Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas

From:  https://cookieandkate.com/2015/spinach-artichoke-enchiladas/

Enchiladas

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 small red onion)
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 can artichokes, quartered if necessary
• 12 ounces baby spinach, preferably organic
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 1 can red enchilada sauce or 2 cups homemade red sauce (see recipe below) **see note below on filling in the instructions.
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

1. To make your enchiladas, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle position and upper third. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch pan.
2. In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat (Can skip this step if you have a non-stick pan.)  Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the drained artichokes then add a few large handfuls of spinach. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the spinach has wilted. Repeat with remaining spinach. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the pan is no longer wet with excess moisture. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the drained black beans and enchilada sauce. Season to taste with pepper.
4. Spray your pan with cooking spray.  To assemble your first enchilada, spread ½ cup spinach artichoke mixture down the middle of a tortilla, then snugly wrap the left side over and then the right, to make a wrap. Place it seam side down against the edge of your pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. **I find the filling runny enough not to add more on the top (except the dripping from pan).  If you prefer the sauce on the outside, leave it out of the filling and cover with sauce once they are in the pan leaving the very ends of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the enchiladas if you choose too.
5. Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t golden enough for your liking, carefully transfer the enchiladas to the upper rack of the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until sufficiently golden and bubbly.
6. Remove from oven and let the enchiladas cool for 10 minutes.

If making the sauce:

Homemade red enchilada sauce (yields 2 cups sauce)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat or all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Before you make the sauce, measure the flour and spices into a small bowl and place your tomato paste near the stove. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until shimmering (it should be warm enough that the spices sizzle on contact). Pour in the flour and spice mixture. While stirring constantly with a whisk, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, whisking often, for about five minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will further thicken as it cools.) Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Irresistible Chewy Trail Mix Cookies (Vegan + Gluten-free)

From:  http://ohsheglows.com/2013/08/20/irresistible-chewy-trail-mix-cookies-vegan-gluten-free/
Yield  23 small cookies

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, blended into oat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour
• 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Wet Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flax + 2 tablespoons water, mixed together
• 1/4 cup "drippy" raw almond butter (or other all-natural nut butter)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the ground flax and water in a small mug and set aside so it can gel up.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
4. In another medium sized bowl, stir together the wet ingredients, including the flax egg until thoroughly combined.
5. Add the wet mixture on top of the dry mixture and stir well until combined. This will take quite a bit of stirring until all of the dry patches of flour are gone.
6. Portion small balls of dough (just smaller than golf balls) onto the baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart. I ended up baking two trays of cookies because I didn't know how much they were going to spread out.
7. Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes (I baked for a full 15 minutes), until light golden brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack until completely cool. The cookies will break apart easily until cooled, so be careful.
8. Wrap up and store leftovers on the counter or in the freezer, if desired.

Tips:

Notes: 1) For a completely gluten-free cookie, be sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats and to check all other ingredient labels. 2) To make oat flour: Add 1 cup of rolled oats into a high speed blender and process on high until a flour forms. 3) To make almond meal, add a scant 1/2 cup of almonds into a high speed blender and blend on high until a fine meal forms. Break up clumps with your fingers and measure as normal. 4) The raw almond butter I used was very drippy, so be sure to use a drippy, all-natural nut butter if possible.

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLE SANDWICHES WITH PESTO

From: http://www.kitchentreaty.com/grilled-summer-vegetable-sandwiches-with-pesto/
YIELD: 4 SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 small to medium zucchini (1 pound)


• 2-3 small to medium summer squash or yellow squash (1 pound)


• 1 large red bell pepper


• 4 ciabatta sandwich rolls (or your favorite artisan sandwich roll)


• 2 tablespoons olive oil

MARINADE:

• 1/4 cup olive oil


• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced


• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped


• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard


• Zest from one lemon (about 2 teaspoons) (you'll use the juice in the pesto)


• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste


• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

BASIL & TOASTED WALNUT PESTO:

• 1/3 cup walnuts


• 3 cups loosely packed fresh basil


• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced


• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves


• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes or grated Parmesan (optional)*


• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 
  

1. Slice the zucchini and summer squash lengthwise, 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the bell pepper into 1-inch wide strips. Lay in a roomy baking dish.
2. Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Pour over the veggies and toss gently. Let sit for about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the pesto. First, toast the walnuts (an optional but worthwhile step - toasting adds wonderful flavor). To toast, set a small pan over medium heat and add the walnuts. Stir frequently until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add to the pitcher of a blender or a food processor fitted with the s-blade. Add the basil, garlic, thyme, lemon juice, nutritional yeast or Parmesan if using, and salt. Turn on the blender or food processor, streaming in the olive oil as it runs, until a sauce forms. Taste pesto and add additional salt if desired.


4. Prepare your grill - medium direct heat, about 375 degrees. Lay the vegetables on the preheated grill grates and cook until grill lines form, about 5 minutes. Flip (we like to use long-handled tongs) and cook on the other side until tender and cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Transfer from the grill to a platter. Keep the grill on to quickly toast the rolls.


5. Slice the rolls in half and brush the insides with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Lay the rolls cut-side down on the grill and cook just until warmed and a little golden and toasty. Remove from grill.


6. Assemble the sandwiches. Smear both sides of the roll with approx. 1 tablespoon of pesto on each side (more or less to taste). Add a layer of zucchini, summer squash, and two or three strips of the pepper. Close, cut in half, and serve!

Ultra Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/10/13/sweet-potato-brownies-recipe/

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sweet potato puree (I microwave a medium potato for approx 6 min)
• 1 cup peanut or almond butter OR allergy-friendly sub
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup oat flour (I make my own by grinding old fashioned oats in the food processor)
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 6 -8 madjool dates or double number for smaller dates
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease or spray an 8-inch. Add dates to food processor pulse a couple of times to start breaking them up.  Not so long they form into a ball.  Add warm potatoe.  Blend long enough so the dates break up into small pieces.  Add nut butter and blend.  I have to add almond milk because it is too think to blend.  Add just enough to allow it to mix.  Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients and blend.  At the last add chocolate chips.  Blend by hand or just a few pulses with the food processor.  You just want to mix the chips in not chop them up.  Pour into pan.   Bake on the center oven rack 20 minutes. It will look a little underdone, but it firms up as it cools. (If, for some reason, yours is still too gooey after cooling, loosely cover and let it sit in the fridge a few hours.)