Tortilla Sunrise

Red Bean and Millet Enchiladas

(Serves 6)

It's easy to make these using whatever leftover beans and grains you have on hand. For example, try black beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans in place of red beans, and try rice or quinoa instead of millet. For a lazy Sunday brunch, I like to prepare the whole dish a day ahead. You can serve it with some seasonal fresh fruit, a steamed vegetable, and some warmed flour tortillas. If you choose to do this, add on about 20 minutes to the cooking time. You can use two 14-ounce cans of enchilada sauce instead of making the sauce, but read the ingredients carefully. Many canned enchilada sauces contain lard or cottonseed oil.

Filling

• One 7-ounce can chopped green chilis, divided in half
• 1 cup cooked millet
• 3/4 cup cooked dried beans or drained, canned red beans
• 1/2 cup baked sweet potatoes or yams, or use mashed, baked winter squash
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh corn
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Sauce

• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
• One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (no salt added)
• 1 teaspoon vegan granulated sweetener*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 12 soft corn tortillas
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped red onions, or use a combination of sliced green onions and red onions

In a medium mixing bowl, mash half of the chilies, millet, beans, and sweet potato together with a potato masher. Mix in the corn, salt, and cilantro. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Heat a heavy skillet (not cast iron, or the tomatoes may become bitter) over medium heat. Add oil, onion, and jalapeño. Stir, reduce heat, and cover with a lid. Sweat until onions are transparent. Remove lid and add garlic, cumin, coriander, and chipotle chili powder, if desired. Stir, cover, and cook on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding a little water if mixture gets too dry. Remove lid, and add the tomatoes, sweetener, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Prepare tortillas while the sauce cools.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Frugally brush one side of each tortilla with olive oil. Lay tortilla flat, oil side up, on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Tortillas should be soft and pliable. Remove from oven and dip one side of a tortilla into the sauce. Then lay flat in a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread about 3 tablespoons of filling down the middle. Fold the sides over and turn the filled tortilla over so the seam side is down. Repeat with each tortilla. If you have any filling left over scatter it over the top. Sprinkle with chopped onions and remaining chilies. Pour the sauce over all, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable Tacos

(Makes 8 tacos)

If you're looking for a quick breakfast, make a double batch of roasted vegetables the night before and use some as a side dish. Small children may like them without the chili powder. You can reheat vegetables in a microwave (about five minutes to reheat all of them, stirring halfway through) or in a conventional oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 head garlic, peeled and cloves separated
• 1-1/2 cups cut-up delicata squash (about 1/2 medium squash)
• 1/2 medium red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 3 medium yellow finn or red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
• Salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place onion, garlic, squash, red pepper, and potatoes in a large 9" x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle with chili powder and cayenne. Drizzle one tablespoon of the oil over the vegetables. Stir to coat all the vegetables with the chili powder and oil.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir, then place back in the oven for another 30 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender and slightly browned. Sprinkle with salt if desired. About five minutes before vegetables are done, lay corn tortillas out on a baking sheet. Brush one side lightly with the remaining olive oil, or if you have an oil sprayer such as Misto™, you can use that and spray a minimal amount of oil. Place in the oven for 5 minutes or until tortillas are warm and soft.

Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the roasted vegetables onto the warm tortillas. Top with cilantro and salsa.

Breakfast Burritos

(Makes 6 burritos)

A few years ago I took a class from Sam Okamoto, a chef from Vancou-ver, BC. He had an interesting technique for giving scrambled tofu a creamier egg-like texture: don't dilute the arrowroot, but sprinkle it over the cooking tofu and stir it into the mixture. I don't know why this unconventional use of arrowroot works, but the texture comes out with an egg-like consistency. If you make these burritos the night before, without the sprouts and tomato, they are great for take-along breakfasts and can be reheated at the office.

• 1/2 pound firm or extra-firm tofu
• 6 whole wheat tortillas
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 medium red or green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tablespoon arrowroot
• 2 Tablespoons salsa
• 1/2 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• One-half 15-ounce can vegetarian refried beans
• 1 large tomato, chopped (optional)
• Alfalfa sprouts or chopped lettuce (optional)
• Salsa

Press the tofu (place it on a plate and lay about five more plates, or the equivalent weight, on top to squeeze out excess moisture) for 30 minutes, then drain off excess water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Moisten a clean kitchen towel (not a terry cloth towel) and lay it on a pie tin. Lay tortillas on the towel, fold the sides of the towel over the tortillas, and set it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and red or green pepper. Stir to coat vegetables, then reduce heat, cover with a lid, and sweat them until onions are translucent. Remove lid, add zucchini and garlic, and stir. Crumble the tofu over the vegetables and sprinkle arrowroot over the tofu. Add salsa, nutritional yeast, basil, turmeric, and salt. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tofu and zucchini are done and the yellow turmeric color has spread.

While the tofu cooks, heat the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or for a few minutes in the microwave.

Remove tortillas from oven. Lay them out, one at a time, and spread 1 heaping tablespoon of refried beans on one side. Top with 3 tablespoons of the tofu-veggie mixture. Add tomato and sprouts, if desired. Spoon on salsa to taste. Fold the bottom of the tortilla up over the filling, then roll up. These can be made the night before and warmed up for a quick breakfast. Reheat for a few minutes in the microwave or for about 7 to 10 minutes in a 350-degree conventional oven.

Curried Tempeh Tacos

(Makes 8 tacos)

I like to serve these tacos with steaming brown rice or leftover, warm, baked, sweet winter squash. If you don't care for carrots, you can use about one cup of another vegetable of your choice. Peas, cauliflower, or chopped delicata squash all work well in these tacos. If you use peas, add them in the last five minutes of cooking.

