Black Bean, Mushroom, and Lentil Stuffed Poblano Peppers

It has been a little over a month since I cut meat out of my diet. I was, as I described it, "transitioning" to vegetarianism since the new year, but it was not until I moved to Boston and cooked solely for myself every night that I finally took the plunge into the deep end. 

The most challenging part about not eating meat (besides the lure of a salami sandwich) is cooking dishes that keep you full. While fruits, vegetables, and grains make you full, proteins keep you full. Meat is the most obvious form of protein, for Americans at least. The typical American conceptualization of a "healthy" meal looks something like this: a third of the plate is animal protein, such as a chicken breast; a third of the plate is a grain, such as rice; and a third of the plate is a vegetable, such as steamed broccoli. But of course, meat is by no means the only way to get that filling protein into a dish. First and foremost, eliminating meat means finding alternate forms of protein, completely upheaving how you conceptualize a meal. 

This dish is chock full of protein: lentils, black beans, avocado... and the protein in each of these ingredients is far easier for your body to digest than is meat. Your tummy will thank you.  

I prefer stuffing poblano peppers over bell peppers, because the poblanos add an extra little kick of spice. Personally, I live for spicy foods, but for those of you who would prefer a milder option, a red or orange bell pepper would work nicely as a substitute. 

Keep reading for the full recipe!

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

This recipe happened by (happy) accident, and I could not be more ecstatic. Light yet filling; flavorful without meat, cheese, or too much fat; quick and easy to make; this is a must make immediately kind of dinner. 

When I think of making lettuce wraps, I rarely follow through with it, mostly because a complex Asian sauce - that rarely turns out right - is typically on the to-do list. These are a Mediterranean twist on the Asian lettuce wrap with a mere 10 ingredients and a cook time of less than 30 minutes. Need I say more?

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps
// Total time: 25 minuts
// Makes: 4 lettuce wraps
// Serves: 2 as an appetizer, 1 as a main dish

Ingredients:

• 1/4 yellow onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 oz. white mushrooms
• 1 can artichoke hearts
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 4 tbsp balsamic vingar
• Sprinkle dried parsley
• 1/4 cup cashew halves
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 leaves romaine lettuce

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Dice onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Mince garlic and sauté, moving onion garlic mixture frequently until fragrant, about a minute. Chop mushrooms and add to onions and garlic. Drizzle mixture with honey and seasons with parsley, salt, and pepper. Pour in 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar and allow mushrooms to cook until tender and heated through. Drain artichoke hearts and roughly chop. Add to mixture. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Add cashews and season with cayenne pepper. Allow to cook for 2-3 more minutes so the flavors can marry. Remove from heat and add remaining 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. 

Wash romane lettuce. Remove 4 large leaves. Spoon mixture onto the center of each romaine leave. Enjoy!

xx 

Creamy Avocado Spaghetti

After a thirteen hour work day, all I want for dinner is flavorful, filling, and most importantly fast. On the train back to my apartment this evening, I thought about what I could make quickly from the contents of my cupboard. Avocado, tomato, and ricotta cheese immediately came to my mind. Done and done. 

This recipe is pathetically simple but damn it is good. It also costs less than $3 per serving. Perfect for a tired Monday. Easily quadruple this if you're unlike me and have friends to eat with. I am cookin' for number one.

Creamy Avocado Spaghetti

//Total Time: 15 minutes

//Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 serving whole wheat pasta of your choice (spaghetti, penne, etc.)

1/2 avocado

4 gloves of garlic, minced

3 tbsp. ricotta cheese

1 tomato, diced

Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan and fresh copped basil, for garnish

Directions:
Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt. Cook whole wheat pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, pit and scoop out the avocado. In a separate bowl, mash the avocado with the back of a fork. Add minced garlic and ricotta. Incorporate well. Fold in diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain pasta and return to sauce pan. Scoop avocado mixture into saucepan. Lick the bowl of avocado mixture clean, leaving none behind. (Is that just me?) Gently fold the avocado mixture into pasta. Transfer to a plate and top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve with simple arugula salad and a piece of crusty bread, for mopping up all that extra avocado at the end.

Happy Monday.

xx

Tomatillo Enchiladas

Following my tzatziki, these tomatillo chicken and cheese enchiladas were one of my earliest culinary successes. Mexican food is hands down, no question my absolute all-time favorite cuisine. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, taquitos, floutas, guacamole, pico de gallo, carne asada, frijoles. I curse the day I was born without a sassy Latina grandmother to teach me ancient culinary secrets.

The practice of rolling tortillas around other food (the best way to eat everything) dates back to the ancient Mayans. Enchiladas originated in Mexico and are traditionally made with corn tortillas. The word "enchilada" literally means "spicy," and in Mexico both the sauce and the tortilla are not for the faint of heart. The sauce is made with several types of dry chilies, tomatoes, and spices, and the corn tortilla is dipped in the sauce before being grilled on a flat surface. The tortilla is then filled with meat (like chicken or carnitas), vegetables (like cabbage or beans), and more spicy sauce. Unlike the American conception of enchiladas - which is far milder, smothered in melted cheese, and swimming in red sauce - this Mexican street food is traditionally simpler in filling, crunchier in texture, and spicier in flavor. Basically, all around superior.

Growing up, I did not think I like enchiladas, because I despised the soggy texture and bland sauce. Too much mush for me. When I saw this recipe, though, I knew immediately that it would change my opinion of enchiladas forever. It did.

Though not entirely authentic with flour tortillas and a healthy amount of cheese topping, these tomatillo enchiladas have the crisp and spice of tradition. The green tomatillo sauce is a more flavorful and lighter alternative to the thick red paste typically found on enchiladas in America, and the simplicity of the filling allows each ingredient to shine. Quick to make and instantly gratifying, these have quickly become a family recipe. Keep reading for the full recipe.

Friday Night Cooking: Scallops Gratin

Seafood intimidates me in the kitchen. I can count on one hand the number of times I ate fish as a kid--Seafood simply was not a part of my family's food repertoire. (Except that one time when my brother ordered shrimp at Denny's when he was a ripe age of six. Some things, like Denny's shrimp, just should not exist.) Between the smelly fishy smell and the peculiarly airy yet steaky texture, it was not until a weekend trip to Paris while studying abroad my sophomore winter of college that I fully appreciated how absolutely delicious fish can be. (The ten weeks I lived in Barcelona - and visited London, Paris, and Rome - is when my passion for eating and cooking foods from different cuisines first began to take root, a theme I will touch upon often).

I remember the moment vividly: I was spending the weekend with my good friend and her family, and her parents treated me to an authentic (...expensive...) French dinner. Although my sheltered self was inclined to order the most familiar dish on the menu (read: chicken), the incredulousness of being in Paris suddenly came over me and I chose to order the sole. As far as fish is concerned, this particular white fish is very mild in fishy flavor. Not to mention that my filet was swimming in luxurious butter and lemon juice. Regardless, for me, trying sole was a momentous leap in my culinary adventurousness. Since then, I have eaten more and more and more fish. Tuna, halibut, tilapia, and sea bass are particular favorites and on the top of my to-cook list.

Though I now eat seafood more often, even choosing to order it over pasta at restaurants (gasp), it was not until last night that I tried my hand at cooking it. Inspired by my fishy French roots, I made Scallops Gratin. Gratin (pronounced: grah-tahn) is a French cooking technique in which your dish is covered with a browned crust, usually consisting of breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and butter. Think baked mac and cheese. Git in my belly. Keep reading for the full recipe!