Hatch Chile, Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Enchiladas

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This dish is a Carnivore Converter recipe. I think I'm going to start tagging my crossover omnivore/vegan recipes with #carnivoreconverter and watching the masses consume their plant-based meals without anyone feeling like they missed out on the meat. That means serve it at a dinner party and watch it disappear while the room is suddenly hushed with chewing and heavy sighs and second helpings. 

This is one of those dishes that is luxury in the making, yet each component is simple in the task, so the doing becomes effortless. Don't skimp on the guacamole. 

Hatch Chile, Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Enchiladas

by Chef Heather Mader

3 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight

1 jar picante salsa

1 tbsp organic Vegetable Better than Bullion 

water

sea salt

olive oil

5-6 cups kale, cut into bite sized pieces

3-5 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup Roasted hatch chiles, diced with accumulated juices

olive oil

1 large sweet potatoes cut into tiny cubes

1/2 onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, minced

cumin

coriander

lime chili salt

oregano

black pepper

fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1 jar Enchilada Sauce (like Frontera)

1 tub fresh refrigerated salsa

1 1/2 cups Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes (like Muir Glenn)

1 heaping tbsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

12-14 corn tortillas

Vegan Cheese (mine was homemade but I suggest Myoko brand)

Prepared Guacamole or fresh avocado to serve

Place black beans, salsa, bullion and enough water to cover the beans in a slow cooker and cook over low overnight or for 8 hours. At this point, my beans needed a bit more water, which I added about another cup or so over water and some sea salt and simmered until they were thick and tender. (My cooker has a simmer/saute/steam function and I love this!)

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, saute' sweet potatoes, onions and jalapeño in olive oil until almost tender. Then sprinkle sweet potatoes with spices to taste, sprinkle over a few tablespoons of water, mix in spices, and continue cooking until potatoes are done and pan is dry. 

In large saute pan over medium high heat, saute' kale with garlic, adding water whenever pan gets too dry. Cook until kale is tender then stir in hatch chiles.  Add black beans, sweet potatoes and cilantro and stir to combine, tasting for salt and pepper. 

Combine all the enchilada sauce ingredients and stir to combine. 

Steam corn tortillas or fry in oil until pliable. In a 9x13 inch pan pour half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the pan. Fill each tortilla with bean mixture, roll, and place seam side down over the sauce. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas and top with vegan cheese. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbling - 20-25 minutes. Serve with avocado slices or fresh guacamole on top. 

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Vegan Drop Biscuits & Gravy

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Fluffy vegan drop biscuits - for when you want that craggy dough with lots of crunch on the outside

I'm not a vegan. I secretly wish I was.  I haven't found the discipline yet to completely walk away from dairy products, honey and fish.  And Bacon.   LoL.   Fine. I'm not even close to a vegan, but I find myself moving towards a vegetarian lifestyle and eventually a vegan diet.  

Aside from all the socially conscious reasons that support Veganism,  my body craves vegetables and I find my digestion is happier and healthier eating less meat. So I made the decision to just incorporate at least a couple vegan meals a week, and at least one vegetarian meal (or more) a day.  

So... back to this recipe.  This gravy  - is made with cauliflower. Its basically the same as my Vegan alfredo sauce, which, when served on fettuccini - I swear to god you wouldn't miss the heavy cream.  You DO need tohave a Vitamix to get the silky mouthfeel. I made this batch in the food processor and wasn't as happy with the texture, but it will do in a pinch. 

Vegan Drop Biscuits & Gravy

by Chef Heather Mader

For the White Sauce:

1 small head cauliflower, broken into flowerettes and stem chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight 

1 tbsp white miso

1 heaping tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp Franks Red Hot sauce

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

sea salt

pinch of sugar

white pepper & black pepper

dash of nutmeg

Vegetable broth or plant milk to thin gravy

For the Gravy:

2 tbsp cultured Vegan Butter (Miyoko's is awesome) or Earth Balance

12 oz brown button mushrooms, chopped

2 stalks celery, minced

2 carrots, minced

1/2 red onion, minced

dash of sage

sea salt & pepper

A few dashes Franks Red Hot

Drop Biscuits:

Your favorite vegan biscuit mix substitute Earth Balance or Miyoko's for butter, and plant milk for buttermilk. I use Bob's RedMill Gluten Free Biscuit Mix and bake according to package directions. 

Steam cauliflower and place in a Vitamix. Add onion through nutmeg, and add enough vegetable broth to blend into a thicker style "gravy" and make sure it is very silky. Set aside. 

In a heavy dutch oven, brown the mushrooms through onion in vegan butter until golden brown. Stir in the cauliflower mixture, season with sage, salt and pepper and Franks Red hot sauce and simmer over medium to low heat, covered, stirring occasionally and adding veggie broth if needed to thin the gravy.  

Taste!  Taste and adjust seasonings for salt and pepper and depth of flavor and cook until all vegetables are soft. Pour over hot, split biscuits and garnish with fresh herbs or an egg. :) 

Smoky Summer Zucchini & White Corn Fritters

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These fritters are the epitome of summer - sweet and savory, light and rich, delicate and sunny, all the while smoked mozzarella and paprika give a hint of campfires to come.  

My sweet neighbor brought over two, gigantic summer squashes that had become overgrown.  Knowing I wouldn't let them go to waste, I scooped out the seedy/stringy flesh inside, and shredded the rest. Shucked 4 ears of corn and whipped up these cakes almost before the silk hit the grass.  

Smoky Summer Zucchini & White Corn Fritters

by Chef Heather Mader

• 1 lb. yellow and green zucchini, cut in half and seeds scooped out & discarded
• 1 1/2 c. corn kernels, sliced fresh from the cobb
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely minced
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup smoked mozzarella, shredded
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup freshly made breadcrumbs from 2 slices bread (gf bread ok)
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp. smoked paprika
• ½ tsp. onion salt (I used Penzy's FoxPoint seasoning)
• sea salt to taste
• ½ c. Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¾ c. flour (gf flour ok)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. On the large holes of a box grater, grate zucchini. Using a cheesecloth or clean dishtowel, squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2. In a large bowl, combine shredded zucchini with corn, scallions, bell pepper, cilantro, mozzarella eggs, breadcrumbs and spices. Season with pepper and salt, then mix in Parmesan, baking powder and flour.
3. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. For each fritter, scoop 1/3rd cup of batter, flatten to about ½ inch and cook until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Add more olive oil between batches, or as needed.

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Keep oil temperature at a constant, adjusting if too high or too low. Make sure fritters are golden brown on one side before turning. 

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These are very light colored because of the white corn, but yellow corn would be delicious too!