Enchilada Soup

I guess I'm on an enchilada kick. Driving to the store Monday evening I was trying to come up with something new for dinner and this soup popped into my head. It is basically the enchiladas I made in the last recipe post, converted into a soup!This is great by itself as a meal or maybe as a side with some yummy quesadillas.

Ingredients: 
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cans enchilada sauce
2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed 
1 cup frozen (or fresh) corn (roasted is good if you can find it) 
1 cup vegetable broth 
1/2 tbsp cumin
sauce from chipotle peppers (you could also add the pepper, chopped) 
salt to taste 

In a large pot, cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes until tender. Next, add all other ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes or so. I would add the chipotle in small amounts and keep tasting until you reach a flavor and heat level you're okay with. 

You could keep it vegan as is, or if you like, garnish with some sour cream and shredded cheese. Chopped fresh cilantro would be delightful as well. This is super satisfying and quick. Great for a weeknight dinner. 
 

Confessions

1. Sometimes I clean the house to 90's rap music. There's nothing like a little Gangsta's Paradise to get you in the mood to scrub the kitchen sink.

2. I love pickle and peanut butter sandwiches. Don't judge; they're awesome. However, not just any pickle will do. They absolutely must be dill and very crunchy. This is a great choice.

Source

3. During training for my first half marathon, one of my toenails fell off. I am not allowed to mention this around Brian. Ever.

4. I can never remember how to spell the word necessary. I got lucky this time.

5. When I was young, I thought it was such a waste of space to have a pool on a cruise ship. You know, with the ocean right there and all.

6. Ok, so this is not technically my confession, but you must know. My husband does a mean The Real Slim Shady on karaoke.

7. And for the grand finale, I have had a big crush on Tom Selleck since I was three. Yes, that's right, three. Bet you can't guess which Friends episodes were my favorite.

                                                                           Source

(You can stop rolling your eyes now, Brian.) 

Chipotle Black Bean Enchiladas

A week or so ago I made these enchiladas. And if I do say so myself, they were the best I've ever made. But before going into that, let me give a little update on things around here. 

Last weekend, I ran my second half marathon! It was also a great excuse to take a long weekend trip back home to Little Rock. The race went quite well. The weather was great and, aside from two rather daunting hills, I reached my goal of running the whole thing. Mind you, I do not run fast. In fact, I think at one point a speed walking old woman past me...but that's not the point. I finished and it felt great. It was also so wonderful to see my family and dear friends. I miss them all so much. 

Now back to the enchiladas. These are not vegan, but I think you could easily make them vegan by using vegan sour cream and then omitting the cheese all together or using a cheese substitute that you like. One thing I did that might be a little unusual is use flour tortillas instead of corn. I know that may enchilada blasphemy, but they are so good, i just don't care. I strongly suggest using whole wheat tortillas though, as they stand up better to the sauce and won't be as soggy the second day. Or I suppose you could use corn if you're a purist.

Ingredients (this makes a 9x13 pan's worth):
10 whole wheat flour tortillas 
1 lg (19 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted is good or Rotel style)
2 cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
a couple of spoonfuls sour cream
1/2 tbsp cumin
about 1/4 cup salsa
1/2 block of Monterrey jack cheese, shredded 
a few spoonfuls sauce that chipotle peppers come in


Heat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, mash the beans with a potato masher. You don't have to massacre it, but you want it to resemble re-fried beans. Mix in the salsa, sour cream, cumin and chipotle sauce. Add a couple large spoonfuls of the bean mixture down the center of the tortillas and roll. Line a 9x13 casserole pan with the enchiladas - 5 on each end. Next, pour the sauce and diced tomatoes evenly over the tortillas. I like my enchiladas really saucy. If you don't, use a smaller can of sauce. Cover the tops with the shredded cheese and bake in the oven until the sauce is good and bubbly and the cheese is nicely melted. 


Garnishing with some fresh chopped cilantro would also be nice. If you can't handle things too spicy, go easy on the chipotle. Don't leave it out though because it adds a wonderful smokey flavor.

DIY Natural Deoderant and Face-Wash

Today I am posting recipes of a different sort. Over the past long weekend I experimented a little with making some of my own personal care products. Why, you ask? Well, toxins are really beginning to concern me. It seems they are everywhere and in everything and I personally don't think we know enough about what they are doing to us. I know I can't rid my life of them completely, but it is a lot easier than I thought to make a switch to using natural, everyday items in place of commercially produced products for a variety of purposes. Not to mention, it is generally way cheaper! 

