Non-Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

By now everyone recognizes this recipe from a Pinterest post. Mine is obviously a little different because it's vegan and it's not made in the crockpot. As soon as I saw the pin for this, I wanted to try to veganize it but I'm not one to plan meals in advance and remember to put them in the crockpot (even though I now own 2 of them). So, the other night my husband and I stopped at the grocery store for the ingredients we didn't have at home and I made up my own (though slightly similar) version.

What You Need

2 pkgs Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips

2-4 tbs olive oil

3-4 tbs taco seasoning

1 can of corn (not sweet), drained

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can of Rotel tomatoes and green chiles

1 (8 oz) pkg of vegan cream cheese

Serve with any (or all) of the following:

white rice

salsa

tortillas

What You Do

~ Place chik'n, olive oil and 1-2 tbs taco seasoning in a large frying pan and saute until slightly browned.


~ Meanwhile, combine remaining taco seasoning, corn, black beans, rotel and cream cheese in a medium-large pot or saucepan.


~ Cover and cook on medium-low until cream cheese is melted and it resembles a thick soup (about 10-15 minutes), stirring 2-3 times.


~ Stir in chik'n, replace lid and continue to cook for another 15-20 
minutes.


~ Stir one final time and serve over rice and/or in tortillas and top with salsa.

Jeweled Quinoa Salad

What You Need

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 T olive oil

4 green onions, chopped

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

3 tsp garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

2 T dried apricots

2 T dried cranberries

2 T dried raisins

1/4 cup pistachios, chopped

1 T lemon juice

What You Do

~ Combine turmeric with 1 1/2 cups hot water and stir until dissolved.

~ Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add green onions and quinoa and sauté for three minutes. Add garlic and cook one more minute. Pour turmeric water over quinoa. Add bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste.

~ Bring to a simmer and reduce to low. Cover and cook 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Fold in fruits and cover. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir in pistachios, green onion and lemon juice and enjoy!

Veggie Quinoa

I have to admit, sometimes I just have no idea what to make for dinner. One night a few weeks ago, my husband was hungry and wanted something different. It was late and I didn't have the energy for a trip to the grocery store so I tried something new. I took inventory of the vegetables and grains we already had in the kitchen and came up with the recipe below. I used quinoa* (keen-wah) instead of rice because it's nutritional value allowed for a more rounded meal. After posting it on my Facebook page, I received some feedback that a recipe similar to this by Betty Crocker already exists. However, my recipe includes a few additional veggies. Enjoy!

What You Need

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 teaspoon olive oil 
1/2 cup onion, diced 
1/2 cup bell pepper, diced 
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/2 cup yellow peppers, diced 
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup cooked corn
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper (or more to taste)
1 can (14oz) vegetable broth



What You Do

~ Rinse quinoa thoroughly and drain well


~ In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Once heated, add quinoa and onions. Cook about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (until it turns a light brown color)


~ Stir in the remaining ingredients. Heat to a boil; then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook at simmer for about 15 minutes or until most of the broth is absorbed into the quinoa.


~ Fluff with fork and serve.



*Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

Chik'n Stir-Fry

What You Need

1 pkg Morningstar Farms Meal Starters - Chik'n Strips or Lightlife Smart Strips-Chik'n Style

1/4- 1/2 cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce

4-6 tbs Olive Oil

1 cup Shredded Carrots

1 cup Broccoli
1 cup Mushrooms
1 cup Bean Sprouts
1 cup Onions
1 cup Red Peppers
1 cup Green Peppers
1 cup Snow Peas
2-4 cups brown rice
3-4 tbs Sesame Seeds


What You Do


~ Sauté all the veggies in the teriyaki sauce for about 10-15 minutes

~ Saute the chik'n in the olive oil for about 10-15 minutes (the chik'n is pre-cooked but I recommend it be warmed/browned to your liking)

~ Prepare the rice according to directions

~ Add the veggies and chik'n together and sauté for another 10 minutes 

~ Toss in the sesame seeds for about a minute at the end so they just get browned

~ Serve this stir-fry over brown rice (or with low-carb, flavored tortillas)