Vegan Taco Salad

Healthy girl Blog

Avocado Cilantro Dressing

• 2 avocados
• 1 cup cilantro
• 3 limes juiced
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp jalepeno juice optional if you want it to be spicy

Taco Pasta

• 16 oz pasta of choice I used rotini
• 16 oz cooked french brown lentils substitute 2 cans black beans
• 1 cup chopped cilantro I use Josie's Organics
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1/2 cup red onion diced
• 2 bell peppers diced
• 1 cup corn I cut the corn off 2 cobs
• 1/4 cup jarred jalepenos diced use mild or spicy
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin

Instructions

Taco Pasta

• Make pasta, rinse and drain.
• While pasta cooks, saute corn, peppers and onion in a pan until cooked. Add salt + pepper to taste.
• In a large bowl, add the pasta, warmed cooked lentils, cooked veggies, spices, diced tomatoes, jalepeno, cilantro, then mix together.
• Pour dressing over top and enjoy! Leftovers are delicious enjoyed warm or cold.

Avocado Cilantro Dressing

• Blend all dressing ingredients in a blender and pour over the pasta.

Oil free cowboy caviar

From the Healthy Kitchen Blog

Ingredients

• 1 13.5 oz can black eyed peas drained & rinsed (approx 1.5 cups)
• 1 13.5 oz can black beans drained & rinsed (approx 1.5 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper diced (or colour of choice)
• 2 firm roma tomatoes diced
• 1 cup frozen corn thawed (or canned)
• 1/3 cup red onion diced
• 1 jalapeno finely chopped & seeds removed
• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped (or parsley or dill)

For the Dressing

• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1 lime juiced
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp smoked paprika or sweet

Instructions

• Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well. Then pour over the salad and mix until well combined.
• Serve as a salad, or dip with chips or crackers. Enjoy!

Notes

Serve chilled or at room temperature, both ways taste great.

This dish is very adaptable, feel free to add more ingredients, like black olives, celery, avocado, garlic, green onion, or TEQUILA.

You may prepare the ingredients ahead, but this dish tastes best when the dressing is added no more than 2-3 hours ahead, as the veggies will start to soften. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3-4 days.

For extra heat, use more jalapeno or leave in the seeds. Or add some cayenne pepper or a splash or two of hot sauce to your cowboy caviar dressing.

4-Layer Enchilada Cakes

        

Prep-time: 45 minutes / Ready In: 1 hour 30 minutes

By Darshana Thacker(FOK)

Ingredients

½ cup raw cashews

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and draine

½ cup cooked brown rice

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, snipped

2 teaspoons taco seasoning

2 medium red-skin potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 orange bell peppers, finely chopped (2 cups)

1 medium red onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground cumin

7 cups chopped Swiss chard

10 6-inch corn tortillas, divided

4 cups oil-free enchilada sauce, divided

½ cup pico de gallo, homemade or store-bought

Instructions

For cashew cream, in a small bowl combine cashews and ½ cup hot water. Let stand 20 minutes. In a blender combine cashew mixture, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Cover and blend until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl mash the black beans. Stir in the brown rice, the cilantro, and the taco seasoning.

Place the red potatoes in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, 20 minutes or until very tender. Remove and mash potatoes.

Meanwhile, in another large saucepan cook the mushrooms, the bell peppers, the onion, the garlic, and the cumin over medium 10 minutes or until onion is golden, stirring frequently. (The mushrooms will release enough liquid to prevent vegetables from sticking.) Season with salt and black pepper.

In an extra-large skillet cook the Swiss chard over medium-low 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly wilted. Remove from heat. Toss with ¼ cup of the cashew cream.

Layer 1: Using two 11-inch pie plates or shallow 8-inch baking dishes, place a tortilla in each plate. Spread ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce and half of the bean mixture over each tortilla.

Layer 2: Top each stack with another tortilla; press lightly. Spread ¼ cup enchilada sauce and half of the mushroom mixture over each stack.

Layer 3: Add one tortilla, ¼ cup enchilada sauce, and half of the mashed potatoes to each stack.

Layer 4: Add one tortilla, ¼ cup enchilada sauce, and half of the chard mixture to each stack. Top with the remaining tortillas and spread stacks generously with enchilada sauce, reserving some of the sauce for serving.

Bake cakes 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. To serve, warm the remaining enchilada sauce. Serve cakes with remaining enchilada sauce and cashew cream and the pico de gallo.

The Green Salsa:

4 - roasted poblano peppers

2 - roasted jalapeño peppers

Roast till blackened

4-6 – tomatillos Boil till skins split

1 - small red onion (boil with tomatillos)

6 - cloves garlic

1 - bunch of cilantro

2 - limes, juiced

Mix in ninja till salsa

Option: 2 avocado

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brown rice
•  1.5 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)*
• 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)
• ½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the rice and salt to a medium  sauce pan, then pour the boiling water in the pan. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer for 15 minutes(or cook in rice cooker as per directions Remember Brown rice needs a little more water than white)!  Remove from the heat and keep covered for 5 more minutes.
2. Stir in the cilantro, and lime/lemon juice, and salt until fully combined.
3. Enjoy!
   
   
   Double recipe
   
   

   • 2 cup brown rice
   •  3 cups water
   • 2 bay leaf
   • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
   • 3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)*
   • 2.5 teaspoons lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)
   • 1 teaspoon salt

Green Chile Rice with Black Beans

From Forks Over Knives - The Cookbook By Del Sroufe

Ready In: 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced small

One 4-ounce can mild green chiles

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro 1⁄2 cup spinach

4 cups Vegetable Stock, or low- sodium vegetable broth

11⁄2 cups medium-grain brown rice

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2 cups cooked black beans, or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

Zest of 1 lime Salt to taste

Black beans are not usually added to this popular Mexican rice dish, but their addition makes it into a one-pot meal. Use whatever beans you have on hand, or leave them out if you want to serve this as a side dish.

