A few years ago during a trip to Las Vegas, I had some sweet potato tamales. I've thought ever since then that I'd like to make some myself. Until the other day when I actually started looking at some recipes. Ha! I just don't have that level of dedication. So I made some sweet potato and black bean enchiladas instead.
Though at some point during the process to prepare them to take over to the SO's house to cook (so we could watch DVR'd "Top Chef"), I realized that I'd left my favorite glass dish at his house the last time I cooked enchiladas there. So I packed up my supplies, made sure that he had salsa and chips, and was on my way.
Though when I got there, he informed me that his salsa was Newman's Own Pineapple Salsa. I didn't think it would make a big difference (though I'd never tried it), so I figured it'd be fine.
It was more than fine, though. This little accident turned out to be a very good thing. The pineapple flavor really brightened up the sweet potatoes and made these enchiladas extra tasty. So here's the recipe.
Easy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Ingredients:
Corn tortillas (you can use flour and skip the preparation section, but I prefer the taste of corn tortillas)
One half can of black beans
One medium sweet potato
Newman's Own All-Natural Bandita Salsa Pineapple (about half a jar)
Shredded Mexican cheese (use your favorite cheese here--I use Sargento's Mexican cheese blend--or vegan cheddar)
Tomato sauce (for 8 enchiladas, I use 1 8 oz. can of organic tomato sauce)
Optional: add chili powder and/or a pinch of cumin mixed in with the salsa for an extra kick if you like spicy enchiladas.
Peel and chop the sweet potato into small cubes (about the size of a kernel of corn) and saute on medium heat until soft (about five minutes or so). Place in a bowl and add half a can of (drained) whole black beans. Mix in about three or four heaping tablespoons of salsa and set aside.
To prepare the corn tortillas:
1. Heat a large fry pan on high heat with about a teaspoon of refined corn, canoloa or peanut oil (or other high smoke point oil; see here for a list of suggested oils). Keep the oil nearby.
2. Place one tortilla on the oil and brown for 3 or 4 seconds (long enough to pick up the next tortilla).
3. With a spatula, lift the first tortilla and put the new one down on the pan and the first on on top of it. Repeat with as many tortillas as you'll want to use. Add oil as necessary (every 2 or 3 tortillas).
4. Lay out on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
When the tortillas have cooled enough to handle, get out your baking dish or pan (preferably one that is about the width of your tortilla) and place the first tortilla at the far end and place a strip of cheese and a strip of the sweet potato mix down the middle and roll up (don't overstuff). Place the next tortilla right next to it, scooching the tortillas together as much as possible to fit in as many as you can. Repeat until you've filled the dish. Then cover the enchiladas with the can of sauce, a few more heaping spoons of salsa, and a few more sprinkles of cheese. Bake for 15 minutes at 375.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
We've secretly replaced their regular cheese...
I had some shredded carrots in the fridge that needed to be eaten, so I asked the SO if he'd like some lasagna. He's possibly the most agreeable person on the planet when it comes to food (just don't try to feed him raw tomatoes), so he was all for it.
Since we're still detoxing from our vacation, I was trying to think of a way to make it a little lighter. I remembered that Yvonne, the Traveling Vegetarian suggested that firm silken tofu was a good replacement for ricotta cheese, so I decided (somewhat hesitantly) to try it. I also added in roasted red pepper (roasted in my toaster oven) since I found that was such a great addition to the lasagna I made in Las Vegas.
The first part of this process is, of course, to fully drain the tofu. With the fresh squash and zucchini, there's already plenty of water in the lasagna (which takes about an hour after cooking to fully soak in; I use canned mushrooms to cut back on the water even more sometimes), so the draining was a real task. Also, I didn't plan for it far enough in advance. So I did the bit where you put the block between two plates and it fell apart. So I just mashed it all up to where it actually looked like ricotta and then put a paper towel over it. Then a kitchen towel. Then a second kitchen towel. Geez, that stuff is all water.
When it was finally at a point where I felt comfortable with its moisture level, I sprinkled it onto the first layer of vegetables in the lasagna. By that point, it was much, much easier than ricotta to deal with. That stuff can get messy (which is why I started skipping it altogether). It didn't look too bad, either.
