Cashew Cream Cheeze Sauce

Okay, so this doesn't really taste like cheese. Vegan cheese substitutes never do. It is, however, delicious and satisfies my [more than occasional] cheese cravings, so just think of it as a creamy sauce for your enchiladas or chips or whatever. This is another taken from Oh She Glows. I really like it, but I think Jeff is a little skeptical. Oh well.

For enough for a whole pan of enchiladas or a small bowl of dipping sauce for chips, you'll need:

• 3/4 c raw cashew pieces
• 1/4 c + 1 T nutritional yeast (I order mine from here, but many health food stores carry it in bulk)
• 1/3 c water
• 1/4 c salsa 
• 3 t chili powder
• 1 t cumin
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 t salt
• a couple shakes of red pepper flakes

The steps:

1. Place all in food processor and combine until smooth. You will need to pause a few times to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed until it's really yummy.

Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce

A simple sauce taken almost exactly from Oh She Glows. I used this on the enchiladas I made last night and also, later as a dipping sauce for chips while watching Breaking Bad later on. 

For a full pan of enchiladas, you'll need:

• flesh of 2 small avocados (to equal about 1 1/4c)
• 4 T lime juice
• 2 t apple cider vinegar
• 1 c fresh cilantro
• 1 t salt
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 t cumin
• a couple dashes each cayenne pepper and black pepper

The step:

1. Place all in food processor and combine until smooth. End result sort of has the consistency of mayo. Spread over your enchiladas.

Due to the avocados, this sauce won't store well, so only make as much as you'll use immediately. Enjoy!

Black Bean + Potato Enchiladas

Last night I made delicious vegan enchiladas with cilantro avocado cream sauce and a cashew cream cheeze sauce. I must admit, a great deal of this recipe is taken from this blog, a blog which I highly recommend for finding vegan recipes. Below, the recipe for enchiladas. Two other posts will have the sauce.

For 5 enchiladas (or, enough to fill at 9x13 pan), you'll need:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (to equal about 2c)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 c red fleshed potatoes, chopped small (I used these because I had them from the CSA and they are nice a sweet. Sweet potatoes of any variety would be good)
• 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 1/2 c enchilada sauce (I used this)
• 1 T nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 1/2 t cumin
• 2 T lime juice
• salt
• 1 t chili powder
• 5 medium sized tortillas (I used these)

The steps

1. Pre-cook your diced potatoes in a small pot of boiling water for 5-7 minutes. You don't want them to be fully cooked or mushy at all.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan and add onion. Cook over med-low heat until onions are beginning to be translucent
3. Add garlic and cook a little more
4. Add diced pepper, beans, potatoes, and spinach and cook for about 5 more minutes.
5. Add enchilada sauce, nutritional yeast, and spices and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, depending upon your enchilada sauce. Remove from heat.
6. Preheat your oven to 350.
7. Lightly grease your 9x13 pan and scoop about 1c of the filling directly into the pan. Spread evenly across the bottom.
8. Scoop about 1/2c filling into each tortilla and roll up like you would a burrito. Place in the pan seam facing down.
9. Spread any remaining filling over top of your enchiladas.
10. Bake for 20 min and serve immediately. While the enchiladas are baking, work on making your cilantro avocado cream sauce and cashew cream cheeze sauce.