can also serve it over rice, with baked tofu. Or on a chickpea burger made with homemade bread (frozen and toasted to thaw).

If you're looking for more work to do in the kitchen while the tostadas are baking, slice and saute a ripe, black plantain in a little bit of oil til dark brown on both sides. It makes a wonderful, simple side dish and should be done just in time.

Tostadas with mango slaw

vegan, gluten-free

serves 2, 2 tostadas each

Ingredients

• 1 cup mango slaw. I love this recipe.
• 4 corn tortillas. I buy the uncooked, frozen ones. You don't need to defrost them or anything. Convenience!
• 1 cup refried beans. I like Trader Joe's black or pinto. You can use whole beans and mash them up a bit, too.
• 1 cup vegan cheese. I use Daiya white, I think it's called Italian style.

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
• Spread each tortilla with about 1/4 cup of the refried beans, and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup cheese.
• Lay the tortillas flat on a baking sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges of the tortillas are just starting to brown and the cheese is melted.
• Let sit for 2 minutes, top with about 1/4 cup of mango slaw each. Serve immediately.

Tangy corn and spinach enchiladas

Enchiladas are more of a method than a recipe. Take a filling-- a stirfry, stew, or collection of ingredients-- wrap it in tortillas, smother in sauce, and bake. The variety is endless, although I usually choose Mexican-inspired fillings and toppings.

I like to cook the fillings beforehand because it gives the flavors a chance to meld, and you can add seasoning or play with textures-- caramelize onions, crisp-fry faux meats, make sure potatoes are cooked all the way through. But you don't have to. In a pinch just toss ingredients together in a bowl (peppers, corn, spinach, a can of beans), squeeze half a lime over it, and add spices (cumin, coriander, chili powder, chipotle, salt, pepper) to taste.

Tangy corn and spinach enchiladas

vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients

• 1 package of (8-12) corn tortillas (make sure they're wheat-free and have a short list of pronounceable ingredients!)
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 an onion, sliced into long strips
• 3 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press or minced
• 1 package of 2 Wildwood Southwest tofu veggie burgers, chopped
  
  You can also use 1 cup of chopped marinated baked tofu, beans, or another protein
• 1 cup corn (I use frozen, fresh or canned work too)
• 2 cups raw spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• about 1 cup, 6oz or 1/2 jar of tomatillo salsa
  
  I used the rest leftover from Lightning mac & cheez
• 1 cup of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes whizzed in the blender with 1 tsp each of chipotle, cumin, coriander, and oregano
  
  You can also use enchilada sauce
• 1 cup Daiya Italian blend cheese or FYH mozzarella

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Heat oil in large frying pan, add onions & saute til just brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, saute for 1 minute.
• Add veggie burger, corn & spinach stir for about 5 minutes til corn is heated through. Set aside off heat, stir in cilantro.
• Mix salsa & tomato sauce together in a bowl wide enough to dip tortillas into.
• Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with non-stick spray or grease it. Pour a salsa into pan to cover bottom in a thin layer. Have pan, salsa, and filling mixture nearby.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan to medium.
• For each tortilla, warm 30-60 seconds on each side in frying pan. You want them to be warm & pliable. Dip tortilla in salsa, wetting both sides. Place tortilla in baking pan, put a line of about 1/4 cup filling (use more filling if you have fewer tortillas, to fill the baking pan) down the middle, and roll up so that seam is on the bottom and the weight of the rolled-up tortilla will hold it closed.
• Once all tortillas are rolled up and fit snugly in the baking pan, pour the remaining salsa over the top, and sprinkle evenly with cheese.
• Cover with aluminum foil, bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.