Main Dish Recipes

Enchilada Casserole

November 10, 2015 by Holly Yzquierdo 5 Comments

Have you ever had the privilege of eating homemade enchiladas?

My husband taught me how to make them just after we were married. They taste a lot different than what you get in most Mexican restaurants and take a long time to make, especially when you make the enchilada sauce (we just call it chili) from scratch.

This recipe isn’t exactly from scratch. It’s more of a cheater vegan enchilada casserole BUT it is soooo good you won’t even care.

Sometimes a girl just needs some enchiladas! Unfortunately, I don’t have hours to make one meal. Our old family recipe was extremely unhealthy, the healthiest part was the corn tortilla before you dip it in oil. I know I shutter at the thought.

Enchilada Casserole is a fast, easy and healthier version of regular enchiladas. This recipe is vegan (plant-based), gluten-free dairy-free and made from pantry staples for a delicious family friendly meal.

This recipe is easy, pretty fast, healthy and most of all delicious.

I had to come up with a veggie enchilada recipe but I’m old-school Tex-Mex and can’t handle veggies like broccoli and carrots in my enchiladas so don’t even try. I wanted to cut down on the time it takes to make them too so this recipe layers the ingredients instead of rolling individual enchiladas.

This recipe uses pantry items and you can get fancy with the Faux Cheese Sauce if you want to go that route but it is wonderful without it.

Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

1 pkg soft corn tortillas
2 cans refried beans (or 3 cups of your own, try this recipe)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly diced, fresh onions
1 cup corn (canned or freezer)
jarred jalapenos to taste
1 can red enchilada sauce (15 oz can or bigger)
1/4 cup crunched up tortilla chips
Double recipe of Faux Cheese Sauce if you want a cheesy top.

Do

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread about an ounce of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
Cover the sauce with soft corn tortillas. Tear tortillas into smaller pieces when necessary.
Gently spread cooked/canned beans over tortillas.
Top with half of the tomatoes, half the corn, half the onions, and jalapenos if desired.
Cover with 6 ounces (about half) the remaining enchilada sauce.
Repeat steps 2 through 6. TIP: Cover the soft corn tortillas in beans before you lay them in the casserole dish.
Add the tortilla chip crumbs if you aren’t making the cheese sauce. If you are waiting until later. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes.
If making the cheese sauce follow the recipe but double it. Once done, pour it over the casserole and sprinkle tortilla chip crumbs on top. Then bake for 10 more minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before serving.

This recipe is perfect for your vegan or gluten-free friends! It is potluck worthy and you can easily adapt it based on your preferences. So if you like broccoli and carrots in your enchiladas go ahead, unless you are bringing me some. You’ll notice on the process photos that you can adapt for preferences. I use corn on half and jalapenos on the other half to keep my family happy.

Enchilada Casserole that is plant-based and gluten-free. Easy to make with mostly pantry staples and completely healthy. No meat, no dairy, no gluten!

The tortilla chip crumbs give it an extra little crunch on top. I didn’t want to try to top it with corn tortillas because they would have become dried out and hard, you know this if you’ve ever skimped on enchilada sauce when making homemade enchiladas.

Yield: 6 Servings

Enchilada Casserole

Enchilada Casserole is a fast, easy and healthier version of regular enchiladas. This recipe is vegan (plant-based), gluten-free dairy-free and made from pantry staples for a delicious family friendly meal.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 pkg soft corn tortillas
2 cans refried beans (or 3 cups of your own)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly diced, fresh onions
1 cup corn (canned or freezer)
jarred jalapenos to taste
1 can red enchilada sauce (15 oz can or bigger)
1/4 cup crunched up tortilla chips
Double recipe of Faux Cheese Sauce if you want a cheesy top.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread about an ounce of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
Cover the sauce with soft corn tortillas. Tear tortillas into smaller pieces when necessary.
Gently spread cooked/canned beans over tortillas.
Top with half of the tomatoes, half the corn, half the onions, and jalapenos if desired.
Cover with 6 ounces (about half) the remaining enchilada sauce.
Repeat steps 2 through 6. TIP: Cover the soft corn tortillas in beans before you lay them in the casserole dish.
Add the tortilla chip crumbs if you aren’t making the cheese sauce. If you are waiting until later. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes.
If making the cheese sauce follow the recipe but double it. Once done, pour it over the casserole and sprinkle tortilla chip crumbs on top. Then bake for 10 more minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

It is potluck worthy and you can easily adapt it based on your preferences. I use corn on half and jalapenos on the other half to keep my family happy.

Veggie Burrito

October 4, 2015 by Holly Yzquierdo 6 Comments

I often refer to my veggie burritos as an easy lunch or a back up meal. It occurred to me that some of you may think I make a really elaborate thing. Trust me, this is not the case. I don’t really do elaborate these days. This Veggie Burrito recipe is as easy as they come.

