Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Tortilla Soup

Yes, it’s March in Tennessee, and yes, we had “snow” (some combination of sleet and freezing rain) this past week. So there’s not much better than a steaming hot bowl of soup. My craving for chicken tortilla soup started with a bowl last month from Newk’s. I’d never had much of a taste for it before; something about the soggy tortilla parts in it was a texture issue for me. And how, as a native Texan, I have waited this long to make chicken tortilla soup is also a mystery to me.

The Pioneer Woman’s version is an okay start. Some jalapenos would have upped the ante a bit, and I could have added some more chili powder. Ancho would’ve contributed some nice smokiness. I used homemade stock that spent most of Sunday afternoon simmering away and needed more salt than I normally use. Per most of her recipes, this made a TON of soup, and unusually, it’s actually relatively healthy so I don’t feel bad about loading up a huge bowl. I topped mine with light cheese, Greek yogurt, cilantro, and some avocado.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Yields 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt (I used an equal amount of Penzey’s Southwest seasoning instead of the spice mix)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup Diced Onion
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 10 Oz. Can Ro-tel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
• 5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Ro-tel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed---add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top as desired.

Spicy Mole Oatmeal Chili

Traditional Texas-style chili is made only with meat, chile peppers, and tomatoes. But over the years, I have put some strange things in chili. Beer, peanut butter, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and all kinds of beans, from standards like pinto and black beans to slightly off-the-wall legumes like chickpeas, have made their way into my fire engine red Dutch oven. Even still, with the variety of ingredients that one can toss into a pot of chili, I could not have imagined the day when I would add both oatmeal and cocoa powder into my chili.

Thanks to my friend Jen who posted the link on Facebook saying it was her favorite chili, I now have a healthy, antioxidant-full go-to recipe. The oatmeal makes it a thicker chili than a lot of other vegetarian chilis, and it does look surprisingly like ground turkey. I couldn’t taste a lot of the cocoa powder over the chili powder and chipotle sauce, so next time I might use a darker cocoa to really get that mole flavor.

Spicy Mole Oatmeal Chili
source: Natural Health
Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
½ cup diced carrots
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime or with basil and garlic
2 15.5-ounce cans low-sodium dark-red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon best-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons chipotle en adobo sauce
1½ cups rolled oats
7 ounces water
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Cook onions and carrots until onions are translucent but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt.
3. Add tomatoes to the pot, then add rinsed beans.
4. Add cocoa and chili powder until the powders are completely incorporated into the mixture. Add chipotle sauce.
5. Add the rolled outs and about half the water. Cook for about 5 minutes and add water as necessary. You want a thick consistency.
6. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes more, until oats break down.
7. Serve in individual bowls with a sprinkle of cheese on top.

Ancho Lentil Tacos

The humble lentil. I often forget about lentils as an option, particularly in Mexican-flavored dishes, because black beans are the obvious choice. Abby introduced me to this dish from Post Punk Kitchen, and I made it for the opening dinner of my ordination weekend festivities. When I added it to last week’s menu, I realized that a) I hadn’t blogged it yet and b) it had been a while since I’d made it. Joe also gave that rare reaction that’s like, “Ancho lentil tacos for dinner? Yes!”

I was trying to steer away from the usual loads o’ carbs I normally eat, so I wrapped my taco filling in some Boston lettuce leaves. It was good, but I felt like such a girl eating stuff out of lettuce leaves. My point being that this filling is very versatile. You can wrap it in lettuce or tortillas or put it on top of a salad or just eat it plain. The cheese and sour cream/Greek yogurt un-veganize it, though I like the filling just as well with a squirt of lime, a slice of avocado, and some cilantro. You don’t even really need ancho chili powder (just sub regular chili powder), but it’s the smoky, roasted flavor that makes this so satisfying to me.

Ancho Lentil Taco Filling
source: Post Punk Kitchen
Serves 3-4

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups cooked lentils (from about 1 cup dried)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons hot sauce

Spice mix:
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground ancho chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Combine all of the ingredients for the spice mix and set aside. Also, keep a cup of water within reach, so that you can add splashes as you cook.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Add spices and toss them for 30 seconds or so to toast.

Lower heat to medium. Add lentils, a few splashes of water, tomato paste and hot sauce; use a spatula to mash them a bit as they cook, until they hold together. If your spatula isn’t strong enough to accomplish this, just use a fork. Do this for about 5 minutes, adding splashes of water as necessary if it appears dry. Taste for salt and seasoning; you may want to add more spices or hot sauce. Serve warm with the toppings of your choice.

