Enchi-sagna!!!!

So this is what happens when you have big ideas to make wonderful quick enchiladas, but your corn tortillas have gotten just to the "we're crumbling on the edges" stage.  I had been putting off making my enchiladas and kept tossing my package of 12 tortillas to the side in the refrigerator in exchange for quicker recipes.  When I finally decided, I have to use them before they go bad, it was too late for the roll up and I had to improvise.  I watched an episode of Rachel Ray once where she made taco-sagna, I think, and I decided to put my ingredients in layers and hope for the best.  It turned out wonderfully.  Definitely give it a try, so quick and good.  And though my omni husband nor daughter could say the name, both of them loved it, it was a great vegan triumph.

I coupled it with Terry Romero's Cilantro Lime Rice from Viva Vegan and a dollop of Tofutti Sour Supreme.

Ty's Enchisagna

12 corn tortillas
1 Package Daiya (cheddar style)
2 cups TVP (you could use crumbled tempeh or black beans also and skip the rehydration step and water)
2 2/3 cup water or vegetable broth
1/2 onion
1/2 green pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 Tbsp dark chili powder
1 Tbsp taco seasoning (I used Southwest Seasoning by the Pampered Chef)
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste
canola oil for sauteing and quick frying the tortillas
1 recipe warm vegan enchilada sauce ( I used this one) It made about 2 1/2 cups.

For the crumbles:

In a cast iron skillet (or your favorite frying pan), saute onions and green peppers in about 1 Tbsp. of oil until onions are translucent and just a little browned.  Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, taco seasoning and cilantro and toast along with onions and peppers for about 2 minutes, add a splash more oil to keep the pan lubricated.  Add your water or broth to deglaze the pan and bring to a low boil. Add the soy sauce, salt and tvp.  Once the tvp has hydrated add the garlic and onion powders and salt to taste. Set aside your crumbles until cool enough to handle.

To assemble:

Preheat your oven to 375

Prepare a casserole dish (with a paper towel, lightly oil the inside).
Then, I take Terry Romero's method to heart.  Make an assembly line.  Use a pie plate for your enchilada sauce (keep some in the sauce pan to ladle in later) and a small skillet heated to medium high with enough oil to just cover the bottom.  Ladle about a 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of your casserole dish.

With tongs quickly (were talking 10 seconds each side tops) dip your tortillas into the hot skillet, flip to heat each side, they will become pliable.  Dip them into the pie plate of sauce and then arrange them on the bottom of the casserole dish (I could fit three and then a couple broken pieces from another to cover the holes.  Add a little more sauce to coat and then a layer of crumbles over the tortillas followed by a layer of Daiya cheese.  Go back to the tortilla layer and repeat ending with a third layer of  tortillas on top.  Top that final layer with your remaining sauce and Daiya.

Cover with foil and bake for about 30 min.  Remove foil and bake for 10 min. more.  Let rest and cut to serve.

Vegan Pho!!

It is no secret about me that pre-veg, I could have lived on Vietnamese pho.  I liked to eat it, smell it, say it. . . everything.  I have looked for a recipe online forever it seems, and then I saw that Meagan from Rhymes with Vegan had tackled it and I decided to finally give it a try.  I don't have a recipe here, because I truly took a hybrid of all the vegan recipes I could find online and then compared them to omni recipes online as well.  I made a version and technique that was easy for me and my pantry and I suggest you try it that way before going out and buying a long list of ingredients on any one recipe.  When I make it again, I promise to write it down, becuase I really loved this, really.  I used homemade thinly sliced seitan in my recipe.

 Cool noodles ready for seitan and broth.

 Thin slices of seitan over noodles.

 Hot broth poured over the noodles and seitan and sprinkled with green onions.

Finally dressed with bean sprouts, thai basil leaves, peppers, vegetarian hoisin sauce, hot and ready to eat.

My Ratatouille Experience

I love all things french and Remy the Rat and his now famous ratatouille is no exception. It has been a long time since I blogged, and I missed everyone after Vegan MoFo, but life has been sooooo busy. I find that I am not even shooting my food the way that I used to. This dish is from a while ago, but my omni family loved it and though tedious, it will be a staple for us during holidays I think. I loved the meditative process of slicing the veggies just right. The recipes all over the internet if you want to give it a try, but this one is pretty good, I think. Don't be intimidated at all, it was a complete joy and so yummy. Happy slicing.

My First Visit To Sticky Fingers Bakery

Last month, I had the wondrous opportunity to visit Sticky Fingers Bakery in Washington, D.C. The bakery and cafe is completely vegan with so many options, free wi-fi and really nice and knowledgeable people. I don't know that any of my words can do it any justice, in my opinion, but I will try with just a few words and lots of pics. I took these with my camera phone so be kind, but all and all the food and sweets speak for themselves.

Cookies, the best oatmeal pie/bar you'll ever eat, bagels, and of course sticky buns.

On the other side of the display case there were cupcakes and brownies and cakes oh my!!

I had this cute little pumpkin whoopie while I waited for my sandwich, but forgot to take a picture until the very last bite. Dessert before lunch is so nice.

The picture is not nearly as awesome as it tasted, but this was my sandwich, a "tuna" melt with Daiya, tempeh bacon and tomato.

I brought cupcakes home for my daughter and I to enjoy, they were awesome too of course. Front to back was Tiramisu, Red Velvet, and Chocolate Cookies and Cream

And the wonderful Oatmeal Pie, which wasn't really an oatmeal pie at all, it was in between a soft cookie and blondie bar, but the taste and texture was so amazing.

If you EVER have the chance to try out Sticky Fingers get there. It is wonderful, compassionate, beyond good food and sweets. D.C. has some great options for vegans. I live in southern VA, when I get the chance to get up to the Northern VA/D.C. area, I take advantage. Happy eats!!!

-Ty