The basic Veggie Burrito can be made with whatever you have on hand. This plant-based (vegan) recipe is quick and easy to make.

I wanted to show you just how easy this basic veggie burrito is. I’ll also point out that when I refer to an easy black bean salad it is basically this burrito with extra lettuce and no tortilla.

I make it when I have beans already cooked but I’ve been known to use canned beans on occasion.

Basic Veggie Burrito

Ingredients

1 tortilla per burrito
lettuce
cooked black beans
diced tomatoes
frozen corn
salsa
guacamole

Do

Heat beans and corn (and anything else you want hot).
Layer all ingredients into a burrito (or ditch the tortilla and put everything on a bed of lettuce).

This is a quick and easy meal and can be made using whatever you have on hand. If you have potatoes, peppers or rice use them, if you are missing tomatoes or guacamole that’s ok. Use what you have.

For more great meal ideas check out my Recipe Page.

Yield: 1 Burrito

Veggie Burrito

The basic Veggie Burrito can be made with whatever you have on hand. This plant-based (vegan) recipe is quick and easy to make.

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Additional Time 2 minutes

Total Time 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 tortilla per burrito
lettuce
cooked black beans
diced tomatoes
frozen corn
salsa
guacamole

Instructions

Heat beans and corn (and anything else you want hot).
Layer all ingredients into a burrito (or ditch the tortilla and put everything on a bed of lettuce).

Notes

I make it when I have beans already cooked but I’ve been known to use canned beans on occasion.

Easy Asian Noodles

August 16, 2015 by Holly Yzquierdo 12 Comments

There is something to be said for a home cooked meal that is ready in about 15 minutes. Especially if it is healthy! Even better when it is a one-pot meal.

My kids would be happy to have sandwiches every meal but I’m not. I like real food, warm food, but I don’t have a lot of time to cook.

If you have been here for a while you know that my son has multiple food allergies. Peanuts and gluten are just a few of the things that are off-limits for us. He rarely gets to eat restaurant food because of his food allergies; we have a few safe restaurants to choose from.

All Asian restaurants use peanuts and soy sauce (contains gluten) and I’m not comfortable with the chances of cross contamination even if he ordered a “safe” dish. His only exposure to Asian food is food I make. My recipes are far from authentic but they are easy to make and use simple ingredients.

This recipe is peanut-free and gluten-free and can accommodate other allergies with substitutions. It cooks really quickly, the longest part is getting the water to boil.

Easy Asian Noodles

Ingredients

1 box Brown Rice Noodles (I use Annie Chun’s)
3 carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup SoyNut Butter (or other peanut butter type spread)
2 Tbsp Tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos (soy sauce can be used but contains gluten)

Do

Bring water to a boil. As you wait slice the carrots and get the other ingredients ready.
Dump the carrots into the boiling water and cook them for 2-3 minutes.
After the carrots have cooked a few minutes add the frozen peas and the noodles.
Cook everything together for 5 minutes. Once the timer beeps, taste test the noodles and carrots to see if either need a minute or two longer.
Carefully drain the water out of your pot. I like to use one of these. Then dump in the Tamari/Bragg’s and the SoyNut Butter. Stir well until it has melted into the noodles and is evenly distributed.

This recipe can be easily adapted based on what you have on hand and what food restrictions you work with. It is similar to my Veggie Pad Thai recipe but this one is simplified even more and only uses carrots and peas to cut down on dishes and extra chopping. You can buy frozen, chopped carrots for a quicker recipe.

What are your favorite quick meals?

Asian Noodles

Allergy friendly asian noodles. They are peanut and gluten free!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

Total Time 17 minutes

Ingredients

1 box Brown Rice Noodles (I use Annie Chun’s)
3 carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup SoyNut Butter (or other peanut butter type spread)
2 Tbsp Tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos (soy sauce can be used but contains gluten)

Instructions

Bring water to a boil. As you wait slice the carrots and get the other ingredients ready.
Dump the carrots into the boiling water and cook them for 2-3 minutes.
After the carrots have cooked a few minutes add the frozen peas and the noodles.
Cook everything together for 5 minutes. Once the timer beeps, taste test the noodles and carrots to see if either need a minute or two longer.
Carefully drain the water out of your pot. I like to use one of these. Then dump in the Tamari/Bragg’s and the SoyNut Butter. Stir well until it has melted into the noodles and is evenly distributed.

Notes

Frozen, chopped carrots can be used to make this recipe even quicker.

Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry

August 9, 2015 by Holly Yzquierdo 10 Comments

After a long day I really don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. That is one of the reasons I’m such a fan of Batch Cooking. Sometimes I need a quick and easy meal. Stir fry’s are such an easy option. Since I don’t cook with oil some may argue that this isn’t a true stir fry. The extra fat found in oil isn’t really needed if you use a little water in its place. (You can view this post to see how I use water for fried rice.)