Southwestern Pizza with Black Beans and Corn

If I wanted to toy with your emotions, I might hint (wink wink nudge nudge) about how there was big doings going on at our house, that I had a “big announcement” coming up, or that we were thinking about adding another member to our family. But it all happened so fast, and Monday night, we met our newest family member:

 

Meet Stitch! He’s a 6 year old Ragdoll (to go with our other two Ragdolls), and he came to us because his previous family was very stressful for him and he needed a home without young children and dogs. So far, he’s integrating pretty well after spending about 24 hours under our bed. He is super sweet and wants lots of love from Joe and me even if he isn’t too sure about the other cats in the house yet. I never thought I’d own three cats, but adopting an older cat was much less intense than getting another kitten, and I’m very happy that we can give Stitch a home where he can be happier.

This week I’m thankful for fluffy cats and avocados. I bought a couple of avocados this week assuming I could figure out some way to use them. When I proposed this dinner to Joe, his eyes lit up, and I hoped it would live up to his expectations. No worries there. The black bean base was the perfect spice level, and all of the toppings made it fun to eat. Using a pre-made pizza crust (processed food alert! Sorry I’m not sorry!) meant that this will be a repeat weeknight dinner for sure.

Southwestern Pizza with Black Beans and Corn
source: Prevention RD
Yields 4 servings (2 slices each)

Ingredients

1 roll Pillsbury original pizza dough
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 chile en adobo, minced + 2 tsp adobo sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 small tomato, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
2 green onions, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 avocado
2 Tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp lime juice

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and unroll pizza dough, stretching and pressing to create a rectangle reaching the sides of the baking sheet.

Bake the dough for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the black beans in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave them on HIGH for 45 seconds. Add the chile en adobo, sauce, chili powder, cumin, and salt to the bowl and use the back of a fork to smash the beans into a thick paste.

Spread the black beans on the pizza dough, followed by the tomatoes, red onion, and frozen corn. Bake the pizza for 8 minutes or until edges of the pizza are just starting to turn golden. Remove the pizza, sprinkle the top with cheese, and bake for another 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted.

While pizza baked, mash the avocado with the Greek yogurt, lime juice, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. When pizza is done baking, smear the avocado cream across the pizza and sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Lentil Tacos

When I read other food blogs around this time of year, I’m impressed and over-awed at the cookies and marshmallows and feasts that people crank out. I haven’t done much of anything for the holidays yet. We did get the (cheap, horrible-looking) fake tree put up and decorated, and a few of the nativity scenes arranged around the house, at least until the cats start playing with poor Joseph. Joseph always gets the short end of the stick.

Truth be told, I’m having a little trouble adjusting from my previous mindset of holiday = vacation to my current life of holiday = holy day = work. I’m on-call at the hospital Christmas and New Year’s weekends, and I’m serving at two Christmas Eve services Saturday night only to wake up the next morning and do Christmas morning services at the hospitals.

At first I was bummed. No sleeping in and cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning before opening presents. But I’m starting to come around. I get to celebrate Christmas with staff and families and perhaps some patients who would rather be somewhere else. I get to bring Christmas and some sense of normalcy to them. I get to be at a pediatrics hospital on Christmas morning with all of the festivity and donated presents that entails. So my Christmas won’t look like my previous Christmases, and my Christmas probably won’t look like your Christmas, but I think I’ll still get all of the joy and wonder. I’ll just have to relax on another day.

So this is not a Christmas meal. This is an anytime meal. Joe particularly liked this, I would guess due to the meaty texture of the lentils. The flavors are spot on, and the raisins add a hint of sweetness. If you don’t have any raisins, a tablespoon or so of brown sugar might also do the trick.

Lentil Tacos
serves 4
source: Runner’s World

Ingredients

1 cup onions, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup brown lentils, dry
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup water or vegetable broth (I had to add more liquid.)
3 tablespoons dried black currants or raisins, minced
1 cup salsa, plus additional for topping
8 6-inch corn or flour tortillas
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation

In a large frying pan over medium heat, saute onions, celery, and garlic in the olive oil for five minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in the lentils, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for one minute. Add the broth and raisins. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (add more water or broth as needed). Remove the lid and cook an additional 10 minutes (until lentils are thick), stirring often. Fold in the salsa. Wrap the tortillas in a damp white cotton towel and microwave on high for one minute. Spoon the lentil mixture among the tortillas. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Hash

Occasionally, I hit the jackpot by making something that I’m willing to eat on a regular basis (reasonably healthy and easy to make on a weeknight) and something that is equally appealing to Joe. Without getting too much into gender essentialism as it relates to food, Joe does tend to prefer heartier meals. Arguably, this is about as meat-and-potatoes as you can get with vegetarian food.

