Vegan Veggie Enchiladas
Mexican food is a favorite of mine, but I think it’s because of all the carbohydrates associated with this ethnic delight. Rice and beans are a staple in Mexican cooking, which is why it’s easy to eat vegetarian in restaurants. Once I’ve consumed all those carbs though, I feel like a slug because of the roller coaster ride of the insulin response. Unfortunately, for many in the latin population, diabetes or pre-diabetes is often an issue. These enchiladas are packed full of veggies, not carbs, that are both delicious and satisfying to the taste buds. If there is time, consider making your own enchilada sauce (recipe follows.) I started making my own sauce when I noticed that most canned sauce in the grocery store contained high fructose corn syrup and/or MSG. Often I’ll make a double or triple batch of the sauce and store it for later use.
Vegan Veggie Enchiladas
Ingredients:
1 TBSP avocado oil
1/2 cup carrots, skin peeled and chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 small zucchini diced
1 cup Shiitake mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed
3 cups prepared enchilada sauce, divided (recipe follows)
12 corn tortillas
Chopped cilantro (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 9x13 casserole dish by placing 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom to prevent sticking.
In a large skillet, warm avocado oil. Add carrots, bell pepper, and cauliflower, cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add zucchini and mushrooms to skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add spinach and black beens to the mixture, stirring to combine. Continuing cooking until spinach is wilted and mixture is hot. Add enchilada sauce. Stir to combine.
Fill corn tortillas with 1/4 cup mixture and top with chopped cilantro, if using. Fold over placing seem side down in the prepared dish. Continue filling tortillas. Add remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 30-40 minutes or until hot.
Enjoy!
Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients:
2 tsp avocado oil
1 medium yellow, pungent onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeds removed and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 TBSP chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1-2 cups water
Directions:
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions, jalapeño, and garlic until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, and salt and stir in the pan for another minute so that the spices can get slightly toasted and fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and water (sauce should be thin as much of the water will evaporate while enchiladas bake.) Bring the sauce to a simmer and let cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Transfer the sauce to a blender and whirl until smooth. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days. The sauce can be frozen or canned. The recipe makes enough sauce for a 9x13 inch pan of enchiladas.