I cut back on the mozzarella cheese to about 12 ounces total--to help keep it together and add the flavor. And then the moment of truth...
I decided not to tell the SO of my plan until after he'd taken a bite. Not because he'd be opposed to tofu (he's not), but just to see if there was a significant difference. I took a bite first and really didn't notice anything different (I only used one package). But my palate has all the sensitivity of a factory farmer; I'm not a good judge. So I ask the SO, "How is it?" "It's really good. Did you do something different? Did you use some different cheese or something?" Busted! He said that he could sense the texture of it but that he thought it was good and that he still got enough of the mozzarella taste to be happy. And he took home half the leftovers. I'll take that as a good sign. So, welcome to my recipe, tofu.
Since we're still detoxing from our vacation, I was trying to think of a way to make it a little lighter. I remembered that Yvonne, the Traveling Vegetarian suggested that firm silken tofu was a good replacement for ricotta cheese, so I decided (somewhat hesitantly) to try it. I also added in roasted red pepper (roasted in my toaster oven) since I found that was such a great addition to the lasagna I made in Las Vegas.
The first part of this process is, of course, to fully drain the tofu. With the fresh squash and zucchini, there's already plenty of water in the lasagna (which takes about an hour after cooking to fully soak in; I use canned mushrooms to cut back on the water even more sometimes), so the draining was a real task. Also, I didn't plan for it far enough in advance. So I did the bit where you put the block between two plates and it fell apart. So I just mashed it all up to where it actually looked like ricotta and then put a paper towel over it. Then a kitchen towel. Then a second kitchen towel. Geez, that stuff is all water.When it was finally at a point where I felt comfortable with its moisture level, I sprinkled it onto the first layer of vegetables in the lasagna. By that point, it was much, much easier than ricotta to deal with. That stuff can get messy (which is why I started skipping it altogether). It didn't look too bad, either.
I cut back on the mozzarella cheese to about 12 ounces total--to help keep it together and add the flavor. And then the moment of truth...
I decided not to tell the SO of my plan until after he'd taken a bite. Not because he'd be opposed to tofu (he's not), but just to see if there was a significant difference. I took a bite first and really didn't notice anything different (I only used one package). But my palate has all the sensitivity of a factory farmer; I'm not a good judge. So I ask the SO, "How is it?" "It's really good. Did you do something different? Did you use some different cheese or something?" Busted! He said that he could sense the texture of it but that he thought it was good and that he still got enough of the mozzarella taste to be happy. And he took home half the leftovers. I'll take that as a good sign. So, welcome to my recipe, tofu.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Orthorexia
Yes, another post that is not in keeping with the point of my blog. But in case you really want to know what I ate today, I will tell you. A banana, a Gardenburger with lettuce and tomato with a side of Kashi crackers. Then some cookies and then a movie-theater-size box of Raisinets. And then I polished off a bag of Santitas before yoga. It's a slippery slope over to the dark side. My plan to sugar-detox today did not work.
That is despite reading an article yesterday in Radar magazine about orthorexia, a "condition" (though not medically recognized) that essentially means taking an obsession with healthy eating too far (a "fixation on righteous eating"). For orthorexics, the point of eating becomes less about enjoying food, curbing hunger or getting nutrition and more about purifying the body (and avoiding more and more foods that are deemed impure). I found a handy-dandy little quiz created by the doctor who coined the term just over a decade ago. Dr. Bratman asks (and I answer) these questions:
Orthorexia Self-Test
Each "yes" answer scores one point.
1. Do you spend more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food? (For four hours, give yourself two points.)
I spend most of every day thinking about food, only about half of which is healthy. I probably spend three hours a day trying to figure out how to enjoy healthy food by reading a bunch of food blogs. (1/2 pt)
2. Do you plan tomorrow's food today?
Most of the time. Don't most people? I mean, otherwise, I'd be going to the market once or twice a day. (1 pt)
3. Do you care more about the virtue of what you eat than the pleasure you receive from eating it?
I think about both at the same time. I rarely eat something that I don't enjoy. That something is called "broccoli." And I'm always trying to think of a way to like it (no pts)
4. Have you found that as the quality of your diet has increased, the quality of your life has correspondingly diminished?