Soy chorizo is perhaps not the most “natural” food that I eat, but it is so gosh-darn tasty that I try not to give that too much mind. I’m a big fan of sweet potatoes, but the mix of sweet and regular moderates the flavor. And while there isn’t a lot of green in this meal, I could see serving it with a side or bed of kale chips. Lord knows I’ll be making this one again and again so I’ll have plenty of opportunity to experiment.

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Hash
source: Cate’s World Kitchen
2 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled
1 medium potato, peeled
1 red onion, chopped
4 ounces soy chorizo
2 eggs
queso fresco and fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Cut the sweet potatoes and potato into small cubes (you should have about 3 cups).

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low. Add the potato and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. If anything begins to brown excessively, turn down the heat. Add more oil if things are sticking.

Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the chorizo. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Crack 2 eggs over the hash, then put the pan in the oven. Cook in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until the whites are set.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cilantro and queso fresco.

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

Every other week, I get a box from Delvin Farms that looks like this:

Fortunately, I split it with the lovely Erin and her husband because that is a lot of food, and someone does not always great about eating his veggies. Late summer means peppers galore, but we also received a watermelon, cantaloupe, and butternut squash hiding under all of those peppers. This was our second butternut squash, and because I am incapable of cutting them in half without injuring myself, I got the first one and gave Erin this most recent one.

Without a particular plan for it, I roasted that squash whole, scraped out the insides, and froze the puree for a later date when I would be in a bit of a rush, like, my first day of chaplaincy residency. Switching from grad student schedule (flexible but stressful!) to camp schedule (fun and outdoors!) to free time (boring!) and now to a normal working person schedule is going to take some getting used to. After getting home from the gym after 6:30, having the squash thawed and ready to go was crucial because I was about to chew my arm off. Lesson #1: Don’t skip your snack.

I quickly whipped up the filling. Joe stuffed and rolled the enchiladas. I covered them with sauce, and we threw them in the oven, allowing us enough time to clean up before they were ready to go. We were both surprised how filling they were. Two of these with a quarter of an avocado and we were stuffed, and the cinnamon/nutmeg/cumin combo was a just-right hint of fall. I always thought enchiladas were way too time-intensive for a normal weeknight, but with some of the components pre-made or bought, it was perfect for a relatively quick dinner. 

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas
source: The Daily Garnish
Yields 6-8 enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, roasted and mashed 
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• salt to taste
• 6-8 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 large can red enchilada sauce (or homemade if you prefer)
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a medium-sized pan with olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent. Add in rinsed and drained black beans and stir until heated.

Add the black bean mixture to the squash and fold in to combine. Add spices and salt to taste.

Pour a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan to coat. Fill a tortilla with about 1 cup of mixture and loosely roll, placing the rolled tortilla seam-side down in the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Cover the rolled up enchiladas with the rest of the sauce and top with cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Tempeh Tamale Pie

When I started to reduce my meat consumption, I didn’t immediately go to faux meat equivalents. Sure, I like a veggie hot dog now and again, but faux deli meat kind of frightens me. I also didn’t want to frighten Joe who had been turned off long ago by a girlfriend’s fake chicken riblets. Instead, we ate a lot of beans, and I gradually introduced tofu. We stuck with that plan for a good while. Then I started hearing about other options, namely tempeh and seitan, and I was intrigued so I picked some tempeh up at the store though I didn’t have any plans for it.

(browning the tempeh)

The vacuum sealed package was a little unsettling in its resemblance to the color and texture of our cats’ wet food. When I showed it to Joe, he gave me the I-don’t-like-it-but-I’m-going-to-trust-you face. When in doubt, I go with something ethnic-inspired, so Mama Pea’s tamale pie seemed like the perfect dish. Besides, she just published a book including this recipe, and I had seen it recommended on Twitter.

It was as great as promised. The tempeh and pinto bean filling had a great nutty flavor and texture. I had a bit of trouble spreading the cornbread mixture in my attempt to only use one pan. The original recipe calls for a 2 quart baking dish, but I did the whole thing in my cast iron. You can also easily make this vegan by omitting the cheese or using dairy-free cheese and sour cream. And sorry, Mama Pea, but black olives do not belong on any self-respecting Mexican casserole.

