My Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas are a family favorite!  My family loves the shredded chicken so much that we often just made chicken tacos, shredded chicken salad, or a rice bowl with shredded chicken, salsa, black beans, guacamole..whatever we have on hand.  

Ingredients:

• 1 large can pureed tomatoes
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/3 c good chili powder
• 1/4 c. hot sauce
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3/4 t onion powder
• 1 t ground cumin
• 8-12 soft enchilada shells (tortilla shells)

Prep Instructions:

1. Heat oil in skillet
2. Add flour and chili powder
3. Let brown, stirring constantly (don't burn the flour!)
4. Add tomatoes and 2 c. water
5. Add hot sauce, garlic, onion powder and cumin
6. Cook for 10 minutes
7. Add salt to taste

CrockPot Instructions:

1. Spray crock with Pam.
2. Place the following in the CrockPot:
• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 whole jalepeno peppers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 can green chilies
3. Pour enchilada sauce over top and cook for 4-5 hours on low.
4. Remove chicken and shred. 

To Assemble Enchiladas:

1. Spray large baking dish with Pam.
2. Dip tortillas into sauce in crockpot then stuff with chicken and roll
3. Place rolls seam side down in baking dish.
4. After filling baking dish with rolled enchiladas, pour remaining sauce on top.
5. Top with your favorite cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Garnish with sour cream, black olives, and guacamole!

Tip: Shredded chicken can be frozen for later use - add a little of the sauce to make it extra yummy!

Spinach, Chickpea & Potato Masala

We love Indian food and I'm finally getting to the point where I can whip together an Indian Curry or Masala dish with whatever I have on hand.  We particularly like this combination.

Ingredients:

1 lb. potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes (I’ve used russet, Yukon, and sweet potatoes…all good)

2 cans chick peas, drained.

2 tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs. minced ginger (I’ve used powdered in a pinch)

1 jalapeño chile, finely chopped

1 tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. turmeric

1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk

1 8-oz. bag spinach

1½- 2 tsp. garam masala

1 tbs. lime juice

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions:

1.       Cook potatoes 10 minutes, or until just tender. Set aside.

2.       Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 8 minutes, or until soft and golden.

3.       Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño, and sauté 1 minute.

4.       Stir in chick peas, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and potatoes. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes.

5.       Add 1/4 cup water, coconut milk, and salt and pepper to taste.

6.       Bring to a simmer.

7.       Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

8.       Stir in 1/4 cup water, spinach, and garam masala. Cook 2 minutes, or until spinach wilts.

9.       Stir in lime juice and cilantro

10.      Serve over brown rice.

Nutritious No Bake Cookies

We amended this recipe from: http://www.food.com/recipe/healthy-no-bake-cookies-137725

Jack and I didn't bother "cooking" anything; just whirred it around and done.  Delicious!

Ingredients:

3 t rice milk

1/3 c sugar

1 t Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder

1 1/2 t vanilla

1/3 c peanut butter

3 T ground flax seeds (optional)

1 cup quick oatmeal

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixed.
2. Use a scoop to scoop out the "dough"
3. Arrange on a plate
4. DONE!

Mandarin Orange Cake

This is a family recipe that my Aunts and my Mom have been making since I can remember.  It's NOT attractive, but one taste, and you WILL want the recipe.  This is an easy recipe for kids to remember...2 of everything! :-)

This lovely image, is typically how this cake looks directly after I serve it...not much left!

Cake Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

2 small cans mandarin oranges (with juice)

2 t. vanilla

2 t. baking soda

Directions

1. Combine all dry ingredients and whisk well.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well, this will be lumpy.
3. Pour into a 9 by 11 inch baking dish lightly buttered and floured.
4. Bake at 350, check at 30 minutes.

Caramel Frosting Ingredients:

11/2 c. brown sugar

6 T butter

6 T evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk together.
2. Cook  on medium heat until melted and bubbly
3. Poke holes in cake with the wrong end of a butter knife and pour frosting over the entire cake.

Vegan Buffalo "Wings"...yes, for real!

Over a month since the documentary "Vegecated" changed my plans of remaining a carnivore for life.  I have found this lifestyle not difficult and I still have no plans of changing.

Then comes, Superbowl Sunday...our tradition has been that Joe makes his fabulous buffalo wings.  Hmm...not this year.  I saw a recipe on Pinterest for vegetarian wings made with cauliflower.  That recipe called for buttermilk to make a batter for the wings.  Hmm...we have only unflavored coconut milk on hand, so here's what I did.  Turns out, this is vegan!

Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower but into bite sized pieces
2 c. unflavored coconut milk (I'll bet you could use soy, rice, or almond here...all unflavored)
5 T vinegar
2 c flour (I used AP, but I'm guessing other gluten free options would work)
2 T garlic powder
2 T onion powder
2 t paprika

Buffalo Sauce:
1/2 c earth balance "butter" spread
1 T garlic powder
2 t garlic salt
1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Mix coconut milk and vinegar.  Let sit for 5 minutes and mix again.
3. Add flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to milk mixure.
4. Mix well.
5. Gently add cauliflower and fold batter gently around each piece.
6. Lightly oil a large glass baking dish.
7. Place cauliflower pieces in baking dish.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
9. While cauliflower is baking, melt "butter" in a saucepan.
10. Add garlic powder, garlic salt and Frank's Red Hot sauce to melted "butter".
11. When cauliflower is done (it will not be mushy..so don't expect it) place in a large bowl and pour buffalo sauce over it.  Gently stir until all cauliflower is coated.
12. Place buffalo cauliflower back in glass baking dish and place back into the oven for 8-10 minutes.
13. Remove from oven and serve.  
14. Your arteries will thank you and you didn't kill any chickens.  :-)

Seitan "Meatball" Subs

Twenty five days of vegetarianism under my belt and no desire to turn back.  I saw a picture of a roasted chicken in the market today and let's just say there was nothing appetizing about it for me.  Trust me here, I'm not preaching that everyone should be a vegetarian...it's just working for me right now.
Jack is on board by default, at least when he dines at home so I wanted to make something that would be very appealing for him and a little bit sinful for Joe and I.

Meatball Subs!  Yes!  Who doesn't love a meatball sub?

I combined some recipes and this is what I came up with.  Let me just say Y-U-M!  I'm not kidding...these rocked!

You'll need to make the seitan first, then make the "meatballs" using the seitan.  So, what is seitan?  See Wikipedia's article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_gluten_(food)

If you don't want to make your own seitan, you can buy it premade.  This is not for the gluten sensitive crowd!!!!

For Seitan:

Ingredients:
2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten Flour
1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 T olive oil
1 c vegetable broth
1 c water

Seitan Broth
6 cups water
2 T soy sauce

Instructions:

1. Combine soy sauce, olive oil, vegetable broth, water, sage, marjoram, onion powder, garlic powder and mix well.
2. Combine wet mixture with 2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten.
3. Get ready to mix with your clean hands and mix well!
4. Knead the mixture until it comes together and is very elastic.
5. Place the blob on the counter and use some clean paper towels to dry it a bit.
6. Boil the water and soy sauce for the seitan broth then turn to a simmer.
7. Cut the seitan dough into 2 inch pieces and drop into the hot broth.  
8. Let simmer for one hour.
9. Drain in a colander until cool.

"Meatballs"

Ingredients:

16 oz or so Seitan

1/2 c pecans

1/2 c breadcrumbs

1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 c fresh basil, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 cage free egg

3 T tomato paste

3/4 c water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place seitan in food processor with pecans and pulse until the consistency of cooked hamburger.
3. Place mixture in a large bowl.
4. Place egg, tomato paste, garlic powder, oregano, garlic, basil, and parsley into food processor and whirl well.
5. Add egg mixture and breadcrumbs to seitan mixture.  Fold together.
6. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
7. Using a 1/3 cup scoop, scoop the mixture into your hand and form a meatball.
8. Place each meatball on the cookie sheet.
9. When you've formed all the "meatballs" put them in the over for 30 minutes.
10. When done place in a heat resistant container to cool.

"Meatball" Subs

Ingredients:

Seitan "Meatballs"

Crusty rolls

Favorite Spaghetti Sauce

Veggie Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions:

1. Place opened rolls on cookie sheet and toast in over for 5-7 minutes.
2. Cut meatballs in half and place on toasted rolls.
3. Sprinkle "cheese" over meatballs.
4. Top with desired amount of sauce.
5. Place back in the oven for a few minutes until heated thoroughly.
6. Remove from oven and ENJOY!

Green Goddess Smoothie

We're on a smoothie kick in our household.  We love this because, it is fast, nutritious and fun!

Jack asked me to write this recipe down because it is his new favorite breakfast drink!

Ingredients:
1/2 Granny Smith apple
1/2 orange, peeled
1/2 pear, any variety
1/2 kiwi, peeled
2 4" pieces of celery
Juice of a 1/4 of a lime
1 tsp Chia Seeds
1 tsp Hemp Seeds
5 ice cubes

Directions:
Cut all fruit into chunks.
Place orange chunks in blender first followed by the rest of the ingredients.  You may need to add a little water, depending on your blender's capability.
Blend well.
Enjoy!