No way. I don't miss anything. And when I eat junk food, I feel physically bad (the Great Frito Fiasco of 2002 will ensure that I never touch one of those things ever again). (no pts)
5. Do you keep getting stricter with yourself?
Yes, because the more I learn about what I eat, the more I want to improve my diet. I wish more people would think that way. (1 pt)
6. Do you sacrifice experiences you once enjoyed to eat the food you believe is right?
I suffer more from not being able to get on roller coasters due to a neck injury than I suffer by not eating corn dogs and fatty tuna. But I miss really good sushi sometimes. (1/2 pt)
7. Do you feel an increased sense of self-esteem when you are eating healthy food? Do you look down on others who don't?
Yes. I try to keep it to myself, but I know that sometimes, my disdain is difficult to hide when I see what kind of junk other people put in their bodies. (1 pt)
8. Do you feel guilt or self-loathing when you stray from your diet?
More like I feel like a dumbass when I carb out and then crash or have some other ill health effect. (1/2 pt)
9. Does your diet socially isolate you?
Ha! Given that I live in the south, I'd say probably so. (1 pt)
10. When you are eating the way you are supposed to, do you feel a peaceful sense of total control?
Yes, somewhat. But I think that it's more about the satisfaction of creating something good and good for me and being able to share it more than a direct sense of "if I eat this, then I will feel this way." (no pts)
5 1/2 points.
"If you answer yes to two or three of these questions, you have at least a touch of orthorexia. A score of four or more means that you are in trouble," according to Dr. Bratman. "And if all these statements apply to you, you really need help. You don't have a life--you have a menu." Or you have a food blog.
Addendum: During my research, I came across a very interesting blog: Every Woman Has an Eating Disorder. Very interesting read. I think a lot of women out there can think of at least one way they have an unhealthy relationship with food or some event in their life that caused some food-related trauma. For me, I remember my mother making me weigh my portions of snacks on a Weight Watchers scale when I was nine. Ice cream and chips and stuff. In retrospect, she would have been better off giving me better options for snacks, but she felt like she'd be denying me of some childhood privilege if she didn't keep chips and Twinkies and Little Debbies and ice cream around the house. Maybe she's right, but dang, I was hungry. Yes, I was fat, but I was growing. I also very distinctly remember her keeping a notebook with her at all times where she logged her caloric intake and weight every day. And I know she thought she was fat at 5'4" and 122 pounds. I inherited some issues. I know I'm not the only one.
That is despite reading an article yesterday in Radar magazine about orthorexia, a "condition" (though not medically recognized) that essentially means taking an obsession with healthy eating too far (a "fixation on righteous eating"). For orthorexics, the point of eating becomes less about enjoying food, curbing hunger or getting nutrition and more about purifying the body (and avoiding more and more foods that are deemed impure). I found a handy-dandy little quiz created by the doctor who coined the term just over a decade ago. Dr. Bratman asks (and I answer) these questions:
Orthorexia Self-Test
Each "yes" answer scores one point.
1. Do you spend more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food? (For four hours, give yourself two points.)
I spend most of every day thinking about food, only about half of which is healthy. I probably spend three hours a day trying to figure out how to enjoy healthy food by reading a bunch of food blogs. (1/2 pt)
2. Do you plan tomorrow's food today?
Most of the time. Don't most people? I mean, otherwise, I'd be going to the market once or twice a day. (1 pt)
3. Do you care more about the virtue of what you eat than the pleasure you receive from eating it?
I think about both at the same time. I rarely eat something that I don't enjoy. That something is called "broccoli." And I'm always trying to think of a way to like it (no pts)
4. Have you found that as the quality of your diet has increased, the quality of your life has correspondingly diminished?
