Vegan Swiss Chard Enchiladas with Quinoa, Black Beans & Epazote

We have this gigantic Swiss chard “bush,” seriously taking hold in the food garden. The leaves kept beckoning me to wrap them up with something. So, here’s an idea for gluten-free and cornmeal-free Swiss chard enchiladas that came out pretty yummy! The fresh epazote adds a nice, earthy, Oaxacan nuance, but you can substitute something like fresh thyme and still get a great fresh herbal infusion. Epazote is really easy to grow but not so easy to find at the market. Feel free to play around with non-vegan variations using queso fresco, organic chicken, and-or ground meat. Enjoy!

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“Basic” Quinoa & Black Bean Burgers

I am not a burger purist. The more different kinds of burgers the world can invent the better! This  point of view comes in particularly handy when it comes to creating healthier, maybe even meatless, burger recipes. Having said this, no matter what, a burger should pass some basic requirements in order to be considered feasible- not that I am some burger expert, but let’s just be practical about it! First and foremost, the burger must hold together in a two-bun sandwich or lettuce wrap scenario. If it crumbles, it isn’t exactly a burger. Next, the burger should satiate. You want to feel full and happy and be nourished after you have eaten one. And third, it should be quick and easy to make. If you have to run to seven specialty food stores and spend two hours in the kitchen before you even get to the part where you make it into patties, well, it kind of loses its “burger experience,” in my opinion.

Here is a super easy quinoa and black bean burger that holds up to the basics and tastes great! Enjoy this between any kind of bread or bun, or make a falafel patty and enjoy with flatbread or a lettuce wrap. Seriously, the total active prep time for this is less than 30 minutes!

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When Blini Meets Korean Pancake… But Healthier

Ah! The classic blini! That delicious, plump, buttery vessel for caviar, smoked salmon, and other nostalgic cocktail party fare. And then there is the Korean pancake, slightly crisp with tender Asian veggies and flavors on the inside! I was recently craving a Korean pancake, so I took a quinoa breakfast pancake recipe I knew and did some adaptations…and voila! Your new go-to east-meets-west hors d’oeuvre base that will keep them coming back!

asian quinoa blini

makes 8-10 blini
3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup toasted nori flakes, strips, or small broken up pieces of nori
1 scallion, sliced on the bias
1/3 cups julienned bok choy, Chinese broccoli or other green vegetable
NOTE: diced red bell pepper, sliced asparagus, and other vegetables can be substituted or incorporated
Coconut oil for cooking

Preheat a griddle to medium high heat. Mix all the ingredients but the coconut oil in a mixing bowl. Lubricate the griddle with a generous coat of coconut oil and cook the blini immediately by using a teaspoon to spoon mini pancakes onto the griddle. Cook as you would a pancake, flipping after one side is cooked enough to flip it over without breaking it. The mixture will want to separate a little bit so you might need to mix it a little before each spoonful on the griddle. Serve topped with smoked salmon or trout, sautéed mushroom, caramelized onion, kimchi, roasted pepper compote, tuna sashimi, or other detox friendly topping. It is pictured here with a slice of avocado and a caramelized shiitake mushroom…yum!

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Add to Meal Plan:
This recipe has been added to your Meal Plan
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Instructions
  1. Preheat a griddle to medium high heat. Mix all the ingredients but the coconut oil in a mixing bowl.
  2. Lubricate the griddle with a generous coat of coconut oil and cook the blini immediately by using a teaspoon to spoon mini pancakes onto the griddle. Cook as you would a pancake, flipping after one side is cooked enough to flip it over without breaking it. The mixture will want to separate a little bit so you might need to mix it a little before each spoonful on the griddle.
  3. Serve topped with smoked salmon or trout, sautéed mushroom, caramelized onion, kimchi, roasted pepper compote, tuna sashimi, or other detox friendly topping. It is pictured here with a slice of avocado and a caramelized shiitake mushroom...yum!
Recipe Notes

There is no Nutrition Label for this recipe yet.