Vegan
Isn’t it nice to have a recipe on hand for when you have company over and you need a dinner that looks like it took a lot of work but really didn’t? My go to: stuffed peppers. Shoot, I just gave away my secret.
The best thing about stuffed peppers is that you can stuff ‘em with pretty much anything and you can cook them just about anywhere. I like mine grilled best, but I’ve been known to broil them in the toaster oven more often than not.
These peppers can be ready to eat in less than 15 minutes depending on what kind of rice you use.
I make it easy on myself by cooking a big batch of brown rice and refrigerating it so it’s ready when I need it. {I’m not an advanced planner when it comes to hunger.} If you don’t have any premade and need a meal on the table quickly, quick cooking rice, quinoa, or orzo would be a good fast option.
by with a Side of Sneakers
- 2 green or red bell peppers, sliced in half top to bottom
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup brown rice {or other grain}
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 can diced green chiles
- Optional: diced jalapenos or yellow corn
Mix beans, rice, and taco seasoning.
Fill peppers with bean mixture.
No taco seasoning? Try a mix of chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper instead.
If you’re not vegan, feel free to top with cheddar cheese before cooking.
Pop on the grill until peppers slightly char and filling is warm. Or cheat like me: heat the bean mixture in the microwave while broiling the empty peppers, then fill and serve.
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What’s your favorite easy entertaining meal?
Pssst. Check out baby’s first vacation over on tiny sneakers!
Recipe
My favorite go-to recipe lately is black bean pineapple enchiladas. Not only are they delicious, but they are so easy to fix it’s hard to find a reason not to make them every night.
They’re also easy to fix ahead of time and pop in the oven just before dinner time or pop in the freezer for another day.
They’re also easy to drop on the floor if you’re tired. {And yes, I did eat them. They’re too good not too.}
Black Bean Pineapple Enchiladas
8 whole wheat tortillas
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can crushed pineapple {if you have the really big can, only use half}
1/2 packet low sodium taco seasoning
2 chilies in adobo, diced
1 can enchilada sauce {or make your own enchilada sauce}
Mix together black beans, enchiladas, taco seasoning, and chilies. Scoop into whole wheat tortillas. Fold in edges of tortillas and place in baking dish. 
Top with enchilada sauce.
{Not going to lie, these are so good I’ve even used spaghetti sauce in a pinch. Not bad. Not as good though.}
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then broil on high until edges start to brown.
You can certainly add cheese before you broil the enchiladas, but I promise you won’t even miss it if you don’t.
They’re also delicious smothered in a pile of jalapenos and served with a Pale Pale Ale to wash away the heat. Mmmm,
Saranac Pale Pale Ale…if you like IPAs and hoppy beer, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.
Recipe
Do: Smother in black beans
Don’t: Wipe your face after slicing jalapenos
Do: Mix beans in taco seasoning and Worcestershire sauce
Don’t: Assume a non-stick pan is really non stick
Do: Eat the entire pan
Don’t: Assume the jalapenos won’t be hot even though they burned your skin
Do: Bake then broil for crispy, flavor nachos without boatloads of cheese
Do: Cover in lettuce and extra salsa
Baked Nachos
Tortilla chips
1 can black beans
1/2 packet low sodium taco seasoning
2 T Worcestershire sauce
Sprinkle of Daiya cheese
1 fresh jalapeno, diced
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Salsa
Spread chips on pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Mix together black beans, taco seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce; spread on top of chips. Top with jalapeno. {And yes, I washed my hands with soap before touching my face. It was that hot.}
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Broil 2-3 minutes on high or until chips just start to brown.
Cover with lettuce and salsa.
Eat. 
What’s your favorite nacho topping?
Recipe
If I started this blog today, I’d probably call it “The Best Blank Ever”. Every post would be titled “The Best ____ Ever”.
The Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever, the Best Breakfast Ever, the Best Pancakes Ever. Today’s post would be The Best Enchiladas Ever.
Hmm. I guess the Food Network beat me to it. Hard to blame them. Who doesn’t eat something delicious and then proclaim it’s the best ___ever?!
Well, these really are the best enchiladas ever. I’m biased because I made them but I don’t care.
I didn’t even mean for them to be the best ever. I just wanted beans. Beans wrapped in tortillas. And I didn’t feel like cooking an elaborate meal, so I wasn’t expecting much.
Well of course-
A lesson my mother taught me: Lower your expectations & you won’t be disappointed.
Another lesson that I don’t care to admit to: Your mom’s always right.
I don’t even know if these classify as enchiladas. Maybe they’re burritos? Or chimichangas? I know they’re not tacos. I deem them enchiladas. I mean, I’m the cook, what I say in my kitchen goes.
You, however, can call them whatever you want.
I call them good.
Best Enchiladas Ever
1 can refried black beans
1/2 packet low sodium taco seasoning
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 cup salsa
5-6 whole wheat tortilla wraps
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Sauce
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 c water
1/2 T Worcestershire sauce
splash hot sauce
dash of spices: cumin, cayenne pepper
1/2 T white wine vinegar
1/2 T flour
Heat sauce ingredients in pan over low heat. Whisk in flour.
