Travel Rice

12/7/2015 0 Comments

This rice was created on-the-go while we were traveling. We'd get into a hotel room late and be without fresh fruit or vegetables so I had to get creative quick! Thankfully I pre-planned and brought my rice cooker and some other goods. I ended up taking a blend of spices, combined them with rice, lentils and quinoa creating a balanced meal for two. We ended up LOVING the flavorful, feel-good mix and have enjoyed it more than once at home since returning. I'll ask - travel rice? And he'll say yes! When we're home I'll add in garlic and onions for added health and flavor. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Total Time: 30 Minutes | Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: 25 Minutes | Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup White or Brown Rice
1/4 Cup Lentils
1/4 Cup Quinoa (I used Red)
2 Cups Water
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp each Black Pepper, Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp each Garlic Salt, Chili Powder, Paprika and Curry
Opt: 3-4 Thai Red Chilis

Recommended:

1 Lime - Squeezed
2-3 Cloves Garlic - Minced
1/2 Onion - Diced

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a rice cooker or pot if cooking on the stove.
Mix together and press cook. Serve hot with sauces as desired. Makes 2 large bowls or 4 smaller servings. That was easy!

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Vegan, Creamy Cheese that Melts - Habanero Style!

12/4/2015 0 Comments

Create a creamy vegan cheese that can be used as a dip, in sauce, soup, pizza, enchiladas, nachos and a number of other wonderful meals. Within 5 minutes and very few ingredients (less soaking time) you can enjoy your very own! Add a habanero for habanero cheese, jalapeno for jalapeno cheese (+ cilantro for even more flavor and a lime - juiced instead of Apple Cider Vinegar), basil for lasagna or other Italian dishes or enjoy it as is. Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Cashews (Soaked 2 hours or 10 minutes in hot water)
1 Cup Dairy Free Milk (I used Cashew)
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsp. Corn Flour
1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
+ any additional boosters (habanero, jalapeno..)

Peaceful Preparation:

Combine ingredients in a blender. Blend on smoothie setting (high - 45 seconds), scrape down sides, repeat. It will be smooth yet thin.
Heat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Whisk together and then stir continuously. After 5 minutes it will be amazingly gooey and wonderful for many meals! Remove from heat and use as you please. Store extras in the fridge, sealed.

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Handmade Corn Tortillas

12/1/2015 0 Comments

In our travels we once stayed on a property owned by a sweet Mexican family. One bright morning we looked out and saw the mom making handmade tortillas. She had a station set up outside, her dough in a bowl, would take some out, press it in her hands and make her family the tortillas needed for that day. It was such a warm archetypal motherly feeling when watching her. I've tried my hand at tortillas and have had success but they are typically not very circular. Thankfully, one day, I was buying fruits and vegetables and my husband said he'd be back. Later that day he surprised me with a tortilla press made in MX! It makes the process so much easier and they turn out perfectly! You can find the recipe on the back of bag usually, the simple recipe I use is below. I can't help but think of that family and that fine morning when I make tortillas!

16 Handmade Corn Tortillas:

2 Cups Harina de Maiz (Corn Flour)
1 1/2 Cups to 2 Cups Very Warm Water
Opt: 1/4 tsp Baking Soda for a little lift

Peaceful Preparation:

Mix the water and harina de maiz together in a large bowl. Set aside 5 minutes.
Knead well for 3-5 minutes. Roll into 14-16 golf-sized balls, press between hands slightly.
Use two pieces of wax paper or a plastic bag with a slit cut down the side. Place a piece of wax pepper on the base of a tortilla press, place a ball that has been slightly pressed on top and cover with the other piece of wax paper. Press down, perfect!
Heat a cast iron skillet or your favorite pan. Heat tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute each side.
Place in a tortilla warmer or a plate covered with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.

See the Enchilada Recipe to put these to use! :)

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Homemade Enchilada Sauce

12/1/2015 0 Comments

Onions, garlic, tomatoes and big red chili powders are combined with spices to create a savory enchilada sauce. There are many ways to make enchilada sauce and this is one of our favorites. Within about 20 - 25 minutes you can have 3 cups of your very own enchilada sauce. Enjoy!

