King Ranch Casserole

I love Tex-Mex foods. We just had enchiladas last week, but I was wanting more. I started thinking about King Ranch Casserole. Before we went vegan I used to make King Ranch Casserole on a regular basis. What's not to love, so creamy, like an inside out enchilada, pure comfort food. I saw a version on Chez Cayenne and decided to use the ingredients I had to give it a try. This was awesome and makes enough for 8 hungry people. Below is my version:

• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 small Vidala onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons AP flour
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup Toffuti Sour Cream
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 cup Daiya cheddar shreds
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, diced
• 1 package Morning Star Chik'n Strips
• 1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 12 small corn tortillas

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion, bell pepper and mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté another minute. Transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, then stir in flour and vegetable broth. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens.

Add sour cream, tomatoes, and cheese.  Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese melts.

Add lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.

Add reserved mushroom mixture.  Add remaining ingredients except tortillas.

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan. Layer a third of the sauce in pan.

Top with half the tortillas.

Then add another third of the sauce, the remaining tortillas and the remaining sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes or until hot in the center and bubbly at the edges.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chick'n Wraps

If there is anything I kind of miss eating vegan these days it's chicken wings.. I know, I know... there was just something so yummy that appealed to me back then. Well have I found an awesome substitute, the flavor is spot on!!!! This uses one of my favorite products: Gardein! Let's get this ready for a football game! Serves 2.

• 2 9-inch flour tortillas
• 2 Gardein Crispy Chick'n Fillets (save the sauce packs for something else)
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 1/2 cup lettuce, spinach, or mixed greens
• 1/2 cup Diaya cheddar shredds
• 2 tablespoons or more Franks RedHot Wings 'Hot Buffalo' Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Ranch dressing (I used homemade from a recipe I found on someone else's blog)

Prepare chicken in skillet according to package directions.

Let it cool for a bit and then slice into strips.

Add the hot sauce to a bowl, toss in the chicken and mix well.

Spread about 1 tablespoon ranch on each tortilla.

Add chicken strips to the tortilla.

Top with tomato, shallots and cheese.

Add lettuce.

 Roll up and enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Jack was feeling a little under the weather this weekend so I wanted to make him some comfort food. One thing that came to mind was this soup. I used a few regular recipes to come up with this version. Oh my gosh, it was so spot on. He had leftover soup for lunch today and was having another small bowl when I got home from work as a 'snack'. Yeah, it's that good!

• 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 package chicken seitan
• 5 cups no-chicken chicken broth
• 3-4 ounces small pasta (I used ABC's)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic in 1/4 cup water for about 2 minutes.

Add the potato, carrots and celery. Add more water if necessary and saute until veggies are soft, about 8 minutes.

Add the thyme, bay leaves, seitan and broth. Bring to a boil and cook for about 8 minutes.

Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. The ABC's said 9-11 minutes.

Once the pasta is done, add pepper and taste to see if more salt is needed. You can add some water if the soup gets to thick for your tastes.

I served with cheese toast (made from Daiya cheddar shreds). Enjoy!

Black Bean & Chorizo Enchiladas

These were awesome and made a fast dinner. Be sure to have all of your veggies prepped before you get started. The number of tortillas you will need depends on the size of them, I got 6 enchiladas from the ones I used. I found these tortillas at Publix, they are half corn and half flour with a very nice texture and are flexible. Use whatever you like for garnishes, I had an avocado that needed eating so I used that and sour cream, but salsa, jalapenos (if you want more heat), extra cheese and/or shredded lettuce would be good as well.

• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 1/2 cup shitake mushrooms, diced
• 1 small fresh jalapeno, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 links Field Roast Chorizo
• 1 can black beans, (I had dried beans I'd already cooked) rinsed and drained
• 1 can red enchilada sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 6-10 tortillas
• 1 cup Daiya cheddar shreds

Preheat oven to 350. Saute peppers, mushrooms, onion and garlic in oil until veggies are soft.

Add  chorizo, beans and spices. Cook for 2 minutes then turn off heat.

Pour enchilada sauce in a shallow plate. Line up the plate of enchilada sauce, the bean veggie mixture and a 9x13 dish.

Dip the tortillas into the sauce, covering each side.

Place the veggie mixture in the center of the tortillas and roll up.

Place the enchiladas, seam side down in the casserole dish. Pour any leftover enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, add any leftover filling sprinkled across the top and then add the cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Garnish with whatever condiments you like or have on hand. I used an avocado and Toffuti Sour Cream. Enjoy!!

Purple Monster Smoothie

Tay and I saw Ree Drummond make this on the Food Network and she insisted we try it.  I knew she wouldn't drink it but Jack and I thought it was delicious. Tay routinely asks for this smoothie and has actually began taking a few sips before she's "full". Below is the vegan version that we make.

• 1 cup blueberries, frozen
• 1 cup green grapes
• 8 strawberries, unhulled, frozen
• 1 banana
• 1 cup soy yogurt
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 2 tablespoons agave, or more to taste
• Ice

Put the blueberries, grapes, strawberries, banana, yogurt, milk, honey and ice into blender.

Blend until smooth.

Serve immediately. 

If I have protein powder on hand I usually add about 2 servings while this is blending.

Enjoy!

Vegetable & Thyme Almond Panang Curry

Yes, another Asian dish, I love curry. I saw this recipe on Finding Vegan - it was sent in by Made Just Right and the pic was so beautiful I KNEW I had to make this dish and give them credit. The sauce is awesome, and the vegetables are delicious but I think you could use whatever is in season and on sale and end up with an awesome curry. I did make a few changes in the amounts of some ingredients, I used cubed seitan instead of tofu and I added some sriracha to my leftovers since I didn't think the original was spicy enough (you know I love the heat.)

my photo in NOT nearly as beautiful as theirs - but it sure was tasty

•   2 tablespoons Smart Balance® spread
•   1 Vidalia onion, halved and cut into thin wedges
•   1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
•   1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
•   4 large cloves garlic, minced
•   2 cup Silk® Organic SoyMilk
•   1/4 cup Almond Butter
•   2 tablespoons white miso paste
•   1 tablespoon soy sauce
•   1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
•   1 tablespoon (or to taste) Thai red curry paste
•   3/4 cup canned coconut milk
•   1 tablespoon cornstarch
•   8 ounces cubed seitan, drained
•   1 zucchini, cut into 2-inch-long thin strips
•   8 spears asparagus, cut into 2-inch lengths
•   1 1/2 cup diagonally sliced sugar snap peas
•   1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
•   3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
•   2 cups cooked brown rice

Heat Smart Balance spread in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onion, bell pepper, ginger, and garlic; sauté 2 - 3 minutes until starting to brown.

Add soy milk and almond butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, and curry paste in a large bowl. Stir to mix completely.

Add this mixture to the skillet, cooking and stirring until blended.

In a small bowl, stir coconut milk and cornstarch together to dissolve cornstarch.

Stir into panang and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.

Add seitan, zucchini, asparagus, snap peas, thyme, and cilantro. Reduce heat and simmer 7 to 10 minute s until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Serve over rice and sprinkle green onion (I didn't have any) over the top.

 

Enjoy!