I have found it very empowering to make my own products. However, I wonder if Brian thinks I've lost it a little. I was so excited to show him what I'd made. His response: What are you now, Amish? (No offense to Amish people. But come to think of it, they wouldn't be reading this anyway.) I know he was only teasing me (I think). Although, he has yet to try any of my concoctions...   

There are several things that I am trying, or plan to try, but I'll share two that I have tried so far and am quite pleased with: deodorant and an oil-based face wash. ( I know that last one sounds strange, I thought so too. But really, it is great.) 

Thanks to my new Pinterest obsession, I find all these great ideas for do-it-yourself projects. See, it isn't a time waster at all...Anyway, one thing I came across was a recipe for deodorant at this site. I have tried buying natural deodorants before and been very disappointed...and, well, smelly. I was pleasantly surprised by this concoction. I've used it for two days now and at the end of each day I am still stink-free. Promise.  

The recipe is quite simple: 

1/4 c organic coconut oil

1/4 c arrowroot powder

1/4 cup baking soda

5+ drops essential oil of your choice 

You mix all of the ingredients together to form a paste. I personally found the coconut oil to be quite hard as it was, so I put the jar in some hot water to melt it and then mixed it in. I added probably a tablespoon more than the above recipe because it still seemed a little dry. Also, I didn't buy any arrowroot powder and just used cornstarch instead. I had bought some peppermint essential oil for the homemade toothpaste I'm trying out so I just used that for the scent, but you could really use whatever you like the smell of. Then I stored it in a small mason jar and I just use my finger to take a little bit and rub it in. Once the oil hits your skin, it softens and dissolves very well.

Another option for deodorant is maybe the simplest thing I've ever heard: 99% isopropyl alcohol. Yep. And you know what? It works. You do not end up smelling like alcohol either.

Now on to the face wash. I am very excited about this one. It sounded very strange to me to use oil to wash your face, but the lady on the site said her skin had never looked better so I was willing to try it. Especially considering it only takes two ingredients! One I already had in my house. 

You simply mix one part castor oil (yes, the stuff in the drug store you take for constipation) with one part either sunflower or olive oil. I used olive oil since I always have some in the house. Since my skin is sometimes on the oily side, I did two parts castor oil to one part olive oil. 

To use, you massage a quarter-sized amount into your skin for about a minute. Then run a wash cloth under very warm water, squeeze out the excess water, and lay over your face for another minute. Next rinse the wash cloth and gently rub the remaining oil, dirt, make-up, etc off your face. 

My skin feels really smooth and not too dried out like with some cleansers. It also acts as a great eye make-up remover and doesn't sting your eyes. It's cheap, does a great job at removing make-up, and makes my skin feel great. I don't think I'll ever go back to using cleanser again.  

It feels really good to know exactly what is in the products I use and know that they are safe. Admittedly, I'm not actually a great environmentalist, but the fact that these things don't hurt the environment either is an added bonus. 

Bonus tip - You can also use coconut oil to shave your legs!   

Update: I had to stop using the deodorant; it was giving me rash. I went back to using regular deodorant for awhile and am now trying out various store bought natural options. I also stopped using the oil face cleansing method. My makeup was not staying on my face during the day and as soon as I stopped using the oil, it was back to normal. Oh well. Worth a try.  

Vegan Potato Soup - with cilantro!

Alright, I confess to being a total liar when I've said that I was going to start posting again and didn't. In my defense, it is so much easier to be inspired in the spring and summer when surrounded by all the beautiful garden produce. It's not too late to make a New Year's resolution, right? Me being an accomplished procrastinator and all, I figure late February  is about the right time. 

So before I get into the recipe, a few things that have been going on with me recently (because I know you are bursting with curiosity. Do try and contain yourselves.)


1. Two weeks until the Little Rock Half Marathon...my legs have been sore since Christmas.

2. I have recently become addicted to Pinterest. Seriously, someone may need to stage an intervention. But hey, at least it cuts down on Facebook time and you get so many cool ideas. If only I could get away from the computer long enough to try them... 
 
3. We bought ourselves a juicer for Christmas after being inspired by the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. Planning a juice fast in March after the half marathon.

4. In an effort to cut down on toxins from everyday commercial products, I have started researching DIY natural products from laundry detergent to face wash. I'll let you know how it goes. If anyone has any suggestions, please do tell. 

5. And finally, on a more serious note, God has answered some prayers in our life recently concerning various matters. We have been really blessed. 

Now, on to the soup. Admittedly, I don't have a very precise recipe to give for this. I usually just keep adding stuff until it tastes good and I don't always remember what that is. The real reason I'm posting this is because I was so excited by how good adding cilantro to it is! I got this idea from my dad who is trying to watch his salt intake. He said that adding cilantro gave it so much flavor, he didn't really miss the salt. I admit though, I did use salt as well, but I think it helps cut down on what I would normally add to potato soup, which is probably enough to turn Lake Ouachita into the Red Sea...I also use Yukon gold potatoes and cook them in vegetable broth instead of water. The Yukon gold potatoes have a better, creamier texture and more flavor and you don't need to peel them. 

