November is National Vegan Month:Celebrate with a vegan (or almost vegan) meal, part I of III

November 11, 12:27 PMRichmond Food ExaminerRobbin Webb

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 Cheesy Bean Enchilada Casserole

November is National Vegan Month!

In case you aren't familiar with "veganism", it is defined by Wikipedia as, "a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose." True vegans do not consume animal products or bi-products of any kind. Some people just eat vegan (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, honey) and some live the full vegan lifestyle. (in addition to the food, no leather, specific cosmetics, nothing animal -tested)

People may decide to become a vegan for a number of reasons. They may be animal right's activists, they may want to live a healthier lifestyle, or they may want to do it for the environment. A little known (but gaining awareness) fact:  A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined. Those gases are from the decomposition of animal waste. And their farts. I'm not kidding! It's really gross. However, this is in no way an article to attempt to convert you into a vegan or vegetarian. I am neither. The purpose of the information I am providing you with, is just to help you be you aware of the effect that the meat industry has on our health, our environment and our future.

We, as consumers, cannot turn a blind eye to this. We are responsible for the future, and more importantly, our children's future! However, WE LOVE MEAT! Don't we? I just posted a ribeye recipe that was phenomenal. We can all take some responsibility in different ways. I ate strictly vegan for two weeks and it was really hard. However, to no experienced vegans surprise, I felt the best that I have ever felt, in my entire life. But I love cheese too much to do that again. Everyone has ways that they could help offset some of the damage that the meat market is doing to the environment (which is my main concern). Another option is to eat local as often as you can. Local meats, veggies and fruit can pack more of a nutritional punch- and the food doesn't have to travel as far to get to you. And since it is estimated that the average American meal travels about 1500 miles to get from farm to plate, that's a huge plus! Local meat is also typically from a free-range farm, which means that the animals have a higher quality of life. That means that there is a higher quality of taste! (ask a European) I will touch more on local food around Richmond in my next article.

 For my family, I try to buy local (when I can) and I choose to prepare a vegetarian meal once or twice a week. It's healthy, it makes you feel good, you get all your vitamins (without actually having to take a multi-vitamin). It's great for the environment. You don't have to make huge changes to help out. It's all about baby steps... one at a time.

This brings me to the actual reason for writing the article: the food. I am going to be entertaining you with a 3-part series. I will include 3 recipes, all vegan- with a vegetarian option, for those of us who can't seem to give up the cheese. I am going to start with a dinner recipe, followed by lunch and breakfast. My goal is to help show that a veg meal can be just as delicious and satisfying as anything cooked with meat.

A Very Vegan Dinner- "Cheesy" Bean Enchilada Casserole

• 10 burrito tortillas
• 3 cans of beans, kidney, black and garbanzo
• 1 medium onion
• 1 can sliced black olives
• 1 jar salsa
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

For faux cheese sauce:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp mustard
• 4 tbsp vegan buttery spread

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium saucepan, combine flour, yeast, salt and garlic. Add water and mix well. Remove from heat and add the buttery spread and mustard. Set aside 3/4 cup of the cheese sauce for the topping. To the remaining sauce, add the 2 cans of enchilada sauce and keep on low heat.

Open all the beans, drain and rinse them. Put them in a large bowl with the onion. Add 1/4 cup of the enchilada "cheese" sauce mix and 1 cup of salsa. Take a potato masher and mash this mixture until it is chunky, but spreadable.

In a 9x13 baking dish, pour enchilada sauce on the bottom, to coat. Add two large tortillas, side by side. It's okay if the edges don't fit perfectly around the sides. Pour some bean mix on and spread all over. Top with enchilada sauce. Then more tortillas. You will repeat this layering process until you are out of beans and sauce mix. After your last layer, add the cheese sauce you reserved for topping. Bake for 30 minutes.

*Vegetarian Option:

Replace all cheese sauce ingredients with 2 cans enchilada sauce and 12 oz container of sour cream. Warm the enchilada sauce and pour in 10oz of the sour cream. Use this as your enchilada sauce, per layering instructions above.

For topping, you will need a package of Mexican shredded cheese. Pour and spread over top layer. Bake as instructed above.

Since Thanksgiving is coming up, I think that it is a great time to be thankful for our planet, and all that she has to offer. Mother Earth is a magnificent and beautiful place to live. Let's all try to do a better job of taking care of her.

November is National Vegan Month: Celebrate with a vegan (or almost vegan) meal, part II of III

Read more Vegan Month coverage on Examiner.com