Tamale Pie
source: Peas and Thank You
Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1 medium onion or 1/2 of a large onion, chopped
• One 8 oz. package tempeh, crumbled
• 2 t. minced garlic
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 t. apple cider or red wine vinegar
• 1 t. maple syrup
• One 14 oz. can tomato sauce
• One 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

For the crust:

• 2/3 c. cornmeal
• 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. non-dairy or organic milk
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 2 T. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 c. frozen corn, defrosted and drained
• 1/3 c. non-dairy (i.e. Daiya) or organic cheddar cheese (optional)

For topping:

• sliced olives and non-dairy or organic sour cream (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat and spritz with cooking spray or oil. Add onion and sauté until softened and starting to brown, about 4 or 5 minutes.
• Crumble tempeh into the pan with the sautéed onion. I like to use a grater so that all the pieces are approximately the same size.
• Lightly brown tempeh, cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
• To the pan, add garlic, chili powder, 1/2 t. salt, vinegar, 1 t. maple syrup, tomato sauce and beans.
• Allow bean mixture to simmer for a few minutes to meld flavors.
• In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.
• In your liquid measuring cup, combine milk, maple syrup and applesauce.
• Add wet ingredients to the cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.
• Gently fold in the defrosted corn.
• Spread corn mixture carefully and evenly over the top of the casserole dish.
• If using, top the casserole with shredded cheese.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese has melted and crust is set and starting to brown.
• Serve with desired toppings.

Creamy Taco Mac

I’m not usually what one would call an Early Adopter. If something is trendy, by the time I found out about it, the trend is probably over. Like when someone on my internet cooking board brought up planking. I hadn’t ever heard of it, but once I was aware of it, I heard about it several times that day and then had my husband reference it. Or the first time I heard about Silly Bandz was after the craze had mostly passed. And while listening to my iPod on our recent trip to Atlanta, I came to the realization that most of the music I still really enjoy listening to was “cool” back when I was in high school or college.

So you might’ve seen this dish before on other food blogs because it has certainly made its rounds. It’s just taken me this long to actually make it. But that’s the great thing about being in conversation with other people: you try things you might not have tried otherwise. That was one of the things I loved about being at camp, learning from other people, in age groups I don’t normally socialize with, about what they were into, what they were listening to, and what they were thinking about.

I’m certainly not on the cutting edge of fashion or music or cooking, but that doesn’t mean that some trends aren’t worth following. I took Bridget’s adaptations to the “original” Creamy Taco Mac and tweaked them just a little based on what I had around. I threw in a jalapeno with the onion and bell pepper and substituted light cream cheese in lieu of Greek yogurt. Using only one pot was a definite bonus, especially since it made a ton of food, providing me with a glut of leftovers.

Creamy Taco Mac
adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped small
1 red pepper, chopped small
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped small
Table salt
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
16 ounces dry pasta
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained
4 oz light cream cheese
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 avocado, diced (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spices and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add the pasta, diced tomatoes with juices, water, and beans. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Cover and simmer over low heat until heated, 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and avocado, if using. Serve.

Calypso Black Bean and Rice Salad

This isn’t really a salad. It’s more like nachos with some lettuce. It’s also more assembly than actual cooking, but when you’re eye-deep in books on ancient baptismal homilies, any meal that isn’t take-out is a win in my book. It’s a complete rip-off of my favorite salad at a local chain of restaurants. After debating picking one up on the way home from spin class one night, I realized that I had all of the ingredients on hand to make it myself. It’s also easily scalable, so you can make one or six of these salads, and it’s all the same.

My best friend joked in her wedding toast that I taught her that you can pretty much put salsa on everything or wrap it in a tortilla. Salsa on a salad – case in point. Calypso Café serves their version with a light barbecue sauce for dressing, but between the salsa and sour cream, I don’t find any other dressing necessary. Something about all of the different textures and flavors together makes this a very satisfying dinner salad. You can skip the rice and add chicken or throw on some red onions and tomatoes if you’d like, but don’t skip the tortilla chips. That crunchy layer at the bottom makes it.

Calypso Black Bean and Rice Salad
Inspired by Calypso Café
Yields 2 salads

Ingredients

Tortilla chips
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp Southwest/Mexican seasoning
1 cup cooked brown rice
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Salsa

Preparation

Layer tortilla chips on a plate or the bottom of a bowl. Spread romaine lettuce on top. Top each salad with 1/2 cup of brown rice. Toss black beans with seasoning in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until warm. Spread 1/2 of black beans on each salad. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and salsa to your liking.