No way. I don't miss anything. And when I eat junk food, I feel physically bad (the Great Frito Fiasco of 2002 will ensure that I never touch one of those things ever again). (no pts)
5. Do you keep getting stricter with yourself?
Yes, because the more I learn about what I eat, the more I want to improve my diet. I wish more people would think that way. (1 pt)
6. Do you sacrifice experiences you once enjoyed to eat the food you believe is right?
I suffer more from not being able to get on roller coasters due to a neck injury than I suffer by not eating corn dogs and fatty tuna. But I miss really good sushi sometimes. (1/2 pt)
7. Do you feel an increased sense of self-esteem when you are eating healthy food? Do you look down on others who don't?
Yes. I try to keep it to myself, but I know that sometimes, my disdain is difficult to hide when I see what kind of junk other people put in their bodies. (1 pt)
8. Do you feel guilt or self-loathing when you stray from your diet?
More like I feel like a dumbass when I carb out and then crash or have some other ill health effect. (1/2 pt)
9. Does your diet socially isolate you?
Ha! Given that I live in the south, I'd say probably so. (1 pt)
10. When you are eating the way you are supposed to, do you feel a peaceful sense of total control?
Yes, somewhat. But I think that it's more about the satisfaction of creating something good and good for me and being able to share it more than a direct sense of "if I eat this, then I will feel this way." (no pts)
5 1/2 points.
"If you answer yes to two or three of these questions, you have at least a touch of orthorexia. A score of four or more means that you are in trouble," according to Dr. Bratman. "And if all these statements apply to you, you really need help. You don't have a life--you have a menu." Or you have a food blog.
Addendum: During my research, I came across a very interesting blog: Every Woman Has an Eating Disorder. Very interesting read. I think a lot of women out there can think of at least one way they have an unhealthy relationship with food or some event in their life that caused some food-related trauma. For me, I remember my mother making me weigh my portions of snacks on a Weight Watchers scale when I was nine. Ice cream and chips and stuff. In retrospect, she would have been better off giving me better options for snacks, but she felt like she'd be denying me of some childhood privilege if she didn't keep chips and Twinkies and Little Debbies and ice cream around the house. Maybe she's right, but dang, I was hungry. Yes, I was fat, but I was growing. I also very distinctly remember her keeping a notebook with her at all times where she logged her caloric intake and weight every day. And I know she thought she was fat at 5'4" and 122 pounds. I inherited some issues. I know I'm not the only one.
Reason number eleventy billion why I'm a vegetarian
Sure, you jerks and your factory farms can cause my spinach to harbor e. Coli, but at least I won't ever be dealing with escarole's revenge. Though as soon as I ask myself, "Who in their right mind would eat something that would make orange oil shoot out of their ass?" I remember that my mother was largely unfazed by the reports of "anal leakage" from the great Olestra controversey of the late 90s. This is a woman who has (I've witnessed myself) gone for as long as two weeks without a bowel movement. An evacuation of anything from her colon is welcome at times. Perhaps I should tell her to grab a few pounds of this fish at the market. Though she does have a job. Seems to me that having an orangey, oil-stained pants seat could be career-limiting.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Day 9 - Las Vegas - A sweet send-off
I'd warned the SO that even though 8 nights seemed like a long vacation that we'd not be ready to leave at all and I was right. But our hosts gave us a sweet send-off by taking us to the The Bagel Cafe (aka around their house as "The Jew Deli"). A place simply called The Bagel Cafe set in the middle of what looks like an early-90s office park? Uh, okay.
Oh, but don't let the simplicity of the name and the unassuming location fool you. This place is awesome. An authentic Jewish New York Deli run by authentic New York Jews but in Las Vegas instead (ostensibly to serve the large Las Vegas Jew population). I could hardly contain my excitement upon entering the cafe and seeing the huge counter holding tons of sweet treats, breads, bagels and even bialys. But there was breakfast to be had.
We decided to dine family style, pretty much. An order of cinnamon challah bread french toast, the "home-made cheese-filled blintzes," a potato knish (baked on-site rather than the fried version flown in from New York), and matzoh brie with apple sauce. That french toast was huge. Four of us couldn't finish it off even though it was just about the best french toast I've ever had in a restaurant (though the Pancake Pantry's sourdough french toast is pretty damn good).
And the blintzes. Wow. The SO had never had blintzes and was very happy to have them sitting at his plate (he shared...reluctantly). I didn't try any of the matzoh brie since I wasn't in the mood for eggs; I focused on the knish. 
