Stuffed Acorn Squash

When I first was going to post this, I looked at the picture and thought damn, this looks like a disgusting cupcake. Maybe a little? I think the fake cherry on top (which is actually sriracha) is what makes it. But hey, this recipe is not only amazing comfort food, but it was s0o easy

I don't feel like writing much today- so here is the recipe!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 4

Glutenfree~vegan

4 acorn squash, deseeded and tops cut and bottoms cut to stand, 

2 cups brown rice, cooked

1 1/2 pounds shaved brussel sprouts

2-3 cups spinach leaves (honestly, I just took huge handfuls-  I love spinach!)

1-15oz Can Black Beans, drained and cleaned

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chipotle mayo

salt and pepper, to taste

optional: Daiya shredded pepperjack cheese to top

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place your squash downside up (or upside down ;]) on a baking sheet and let them roast for 45 minutes

2. While this is roasting, begin the stuffing- cook your brown rice (I use the minute rice servings bags- they're so quick and easy!) When rice is done, set it aside

3. In a saute pan, heat up 1/4 cup grapeseed oil on medium-high. add in your brussel sprouts, and saute until they are slightly brown. Next, add in your apple cider vinegar and let it reduce for 5 minutes.

4. Add in your cooked brown rice, spinach leaves and black beans to the same pan, toss with salt and pepper and let it cook until the spinach is wilted.

5. Take your stuffing off the heat and add in your chipotle mayonnaise (i used veganaise for this, but you can totally use my homemade mayo :] .

6. By this time, your acorn squash should be ready to be stuffed! (you'll know if you pierce your fork and it is very tender). Take them out, and spoon in however much stuffing you want into each (you might have some extra leftover- which can be used just as a nice side dish or something else!). Sprinkle on top with cheese, then throw it back in the oven until the cheese is melted. Take them out and serve!

Momma Luzz's Baked Ziti Casserole

My mom is so precious! While I was at Penn State, my mom snagged one of my vegan recipe books and found an awesome recipe for Baked Ziti Casserole that she made! And- she made it with gluten free pasta! So here it is, inspired by the recipe book "Vegan Bites" by Beverly Lynn Bennett.

Baked Ziti Cazzerole

vegan~gluten free

8 ounces gluten free ziti

8 ounces extra firm tofu

3 T nutritional yeast flakes

4 t freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons agave or coconut nectar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1.5 teaspoons onion powder

3/4 t dried basil (my mom used fresh!)

3/4 t dried oregano (she used fresh for this too!)

1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 cups stemmed and chopped spinach

2 T fresh parsley

1.5 cups tomato gravy/marinara sauce (my mom makes her own :])

1 package Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese shreds

1) To cook the ziti, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, according to the packet (I think ours said 8 minutes)

2) Crumble the tofu with your fingers into a large bowl. Add the nutritional yeast flakes, lemon juice, nectar, garlic and onion powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and mash with a fork until completely smooth.

3) Preheat oven to 375 F. Oil a 9" baking pan / casserole dish. 

4) Drain the ziti in a colander and add it to the tofu mixture along with the chopped spinach and parsley. Stir until well combined.

5) Place half of the ziti mixture into the prepared pan. Top it with hal fo the sauce and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat for next layer.

6) Sprinkle some nutritional yeast and mozzarella on top.

7) Bake for 30 minutes until browned on the sides and heated throughout. 

Kale Stuffed Enchiladas in a Tomatillo Sauce

Already my day has been kind've off. Bill woke up really sick, throwing up blood. Instantly I took off work and was about to take him to the ER. But the blood wasn't substantial and he seemed to be doing better, so I just let him rest. That kinda stuff scares me, especially since I learn so much about nutrition-related disorders, specifically GI ones. I try so hard to get Bill to eat healthy, but it is so much harder for boys to listen. One day, it will all click; I have hope for him. 

Everybody, Iggy Smalls is now Gluten Free!

Work has been taking over for me- the season is about to begin. Bill and I have been getting along and are getting back into our cooking routine again! For the weekend we made some awesome kale-stuffed enchiladas with a tomatillo sauce- DIVINE! I go tmy inspiration from Michael Natkin's cookbook "Herbivoracious". I got a Barnes and Noble Gift Card, so you know I instantly went out to use it! I got these books- mostly for conversions, inspirations, and awesome reads. You're probably going to be seeing a lot of inspiration recipes from these recipe books on my blog from these books! For Herbivoracious' kale-stuffed enchiladas, I hardly followed the recipe, but I fell in love with the tomatillo sauce. Bill loved it too-it was spicy, yet still pleasant to the palate for people who don't like heat!

Kale Stuffed Enchiladas in a Tomatillo Sauce

Serves 3, or 2 hungry people

• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 poblanos- stemmed, halved and seeded
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and halved
• 3 T safflower oil (or other high heat oil)
• 1 C vegetable broth (mine is homemade, but make sure you find a GF vegetable broth if you don't)
• 3 T light coconut milk
• 3 large bunches dinosaur kale
• 1 Medium red onion, diced
• 1/4 C water
• 3/4 bag Daiya Pepperjack shreds
• 6 corn tortillas
• 1/4C chopped scallions
• 2 teaspoons celtic sea salt

For the sauce:

1. Combine the garlic cloves, poblanos, tomatillos and a teaspoon of salt in a blender and puree. 
2. Heat 1 1/2 T oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add puree and cook it down for approximately 10 minutes stirring frequently. 
3. Add broth and reduce to simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Take off heat and add coconut milk
1. Make sure your sauce is a thick, tomato-sauce consistently, if not put it back on the heat and simmer it down a little more
5. Turn off heat and let it cool.

For the filling:

1. Break leave bunches in half and heat 1 1/2 T of the remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat. 
2. Add the red onions and cook for 1 minute. Add kale and toss.
3. Add water and 1 teaspoon salt, cover, and reduce heat to low
4. Cook, tossing occasionally, for approximately 15 minutes, until kale is wilted and the water has evaporated.
5. Place kale mixture in a bowl and mix in 1/2 of the pepperjack cheese shreds with the kale. Set aside.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Wrap tortllas in a moist paper towel and microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds.
3. In an 8x8 pan, ladle 1 cup tomatillo sauce. Dip tortillas in the remaining sauce in the saucepan. Place in the baking dish and stuff it with the kale mixture, folding it so the steam side is down. Do this for each tortilla.
4. Pour sauce on top and add 1/4 of the remaining cheese on top
5. Bake for ~ 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
6. Top with chopped scallions and serve.