Cilantro...

Cilantro is such a wonderful herb, so fresh and bright! It makes me think of summer, and always has to be included in salsa in my opinion! But when you go to the store and want to buy some fresh cilantro, you usually end up buying a huge bunch of it, because that is the way it is sold granted it is pretty cheap for the amount you get. But unless you have a recipe that uses a ton, then you always have leftovers, or at least that is the way it always happens at my house. So, today I had leftover cilantro, and decided to make some pesto out of it. I normally use cashews with cilantro in my pesto, but since I have a bunch of peanuts in my fridge, I decided to branch out today. Once I tasted it I thought it might be good in some wraps with shrimp for dinner. I end up cooking shrimp a lot, since they are a quick cooking source of protein and they are delicious! They ended up being really good with the pesto, so I decided to share the recipe.  The funny thing is I still have leftover cilantro...hmmm...maybe some salsa?
Shrimp Wraps with Cilantro Peanut Pesto
Makes 4

pesto:
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1 Tbsp peanut oil
juice of 2 large lemons
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp driec ground chipotle pepper
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
40 medium raw shrimp(31-40 per lb), peeled, deviened and tails removed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 8 inch whole grain tortillas (I use Ezekiel brand)
1/2 cup carrots, cut julienne
1/2 cup cucumber, cut julienne
4 romaine lettuce leaves
To make pesto, combine all the ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth then set aside. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread shrimp out on prepared baking sheet and roast until pink, opaque and cooked through about 5 minutes (more or less). Remove from oven and let cool. To assemble wraps, lay 4 tortillas out on a counter. Spread the upper half of each with about 2-3 Tbsp pesto (you may have some left over), then top each with 10 shrimp (in the upper third of the tortillas). Place the carrots and cucumbers on top of the shrimp, dividing evenly among the 4. Top each with a lettuce leaf, and roll up tightly, starting at the top. cut in half and secure with toothpicks if desired!

Enchiladas

Buttercup squash is a vegetable I can't get enough of! In fact I love it so much I cook extra and freeze it just so I can have some in the spring and summer months when it is out of season; It is not really in season anymore, since it is almost April, but I bought a whole bunch and stored it in my basement while it was, so I still have plenty to enjoy. Although I just could eat it plain, roasted and be happy, one of my favorite ways to enjoy it is in enchiladas! Many people make chicken enchiladas, but I use chicken style seitan in mine since I don't eat chicken...and it is just as delicious! This is a recipe I came up with about 2 months ago while the snow was still flying, but I enjoy it so much I have been making it once a week since then. I thought I would share it even though squash is no longer in season, since you could substitute summer squash such as zucchini for the winter squash and just dice it up and roast it for less time. Either way, I love these enchiladas, and if you are a squash lover, you will too!
Roasted Squash Stacked Enchiladas
Serves 2 very generously

1 medium buttercup squash, cut in half vertically, and seeds removed
cooking spray
Sauce:
2 tsp peanut oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp dried ground chipotle pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
Filling:
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pkg chicken style seitan cut into bite sized pieces

6 six inch corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or monterrey jack cheese
sour cream for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Place squash cut side down on the baking sheet. Roast for about 20-30 minutes until squash is tender but not squishy. Let cool and cut into cubes, set aside and lower the oven temp to 375. To make sauce, heat 2 tsp peanut oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion, and saute until soft, then add the chili powder, cumin seeds, cinnamon, chipotle, and garlic, and saute about a minute until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, salt, vinegar, honey, cocoa powder and bring to a boil. lower to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes on low heat and add the cilantro. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth, and keep warm. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp peanut oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the onions and scallions, saute until softened and add the bell peppers, garlic, seitan and squash cubes. Saute until heated through, then spoon about 1/2-3/4 cups of the sauce over to coat the mixture. Remove from heat. To assemble the enchiladas, spoon a bit of sauce onto 2 large shallow bowls, then top each with a tortilla. Spoon half the filling onto the tortillas, dividing evenly between the two bowls, then spoon a little more sauce over each, along with a third of the cheese dividing evenly between the two. Top each with a tortilla, then the rest of the filling, a little more sauce and half the remaining cheese. Top with another tortilla, the rest of the sauce, and the rest of the cheese. Place in the oven and bake until heated through and cheese is bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve with sour cream!

Asian Peanut Slaw

I must be on a peanut butter kick lately because it is finding it's way into many of the dishes I have made this weekend from salads to cupcakes.  Maybe it has something to do with me finding 3 unused jars of it in my cupboard while I was cleaning it out this weekend, and thinking maybe I should find some interesting ways to use some of it up before it goes rancid (since the natural stuff doesn't last forever like the sugar filled brands).  Well actually, that was just a lucky find since I love the stuff and could eat a whole jar in a sitting if it wasn't a gazillion calories!   So being on my peanut butter kick, I decided to make a salad dressing with it, using a recipe I often make when I want something peanutty since it is so good.  Sometimes I make more of this dressing and toss it with soba noodles for a hot entree, or use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, but today it was salad.  Here is the recipe for the dressing and the salad:

Asian Peanut Slaw
serves 2-4

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp tamari
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
water as needed
sea salt to taste

1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1 bell pepper, cut julienne
1 medium carrot, cut julienne
1 cup snap peas
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

In a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients and process until smooth (adding a little water (a Tbsp at a time) if a thinner consistency is desired), set aside.  Combine all the veggies and cilantro in a bowl, and toss with the dressing until well coated.  Divide the salad among the serving plates and top with the peanuts. 

Mangoes...