Cook onions over high heat in pan. Don’t touch them. Let them brown. Then you can give them a stir and turn the heat down. I’m serious. Don’t wimp out on me- let ‘em almost burn.
While the sauce simmers, mix taco seasoning and black beans. (FYI I didn’t like the brand I used. I had to add a ton before I could taste it- I usually use Old El Paso and hardly ever use more than a spoonful or two, so you might want to taste as you go.)
Stir in salsa. This might go without saying, but use a salsa you like. It’s gotta taste good. 🙂
Heat tortilla wraps in microwave on paper towel for 10 seconds. (It’ll keep them from tearing and making a sloppy mess.)
Fill tortillas with bean mixture. Top with a few onions.
Wrap ‘em up and stick ‘em in a baking dish.
Repeat. x4. or 5.
Pour sauce over enchiladas. I guess this is the part that makes them enchiladas?
Cover with cheese if you so please. Cheese for the mister, none for me. (Ok later I felt left out and added a little bit of cheese for me too.)
Broil enchiladas on low until cheese gets bubbly and starts to brown. I have no idea how long. I’m almost positive it was less than 10 minutes.
Optional: top with chopped jalapenos.
Served with cumin-spiced corn: yellow corn, cumin, and chopped jalapenos. Mmmm.
If I could change anything: don’t completely cover in sauce- the crispy parts of the tortillas were the best bites of the dish! Oh and make double.
[FYI these were super scrumptious left over- even better than leftover lasagna. For reals.]
If you don’t believe these are the best, try one of my other faves:
Squash & Bean Enchiladas or
Jess’ Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe
Risotto has a reputation for being difficult. It’s the dish that gets people kicked off cooking shows.
But it’s worth it. And it’s not really so hard. Risotto is the only recipe that requires a glass of wine while cooking. It’s mandatory- no excuses.
The reason risotto gets a bad rap is that it needs almost constant stirring to achieve that thick creaminess that makes you swear there’s the heaviest of heavy creams in there. As soon as you take that first bite, you’ll know every turn around the pan was worth it.
You can put almost anything in risotto- spring vegetables, mushrooms, butternut squash- but my all time favorite is my black bean & mango risotto recipe.
So go get that bottle of wine and let’s get started on that risotto recipe.
Risotto Time
Start by sautéing a cup of shredded carrots and a chopped red bell pepper for just a few minutes. While they’re cooking, dice half an onion and try not to cry too hard.
Mix together one can of coconut milk and a cup of vegetable broth, then gently heat them. I use a teapot so it’s easy to pour later.
Set the carrots and pepper aside and toss in the onion with a tablespoon or so of coconut oil. The smell of the coconut oil melting is enough to momentarily send you to the tropics. But come back- you have cooking to do; risotto to make!
As the onion starts to turn translucent, throw in a cup and a half of Arborio rice. Or perhaps slightly less than a cup and a half after you spill the rice all over the kitchen floor. I promise I haven’t even poured the wine yet.
That’s what happens when you try to pour a cup and a half of rice into a single cup measure for the sake of photography.
[And yes, I contemplated sweeping the rice up and using it anyway, but then I realized how long it’d been since I mopped the floor. The rice would have to be sacrificed.]
Toast the rice in the pan for a bit, until it just slightly browns or you can start smelling the grain cooking.
Now it’s time for the wine. Pour half a cup of wine into the rice, and pour more than a half a cup of wine into a glass. Don’t skip the second half of this step- you’ll thank me later.
Once the wine has absorbed into the rice, pour about a half to a cup of the heated coconut milk- veggie broth combo into the pan. Now’s when you start stirring. That’s what causes the starches to come out of hiding and turn into that delicious creaminess you’re looking for in a risotto.
As the rice absorbs the liquid, slowly add more–about a half a cup to a cup at a time.
Add liquid. Stir. Stir. Stir. Repeat. Until you’re done.
If you think you’re running out of liquid but the rice hasn’t softened enough, add some water to the mix. I end up using a different amount of liquid every time.
Patience is a Virtue
Don’t rush the stirring & liquid adding. It won’t work. Trust me, I’ve tried. This is why you have the wine. Stir & enjoy. You’ll know you’ve mastered the art of risotto when you’re able to stir and drink your wine at the same time, without neglecting either of the two.
When all the liquid’s added, toss the peppers & carrots back into the mix, along with a can of black beans and slew of spices & lime juice. Slice a mango and warm the slices over low heat.
Serve and top with mango. Top with an extra squirt of lime juice, coconut flakes, and basil.
You can thank me later.
Recipe Style:
Black Bean Mango Risotto
1 1/2 c Arborio rice
1/2 c dry white wine
1 c vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
1 T coconut oil
1/2 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 c shredded carrot
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 mango
1/2 T onion powder
1/2 T garlic powder
1/2 T basil
red pepper flakes to taste
1 T lime juice (or to taste)
coconut flakes
Your turn. Go get stirring.
Feel free to share your favorite risotto recipe.
