bean and veggie tortilla casserole

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Sometimes you just need Mexican food. In the form of a bean and veggie tortilla casserole. Spicy, warm, and comforting.

I love Mexican food. It’s one of those things that happens when you move to Southern California. Prior to moving here, Mexican to me was Taco Bell or Don Pablo’s (which is, as I remember now, a not-very-good Mexican chain in the Northeast). I almost always ordered a quesadilla or enchiladas, which is kind of like the cheater “Mexican” food. “Give me a tortilla filled with greasy melted cheese and possibly covered with bland tomato sauce.” Yuck.

Here in LA, thanks to the large Mexican population, you can get authentic Mexican food on nearly every corner. Burritos are my go to, with (soft) tacos a close second. Flour tortillas are smooth and buttery, chewy, sometimes a tiny bit crisp. Tacos from a street truck are just two small corn tortillas topped with the meat of your choice, and cilantro and onions if you’d like. Outside the truck is a table of assorted condiments – spicy pickled carrots and jalapeños, green, red, and orange salsas pureed to a smooth consistency. And since I love condiments, you can guess I load up on all of them.

Not to mention this wonderful thing called POTATO tacos and burritos (notably from one of my favorite Santa Monica spots, Tacos Por Favor). Soft potatoes with lettuce, guacamole, rice, beans. This is a really big thing, considering potatoes are one of my favorite food items. I’ve never seen anything potato related at Taco Bell or a chain Mexican-American restaurant, have you?

I usually need to have some sort of Mexican food at least once a week. Usually it’s a burrito from my beloved Benito’s around the corner, but they’re not exactly the lightest thing to eat. So for those times when I shouldn’t splurge, at-home-Mexican it is.

Enter black bean and veggie tortilla casserole. This is a nice twist on enchiladas. I’m not really a fan of enchiladas anymore because I feel like the corn flavor of the tortillas deepens when they’re baked and ends up tasting weird. Here, in this casserole, the tortillas end up softening and practically melting into the rest of the ingredients. In a word, it’s awesome.

This recipe was inspired by Everyday Food, but has been pumped up with the addition of veggies and mushrooms.

simple chickpea curry

I’m moderately adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, however, I was always reluctant to try Indian cuisine. It all looked like reddish brown orange mush to me. Okay… it still kind of does. But it’s tasty! Curry powder lends a nice warmth and spice to dishes. The only problem is, a lot of traditional Indian food is loaded with butter and oil. Below is a much lighter version. If you’ve never had curry, give this a try! I use a lot of curry powder for a bold flavor, but you can try 3-4 teaspoons of it if you’re weary.

simple chickpea curry

adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

serves 4

• Ingredients
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped raw cauliflower
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder (2-3 teaspoons if you’d like a milder taste)
• 2 15.5oz cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped raw cauliflower
• 2 1/2 cups baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange the tomatoes and cauliflower on the pan. Spray with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast until the tomatoes collapse, about 25 minutes.

Cook the rice according to the package’s instructions.

In a medium pot, heat the oil and onion over medium high until soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder, stirring until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and cook until warmed through, another 8 minutes. Lastly, add the spinach and cilantro, stirring until wilted.

Divide the rice into 4 portions and top with the curry. Eat!

vegetarian-friendly tortilla soup

I used to work at a very small company. For over two years, I worked from home, however, when I finished college, I started going into our office (which was then an apartment). One of my coworkers, a new hire, was my age. Quickly, we realized we have a lot of the same values and views, and we now joke that we’re “soul mates.”

Well, naturally, as soul mates, we started going to lunch often. Carla is an interesting person. Rather than someone craving a burrito one day, a smoothie the next, and french fries the day after, her cravings are focused on one food item, are intense, and last a few days. One week it’s carrots, the next it’s blueberries, then Luna Bars. But one thing lasted for several weeks: Tortilla Soup.

I could never indulge in this. I rarely eat chicken and I even stay away from chicken broth and stock. But it had to be tasty if she’s craving it several times a week, for several weeks…Right?

However, I continued to look on with desire. Those crispy strips of tortilla. That beautiful red color. I wasn’t sure I’d taste tortilla soup unless I found a way to make it myself.

A few months later, Carla’s obsession had subsided, and my lust for tortilla soup fell onto the backburner (ha!).

Then, I found it. In the pages of my January 2009 issue of Everyday Food. It just fell right onto my lap! This recipe originally called for chicken stock, but no shredded chicken. It’s hearty enough that it doesn’t need chicken to give the extra fullness. There’s no doubt in my mind that since I’ve found this soup I’m not missing anything at a casual restaurant.

tortilla soup with black beans

from Everyday Food Magazine

serves 4

• Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Swanson vegetable stock (Get Swanson!! Way better than other brands. No, this post is not sponsored.)
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
• kosher salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
  

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and juice, beans, broth, corn, and 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Sprinkle in the tortilla chips and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges and, if you like, additional chips. And that yummy looking sandwich is my Spicy Tex Mex Grilled Cheese!

cauliflower steaks with roasted pepper and tomato salad

It’s been quite an indulgent holiday season. To say the least. I started out my holiday baking season by making a Cookies and Cream Cupcake recipe I’d been eyeing from Annie’s Eats, then moved on to decorating traditional sugar and gingerbread cookies. There were my favorite coconut cookies I made for my roomie (and fellow coconut lover) to take on her three week vacation. Not to mention our second annual Christmas Cookie Baking Party, during which I made Cinnamon Chocolate Cookie Crisps and PB White Chocolate Chex Mix. Oh and then all the other sweet goodies received as gifts at work, the dozen cupcakes I got from Magnolia Bakery, and all the cookies waiting for me at home in PA…

…and these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls I made on Christmas morning.

With that said, I’ve been more than ready to get back into the swing of healthier eating since I’ve been back in Los Angeles. The new issue of Everyday Food had arrived, and although I’m not a fan at all of the new logo (before and after), There are a lot of recipes I’m excited to try. Here’s what I started with.

This is a nice, hearty recipe for dinner. I also spiced the leftovers up the next day by drizzling a little balsamic vinegar and sprinkling with a bit of parmagiano reggiano cheese.

cauliflower steaks with roasted pepper and tomato salad

adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

serves 4

• Ingredients
• 1 large head cauliflower, trimmed
• 3/4 pint mini heirloom tomatoes
• 2 large bell peppers (any color)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• Extra-virgin olive oil spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

With stem side up, cut the cauliflower into four 3/4-inch-thick “steaks.” Cut the end pieces into florets and save for another use.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange the tomatoes on the pan. Spray with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast until the tomatoes collapse, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, roast the peppers over a high gas flame. Use tongs to turn them until they’re blistered and charred on all around, about 10 minutes. Put the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to steam for 10 minutes, then rub with paper towels to remove the charred skin. Remove the stem and seeds, roughly chop, and add to the bowl with the tomatoes.

Toss tomatoes and peppers with vinegar, parsley, and a few sprays of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Spray a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Place cauliflower steaks in the pan, two at a time. Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown, covered. Flip steaks over and cook for another 10 minutes, covered.

While cauliflower is cooking, prepare quinoa according to package instructions.

Plate the quinoa, top with a cauliflower steak, and spoon on roasted pepper and tomato salad.