Soy Chorizo and Black Bean Soup

You know how a lot of people make resolutions or goals at the New Year, and they’re frequently related to losing weight? It makes sense. After gorging myself on treats and cookies and such from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, I’m ready for a few lighter meals. What you might not know is in the year leading up to my wedding, I lost 20 pounds, primarily using Sparkpeople. Sparkpeople is a free website that taught me a lot of things about health and fitness. For example, did you know that exercising is not a free pass to eat anything and everything you want to eat? Because I didn’t. And did you know that a serving of cereal is about a third of a size that I thought one was? Anyway, I went from this in May of 2007:

To this at our wedding in June 2008:

But I’ve definitely gained the grad school 15 (hello stress-eating!), and I’d like to get rid of some of it before my ordination to the diaconate in June. I know that I’ll feel healthier, more confident, and that it will make me a better runner. So, I’ve started tracking my calories on Sparkpeople again, and I am doing a bang-up job with my diet eating plan. It’s also a good way for me to make sure I’m getting enough protein now that I’m not eating meat except for seafood. Another component of Operation Skinny Deacon is to stop boozing it up so much (i.e., drinking wine or beer every night with dinner plus some on weekends). That’s a good 5 pounds there plus it’s just a not-that-great habit to be in. I’m also re-training myself with regard to portion size. Do you know how SMALL a 4 oz glass of wine is?

Anyway, I still get to enjoy delicious dinners like tonight’s soy chorizo and black bean soup. Soy chorizo might be the main thing keeping me pescetarian. It’s pretty darn close to the real thing. I found mine at Trader Joe’s, and while it’s not low-calorie, it’s significantly less greasy than real chorizo. Even Joe went back for seconds of this and offered to take leftovers for lunch. It’s hearty and spicy and makes a bunch if you doubled the recipe like I did. And I enjoyed mine with some seltzer water with lemon, though beer would be a fitting accompaniment as well.

Soy Chorizo and Black Bean Soup
source: Cate’s World Kitchen
Yields 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
12 ounces Soy Chorizo (or regular if you prefer)
6 cups black beans, rinsed and drained (about 4 cans)
4-5 cups vegetable broth
lime wedges and fresh chopped cilantro, for serving
crumbled feta or cotija cheese for serving

Preparation
Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and saute until soft. Add the chorizo, salt, and cumin and cook, stirring, another 5-6 minutes.
Stir in the beans and 4 cups of broth and simmer for about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times (so it’s partly but not completely pureed). Salt to taste, and add more broth if you’d like your soup a little thinner.
Serve with lime wedges, cheese, and fresh cilantro.

Tamale Pie with Pumpkin Cornbread

On Monday, I turned in my baby – my senior seminar project that I’ve been working on all semester. Sunday, it snowed. And Monday, I braved the icy roads to print out two copies of that project and hand it in. Not coincidentally, Monday was also the first night I made dinner in quite some time. This had been on the menu for a couple of days but kept getting pushed back in favor of something easier, like Chinese take-out. Or bourbon. Just kidding about the bourbon.

But this dinner was worth waiting for. Once I started chopping onions and bell peppers, I got in the cooking zone. Even Joe remarked how good it was, and it’s been a while since he’s complimented me on a vegetarian meal. The filling is well-seasoned and hearty, and the cornbread is tender and moist. The cinnamon particularly makes for a fragrant and unexpected addition.

 

Tamale Pie with Pumpkin Cornbread
source: Veggie by Season

Ingredients

1 package Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c. skim milk
1/2 c. solid pack pumpkin
1 tbsp. honey or maple syrup
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 ears of corn kernels or 1 c. frozen corn kernels
1 yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes with jalapeños
2 c. cooked pinto beans
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper

Garnishes:
Chopped cilantro
Grated Cheddar
Sour Cream/Greek yogurt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350*
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO, peppers, onion and garlic.
Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 10 minutes, until vegetables have softened. While veggies cook, in a mixing bowl whisk together egg, milk, pumpkin and honey.
Add cornbread mix, sprinkle of cayenne, and stir until mixture just comes together.
Drain tomatoes and add to vegetables along with the corn.
Add beans and spices to vegetables, stir well and taste, adjust seasonings.
Pour the cornbread topping over the vegetable mixture and spread to the edges of the skillet. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until cornbread is golden brown and set.
Spoon into a dish and serve with garnishes.

Acorn Squash Quesadillas

While Joe and I have always been active, we recently started the Couch to 5K program. I have this crazy idea that we should run. We’re surrounded by gorgeous parks, Nashville has relatively good weather for most of the year, and I wanted a challenge. Plus, my best friend and her boyfriend have had a lot of success with the program. Since we weren’t quite “Couch”, the first few weeks were pretty nice. Last night, however, was the dreaded Week 5 Day 3 workout. Twenty solid minutes of running. I know that for some people that’s no big deal, but neither Joe nor I are natural-born runners. It also happened to be about 90-degrees in the evening when we headed to the greenway to do it. But we did it!

Those stats include our 5 minute warm-up walk and 5 minute cool-down walk. I was pretty impressed by how we did. We ran all of Lap 2, and a 10:40 mile sounds pretty good to me.

The problem with running as exercise, particularly with it being so hot, is that, even though I only burned about 250 calories, I felt like I deserved a bunch of beer and ice cream. Instead, I got these delicious quesadillas.

