Roasted Zucchini, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Enchildas

I've never been a fan of stronger cheeses.  I'm more of a mozzarella, Monterey jack kind of girl (I know...boring).  The taste of feta or goat cheese (or heaven forbid any type of blue) made my face scrunch up and left me reaching for a big glass of water to wash down what I thought was a fairly unpleasant taste.  I really love food and I really hated that I had a distaste for so many cheeses.  It was really quite sad.  But, I'm happy to report that I have expanded my cheese horizon and I'm getting better.  What I use to shun, I now enjoy (in small amounts) and I feel happy about it!  These enchiladas were a hit and inside I was laughing to myself because they were full of something my kids hate, zucchini!

Roasted Zucchini, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Enchiladas

4 cups 1/4" diced zucchini
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Zest from one lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
5-ounces soft goat cheese, reserving 1-ounce for the top of the enchiladas
10 corn tortillas
12-ounces red enchiladas sauce (I used this recipe)
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 avocados
Squeeze of lime

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place the zucchini on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil lemon zest and black pepper; toss everything together to coat.  Spread in an even layer and roast on the middle rack for about 30 minutes or until the edges are brown.  Remove to cool.  Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the green onions, cilantro and black beans.  Add the cooled zucchini and toss everything together very gently.  Over a burner or on your grill, lightly char or grill both sides of the tortillas.

In an oven proof rectangular dish, pour 1/2 cup or the enchiladas sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.  Working with one tortilla at a time, fill it with a heaping 1/4 cup of the filling.  Top zucchini mixture with some crumbled goat cheese and roll up.  Lay it in the baking dish seam side down.  Continue with remaining tortillas, squeezing the enchiladas in tight.  Brush the tops of the tortillas with the remaining olive oil.  Pour the remaining enchiladas sauce over the top of enchiladas and sprinkle with reserved goat cheese on top.  Bake for 20 minutes until warmed through and the top are just crisp.  Allow the enchiladas to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Top with chopped cilantro, diced avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Recipe slightly adapted from Sprouted Kitchen

Roasted Tomato and Caramelized Onion Farro Salad with Brown Butter

The first time I first made this salad was for my sister Madeleine's bridal shower and it was a delicious hit!  Everything in this salad from the tangy roasted tomatoes to the sweet caramelized onions and nutty brown butter makes my insides tingle with excitement and then when you combine all that deliciousness with a few other ingredients and Holy Moly it is awesome goodness!

Roasted Tomato and Caramelized Onion Farro Salad with Brown Butter
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
A few good pinches of salt
A good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup farro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to brown and smell nutty.  Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do.  Keep your eyes on the butter; it burns very quickly after it browns.  Once butter is browned, place in a small bowl and set aside.

Place a rack in the center or the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and chili flakes.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst and are sizzling and golden brown.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Place olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add chopped onions and toss to coat in fat.  Let the onions cook down for 5 minutes without stirring.  Toss after 5 minutes and allow to cook without stirring for another 5 minutes.  Add salt and toss.  Onions will begin to brown and break down.  Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar.  Toss to coat all of the onions.  Return to heat and let onions cook down until deeply browned and will have a melty onion consistency.

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.  When the water boils, add a good pinch of salt.  Add farro and stir.  Cook farro until it is softened through and has a light al dente bite to it, about 20 minutes.  Drain farro in a strainer and return to the pot.  Toss farro with olive oil.  Add roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, brown butter, and parsley.  Toss and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Recipe slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

Whole Wheat Waffles

Thursday mornings around our house tend to be a little less rushed because it's my no running day (I look forward to Thursdays).  Most mornings, I feel like I'm rushing around taking bites of toast or spoonful’s of cereal in between spreading peanut butter and jam on pieces of bread for my boys lunches or telling Preston again and again (and again) to hurry and get ready for school.  Some mornings I wait until my boys have walked out the door to sit down at the table and eat my waffle while Stella watches Super Why.  Every once in awhile, it's nice to be able to enjoy every bite of a meal with few interruptions.  (A waffle my way is topped with bananas, toasted unsweetened coconut and pure maple syrup.  Mmmmmmmm!  It's perfectly delicious!)

Whole Wheat Waffles

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder (see note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
1/2 cup lukewarm buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat waffle iron on high heat.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; set aside.  In another bowl, combine melted butter, milk, egg, orange juice and vanilla and whisk to combine.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient and stir until just combined.  Be careful not to over mix.  Add batter to preheated waffle iron and cook until golden brown (or until your waffle iron beeps to tell you that your waffle is done).  Remove cooked waffles from waffle iron and serve immediately.  (You can also keep the waffles warm in a preheated 250 degree oven.)

*The first time I made these waffles, I didn't have aluminum-free baking powder, but I quickly found out (thanks to Google) that you can make your own.  For one teaspoon of aluminum-free baking powder, combine 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch.  I actually like these waffles better, when I make my own aluminum-free baking powder.

*I also like these waffles better when I use a Belgian waffle iron.

Recipe slightly adapted from The Faux Martha

Roasted Tomato Caprese with Avocados

Butter toasted bread, creamy avocado and fresh mozzarella, all topped with sweet, tangy roasted tomatoes, torn basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon.  All of its parts add up to one very delicious sandwich! 

Roasted Tomato Caprese with Avocado

1 large tomato or 1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used some of both)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh basil
1 tablespoon butter
3 thick slices of country bread
1 garlic clove
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut the large tomato into 1/4-inch slices.  Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with the salt.  If using the cherry tomatoes, toss them with the olive oil and salt and lay them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until wilted, wrinkly and caramelized in parts.  When the tomatoes have roasted, remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter to melt.  Place the pieces of bread in the pan and cook unitl crisp and golden.  about 3-4 minutes per side.  Remove the bread from the pan and let cool.

Once cool assemble the open faced sandwiches.  Avocado slices line the bottom, next the fresh mozzarella.  Add a small pile of roasted tomatoes on top and finish with torn basil leaves, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of flaky salt.

Recipe from Not Without Salt