• 1-1/2 to 3 Tablespoons canola or safflower oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 medium carrot, cut into match sticks
• One 8-ounce package tempeh
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
• 8 soft corn tortillas
• 1-1/2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

Heat a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, onion, jalapeño, red pepper, and garlic. Stir, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and sweat them until the onions are limp and tender. Remove lid and stir in curry and carrot sticks. Cook for about 5 minutes, then crumble tempeh into the pan. Stir again, cover (with a lid that actually fits the pan), and cook on low for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is quite thick—another 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in salt and cilantro, if desired.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly brush one side of the tortillas with oil, or spray with an oil spray. Lay flat, oil side up, on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, until tortillas are warm and soft.

Remove tortillas from oven, spread about 3 tablespoons of the tempeh mixture down the middle of the tortilla and top with shredded cabbage. Fold over and enjoy!

Black Bean and Avocado Tostadas

(Makes 12 tostadas)

In this recipe black beans are blended with roasted garlic, green onions, and sweet brown rice, which is a sticky sweet Asian rice that can be found in natural foods stores. The outcome is rather sweet, but if you like a spicier dish, add a few hot peppers or top with salsa. You can substitute chopped tomatoes if you don't care for avocado.

• 2 heads garlic
• Approximately 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 large red pepper
• 12 corn tortillas
• Cooking oil spray (use your own in a Misto^™ container or a commercial spray found in grocery stores)
• 2 cans vegetarian refried black beans
• 1-1/2 cups cooked sweet brown rice
• About 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1 large avocado, sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush garlic heads with olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake for 40 minutes or until garlic is fork tender. At the same time, roast the red pepper for about 35 minutes, turning occasionally. The outside of the pepper should be dark and soft. Remove pepper from the oven and place in a paper bag until cool enough to handle. Peel, seed, and slice into thin strips. Remove garlic and let cool, then press the roasted garlic out into a small bowl and set aside.

Lay tortillas flat on a baking sheet, spray lightly with oil on both sides, and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp.

Place black beans, rice, water, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a saucepan. Mash together and heat on low for 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary, but keeping the mixture very thick. Mix in roasted garlic and sliced green onions.

Spread tortillas with the bean and rice mixture. Top with strips of roasted red pepper and avocado.

Caramelized Onion, Sweet Green Soybean, and Jasmine Rice Stuffed Chapatis

(Makes 12 chapatis)

Chapatis are Indian flatbreads similar to tortillas. They can be found in natural foods stores next to tortillas. If you can't find chapatis, use whole wheat tortillas. If you're lucky enough to be at a farmers' market when fresh soybeans are in season, grab them quickly. They're awesome! But if you can't find fresh, get frozen soybeans in your natural foods store or Asian market. To remove them from the pods, boil them in water for 5 minutes, cool, then push them out into a bowl. The sticky quality of the jasmine rice helps to hold everything together.

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 2 or 3 cloves elephant garlic, peeled and sliced, or use 1 head regular garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and chopped
• 1-1/2 cups sweet green soybeans, fresh or frozen, removed from pods
• 1-3/4 cups water
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 bunch spinach, washed and torn into 2-inch pieces
• Salsa (optional)
• 12 chapatis

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add oil, onions, jalapeños, and garlic immediately. Stir to coat all ingredients with oil. Reduce heat, cover with a lid that fits directly over the onions, and sweat the onions until they are very limp. Remove lid and continue to cook until onions are browned. Add soybeans, cover, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may have to add about 1/4 cup of water to keep onions from sticking.

While onions cook, bring water to a boil. Add rice and salt. Stir once, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the water and is done. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add the rice to the soybean and onions mixture. Mix well. Toss in spinach, stir, and cook on low until spinach is wilted. Spread 1/2- to 1/3-cup down one side of a chapati. Add salsa to taste, if desired. Fold the bottom over the filling, roll up and enjoy.

Chipotle, Anasazi Bean, and Potato Tostadas

(Makes 8 to 10 tostadas)

Savor a breakfast with New World natives. Chili peppers originated in the jungles of the Amazon, potatoes are native to Peru, Anasazi beans were used by cliff-dwelling Native Americans in the Southwestern United States, and corn was cultivated by Indians in Mexico thousands of years ago. I like to use blue corn tortillas that I get from the natural foods store. The blue corn has a more pronounced flavor and is slightly sweeter than yellow corn. If you can't find Anasazi beans, use pinto beans.

• 1-1/2 cups finely grated carrots
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red or green pepper
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup Anasazi beans, soaked
• Approximately 3 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons olive or canola oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 yellow finn or red potatoes, cut into small chunks
• 1 clove elephant garlic, peeled and sliced (or use 4 cloves regular garlic, minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 to 10 soft corn tortillas

Combine carrots, peppers, and lime juice. Mix well, then refrigerate until tostada filling is almost ready.

Rinse beans and combine with about 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 1 hour or until beans are very tender. When beans are done, drain them and mash with a potato masher until they are very thick.

While beans cook, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the onions. Stir, reduce heat, cover, and sweat onions until they are transparent. Remove lid and add potatoes, garlic, and chipotle chili powder. Mix well, cover, and cook until potatoes are soft. You may have to add a little water to keep potatoes from sticking. When vegetables and beans are done, blend together. Mix in cilantro and salt and keep on low heat while tortillas bake.

Lay tortillas flat on a baking sheet. Lightly brush one side of the tortilla with remaining oil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until tortillas are crispy. Spread with about 1/3-cup of filling and top with the lime-marinated carrot-pepper mixture.