Easy Vegetarian Recipe For Cheese Enchiladas With Vegetables

HEALTHY RECIPE FOR ENCHILADAS

Years ago, I went to a fabulous Mexican restaurant in Portland, Oregon. I wanted something "different" and so decided to try something on their menu called vegetarian enchiladas. It turned out that these enchiladas were a mixture of beans, rice, and vegetables.

So years later, I remembered this wonderful meal I had at this fabulous restaurant and decided to try and figure out a recapture of this delicious vegetarian version of one of my favorite meals.

After a few tries at coming up with my own recipe for vegetarian cheese enchiladas with vegetables, I think I've got a recipe that will please even folks who prefer chicken or beef enchiladas.

Let creativity be your guide. Try different kinds of beans and different kinds of vegetables.

You can even use non-dairy cheeses in this recipe if you happen to be lactose intolerant.

Makes about 12-18 enchiladas depending on size of tortilla

INGREDIENTS

• 12 or so uncooked flour tortillas (I use Costco's dairy case uncooked tortillas) at room temperature (or heat slightly wrapped in foil in oven to make them easier to roll)
• 3 carrots (shredded or super fine dice)
• 3 small zucchini (shredded or super fine dice)
• Baby spinach (washed and dried)
• 1-2 cups of cheese (I used low fat jack for this recipe)
• Diced onions or shallots - sweet, red or green - or combo of these
• Low fat sour cream - 1/2 to 1 cup according to taste
• 1-14.5 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small can of diced green chilies - divided
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice - brown, white or wild (you'll need 1 cup cooked)
• 2-14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Dash of sugar
• Red pepper flakes if desired

PREPARATION

1. Cook 1/2 cup rice as directed on package - so you'll have 1 cup of cooked rice. Cook in vegetable broth if desired for more flavor.
2. Use vegetable spray to lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan or a slightly larger pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Combine 2 cans of diced tomatoes, about 1/4-1/2 cup of water, cumin, pinch of sugar and half of the green chilies in a saucepan. Simmer until reduced a bit and thickened. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
4. If you are using diced vegetables, you can drop them into boiling water for a few seconds to blanch them, then drain and set aside. If using shredded vegetables, no blanching is required.
5. Combine cooked cooled rice with carrots, zucchini, spinach, onions and beans in a large bowl. Stir in sour cream until you have the consistency for enchilada filling desired.
6. Stir in about half of the green chilies. If desired, add 1/4 cup of grated cheese to your enchilada mixture.
7. On a flat surface such as a cutting board, place 1 tortilla at a time, fill with enchilada mixture and roll up. Place seam side down side by side in pan until all filling is gone.
8. Pour cooked sauce over the rolled enchiladas and cover loosely with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes. Top with cheese according to your preference for how much cheese you like on top. If desired sprinkle with green onions and return to the oven for 5 or so more minutes until the cheese melts.
9. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serve these with salsa on the side, extra sour cream, more green onions and chopped olives if desired.

MAKE YOUR OWN RECIPE FOR ENCHILADAS

You can tweak this recipe many different ways. Just some suggestions:

• Add chicken or beef instead of beans
• Try different types of cheese
• Make a tomatillo (green) sauce instead of a red sauce
• Try wheat or corn tortillas (heat to make pliable)
• Substitute pinto beans, kidney beans or small red beans
• Try other vegetable combinations
• Make this recipe as a casserole by layering the ingredients between tortillas and not rolling them up. Pour sauce over the top

This is a great healthier enchilada recipe that you can serve up pretty quickly. These also freeze really well. Try these for a family dinner or for a special event. I'm sure you'll find that people come back for seconds!