Smoky roasted poblanos, spicy jalapenos, and nutty acorn squash plus melty cheese. Joe is also hereafter going to be the quesadilla-maker, as long as I’m not watching to see how much cheese he puts in and how much oil he uses in the pan, because these were perfect. The tortilla got super crisp while the filling stayed hot and creamy. We will be making these again, particularly if our CSA keeps giving us winter squash.

Acorn Squash Quesadillas
source: Erin’s Food Files
Yields 2 or 3 quesadillas depending on how full you stuff them

Ingredients
1 small/medium acorn squash
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons diced white onion
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 clove garlic, minced
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and cut into strips
Salt and pepper to taste
10-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend of your choice
Butter for frying quesadillas
Garnishes: sour cream and/or salsa verde cruda

Preparation

First, roast the acorn squash. Preheat the oven to 400° and lightly oil a baking sheet. Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds (you can save them to toast later, if you wish) and cut each half into half-inch slices. Lay them on the baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until soft but not cooked to mush. (You’ll finish it in the pan.)

When cool enough to work with, use a paring knife or your hands to peel the skin off each slice. Lightly chop the squash and put it in a bowl.

Saute the onions, garlic and jalapeno in the oil until translucent. Add the poblano strips and cook for a couple minutes more. Add the squash and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes, until the squash is tender and the flavors have melded. Season with salt and pepper and take off heat.

Spread a few tablespoons of the cooked squash mixture onto one half of a 10-inch flour tortilla. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of the cheese. Fold over and place in a hot pan with melted butter, and fry until crispy. Cut the finished quesadilla into triangles and top with your choice of garnishes. Eat while warm.

Vegetarian Fajita Pasta

Things have been a little crazy around the Cook, Pray, Love kitchen for the past few weeks. I went back to school, took a trip to Texas for my candidacy interviews (which I passed and am now a candidate for Holy Orders), and just haven't been very inspired by food. It always takes me a few weeks to readjust, and my energy level has been seriously low. Then, this weekend came. On Saturday, I woke up to a beautiful, clear, cool fall morning. I threw open the sliding glass door and set to re-organizing the kitchen. I hadn't moved anything since we moved in a year ago, and the kitchen had a bunch of space that wasn't being used effectively. I cleared off counters, organized glasses and drawers, and threw away the phone books that were taking up the top of our refrigerator. A trip to Target yielded a pot lid rack and a new dishrack. Finally, I was feeling like I wanted to get back in the kitchen.

A plethora of pasta and peppers led me to this dish. It's very conducive to whatever vegetables you have (or don't have) on hand. I would've thrown some Asian eggplant in there, but the pan was already full to overflowing. This is spicy, flavorful, and makes a ton of leftovers. It would also be great for sharing at a potluck. The amounts I used are reflected below.

Vegetarian Fajita Pasta
adapted from: Veggie by Season

Ingredients
1 lb. macaroni or penne
2 cloves minced garlic
1 onion, sliced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 summer squash, sliced
1 red bell peppers, sliced
2 green pepper, sliced
2 jalapeno, sliced
Salt and Pepper
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped cilantro, Sour Cream or Guacamole for garnish (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, cook pasta until al dente. Drain.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, onion, and garlic. Sautee veggies for 10-15 minutes, until they’re tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Add tomatoes, black beans, spices and pasta. Stir to combine.
Pour into a casserole dish and top with cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and pasta is bubbly.
Plate and serve with garnishes.

Black Bean and Summer Squash Enchiladas and a GIVEAWAY!

Happy 2-year Blogiversary to me! I can't believe it's been 2 years since I started this blog on the urging of Joe. I remember that I showed him an article about Elise from Simply Recipes, and he said, "You should start a food blog!" In those two years, I've had my share of successes and failures, but I've learned that I love to cook. I have a lot more that I would like to learn and blog about, but I would like to thank you all for reading and supporting my efforts. I know this isn't the fanciest food blog out there, but it's been a great project for me. So to thank you, I am giving away a copy of Robb Walsh's The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos.

Robb Walsh is one of my favorite food writers, and he has a passion for Texas cuisine, particularly the origins of Tex-Mex (which is different from authentic Mexican and other regional variations such as New Mexican). For a while, Robb Walsh was the restaurant critic for the alternative weekly newspaper in Houston, the Houston Press, but now, the rumor is that he is opening his own restaurant. My enchiladas below certainly won't compare to anything you'll find in this book!