Enchilada Sauce:

2 Big Red Dried Chilies
1 Cup Onions - Diced
4 Cloves Garlic - Minced
3 Cups Tomatoes - Chopped
1 Tbsp Chili Powder (1-5 Tbsp, depending how you like it!)
1/2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Oregano
3/4 tsp Salt
1 Cup Water

Peaceful Preparation:

Soak the 2 dried chilies in boiling hot water for 10 minutes. Carefully pull off the stem and the seeds and stem will come out easily.
Grab a large skillet with deep sides. Pour a little water or vegetable broth inside, sauté the minced garlic and chopped garlic for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and soft.
Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Sauté until fragrant. Add 3 cups of chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of water and the soaked chilies.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes until desired thickness. Set aside to cool, then proceed to blend (in 1/2 batches if needed) until smooth. Makes 3 cups.

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Homemade Enchiladas with Habanero Cheese + Video

12/1/2015 2 Comments

There is a feeling of euphoria that comes after making meals from scratch. At the time you begin it can seem like a big task but soon it turns into a grand adventure and is the best when the meal is irresistibly good. From corn flour and water mixed to form a dough then kneaded with my hands until just right, ensuring to add intentions of love in hopes it will work out. To making small dough balls and pressing them in my new tortilla press my husband surprised me with!

Watching them become toasted brown and creating a huge stack makes it all worthwhile. For me I was going the distance and soon was making homemade enchilada sauce while trying to capture it in the process. I had a lot of fun and in the end had 3 cups of savory sauce to work with.

The vegan cheese was infused with a habanero creating habanero cheese that is fantastically spicy for those who love a kick. Soon I was stuffing the tortillas and covering them with sauce and cheese. In only 20 minutes the hot enchiladas were done and it was as if a beautiful Mexican woman created a delicious meal for two. Could these be vegan?

Yes! My husband and I both went wild for them and gladly ate each last bite. They're hard to resist with so much flavor and hard to stop at 2 after tasting them.

My husband loved them, "delicious honey!" These would be great to share with others yet also make great leftovers. As I look back, I had so much fun sharing such delicious food with the man I love and am so excited to share it with you that it was all worth it and I’d repeat again. I hope you enjoy this new creations as much as we do!

Create an Enchilada Station, have each of the ingredients set up. I like to make the tortillas first if making by hand. Then when they are under control and cooking, the enchilada sauce. While it is cooking, I prepare the vegetable bean mixture. Once the enchilada sauce is done, I set aside to cool before blending and make the habanero cheese. Make the cheese, heat to thicken and set aside. Then I place everything out and begin. Watch the video above for a visual.

Enchilada Station:

16 Corn Tortillas (Click for Recipe or use store-bought)
3 Cups Enchilada Sauce (Click for Recipe or use store-bought)
Vegetable Bean Mixture (See Below)
Habanero Cheese (Click for Recipe)

Peaceful Preparation:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil, lightly greased. Spread 3/4 cup of Enchilada Sauce to cover the bottom.
Place 1 tbsp of enchilada sauce in a tortilla, spread around. Add 1 spoonful of vegetable bean mixture in the center and 1 small spoonful of habanero cheese. Roll it up / wrap it up and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until done.
Cover them with enchilada sauce and top with the remaining vegan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot! If you have any extra enchilada sauce, spread it on the base of the plate, place the enchiladas on top. For a treat add guacamole and tomatoes or salsa, yum!

Use your favorite mixture of 1 1/2 cups beans, 1 1/2 cups vegetables. This is what I used:

Vegetable Bean Mixture (Filling):

1 1/2 Cups Cooked Garbanazo Beans ( 1 can)
2 Roasted Poblano Peppers (stem / seeds removed) - Diced
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1/4 Cup Chopped Tomatoes

Peaceful Preparation:

Broil the poblano peppers for 10 minutes each side. Once cool enough to handle, dice.
In a bowl combine the ingredients and set aside for the Enchilada Station!

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Travel Rice

Vegan, Creamy Cheese that Melts - Habanero Style!

Handmade Corn Tortillas

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Homemade Enchiladas with Habanero Cheese + Video

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Travel Rice

Vegan, Creamy Cheese that Melts - Habanero Style!

Handmade Corn Tortillas﻿

﻿Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Homemade Enchiladas with Habanero Cheese + Video

Meet Christa

Best Food Blogs

Top 15 Blog 2022

The Artistic Vegan Cookbook - eBook

Categories

Archives

Search hundreds of recipes:

Join thousands of followers!

Handmade Corn Tortillas

Homemade Enchilada Sauce