Meatless Meals

I've been on the lookout for meatless meals to make on Fridays during lent.  While Jason and I didn't actually give anything up for lent (we always end up cheating!) we are making a point to stick to the rules i.e no meat on Friday and going to church every Sunday.  We are also using these 40 days to tighten up our diet a bit and not over indulge as much as we may want to! 

While searching through one of the blogs I read daily, I came across a recipe for Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas.  Jason and I first tried a similar dish from Time for Dinner and we loved it.  So I knew this was a must try recipe. 

These enchiladas have great flavor and are just as filling as traditional chicken or beef enchiladas.  The chili powder gives them the the taste you expect from a Mexican inspired dish and goes well with the sweetness of the potatoes.  They are easy to make - the hardest part is chopping up the potatoes.  My chopping skills really need some work!  The original recipe does not call for any cheese, but I just can't make enchiladas without at least a little bit of melted goodness.  So I added a small amount of shredded cheese to each enchilada as well as over the top of the entire dish.  I just used whatever I had in the fridge which happened to be some of the smoked blend from Trader Joe's that I love.  Unfortunately there wasn't much left and when it ran out I used an Italian blend.  The smoked blend went really well with these and while Italian was maybe not the best choice for this dish, hey it's still cheese and it worked just fine!  The only other change I made to the recipe was omitting the chopped onions on top.  These made a great meal for a Friday night during Lent, but I have a feeling they will become of part our regular menu rotation!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

recipe adapted from here

(pictures also from the original site - I always forget to get my camera out!)

Ingredients:

-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

-1 tbsp olive oil

-1 large garlic clove, minced

-1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

-1 14.5 0z. can diced tomatoes, drained

-1 tbsp chili powder

-salt & pepper, to taste

-2 cups salsa

-8 large flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)

-1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (I omitted)

- Shredded Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Put the sweet potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, turning once, until they're tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Turn oven down to 350F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt & pepper to taste. Add cooked sweet potatoes and simmer mixture 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Spread a thin layer of salsa on the bottom of a lightly oiled 9 x 13 baking dish.

4. Place a tortilla on a flat surface, spoon a portion of the sweet potato mixture down the center of it, top with shredded cheese and roll it up. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Line the rolled tortillas up next to each other in the baking dish, seam side down. Top with remaining salsa and shredded cheese.

5. Cover and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until casserole is hot and bubbly.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Jason and I hosted my family over the weekend for my mom's birthday celebration.  Spring has finally arrived and we were lucky that the weather was nice to enough for a bbq.  We had a great time with everyone as always!  Happy Birthday, Mom!   We love you!

Jason manning the grill

We had a delicious spread as always

 

Merrill the party girl :)

Of course Jason and I had to get my mom some New Balance shoes!

Time for cake!

Millie anxiously waiting for her piece of cookie cake!

I made the cookie cake from scratch and my sister decorated!  Yum!

Restaurant of the Month: N

Tuesday evening Kelly and I had dinner at Nosh in Maplewood.  I'd heard good things and have been wanting to try it for a while.  Nosh is a quaint little neighborhood cafe that serves up a full lunch and dinner seasonal menu that is committed to using local, seasonal organic and free range products as much as possible.  The atmosphere was cozy and Kelly and I both really liked the dark brown walls accented with colorful paintings and bright yellow tablecloths. Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera to dinner so I have no pictures of the decor or the food.

When I walked into Nosh at 5:00 it was completely empty.  I was greeted by the friendly waiter who also acted as bartender and host as more people filled the restaurant.  A large party came in for a happy hour and while I imagine he was a bit overwhelmed being the only server he never neglected us.  He brought a carafe of water infused with orange slices and mint while I waited.  Very refreshing!  When Kelly arrived we ordered a glass of wine and the hummus: House made fresh hummus & balela salad platter with feta, kalamata olives, grilled veggies and toasted lavosh for dipping.  Kelly and I had both read rave reviews about the hummus and they were dead on.  It was probably the best hummus I've had.  It was very fresh, not too garlicy.  Just right.  I liked that it was served with a variety of vegetables as well like broccoli, cucumbers, and artichokes in addition to the lavosh for dipping.  We easily polished off the plate!

Kelly ordered the Mediterranean Chicken: Roasted bone in breast of chicken, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, fresh spinach, roasted red pepper, onion and feta cheese served over a bed of orzo.  She loved it.  I had the Polenta Cakes with Mediterranean Vegetables.  I enjoyed the polenta cakes, but wished they were a bit thicker.  I also thought it was a little heavy on the seasoning but overall it was very good.  Again, I enjoyed the fresh vegetables and did not leave feeling guilty for eating too much like I usually do when I go out! 

Nosh fits right in to the eclectic Maplewood neighborhood amongst the other locally owned shops and restaurants.  I'm glad I finally got to check it out!  I plan on going back and checking out the lunch menu soon!