Enchiladas are notoriously difficult to photograph, and after a while, they all look the same. But, as with people, it's what's inside that counts, and these are filled with a well-spiced mixture of black beans and fresh summer squash. When I told Joe what was for dinner, he feigned excitement, but after eating them, he requested the leftovers for lunch the next day. He even admitted his prejudice and remarked that he liked how the squash was finely diced but not mushy. These could also be served in individual dishes for a fancier presentation, particularly if you happen to be having any vegan guests for dinner. Even if you don't have any vegan friends, this is a nice, light, summer version of enchiladas, especially contrasted with the heavy, greasy, cheesy enchiladas that I get at our Mexican restaurant.

Black Bean and Summer Squash Enchiladas
Source: Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Yields 4 servings (2 enchiladas each)

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup green or red bell pepper, chopped
12 ounces patty pan, zucchini, or yellow summer squash, diced (about 2 medium squash)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder (or mild chili powder)
1/8 -1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (or to taste)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, well rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 can enchilada sauce (or 10 ounces homemade sauce)
8 corn tortillas
chopped green onions, for serving

Preparation
Saute the onion in the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the bell pepper and squash and cook, stirring, for about two minutes, until squash is just beginning to become tender. Add the cumin, chile powders, black beans, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the nutritional yeast and lime juice. Check seasoning and adjust to taste.
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly spray one large rectangular baking dish or 4 individual baking dishes with olive oil. Place a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of each dish, reserving most of it to go on top. Microwave the tortillas for about 20 seconds to soften them. Place a tortilla in front of you and arrange about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture across the center. Roll up and place seam-side down into the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and beans. Pour the remaining sauce over the top.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with sliced green onions to serve.

To win Robb Walsh's The Tex-Mex Cookbook, comment below by and answer the question: What would you like to learn to do in the next year? It can be cooking or baking related or just something else you want to learn. How to sew? How to take a killer portrait shot? Just comment below by Monday, July 19th at 11:59 PM Central Time. And make sure you leave an e-mail address or a means by which to contact you! A number will be drawn randomly, and the winner will be contacted by July 20th.

Southwestern Egg & Black Bean Skillet

Last week we were under a strict mandate to conserve water since the flood took out one of our water treatment plants. This meant cutting way back on all tasks that require water: flushing, washing hands, showering, doing laundry, and doing dishes. So meals, like this one, that didn't dirty up a ton of dishes were a necessity if I wanted to continue to eat at home. Not counting the paper bowl and plasticware I used to eat this meal, I dirtied 1) a skillet and 2) a knife. And it was delicious. Black beans, eggs, avocado, and Ro-tel are my favorite food groups.

Southwestern Egg and Black Bean Skillet
source: Cara's Cravings
Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup frozen corn
1 cup drained, rinsed black beans
salt & pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
pinch of coriander
10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Ro-tel)
2 large eggs
2 oz queso fresco, crumbled (I used feta.)
chopped cilantro and sliced avocado, for garnish

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400F.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, corn, and beans and cook for about 2 more minutes, until garlic is fragrant. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and coriander.

Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Carefully break the eggs over the black bean mixture. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until eggs are soft-set. Sprinkle with queso fresco and garnish with cilantro and diced avocado. Serve hot.

Nutritional Info (not including avocado)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 338.3
Total Fat: 14.0 g
Cholesterol: 227.5 mg
Sodium: 1,525.8 mg
Total Carbs: 35.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 9.0 g
Protein: 20.7 g

Black Bean and Salmon Tostadas

Mexican food, while it is my true love, is not particularly healthy. Cheese and fried tortillas, beans made with lard and bell peppers glistening with oil. But these tostadas...wow. The black bean part really satisfies that frijoles refritos craving. Omega-3s from the salmon (canned salmon is also a very sustainable fish source) and healthy fats from the avocado. I was even impressed with how the tortillas baked up nice and crisp. It's also insanely quick to make since you barely even have to cook anything; it's really more assembly. In other words, even my parents could make these. However, they don't necessarily keep well for leftovers, so I would recommend having 4 people to eat them or halving the ingredients.

Black Bean & Salmon Tostadas
source: Eating Well via Cara's Cravings

Ingredients

• 8 6-inch corn tortillas
• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1 6- to 7-ounce can boneless, skinless wild Alaskan salmon, drained
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeños, plus 2 tablespoons pickling juice from the jar, divided
• 2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons prepared salsa
• 2 scallions, chopped
• Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation

1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375°F.
2. Coat tortillas on both sides with cooking spray. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake, turning once, until light brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
3. Combine salmon, avocado and jalapeños in a bowl. Combine cabbage, cilantro and the pickling juice in another bowl. Process black beans, sour cream, salsa and scallions in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High until hot, about 2 minutes.
4. To assemble tostadas, spread each tortilla with some bean mixture and some salmon mixture and top with the cabbage salad. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Nutrition
Per serving (2 tostadas): 319 calories; 11 g fat (2 g sat, 6 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 0 g added sugars; 16 g protein; 12 g fiber; 352 mg sodium; 670 mg potassium.

