Can you think of a meal you enjoy that is savory and includes a mixture of all vegetables and protein combined into one mouth-watering fiesta? Well, the only meal that pops up in my head is my home-made enchiladas with a mildly spicy and tangy enchilada sauce. The first time I made this meal, my family said, “you should open up a restaurant!”. Every time they come and visit, they ask me “where are those enchiladas at?”

This meal is the perfect combination of grains, vegetables, proteins, and fats. It incorporates variety, promotes fullness, and gives me lasting energy. I like to use whole wheat tortillas and if you pay attention to the taste, it adds a nice nutty flavor compared to traditional white flour tortillas. For vegetables, I enjoy sautéed mushrooms, red and orange bell peppers, onions, broccoli and some spinach mixed in with some awesome spices. It’ll be so tasty you won’t even think you’re eating vegetables! Next, the great thing about enchiladas is that you can choose any source of protein you like, whether it’s chicken, lean beef, or beans. For this recipe, I will be using black beans. Finally, I like to use olive oil when I cook but you can use avocado oil or grapeseed oil.

It may sound like this is a difficult meal to make, like with all the dishes you have to use, the preparation of veggies and your choice of protein, measuring every ingredient, and the time…oh, the time it takes to make this awesome meal but in truth, over time with some practice, cooking will take less effort once you have everything in place. Here, let me help you!

Tips and tricks for cooking:

1. Before cooking and preparing, make sure you ALL ingredients measured out. You can adjust for taste later.
2. Wash any vegetables in bulk or at the same time and place on a kitchen towel next to your cutting board.
3. Read the recipe procedure before starting. You never know if you need to pre-heat or need to line/foil a baking sheet pan beforehand.
4. Use the biggest bowl you have in your kitchen to mix everything together. Even if the amount of food may be small, it is better than mixing in a small bowl and making a huge mess. I mean hey, less clean-up for later!
5. Have two timers ready either if it is on your phone, a mechanical one, on your microwave or stovetop. You just never know if you need to keep track of two types of food cooking at the same time.
6. Finally, breathe! You got this. Cooking is not hard as it may seem. You may turn on some music or listen to a podcast on low volume or cook in silence, whichever you prefer. Cooking is meant to be a fun, stress-free experience. So, let’s get to it!

Ingredients:

  For the enchilada sauce (yields 2 cups (16 ounces)):

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons flour (whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour all work.)
• 1 tablespoon ground chili powder (scale back if you’re sensitive to spice or using particularly spicy chili powder)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½  teaspoon salt, to taste
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional but recommended)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Measure the dry ingredients first (the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and optional cinnamon) because this sauce comes together quickly once you get started into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the tomato paste and broth near the stove as well.
2. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take 1-2 minutes, so be patient and don’t step away from the stove!
3. After you tested the oil by adding a little flour and it sizzles, pour in the flour and spice mixture and whisk constantly. Cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color (about 1 minute). Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
4. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will thicken some more as it cools.)
5. Remove from heat, then season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt, if necessary. Set aside to cool.

 Now for the enchiladas (yields 8 enchiladas/4 servings):

Ingredients:

• 2 cups enchilada sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 small red onion)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch of broccoli (about 1 pound), florets removed and sliced into small, bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups, packed)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 whole wheat tortillas (about 8” in diameter)
• Handful of chopped cilantro

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with one rack in the middle of the oven. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
2. Cooking: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until simmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the broccoli and bell pepper, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until the broccoli is brighter green.
3. Add the cumin and cinnamon to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it has reduced in size. Repeat with remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted.
4. Transfer the contents of the pan to a large mixing bowl. Add the drained beans, ¼ cup cheese and a drizzle of enchilada sauce (about 4 tablespoons). Season with some cilantro (but enough left to top the enchiladas), ½ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
5. Assemble the enchiladas: Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce into your prepared pan and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. To assemble your first enchilada, spread ½ cup filling mixture down the middle of a tortilla, then snugly wrap the left side over and then the right, to make a wrap. Place it seam side down against the edge of your pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
6. Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas, leaving the tips of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the enchiladas.
7. Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t golden enough for your liking, turn on the broil setting until cheese is golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and let the enchiladas rest for 10 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle chopped cilantro down the center of the enchiladas. Serve immediately and enjoy!