Add the poblano pepper, green chiles, cilantro, and spinach to a blender and puree. Add some of the Vegetable stock, as needed, to achieve a smooth consistency. Add the mixture to a medium saucepan with the remaining vegetable stock. Add the brown rice and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, until the rice is tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

Place the onion in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking to the pan. Add the cumin, jalapeño pepper, and black beans and cook for 5 minutes longer. Fold in the cooked rice and lime zest. Season with salt.

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Southwestern Enchilada Casserole

From straightupfood.com By Cathy Fisher

Southwestern Enchilada  Casserole 

6-8 servings  Ready In: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped(about 2 cups)

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (about 1½ cups)

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 4 medium cloves)2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes (1½ cups), not drained 

1 can (15 ounces) black beans(1½ cups), drained and rinsed

1 medium zucchini, sliced (about2 cups)

1 cup raw, frozen, or canned corn (drained)

5 cups coarsely chopped greens(kale, collards, or Swiss chard)

4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into1-inch squares

2 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into1-inch squares 

Guacamole or diced avocado(optional)

From straightupfood.com By Cathy Fisher

1.Heat 1 tablespoon of water in a large frying pan or soup pot over medium-high heat. When the water starts to sputter, add the onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the garlic, chili powder, oregano, and basil, and cook for 2 minutes more, adding a little water as needed to prevent sticking.

2.Stir in the diced tomatoes, beans, zucchini, corn, greens, and the4 cut-up corn tortillas, then cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.

3.Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set aside a 9×13-inch casserole dish(you do not need to prepare it with any oil or parchment paper).

4.Place 1 cup of the cooked vegetables into a blender, and blend until smooth (add a little water if the mixture is too thick to blend). Stir this back into the cooked vegetables.

5.Spoon the mixture into the casserole dish, and scatter the remaining 2 cut-up corn tortillas on the top. Bake uncovered for15 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

6.Variation: Most stores carry a standard chili powder, which is mild in flavor and what I have used in this recipe. If you like things on the hot-n-spicy side, feel free to use a hotter chili powder of your choice instead, or add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a few chopped jalapeños.

Healthy Vegan Chile Relleno

Healthy Vegan Chile Relleno

A light and healthy chile relleno recipe with nutritious beans and quinoa, loads of veggies, and a drizzle of vegan cheddar cheese sauce. 

Author Elizabeth Shah • Healthy Midwestern Girl

Ingredients

    4 poblano peppers whole with stems on (about 1 pound)

    1 pound Roma tomatoes cut in half (about 4-5)

    1 serrano pepper cut in half and seeded

    1/2 white onion cut into 1/2 inch slices

    1 small garlic bulb bottom trimmed off to expose cloves (or 1/2 large bulb)

    1 15 ounce can black beans (or 1 1/2 cups cooked dried beans)

    4 packed cups spinach leaves chopped

    1 cup cooked quinoa (I used tri-colored-see notes)

    1/2 cup corn kernels (I used frozen)

    1 teaspoon taco seasoning (or make your own-see notes)

    2 tablespoons tomato paste

    1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Optional: Cheddar Sauce for topping**Recipe below 

Instructions

    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (Use 2 if necessary.)

    Place the whole poblano peppers and onions slices on the baking sheet. Then place the cut vegetables--tomatoes, serrano pepper and garlic bulb--on the baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning the peppers and onions over halfway through cooking, until the peppers are blistered on both sides the veggies are cooked.

    Optional: Make the Cheddar Sauce if using. Set aside.

    To make the filling: While the vegetables are roasting, in a pot or large skillet, cook the spinach, and drain the excess liquid. Add the cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, and taco seasoning, and cook a few minutes over medium heat, just enough to heat and blend the flavors and spices. Add a little water if needed to keep things from sticking--but allow it to cook off so the filling is not too wet. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Set aside.

    When the veggies finish roasting, remove them from the oven, and reduce the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

    To make the sauce: Use a spatula to add the tomatoes, onions and serrano pepper to a blender. Use a towel to grasp the garlic bulb, squeeze the cloves out of their skins, and add them to the blender. Add the tomato paste and cilantro to the blender, and process on low, gradually increasing to high speed, being careful to let some steam escape. Add sea salt to taste. Pour the sauce into the bottom of a baking dish just large enough for the peppers, about 13 x 9 inches.

    Place the poblano peppers on a cutting board. Carefully slice one side of each pepper down the center lengthwise to form a pocket, being sure not to pierce the other side. Use a spoon (or your fingers) to gently scoop the seeds and membrane out of each pepper.

    Fill each pepper with 1/4 of the filling, and place into the baking dish, cut side up.

    Cover and bake 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the filling is hot and the sauce is bubbling.

Potato taco

Potato taco

Ingredients

2 large white or yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small dice**

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed

1 large onion, diced

1 medium poblano pepper, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup unsweetened, unflavored plant milk

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 corn tortillas

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, lay a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towel on the counter and place the thawed spinach at the bottom of one short end. Roll up the spinach in the towel and, holding it over the sink, twist either end of the roll to squeeze out as much liquid from the spinach as you can. Unroll and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the onion and poblano pepper over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time as needed to keep the vegetables from sticking, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the reserved spinach and potatoes along with the plant milk and nutritional yeast. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add as many corn tortillas to the pan as will fit in a single layer and heat for a few minutes to warm the tortillas through. Remove them from the pan and set them aside, covered with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

To serve, place the tortillas on individual serving plates or a large platter and divide the potato mixture among them, spooning it onto the center of each. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

 **Potatoes like Russets have too think a peel for this