Four years ago, life changed drastically. It will never be the same again.

I love you, Be.

Thank you for coming into my life. I'm lucky to know you and love you and have you in my heart and life.

Happy 4th birthday.

Potato and Kale Enchiladas with Roasted Chile Sauce

I have finally tried another recipe from Veganomicon and I did make a few twists with the seasonings/ingredients ratio. This is a wonderfully magical recipe. Your stomach will sing a song of gratitude once it gets to digest such a tasty creation! I plan on making this many more times. It's a sure keeper. If you don't really like lime, I'd stay away from this one. I'm going to recreate this using oyster mushrooms and other grilled veggies when I have another spare afternoon.




Enchilada Chile Sauce:
2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
1 onion, cut into small dice
3 large green chiles (such as Anaheim), roasted, seeded, peeled, and chopped coarsely
2-3 teaspoons chile powder, preferably ancho
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (not the kind with basil or other italian seasonings)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons Kosher salt

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions in oil for 4 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer, and remove from the heat. When the mixture has cooled enough, taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Puree with an immersion or regular blender until mixture is smooth and even.


Potato and Kale Filling:
1 pound potatoes
1/2 pound kale, washed, trimmed, and chopped finely (1/4 lb. works fine if you only want to make 10 enchiladas. That's the amount we had and used. We kept the seasonings as listed so if you use 1/2 lb of kale, please adjust the rest of your seasonings accordingly - taste your creation as you go to get the seasonings right!)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup water +1 or 2 T McKay's Chicken Seasoning-MSG free (to taste) OR 1/4 vegetable broth
3 T lime juice (I like about 4 T)
1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), plus additional for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
12-14 corn tortillas
Cheddar cheese, shredded, for the tops of the enchiladas

Preheat the oven to 375 F and have ready a shallow casserole dish, at least 11 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches.

Peel and dice the potatoes, then boil them until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook the oil and minced garlic in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the garlic is sizzling and slightly browned (be careful not to let it burn). Add the kale, sprinkle with a little sale, and raise the heat to medium, stirring constantly to cover the kale with the oil and garlic. Partially cover the pot to steam the kale until it has wilted, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and mix in the potatoes, water, spices, and seasonings, lime juice, pumpkin seeds, and salt. use the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the potatoes. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until the stock is absorbed. Add more salt or lime juice to taste.

Create an enchilada assembly line:
Have ready a pie plate filled with about 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce, a casserole dish, a stack of corn tortillas, a lightly greased, heated griddle or cast-iron pan (for softening the tortillas), and the potato and kale filling.

Ladle a little bit of the enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the casserole dish and spread it around. Take a tortilla, place it on the heated griddle for 30 seconds, then flip it over and heat until the tortilla has become soft and pliable. Drop the softened tortilla into the pie plate filled with sauce; allow it to get completely covered in sauce, flip it over, and coat the other side.
Now, place the tortilla either in the casserole dish, run the potato filling down the middle and roll it up. Continue with the rest of the tortillas, tightly packing enchiladas next to each other.



Pour about a cup of sauce over the top (reserving some for later), cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges of the tortillas poking out of sauce look just a little browned. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Top individual serving with any remaining enchilada sauce, warmed slightly. Garnish with pepitas. Great served with black beans, chile rellenos, your favorite salad, or arroz con gandules.

Don't forget to stuff yourself up to your uvula with these enchiladas!


They look a little homely, I know. Sometimes ugly food tastes the best. Sometimes. :)