Roasted Pumpkin with Poblanos, Pinenuts, Israeli Cous Cous & Chiltomate

Chiltomate is a cooked salsa indigenous to Mexico and the Yucatan. You can't get any more simple than this red sauce roasted until tender and blended until smooth. While I serve this sauce over pumpkin and grains, don't forget it next time you make enchiladas or want a simple dip for chips.

Caramelized pumpkin & poblano peppers tossed with tender Israeli cous cous, buttery pinenuts, sweet raisins and a spicy tomato sauce with garlic and chiles.

Chiltomate
2 hot house tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup yellow onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 jalapeno, seeded, roughly chopped
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
3 tbl roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno and olive oil with salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Transfer to a blender along with the cilantro and vinegar and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a small pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes and taste to adjust seasonings.

Roasted Pumpkin with Poblanos and Israeli Cous Cous
1 medium sized pumpkin, peeled& seeded, medium dice
1 poblano pepper, medium dice
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 cup water
1/2 cup israeli cous cous
1/4 cup raisins
3 tbl toasted pinenuts
3 tbl chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the pumpkin and poblano with olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and caramelized.
While the pumpkin is cooking, bring the water to a boil and add the cous cous. Simmer for 8 minutes until tender. Drain any excess water. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss the roasted pumpkin with cous cous, raisins, pinenuts and cilantro. Serve with chiltomate sauce.

Chorizo Cauliflower Enchilada Pie, Red Sauce, Raw Corn Salad

This little enchilada pie is perfect for three and filled with enough flavor for four or five. Instead of using fake meat, I put together a spice mix that is usually destined for chorizo sausage and mixed it with cauliflower and some pinto beans with a delicious result. You could easily double this recipe for a 10" pie to serve more. Some might argue that the best part of enchiladas is the sauce so skip the canned kind and make my red sauce with less than 5 minutes of preparation time and a world of difference in taste.


Cauliflower spiced with traditional Mexican chorizo spices and pinto beans, sandwiched between corn tortillas soaked in homemade red sauce and baked into a thick pie with gooey cheese on top. Serve with a fresh, raw corn, avocado and onion salad.

Enchilada Red Sauce
2 tbl vegetable oil
1/2 sweet onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
2 tbl chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
28 oz can tomato sauce

Saute the onion, garlic and jalapeno in oil until soft and translucent, 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin and salt and cook for 3 more minutes to toast the spices. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Blend for a smooth sauce or keep chunky. I kept it chunky for the sake of laziness!

Chorizo Cauliflower Enchilada Pie
serves 3
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, small dice
1/2 green bell pepper, small dice
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small head of cauliflower, roughly chopped into small pieces
2 tbl paprika
1 tbl cumin
1 tbl garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1-15oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbl chopped, fresh cilantro
4-6" white corn tortillas
1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese
vegan sour cream, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 6" cake pan or casserole dish.
Saute the onions, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic in olive oil until the onions have started to brown, 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, coriander, oregano, cayenne, thyme, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. Saute for 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with vegetable broth and scrap up anything stuck on the bottom.
Remove the bay leaf and add the beans and cilantro. Turn off the heat.
Spread a couple spoonfuls of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan. Dip two tortillas fully in enchilada sauce and place on the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the cauliflower mixture. Dip two more tortillas in sauce and top with the remaining vegetables. Press down on the pie to make sure it is compact.
Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Raw Corn & Onion Salad
serves 3
2 white corn cobs, kernels removed
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 tbl finely minced red onion
2 tbl chopped, fresh cilantro
1 tbl lime juice
salt, to taste
1 avocado, medium dice

Combine all of the ingredients except the avocado and let chill for at least 15 minutes before serving. Add the diced avocado when ready to serve.