Recipes from the Editor

Recipes from the Editor

By Paula O'Brien, Editor

Add some new recipes to your repertoire! Some feature ingredients that you may not have used before, or at least not in the ways you’ll see here. Or, instead of reaching for cans at the store, see what it’s like to make your own enchilada sauces. It’s fun to mix things up a bit and get creative now and then…you may find a new favorite or two!

Kale with Genmaicha Tea

4 servings

Looking for a new take on sautéed greens? Tea to the rescue! Genmaicha tea is a nutty-tasting mixture of green tea and puffed rice, and it’s great as a seasoning. Here’s a nice recipe to help you keep that New Year’s resolution to eat more greens!

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, minced

1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp Genmaicha tea

Pinches of salt

Pinches of smoked paprika

Warm oil in pan on medium heat. Add minced shallot and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add kale and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Squeeze on some lemon juice and add a splash of water, and cover and steam for about 4 minutes.

In a separate pan, toast Genmaicha tea. When kale is tender to your liking, add a few pinches of salt and serve topped with toasted Genmaicha tea and a few pinches of smoked paprika.

Magnificent Mochi Muffins

Makes 1 dozen muffins

Mochi muffins are made with sweet rice flour, which makes them nice and chewy inside and out. The dark brown sugar and molasses gives their sweetness a satisfying depth. They’ll be a little gooey and moist inside even when they’re done – that’s because of the rice flour – and the outside’ll be golden brown and ready for you to take a bite!

¼ cup melted unsalted butter or coconut oil

2 cups mochiko sweet rice flour

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt 1 can (about 13.5 oz) full fat coconut milk

2 large eggs

½ cup finely diced apple or Asian pear (peel fruit before dicing)

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp molasses

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350º and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or coconut oil.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine sweet rice flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter or coconut oil, coconut milk, eggs, vanilla extract and molasses. Add the dry mixture to the wet, about ½ cup at a time, stirring gently after each addition to make sure there are no lumps. Once you’ve added all of the dry mixture to the wet and everything is well-incorporated, fold in the finely diced fruit.

Fill each muffin cup equally with batter (they’ll be completely full or close to it). Sprinkle sesame seeds on each muffin. Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown. Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before eating. Can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days.

“Christmas” Enchiladas

6-8 servings

In New Mexico, when you order enchiladas you’re asked what kind of sauce you want on them - red, green, or “Christmas” - which is some of both! Canned enchilada sauce can be an easy shortcut, but these sauces take about 15 minutes each and are delicious… definitely worth the effort. Now you can have “Christmas” any day of the year!

Green Enchilada Sauce

Makes about 1 ½ cups

1 ½ tsp olive oil ½ small white onion, peeled and diced

½ jalapeño, cored (seeds removed) and diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

½ cup vegetable stock

2 4-oz cans diced green chiles

½ tsp ground cumin

Pinch of dried oregano

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and jalapeño and sauté for 5 minutes, until onion is softened and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add vegetable stock, green chiles, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Purée until completely smooth.

Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or spices as needed. Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months.

Red Enchilada Sauce

Makes about 1 ½ cups

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (gluten-free AP flour works great also)

2-4 Tbsp cup chili powder (American-style blend of chili powder, it’s milder than others)

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp dried oregano

2 cups vegetable stock

Kosher salt to taste

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add 2 Tbsp chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly.

Gradually pour in stock, whisking constantly until no lumps remain.

Continue cooking until sauce reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer (bubbling lightly) for about 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until sauce has slightly thickened.

Taste sauce and add more chili powder until you get your preferred level of spice. Season with salt, as needed. Can be refrigerated up to 5 days, freezing not recommended.

Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

Makes 6 servings

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, boiled and shredded

½ cup chopped onion

1 7-oz can chopped green chiles

1 oz taco seasoning mix

½ cup sour cream

2 cups cottage cheese

1 tsp salt Pinch ground black pepper

12 6-inch corn tortillas

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 ½ cups enchilada sauce – red, green or “Christmas” with some of each

Heat oil in medium skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add chicken, onion and green chiles and sauté until browned, then add taco seasoning and sauté for 5 minutes more.

In a bowl, mix sour cream with cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper. Stir until well-blended.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Assemble enchiladas: Heat tortillas until soft. In each tortilla place a spoonful of meat mixture, and spoonful of cheese mixture, and a bit of shredded cheese.

Roll tortillas and place in a 9”x 13” baking dish. Top with any remaining meat and cheese mixture, 1 ½ cups of the enchilada sauce, and remaining shredded cheese. If you’re doing the “Christmas” enchiladas, spoon sauce of each color onto one half of each enchilada.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Right before serving, heat up the remaining 1 cup of enchilada sauce. Once you’ve got the enchiladas onto plates, top each with a little bit more sauce.

This recipe also works great with crumbled tofu or Pumfu, or roasted cauliflower in place of chicken.