Vegan Enchiladas with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce

These are a delicious treat from Oh She Glows.  The cilantro avocado cream sauce is extremely versatile - I've made it three times already!  Once for enchiladas, once for tacos and one time just for a smooth guacamole.  Also, I'm not sure if it's the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, but it did not turn brown on me when I stored the leftovers!  An avocado miracle!

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/05/04/vegan-enchiladas-with-cilantro-avocado-cream-sauce-2/

Amazing Vegetable Box from Midnight Sun Farm - CSA Shares

   After reading The Gorgeously Green Diet by Sophie Uliano, I looked up the Community Shared Agriculture programs in my area.  I signed up for a half share at Midnight Sun Farm.  I'm thrilled that they have a work share program where I will start working this week to earn my veggies!

   The first box I received was filled to the brim with delicious produce!  So far we've been working our way through its contents.  Their weekly newsletter even came with serving suggestions and recipes that feature this week's harvest.  I am very impressed and excited to be a part of this!  This is what I received this week:

One huge bundle arugula

Bag salad/lettuce mix

Winter spinach

Two lettuce heads

Mustard greens mix (ranging in flavor from mild to spicy),

3 Baby bok choy

3 Leeks/green onions

Homemade Gnocchi

   If you love gnocchi and have a little bit of time on your hands, this would be a great project with a friend.  There are only a few ingredients and it's quite cheap!  Isa Chandra Moskowitz's book Vegan with a Vengeance features the recipe and directions.  I couldn't find it online, so I won't post it here.  But here are some great photos of the gnocchi-making process!  Unfortunately, I didn't have a friend for company tonight, less fun.  But still a good time and delicious!

   I made some extra gnocchi just to make sure I could make this recipe later this week:  Pesto Soup with Gnocchi, Beans & Greens by Isa.

The Book Thief Split Pea Soup

      So, my book club had recently read The Book Thief (which is a pretty moving book if you haven't read it) and were planning to get together for a discussion.  I like to make theme food, but the ONLY thing they eat throughout this book is Pea Soup.  So, I whipped some up, not knowing at all what it would be like, as I wasn't experienced in making, or even eating ,this type of soup.  I added most of what was in my fridge and it turned out pretty tasty!  I will be making this again soon for easy lunches and a yummy way to sneak more vegetables into John's diet.  Obviously this recipe is flexible, use whatever you have on hand.  This is what I happened to use:

Ingredients

1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 bag of peas (hard split peas - about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup barley
1 potato cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1 carrot chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups water
salt & pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Directions

      Heat a pan over medium heat, add oil, then saute the onions and garlic until they have begun to brown.  Turn off heat.
      Meanwhile fill a large soup pot with 8 cups of water, barley and split peas and bring to a boil.  When the onions are finished cooking, add those to the boiling barley and peas.  Boil for at least 40 minutes.
      At this point, you are ready to add the rest of the vegetables and herbs.  Add the potatoes, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, thyme and basil to the boiling mixture.  Cook an additional 30 minutes and makre sure that the barley and peas are soft.  If they are not, keep cooking!  You can't really overcook this.  That's the beauty of it.   Enjoy!

Pesto Risotto with Roasted Zucchini

      Another killer recipe from Isa Chandra.  This one is for company.  It actually went over incredibly well with one of the biggest carnivores that I know.  He ate this along side Whole Food's Creamed Kale recipe with nothing but rave reviews and talk of how full he had become!  This recipe is definitely a keeper!  I used the leftover Spinach and Basil Pesto I had made last week and didn't add any extra on the top.

Pesto Risotto with Roasted Zucchini from Post Punk Kitchen

Baked Garlic Curry Fries

      Oh my goodness, these are good!  I actually couldn't even take a picture, I was too busy eating them!  This is Isa's pic.  I also couldn't take such a nice picture!  So, I was skeptical when I read her directions and thought to myself that I didn't want to get that many 'things' dirty, but it was actually quite easy and they are really soft on the inside like they're supposed to be!  John had to be all plain and stuff, so I made his with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little paprika, but I think he missed out!  Give these a try the next time you're having any type of burger or falafel!

Baked Garlic Curry Fries from Post Punk Kitchen

Sweet Potato Pesto Flatbread (Spinach & Basil Pesto Recipe Included)

     This may not look beautiful, but it was mighty tasty if you're a big sweet potato lover like me!  I was in a hurry and wanted to make dinner with what was in my fridge.  I knew I wanted to include the pesto I made earlier this week (recipe below), spinach and sweet potatoes.  I also knew that I was not in the mood for pasta.  Then this was born!
     Since this was my own experiment, feel free to mess with changing ingredients as well!


Ingredients


Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (not very healthy, I know, I would have used flatbread or pitas, but we were out)
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
1/4 red onion chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup baby spinach
1 handful cherry tomatoes (sliced into thirds)
1 large sweet potato (cooked in the microwave until fork-tender)
2-3 fresh basil leaves (rolled and sliced)
sea salt & freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1-2 tablespoons pesto


Directions


     Following the crescent roll directions, preheat oven to 275.  Heat a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and cook the onions for a couple minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until they are starting to brown.  Add the sweet potato flesh (scoop it out of the skin and into the pan).  Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash it up as you add and heat it up.  Add the pesto and mix.  Add the spinach and tomatoes and stir until mixed.
     Unroll the crescents trying to keep two large rectangles together.  Roll out one rectangle at a time in order to bind the dough together and smooth over the perforated parts.  Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and place the rectangles on it.  Bake until the bottom is starting to turn golden brown (~6 minutes in my oven).  Remove them from the oven and flip them over.  Bake for another 2 minutes.
     Meanwhile, begin toasting the slivered almonds in a pan over medium heat.  Shake the pan or stir the almonds frequently to ensure they toast evenly.  When they are starting to brown, remove and set aside.
     Remove the crescent roll rectangles from the oven and top with the sweet potato mixture.  Gently spread the mixture across the bread.  If it is dry, drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and some freshly cracked pepper.  Bake for another 10 minutes or so.    Remove from the oven and top with almonds and basil.  Enjoy!


Spinach & Basil Pesto

Ingredients

1/3 cup pecans & 1/3 cup walnuts (because that’s what I had and didn’t want them to become stale, almonds or pine nuts would work too)

1 cup (packed) basil leaves removed from the stems

3/4 cup spinach leaves

5 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)

A generous amount of freshly cracked pepper

Enough drizzled olive oil to get the consistency correct (if I had to guess, maybe 1/2 cup)

1/3 cup nutritional yeast (for the cheesy taste)

Directions

     Toast whatever nuts you’ve decided to use in a pan over medium heat, shaking frequently until fragrant (2-3 minutes)

     Pour nuts into food processor and process until they become fine crumbs.  Then add the garlic cloves and process until relatively smooth.  
     Now add basil, spinach, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and some oil (about 1/4 cup).  Process until blended, then judge the consistency.  If it’s turned into one large clump, keep it running while drizzling in more olive oil.  Stop and taste check while looking for a nice spreadable paste consistency.  Add more olive oil, salt or pepper as needed.

     Now enjoy on toasted pita bread, flatbread, pizza, sandwiches or pasta!