As a vegan, I get asked the questions "What do vegans even eat?!" "How much do you spend on food?!" and "How do you find time to cook so much?!" on a daily basis. I mean, other than the entire produce section at any grocery store, there are also lots of other vegan options that are affordable and easy to prepare. In this series, I will show you all of my favorite meals for maintaining an inexpensive, easy to handle, vegan diet.

My favorite food is, and always will be, Mexican food. When I first committed to a vegan diet, I was worried that I would never again experience the deliciously spicy, cheesy, saucy goodness that is the enchilada. However, after months of cooking vegan dishes, I realized that anything is possible. Pretty much anything can be veganized!

For this dish, I was inspired by classic enchiladas, as well as my mother's slow-cooker green chili and chicken enchilada lasagna (Let's be honest, most of my cooking is inspired by dishes that my mom made when I was still at home). It's pretty easy, really. For each component, the sauce, the filling, and the casserole itself, you just dump all the ingredients together and, well, that's it!

I totally winged the sauce. I did some research about what typically goes into an enchilada sauce and went from there! I knew that I loved the taste of poblano peppers and wanted to incorporate the taste somewhere in the dish. I decided the easiest way would be to cook them, along with some onion, and blend them into the sauce. This turned out better than I could ever imagine! It gave the sauce that certain "twang" as my mother called it.

For the filling, you can really add anything you want. If you prefer fake chicken, or tofu, or no meat substitute at all, then add that instead! If you like pinto beans, feel free to swap the black beans out! Heck, if you want to add carrots or broccoli or even potatoes, then go for it! The filling is totally up to you. My decision on the filling was a combination of what I typically like in Mexican dishes, and whatever was in the fridge!

Assembling the casserole is fairly easy, and probably the most fun part! You can customize this step as well if you choose. To stay low carb you can nix the tortillas and just add a thin layer or two of rice. You can also double the recipe for the filling if you want more veggies in the casserole.

So, go for it! This dish is perfect for potluck dinners or holidays where you need to feed several people. Or, you can just keep the leftovers in your fridge and eat on them for a week or so. I hope that you make this dish and love it!

Vegan Enchilada Casserole

Enchilada Sauce

1 30 oz can tomato sauce

1/3 to 1/2 poblano pepper

1/3 to 1/2 yellow onion

1/2 tbsp olive oil or water for sauteing.

3 1/2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp all purpose flour (use a tbsp of gluten free flour or a tsp of corn starch for gluten free)

1. Heat olive oil or water in small skillet. Saute the pepper and onion on medium low for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned and fragrant.

2. In a blender, add pepper and onion, tomato sauce, flour, and spices and blend on low to medium until completely combined.

Enchilada Filling

1 green bell pepper

1/3 to 1/2 yellow onion

1 small jalapeno

1/2 cup chopped white mushrooms

1 15 oz can black beans

1 15 oz can corn

1 1/2 to 2 cups Gardein Beefless Ground (optional)

1 tbsp olive oil or water for sauteing

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil or water on medium high and saute the green and jalapeno peppers and onion for about five minutes or until soft and fragrant. Also add spices.

2. Drain and add black beans, the mushrooms, and the Beefless Ground and let cook while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.

3. Drain and add corn to mixture. Cook for about 5 more minutes.

Miscellaneous

4 cups cooked brown rice

4 cups water

10 to 12 small corn tortillas

1/2 cup Daiya Vegan Cheeze Shreds (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large, nonstick baking dish, spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom. Then, add the tortillas until the bottom is covered (I had to cut some of mine in half to cover the entire bottom).

3. Add another thin layer of the sauce, and cover the top with the cooked rice.

4. Add another sauce layer, and cover the top with the enchilada filling.

5. Add another layer of tortillas, then add the remaining sauce to the top of the casserole. If you are choosing to add cheese, add this to the very top of the casserole.

6. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, uncover dish and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Serve immediately, or store in refrigerator and serve later.

Servings: 8 to 10

P.S. My dog LOVED it!