We almost always have cooked brown rice in the fridge. We use it in so many recipes it is a staple in our diet. When I don’t have rice cooked, I can make it quickly in my Instant Pot. This stir fry can be made with whatever veggies you have on hand but half my household loves mushrooms so this dish was for them.

Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 crown broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1/2 an onion, diced
4 cups cooked brown rice
Bragg Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce or Tamari)

As with many of my recipes, you can add more ingredients or remove items you don’t like without a huge problem with the recipe. For example, if you aren’t a big fan of mushrooms use less or use bell peppers in their place.

Do

In a hot skillet or wok add diced onions and sliced carrots, cover with a lid. Check on them regularly and stir. When they begin to stick pour a few tablespoons of water in the skillet and stir again.
Once the carrots are starting to soften, dump in the mushrooms. These will need to cook for several minutes. Once they have exuded their juices and look shiny, pour the broccoli in and cover once again.
Check veggies every few minutes and stir. If they begin to stick to the pan add more water again.
Once all of the veggies are cooked to a tender/crisp consistency dump in your cooked rice and stir. You can use less than 4 cups if desired. You can also heat the rice separately if desired.
Pour Bragg Liquid Aminos over the rice and veggies. I’d start with a little and add more to taste. We probably use a couple of tablespoons but it is a high sodium food so limit it if necessary.

This meal comes together in less than 20 minutes. If you have to cook the rice allow yourself sufficient time. This is a really easy meal to make and packs perfectly in a lunch box (I only recommend it for adult or older kids lunches).

If you like this, check out my other great Asian inspired meals, Veggie Pad Thai and my easy Oil-Free (un)Fried Rice.

Yield: 4 Servings

Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry

Quick weeknight meal using leftover rice and veggies. Broccoli and mushroom stir fry is great for leftovers and meal planning too!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 crown broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1/2 an onion, diced
4 cups cooked brown rice
Bragg Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce or Tamari)

Instructions

In a hot skillet or wok add diced onions and sliced carrots, cover with a lid. Check on them regularly and stir. When they begin to stick pour a few tablespoons of water in the skillet and stir again.
Once the carrots are starting to soften, dump in the mushrooms. These will need to cook for several minutes. Once they have exuded their juices and look shiny, pour the broccoli in and cover once again.
Check veggies every few minutes and stir. If they begin to stick to the pan add more water again.
Once all of the veggies are cooked to a tender/crisp consistency dump in your cooked rice and stir. You can use less than 4 cups if desired. You can also heat the rice separately if desired.
Pour Bragg Liquid Aminos over the rice and veggies. I’d start with a little and add more to taste. We probably use a couple of tablespoons but it is a high sodium food so limit it if necessary.

Notes

Black Bean Mango Salad

June 3, 2015 by Holly Yzquierdo 13 Comments

As the weather warms up and cravings turn to lighter, more refreshing fare, there’s nothing quite like a vibrant salad to satisfy your appetite. Bursting with the tropical sweetness of ripe mangoes, the earthy richness of black beans, and the zesty freshness of lime, this Black Bean Mango Salad is a celebration of summer in every bite.

Black Bean Mango Salad is incredibly versatile. It can be served as a side dish, piled high on top of tacos or nachos, or enjoyed on its own as a light and refreshing meal. Whether you’re a devoted salad eater or someone looking for a new way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your routine, give this recipe a whirl.

Black Bean Mango Salad Vegan Gluten-Free Plant-Based

Easy Black Bean Mango Salad

Unlike most of the recipes you’ll find here on My Plant Based Family, this recipe is for a single serving. My kids would love most of the things in this salad, but if your kids are like mine, they don’t want it all mixed together. So this salad is just for me.

Even though this is for a single serving, I prefer to build two (or three or four) at a time to eat later in the week. The only real difference is you’ll want to store the diced mango separately because it can get a little slimy.

The measurements below can be adapted to your taste. I actually added a little more of everything for the salad I ate at home. This size was perfect for work. I don’t know about you but it takes me a long time to eat BIG salads. My lunch salads need to be a little average size.

Black Bean Mango Salad Vegan Gluten-Free

Costumization Ideas

Feel free to customize this Black Bean Mango Salad to suit your taste preferences too.

You can add diced jalapeño for a spicy kick or diced cucumber for added crunch.
If you prefer a sweeter salad, you can drizzle a bit of honey or maple syrup to enhance the natural sweetness of the mangoes.
For a heartier meal, serve this salad on a bed of quinoa.
Experiment with different herbs and spices to create your own unique flavor profile. Fresh mint, basil, or parsley can add a refreshing twist, while smoked paprika or chili powder can add depth and complexity.

