Avocados

avocadosI love avocados. LOVE might be a better way to express my deep infatuation with this delicious and nutrient rich food. Thank you, God, for creating this fruit!

A few of my favorite ways to enjoy avocado:
1. Spread slices on lightly toasted bread.
2. Garnish on every Mexican dish you can think of!
3. Add to mashed black beans and wrap up in lettuce leaves.

Any way you slice, mash or cube it, enjoy some avocado today!

Recipe: Vegan Bean Enchilada Casserole

bean-enchilada-casseroleEasy to make, a vegan bean casserole is delicious and any meat lover I’ve served this to, is impressed! I make for left overs and freeze in individual serving sizes.

Ingredients:
6 cups bell pepper, roasted 15 min 350 degrees
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 clove garlic, diced
2 15 oz cans corn, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1 10 oz can Rotel
1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning
2 teaspoon cumin
1 package corn tortillas

Directions:
Using a high powered blender, mix roasted peppers, tom sauce and Rotel until smooth. Set aside. (You’ll probably have extra, I use for other sauces or base for hominy soup.)

Water sauté onion and garlic for 5 min.
Add corn, beans, half tomato sauce mixture, spices and heat through about 15 minutes.
(If you have extra, use in hominy soup.)

Using 9×13 lasagna dish, pour about 1.5 cup tom sauce on bottom and spread out.
Then layer bean mixture and tortillas until pan is full. Drizzle more tom sauce on top.
Bake 30 min at 350.

Serve with fresh guacamole, salsa, lime wedges, chopped cilantro. Enjoy!!

Recipe: My favorite hummus recipe

hummus-2This is by far my most favorite hummus recipe – from the Fat Free Vegan website. I love this recipe because it is:

1) Easy to make.

2) Tastes great.

3) Makes the right amount to last for a week.

Of course, I have to Jennifer-ize every recipe, so below is my version, which is even easier than the first one. Keep in mind that I don’t like to use salt, so if you prefer add salt instead of the no-salt seasoning that I use… Several people have enjoyed my recipe and didn’t realize there wasn’t any salt.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, 1 drained
  • 2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • Fresh lemon juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon organic no-salt seasoning

DIRECTIONS:
Dump all ingredients into a high-powered blender and purée and until smooth. On my BlendTec, that is two blendings using button #5. Scoop into a resealable container and store in the refrigerator. Best if used within one week (if it lasts that long!).

hummus-1

SERVING:
Serve with fresh cut-up veggies like celery sticks, sweet small peppers, carrot sticks. Pita chips have a lot of refined carbs, but pita chips are yummy! Instead of pita chips, perhaps use tortilla chips. Everyone loves this recipe, so make extra if serving at a party (left overs are a bonus for the chef!).