Jalapeno Baked Fish with Roasted Tomatoes and Potatoes

Even though this didn't turn out well for me, I still have high hopes because the blunders were due to user error. I should've used a more mild fish like tilapia. The swai I used was a little on the fishy side. I also undercooked it, which led to me having to put it back in the oven in the middle of our dinner. I was really hoping to absolutely love this dish, but I guess it was just one of those nights in the kitchen. One dish, no stovetop, minimal knife skills required, plus it gives you enough baking time to clean up the food processor and set the table. The tomato sauce was very good, though next time I'll either use fresh jalapenos or more of the pickled jalapenos as I wanted a little more spice. And there will be a next time. This dish is too easy and healthy and quick for me to write it off completely.

Jalapeno Baked Fish with Roasted Tomatoes and Potatoes
source: Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday via The Way the Cookie Crumbles and Dinner and Dessert

Ingredients
4 medium (1 pound total) red-skin boiling or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
Salt
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 large garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
⅓ cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
About ¼ cup sliced canned pickled jalapenos
1 tablespoon jalapeno pickling juice
Four 4- to 5-ounce (1 to 1¼ pounds total) skinless fish fillets, preferably ¾ to 1 inch thick

Preparation

Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. Scoop the sliced potatoes into a microwaveable 8×8-inch baking dish. Drizzle on the oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat, then spread the potatoes in an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a couple of holes in the top. Microwave on high until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the tomatoes with their juice, garlic, cilantro, jalapenos, and pickling juice. Process to a puree, leaving just a little texture.

Lay the fish fillets in a single layer over the potatoes. Pour the tomato mixture evenly over the fish and potatoes.

Slide the baking dish into the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish flakes when pressed firmly.

Scoop a portion of the fish-potato-sauce onto each dinner plate, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve right away.

Chilaquiles Casserole

If there is one genre of food that I constantly find myself attracted to making, it's the "healthy Mexican-inspired casserole." Luckily, there are tons of recipes and variations on recipes of this sort, and, while I have the few that I make over and over again, I have yet to grow tired of experimenting. This version used grated zucchini, which intrigued me, and also provided a use for some enchilada sauce that had been sitting in my pantry for a while. The enchilada sauce adds most of the flavor and heat, though you could add bell peppers, jalapenos, or any other kind of vegetable or pepper to this casserole without any problem. I cut down the cheese by a 1/4 cup, and it was plenty cheesy. This will also make for great leftovers, if not a great picture.

Chilaquiles Casserole
source: Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 19-ounce can black beans, rinsed (or a 15-oz can, whatever is available)
  
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 corn tortillas, quartered
• 1 19-ounce can mild red or green enchilada sauce
• 1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (I used 1 cup of full-fat Cheddar cheese)
  

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.
3. Scatter half the tortilla pieces in the pan. Top with half the vegetable mixture, half the enchilada sauce and half the cheese. Repeat with one more layer of tortillas, vegetables, sauce and cheese. Cover with foil.
4. Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.

Stuffed Poblanos

Poblanos are probably my favorite pepper: more exotic than a bell pepper but can be used in similar ways. At Mexican restaurants, if I see some sort of item with poblanos involved, I will most likely order it. These stuffed poblanos scratched the Mexican food itch without the grease normally involved. It starts with a salsa made in the blender, which the poblanos cook in. I liked the cornmeal filling for the poblanos as it adds some heft. I realized, after I took these out of the oven, this meal does not require the stovetop at all! I served this with the salad from the Black Bean and Rice Stuffed Poblanos I made last spring.

Stuffed Poblanos
source: Ezra Pound Cake as adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree
• 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves (2 whole, 1 minced)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 can (19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained (I used a 15 oz can)
  
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 large poblano chiles, halved lengthwise (stems left intact), ribs and seeds removed
• Garnishes: sour cream, cilantro, lime zest

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a blender, combine tomatoes in puree, jalapeno, half the onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves; puree. Season with salt. Pour sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine beans, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onions, minced garlic, cumin, and 3/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. (The mixture might look watery and not so appetizing. Forge ahead!)

4. Stuff poblano halves with bean mixture; place on top of sauce in baking dish. (If you have extra bean filling, you can add it to the dish.) Sprinkle poblanos with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover dish with aluminum foil.

5. Bake until poblanos are tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover, and continue to cook until sauce is thickened slightly and cheese is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more, rotating after 6 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.