I Love Making Enchiladas

Ever since C-19, my consumption of vegan and vegetarian meals has increased.   To make it easy on myself, I roast a lot of vegetables and make enough grains to last the week.  

Most of the time, I eat bowls of grains and beans, with seasonal vegetables.  To make the bowls more interesting, I sprinkle nuts and add in some kind of pickle or maybe a little cheese.   After awhile, though, the bowls start tasting the same.  That's when I know my imagination needs a boost, and I turn to ethnic flavors.   

When I think about the world, I think how amazing it is that same ingredients become something else depending on the country and imagination.  Like I said I eat grains and vegetables  ... but with just a few additions, the bowls become Mexican enchiladas when I mix my grain (farro) with my beans (black beans) and seasonal vegetables (roasted potatoes and carrots) ... toss in some chopped onion and frozen corn ... which I might have in a bowl anyway ... 

These ingredients (essentially a bowl) transform as I add cumin and some salsa verde to the mixture and stuff into corn tortillas.  Taken a bit further, I cover them with a can of summer tomatoes and diced jalapeños, throw on some cheese and bake.   

Absolute magic!  Same ingredients ... and it satisfies everything! 

AMANDA'S ENCHILADAS

INGREDIENTS

pre-cooked farro (cooked in vegetable stock-mostly onion/garlic)

black beans

a little bit of roasted vegetable (potato and carrot)

chopped onion

frozen corn

salsa verde

cumin and salt to taste

MIX THE ABOVE AND STUFF INTO

corn tortillas

and

PLACE IN A CASSEROLE DISH

TOP ENCHILADAS WITH

chopped can of tomato

diced pickled jalapeño

or a jar of salsa

TOP THIS WITH

mexican cheese

STICK IN THE OVEN

375 to 400 until the cheese bubbles.

About 40 minutes.

I Love the Rochester Public Market

 

Saturday mornings are busy at the Rochester Public Market.  It is open year-round, and during the summer, stalls are filled with beautiful produce brought in by farmers fromall around the Upstate New York area.   During the winter, farmers also bring in their stored root crops, and other fresh vegetables that grow in their greenhouses.   Food wholesalers are also there.  The market is an amazing place, and I love it.

 

Last March, I started going to the market regularly on Saturday mornings.  I was inspired by Alice Waters, a chef who is passionate about food, and advocates for "buy local".  She claims that seasonal and local produce tastes best.  Because of the Rochester Public Market, I tried her idea, and I believe Alice Waters is right.

When I consistently began buying food that was grown within 50 miles of my home (and produce in season), At first, I noticed it all tasted so delicious, and I ate a tremendous amount.  Food was so satisfying and I stopped feeling guilty about eating.  After awhile, I noticed that I started eating less, and that the seasonal aspect started to meet my nutritional needs.   Food is beautiful.

Later, my goal each week became to find something I had never eaten, and I began to experiment with whatever was available--jerusalem artichoke, fiddlehead fern, celery root, scapes, trumpet mushrooms, etc. My meals transformed, and after a year, I find that I have become a food snob ... for several reasons.  Here are a few:

• The produce is fresher--often within a few hours from having been in the earth.
• The food is less expensive, 
• and better quality than the grocery store.
• There is less plastic packaging.
• It supports local farmers and local businesses.
• It contributes to the community of Rochester.

Every week, I photograph the bounty and the beauty of the food.  Every time I do, I feel the privilege of having such a wonderful place to go--even during a pandemic!!  It's why I love the Rochester Public Market.