Black Bean Mango Salad Recipe

Ingredients

2-3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup organic corn
1/4 cup diced tomato (remove seeds)
1/4 cup diced onion (I prefer sweet onion or red onions)
1/4 of a large mango (or half a small mango) diced.
diced jalapenos to taste
juice from half a lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 avocado (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Layer Ingredients

Place lettuce in a large bowl then top with beans, corn, tomatoes, onion and mango*.

Step 2 – Customize and Stir

If using jalapenos and cilantro add now. Give the salad a good stir.

Step 3 – Give it a Squeeze

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad and stir one more time.

*Notes: If you are packing an extra salad for another day, leave the mango, lime juice and avocado separate.

More Fresh Salad Recipes

If you like this salad, you’ll love these plant based recipes too:

Yield: 1 Serving

Black Bean Mango Salad

Gluten-free, oil-free fresh flavors of summer. Treat yourself to this fresh Black Bean Mango Salad for one.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

2-3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup organic corn
1/4 cup diced tomato (remove seeds)
1/4 cup diced onion (I prefer sweet onion or red onions)
1/4 of a large mango (or half a small mango) diced
diced jalapenos to taste
juice from half a lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 avocado (optional)

Instructions

Place lettuce in a large bowl then top with beans, corn, tomatoes, onion and mango.
If using jalapenos and cilantro add now. Give the salad a good stir.
Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad and stir one more time.

Notes

If you are packing an extra salad for another day leave the mango, lime juice and avocado separate.

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

May 22, 2015 by Holly Yzquierdo 7 Comments

For a girl that doesn’t eat meat, I really love barbecue sauce. Vegan barbecue is something I fully support. These BBQ Cauliflower Bites hit the spot. If you are looking for a plant-based version of BBQ Wings, give these a try.

Homemade vegan BBQ Cauliflower Bites. Similar to vegan wings.

Years ago, friends and I would share boneless BBQ wings in our late night chats. We’d order a bunch of appetizers and catch up.

Just because I avoid chicken doesn’t mean I have to avoid barbecue sauce. Especially this Homemade BBQ Sauce.

Vegan Barbecue Wings

You can make these with or without the breading. I’m sharing a gluten-free breading for the cauliflower but you can make it with wheat flour or skip the breading all together.

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
1 cup Gluten-Free flour blend
1 cup unsweetened and unflavored plant milk (I use rice milk)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 recipe Homemade BBQ Sauce

Do

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Rinse cauliflower and cut into two-bite-sized pieces (about 2 inches or so).
In a medium bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (except BBQ Sauce) together. I recommend adding the milk a little at a time because you may not need the whole cup. Stir with a whisk until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter.
Put a handful of the cauliflower pieces into the batter then remove with a fork and place it on the cookie sheet.
Once all of the cauliflower pieces have been dipped in batter and arranged on the cookie sheet bake for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes carefully remove the hot cauliflower and dip them into the BBQ Sauce. Put them back on the cookie sheet and bake for 5 more minutes.

Serve

These BBQ Cauliflower Bites are best served right out of the oven.

Vegan BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Sweet and tangy vegan BBQ Cauliflower Bites are the wing substitute you need.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
1 cup Gluten-Free flour blend
1 cup unsweetened and unflavored plant milk (I use rice milk)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 recipe Homemade BBQ Sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Rinse cauliflower and cut into two-bite-sized pieces (about 2 inches or so).
In a medium bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (except BBQ Sauce) together. I recommend adding the milk a little at a time because you may not need the whole cup. Stir with a whisk until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter.
Put a handful of the cauliflower pieces into the batter then remove with a fork and place it on the cookie sheet.
Once all of the cauliflower pieces have been dipped in batter and arranged on the cookie sheet bake for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes carefully remove the hot cauliflower and dip them into the BBQ Sauce. Put them back on the cookie sheet and bake for 5 more minutes.

Notes

These are best fresh from the oven and do not reheat well.

Need more barbecue ideas? Try these delicious recipes!

Vegan BBQ Sandwich

Grilled Portobello Burger

Avocado Grillers

What are your favorite things to barbecue? Don’t forget the sides like grilled corn, veggie kabob’s, potato salad and pasta salad!

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Main Dish Recipes

Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

Do

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Basic Veggie Burrito

Ingredients

Do

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Easy Asian Noodles

Ingredients

Do

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry

Ingredients

Do

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Easy Black Bean Mango Salad

Costumization Ideas

Black Bean Mango Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1 – Layer Ingredients

Step 2 – Customize and Stir

Step 3 – Give it a Squeeze

More Fresh Salad Recipes

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Vegan Barbecue Wings

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Ingredients

Do

Serve

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

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