So here is a rough idea of what I use for a big pot:

1 lg onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped 
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
about 5 or 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, (maybe more if they are small) cut into chunks
enough vegetable broth to cover the vegetables in the pot (if you run out, you can always add water)
several tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 
salt and pepper to taste  (I also add some Cajun seasoning, season salt, or Greek seasoning depending on my mood, but I could not tell you how much, just keep tasting)
some hot water on hand to thin it out if needed  


Put all the chopped vegetables in the pot (except the cilantro) and cover with broth. On high, bring the vegetables to a boil and then let boil for about 20 minutes or so. You want the potatoes to be soft enough to smash easily. I just use a potato masher and mash until I reach a consistency that I like. It could be quite thick at this point so I add some hot water until it thins out how I like it. Now add some seasonings. I like lots of black pepper in my potato soup. You might want to hold back on the salt and let everyone salt their own bowl after the cilantro is added. Once the soup is in individual bowls, sprinkle some chopped cilantro on top and stir in. Then add more salt or pepper if needed. 


I think the potatoes are creamy enough on their own and don't need added cream or milk, but if you wanted to, you could use some soy creamer and stir it in after the vegetables are mashed. 

Adding the cilantro is really tasty and different. So good on cold, winter nights.

BBQ Tofu Sandwiches

Tofu is a scary word to most non-vegetarians it seems. I've noticed it's one of the main things at which people cringe and refuse to try. I honestly haven't used tofu a lot at home, but I'm trying to experiment more with it and use processed soy meats less. 

These sandwiches were so easy and turned out very tasty. Word of advice: it will be as tasty as your BBQ sauce so make sure you choose a good quality sauce. I had some Trader Joe's BBQ sauce in the fridge so I was in good shape. Don't skimp on the quality of the buns either. I also recommend using a sauce with some spice to it but adding jalapenos will do the trick as well (for perfection, do both!). I'm not much for sweet flavors but if I can balance the sweet with some spice then I really enjoy it. 

Ingredients:
1 package extra-firm tofu, sliced somewhat thin
about a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (enough to generously coat tofu in the pan)
vegetable oil for browning tofu
good soft wheat buns
sliced tomato
jalapenos
Whatever else sounds good as a topping!   

First, heat some oil in a large non-stick skillet on med-high heat. When oil is hot, add the tofu slices and cook on both sides until lightly golden brown (you might need to do this in a couple batches). Set the cooked tofu on a paper towel and drain the excess oil from the pan. Lower the heat to low and add the tofu back plus the BBQ sauce to generously coat the tofu slices. Let this simmer together for several minutes on low to allow the tofu to absorb the flavor. I also grilled the insides of the buns  - yummy. Done! Now you make your sandwiches. They have a ton of flavor and are very satisfying. 

Don't be afraid of tofu. It's your, and your arteries, friend!

"Spanish" Couscous and Homemade Wheat Tortillas

Who doesn't love homemade flour tortillas? I don't know why I haven't tried making these more considering how much I drool over them. I finally got the motivation to try it out last night. Wanting to go for a healthier version, I tried a whole-wheat recipe I found on this blog: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/whole_wheat_flour_tortillas. I swapped the shortening for vegetable oil though. I made one batch with all wheat flour and one with half and half all purpose. They were both good and very hearty. However, could someone please tell me how to make them so perfectly round?!


Of course, one cannot live on flour tortillas alone (even as I write that I'm not so sure). So I decided to throw together something with couscous instead of rice as a side. I love couscous. Partly because it's idiot proof and so fast. I also think it has a nice texture. It turned out quite tasty as an alternative to Spanish rice. 


Ingredients: 
1 cup whole-wheat couscous (or regular) 
1 cup vegetable broth (or water, but I think vegetable broth adds more flavor)
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies 
half an onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tbsp cumin
roughly 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
a few tsp of the juice from a can of chipotle peppers (adjust depending on your heat tolerance. If you can handle it, I would chop a few up and add it to the mix) 


In a small skillet, cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat the broth and diced tomatoes to a boil. Remove from heat and throw in the remaining ingredients. Mix well, cover, and let set for five minutes or so. Then, fluff with fork and taste and add more seasoning or spice if needed. Another idea would be to add a can of drained, rinsed black beans. I would have, but I was serving some re-fried beans on the side.


This is low-fat, vegan, and super easy to make!