eclaire (what's in a) name?

hello, dear readers! how was thanksgiving? mine was wonderful – beginning the wednesday night before thanksgiving and lasting right up through sunday night, mike and i were lucky enough to spend time with all four of our parents, plus their significant others, plus our sisters, plus lots of friends – we couldn’t ask for a better way to celebrate the last of fall! unfortunately, i was so busy cooking and enjoying our company on thanksgiving that i barely took any pictures – except for a few of the table and all of us sitting down to eat. i hope all of your thanksgivings were full of good friends and family as well!

but now the leftovers have been consumed, dishes are all washed and put away, stomachs are enlarged from the feasting, and taste buds are tingling for more rich and hearty food. but for the sake of detoxing a little from the pounds of butter, sugar, and carbs – what can we make that will satisfy us, get us back on track with healthy eating, and most importantly, be quick to save our feet from standing up in the kitchen for many more hours? may i suggest cheater beans?

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yep, it’s officially fall, dear readers. and with the seasonal change, i decided to attempt to cook my first soup from scratch to keep us warm on the crisp fall nights. soup is a dish that i have had made for me from scratch by my parents, but something i’ve never attempted to make from scratch on my own because the stuff from the can usually fulfills any soup desire i might have

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many years ago, when i moved into my first apartment in davis, i mostly alternated between the three quick stand-by dinners of spaghetti, burritos, and tofu/veggie stir fries on weekdays so i could save most of my time for studying. on the weekends, though, my roommate and i would make big dinners for the all the housemates (plus our then-boyfriends, now husbands) by rolling corn tortillas around massive quantities of cheese, dousing them in enchilada sauce, and making large pans of spanish rice and refried beans to serve on the side. these days, enchilada feasts are a much rarer occasion in my life, but every time i make a pan, i feel a twinge of nostalgia and think about those days in davis. ok, to be honest, it’s really only a small twinge, because my life has changed in so many ways for the better since the days when i thought cheese was the best enchilada filling in the whole world.

this recipe, for avocado bean enchiladas, is one of the best enchilada fillings i’ve ever consumed. it has a great spice combination and an unexpected crunch from the cashews, all mixed in between soft pinto beans and tangy lime juice. this recipe comes from the amazing cookbook eat, drink & be vegan by dreena burton, which was given to me as a birthday present (thanks, l & r!). i know that i tend to exaggerate or overstate things, but SERIOUSLY, this is one of the greatest cookbooks i have ever used (besides the standard joy of cooking, that is). since i received it in the middle of july, not a single meal that we’ve made at home has come from anywhere else, and all of them have been delightful. i really can’t rave about it enough, dear readers, and if i had the money, i’d buy all of you (yes, even the omnivores!) a copy. instead, i’ll be posting about the inspiration for delicious meals that i’ve gained from this cookbook’s author, who also blogs here, and maybe the tantalizing photos and descriptions will inspire you to go out and buy yourself a copy! i’m sure i’ll have some commentary and changes to her recipes later (although i’m madly in love with everyone so far and wouldn’t change a thing), so stay tuned!

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