I'd had one while I was in New York and was rather disappointed. I mean, how could I possibly not like mashed potatoes inside of bread? But I didn't. So I was a little hesitant about this one. But it was delicious. Now I know that I prefer baked over fried (which is hard to imagine).
But the real story here is what I didn't get any pictures of...the desserts. While we were waiting on food, I hit the counter. There were hamentashens and linzer tortes and rugulah and black and whites and everything else you can imagine. So I stocked up for the return flight home. My only regret is that I didn't get more. My haul:
One small black and white (I should have gotten ten--they were orgasmic)
One each of almond, chocolate and mango rugulah
One sugar pretzel (plain and chocolate dough wrapped into a pretzel shape and sprinkled with sugar)
and the piece de resistance: the chocolate cigar
How can I express my love for the chocolate cigar in words? I cannot. But I will try. When I saw it, I asked the guy behind the counter what it was. "Well, it's got chocolate chips and chocolate cake crumbs and chocolate and it's..." Stop right there. You had me at chocolate cake crumbs. Anyway, all of these things plus some pastry dough are combined, cooked and then topped with more chocolate and powdered sugar. I really wish I'd bought ten of these. I need to call these guys and see if they'll FedEx me some stuff. Because very little of these goodies made it off the plane. I imagine there were some very jealous people around us on that flight. The Bagel Cafe: licked-clean thumbs up.
And that's it for my trip. I'm back in Nashville--wearing muumuus and detoxing by eating mostly salad and Gardenburgers in hopes of getting back into real clothes. But dreaming of crepes, sweet potato raviolis, and chocolate cigars.
Oh, but don't let the simplicity of the name and the unassuming location fool you. This place is awesome. An authentic Jewish New York Deli run by authentic New York Jews but in Las Vegas instead (ostensibly to serve the large Las Vegas Jew population). I could hardly contain my excitement upon entering the cafe and seeing the huge counter holding tons of sweet treats, breads, bagels and even bialys. But there was breakfast to be had.
We decided to dine family style, pretty much. An order of cinnamon challah bread french toast, the "home-made cheese-filled blintzes," a potato knish (baked on-site rather than the fried version flown in from New York), and matzoh brie with apple sauce. That french toast was huge. Four of us couldn't finish it off even though it was just about the best french toast I've ever had in a restaurant (though the Pancake Pantry's sourdough french toast is pretty damn good).
And the blintzes. Wow. The SO had never had blintzes and was very happy to have them sitting at his plate (he shared...reluctantly). I didn't try any of the matzoh brie since I wasn't in the mood for eggs; I focused on the knish. 
I'd had one while I was in New York and was rather disappointed. I mean, how could I possibly not like mashed potatoes inside of bread? But I didn't. So I was a little hesitant about this one. But it was delicious. Now I know that I prefer baked over fried (which is hard to imagine).But the real story here is what I didn't get any pictures of...the desserts. While we were waiting on food, I hit the counter. There were hamentashens and linzer tortes and rugulah and black and whites and everything else you can imagine. So I stocked up for the return flight home. My only regret is that I didn't get more. My haul:
One small black and white (I should have gotten ten--they were orgasmic)
One each of almond, chocolate and mango rugulah
One sugar pretzel (plain and chocolate dough wrapped into a pretzel shape and sprinkled with sugar)
and the piece de resistance: the chocolate cigar
How can I express my love for the chocolate cigar in words? I cannot. But I will try. When I saw it, I asked the guy behind the counter what it was. "Well, it's got chocolate chips and chocolate cake crumbs and chocolate and it's..." Stop right there. You had me at chocolate cake crumbs. Anyway, all of these things plus some pastry dough are combined, cooked and then topped with more chocolate and powdered sugar. I really wish I'd bought ten of these. I need to call these guys and see if they'll FedEx me some stuff. Because very little of these goodies made it off the plane. I imagine there were some very jealous people around us on that flight. The Bagel Cafe: licked-clean thumbs up.
And that's it for my trip. I'm back in Nashville--wearing muumuus and detoxing by eating mostly salad and Gardenburgers in hopes of getting back into real clothes. But dreaming of crepes, sweet potato raviolis, and chocolate cigars.
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