I love mangoes! They make me think of summer, even when it is still chilly outside. So last weekend when I was at the store, and I saw some perfectly ripe mangoes I had to pounce on them! I thought they would be great in a salad, possibly pureed into the dressing. I have a recipe for dressing using mangoes that I have adapted from one in the book "Passionate Vegetarian" by Crecent Dragonwagon. She calls it "Rainforest Vinaigrette" and that is exactly what it reminds you of when you taste it! Her recipe is delicious as is, but I decided to make it using ingredients that I happened to have on hand, and the recipe below is what I came up with. I think her idea of using pureed mangoes in a dressing and adding diced bananas is genious as well as delicious! This is a great recipe if you need a bit of summer before the 90 degree days hit in a few months!


Tropical Rainforest Salad
serves 2

1/2 large mango
8 roasted cashews
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
juice of 1 large lime
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp peanut oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 banana, diced small
1 large head butter or bibb lettuce, washed or 1 large container spring mix lettuce
1/2 large mango, diced
1 cup diced pineapple
8 kumquats, sliced, or one orange, sectioned
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 medium cooked beet, sliced
1/4 cup roasted salted cashews

Combine all dressing ingredients but the banana in a food processor and process until very smooth, pour into a bowl, and stir in the banana. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, mango, pineapple, kumquats, beets, and shallot. Toss with the dressing, and distribute beween two serving plates. Sprinkle with cashews and serve!

Spa cuisine

Today I was feeling like eating something that came from a spa...strange, because since the weather is cool still I would usually want something heavy and cheesy, but no, today it was fresh and healthy.  But healthy has to equal flavorful as well as satisfying, at least in my kitchen!  So I was thinking of ways I could incorporate hummus into my dinner for tonight, since I had made a batch yesterday (spring beet and white bean hummus (see previous post for recipe)).  Wraps using whole grain tortillas sounded like a good idea to me, since I could use the hummus as a flavorful spread and incorporate some fresh veggies as well, and still have it be a filling meal.  I needed a protein source, and I felt like going vegan for today, so I sauteed some chicken style seitan with some garlic and shallots and added it to the filling to make the wrap even more substantial.  The wraps turned out wonderfully, and took no time at all to prepare...plus they made me feel like I was at a spa!  Here's the recipe:

Beet Hummus and Chicken Style Seitan Veggie Wraps

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 16 oz pkg chicken style seitan
2 garlic cloves
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
juice of one lemon
4 8 inch whole grain tortillas (I used Ezekiel sprouted)
1/2 cup hummus (see previous post for my beet and white bean hummus recipe, but store bought is fine)
4 leaves of romaine lettuce
1 medium carrot, cut into julienne
1/2 large cucumber, cut into julienne
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and add shallot.  Saute until softened and add seitan and garlic.  Saute until heated through, then add salt and pepper to taste as well as oregano and lemon juice.  Stir in and remove from heat.  To assemble wraps, spread hummus on each wrap on the upper half of the wrap, dividing evenly among the four. Place a romaine leaf on each.  Spoon seitan mixture onto each wrap in a line on the upper third of the wrap.  Divide carrots, cucumber and sprouts evenly among the wraps placing the veggies atop the seitan.  Roll up the wraps tight, secure with toothpicks, and cut in half on the diagonal if desired.  Makes 4

Pink Hummus?

Spring is now here...and so I am in favor of all things brightly colored, especially beets! I like to use them as a natural food coloring in cakes...but they bring a beautiful pin color to anything you blend them into! I had recently seen a recipe for beetroot hummus, I don't remember where, but it inspired me to try and create my own since I had some cooked beets leftover from last night's dinner.  I always try and use what I have on hand if I can, so I had some dried white beans in my cupboard, and I decided that they could replace the usual chickpeas in my hummus.  I threw in that beet for some beautiful pink color, and voila!  This is a fairly traditional hummus recipe besides the beets and beans (but with my own proportions of course).  If you are a hummus lover, then try this one!  Especially if you are in need of some spring color!

Spring Beet and White Bean Hummus
2 cups cooked white beans (canned is fine)
1 medium beet, cooked
juice of 3 lemons
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
1/8-1/4 tsp dried chipotle pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 tsp ground cumin
6 garlic cloves

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve with chips or veggies for dipping!

Mustard

I have always loved mustard.  In my opinion it is a hundred times better than ketchup, no ketchup on my hotdogs (actually soydogs, since I don't eat pork or beef).  I enjoy mustard so much that if I find a good pale ale honey mustard, or a spicy coarse grain mustard, I could just eat a spoonful of it plain. I have been making my own for a while, usually just coarse grained honey mustard, but I decided to change it up a bit this time and make a balsamic maple garlic mustard instead.  It may not be the usual suspect when it comes to how mustard looks, since it is brown and not yellow, but it is definately delicious!  It is sweet yet tangy with a wonderful garlic flavor, making it perfect for salad dressings, or on a sandwich.  Here is the recipe if you want a mustard you can't find in a store and have a little time to make it!

Balsamic Maple Garlic Coarse Grainy Mustard

3/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
6 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp water
4 large garlic cloves
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp sea salt

In a large bowl, combine mustard seeds, and vinegars.  Cover with plastic and let sit overnight.  Place in a blender, along with the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth, but still has grains to it.  Add the mustard back to the saucepan, and cook for about 10 minutes over low heat, stirring often, until the garlic flavor has mellowed, and the mustard has thickened slightly.  Pour into jars, and allow to cool.  Keeps in the fridge for at least 6 months.  Makes about 3 cups.