Chile Rellenos

Mexican food is one of my favorite things to eat.  Its loaded with great flavors and textures.  What's not to love?  Well, for one thing, all the fat and calories that come along with it.  And, for all the vegans out there, its hard to avoid the dairy that accompanies almost all Mexican dishes.  Here is one dish that is not only delicious, but easy on the hips. 

Chile rellenos are traditionally made by stuffing a large chile with cheese, dipping it in an egg batter, and deep frying.  Delicious - yes!  Healthy - not so much.  So, I have modified the recipe and included ways to make it completely vegan while still maintaining that great flavor.  And, the best part - it only takes about 15 minutes to prepare.

Chile Rellenos

1-7oz can diced green chiles
1 package wonton wrappers - egg roll size
2 cups shredded cheddar or jack cheese or
1 package Daiya vegan cheese shreds - cheddar flavor*
1 tsp olive oil
small dish of water

*I recently discovered Daiya vegan cheese and am blown away by it.  It is as close to cheese as I have found without actually being cheese.  It tastes great, looks great, and melts incredibly well.  Check out the picture below of the packaging for Daiya and the wontons:

Preheat the oven to broil on high.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Place a wonton wrapper on a flat surface.  In the middle, place a handful of cheese.  Top that with a spoonful of chiles.

Fold the top and bottom in and roll the wrapper as you would an egg roll.

Dip your fingers in water and dab along the seam to seal it.

Arrange the wontons on the baking sheet and lightly brush all over with the olive oil.

 

Pop into the oven on a middle rack.  Cook until browned - about 10 to 15 minutes.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.  You can serve them with a number of toppings, such as tomatoes, onions, black olives, salsa, sour cream (or sour supreme - my favorite vegan sour cream), and guacamole.

An alternative way to cook these is to pan fry in about 1" of preheated oil.  Cook on all sides until golden brown.  The wrappers will be crispier, much like an egg roll.