Vegan "Ancho Lentil Tacos" from Post-Punk!

We LOVE Mexican food and living in Europe makes cooking up a Mexican meal rather challenging because you cannot find all of the ingredients you have at your fingertips in the U.S., but we manage to make it happen about once a week. This recipe (verbatim) is from Post Punk Kitchen, a blog we frequent often these days...red ink are our additions.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups cooked lentils (from about 1 cup dried)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons hot sauce (preferably Cholula)
Spice mix:
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground ancho chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt

First combine all of the ingredients for the spice mix and set aside. Also, keep a cup of water within reach, you’ll need to add splashes as you cook.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Add spices and toss them for 30 seconds or so to toast.

Lower heat to medium, add lentils, a few splashes of water, tomato paste and hot sauce; use a spatula to mash them a bit as they cook, until they hold together. If your spatula isn’t strong enough to accomplish this, just use a fork. Do this for about 5 minutes, adding splashes of water as necessary if it appears dry. Taste for salt and seasoning; you may want to add more spices or hot sauce. And that’s it, time to serve!

We use this lentil taco mix as a filling for burritos...so, we cut up many vegetables, make guacamole, a black bean dip, make homemade salsa and waaaaaaaah laaaaaaa...you have yourself a delicious Mexican meal.

Mexican Chicken and Dumplings

Looks like Leasa just enjoyed her favorite Agave Margarita!

A new version of Chicken and Dumplings - Mexican style. (Sunset Magazine) Serves 4.


1 Tbl Olive Oil
1 small brown onion diced
1/2 red pepper diced
1 clove garlic minced

2 chicken breasts + dark meat chopped (a trick is to use a grocery store roaster chicken, no MSG type)

1 can chicken broth, no slat, low fat, skim fat from top
1 cam mexican style diced stewed tomatoes with juice
1 can mild enchilada sauce

1 c flour
1/2 c yellow corn meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2/ tsp salt
1 Tbl diced jalepeno chiles
3 Tbl butter, melted
3/4 c milk

Into a large 5-6qt pan, pour in olive oil, onion, peppers, and garlic and cook until tender 7 minutes.
Add broth, tomatoes, enchilada sauce and chicken to the pan and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to simmer and warm through 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl mix flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt, and jalepenos, blend in melted butter and milk.
Bring soup/stew back to a boil and drop the dumplings into the mixture by Tablespoons, submerging slightly to coat.

Cover and let all simmer for 12-15 minutes.
Laddle into large soup bowls while hot.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups cooked and chopped chicken breasts
1 can mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1-4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 tsp. chili powder
4 T. diced onion
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. tabasco sauce
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream
4 cups corn chips or tortilla chips
8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated

Cook chicken breasts reserving 1 cup broth. Combine soups, green chilies, spices, Tabasco sauce, chicken broth and sour cream. Blend. Cover bottom of 3-quart casserole with 2 cups chips. Cover chips with 1/2 the chicken, 1/2 the sauce and 1/2 the grated cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes or until bubbly in a 350 degree oven.

This recipe is quicker and easier to prepare than my first post, but just as delicious.

PHOTO: I do believe Mama Weimer is eating her very own, home-baked chicken enchiladas. Chataqua Park in Boulder, CO.

Great Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

1 dozen corn tortillas
6 chicken breasts (cooked and cubed)
Salt and pepper
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can diced green chilies
2 pints sour cream
1 bunch green onions (diced)
3/4 cup Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup Jack cheese
1 jalapeno pepper (diced)

Combine chicken soup, chilies, 1 pint sour cream, onions, chicken, jalapeno pepper, and some of the cheeses. Cook tortillas in hot oil (one at a time), fill with chicken filling, roll and place in greased baking pan. Top with the remaining chicken filling. Add enough of remaining sour cream to cover the enchiladas, than add remainder of cheese on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly.

I place each chicken breast in a piece of tinfoil sprinkled with hot sauce, wrap and bake on a cookie sheet for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and cube. Add the juice from baked chicken to your chicken filling, adding extra flavor.

Enjoy until the last bite. My family raves about this dish.