These enchiladas are by no means at all traditional. Traditional as in white flour tortillas and cheese and meat… blegh! Sounds like a mess of weight gain, and heart disease! Time for a neeeeeew recipe. This recipe has got kale, shrooms, quinoa, and all simple wholesome ingredients. Mmm what could possibly be more deliciously satisfying and nourishing.
Completing my master’s and dietetic internship in South Texas where cola, taki’s, breakfast tacos, and bacon fat laden pinto beans are unfortunately staples, the statistic that 3/4 of Americans are overweight or obese made sense to me. What’s crazy is that, a calorie dense, nutrient poor diet is actually quite common. Even where I live now in Los Angeles, California. I have a couple of clients who, prior to working with me, had never chopped a vegetable before. Gawd. I love my job. And these enchiladas. They’re not insanely overly stimulatingly like oh my gawd so f***ing good (if you’re comparing to something thats been salted, oiled, idk.. fried and oober processed) . Recalibrate your taste buds. And these will knock your socks off. 😛
Healthy AF Enchiladas
Adapted from Food52’s Wintry Mushroom Enchiladas
The Homemade Saucy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2-1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (I like the Fire Roasted diced tomatoes from Muir Glen – no salt added)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
The Enchiladas
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 pound baby bella or button mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup diced jalapeño peppers (or for V mild version, use poblanos)
- 3 cups kale, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels
- 10 6-inch organic corn tortillas (I used masienda brand – just corn, lime, water)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- avocado on avocado on avocado
Steps:
- To make the enchilada sauce, heat water in a medium skillet or pot. Saute onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes
- Add the chili powder, cumin, thyme, tomatoes, and maple syrup
- Transfer sauce to a blender or food processor, and blend till smooth. Add a little water to adjust the consistency as you wish. Set sauce aside till you’re ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp water (have some handy to add if burns off). Saute onion and garlic till onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has been released and evaporated.
- Add the chilis to the pot and give them a stir. Add the kale and allow it to wilt slightly. Add the cumin, sea salt (optional), black beans, corn, and quinoa. Continue heating mixture until it’s completely warm and well mixed.
- In the bottom of a casserole dish, spread a thin layer of the enchilada sauce. Place about a quarter cup mushroom and quinoa mixture in the center of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla up and place it into the dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Cover them all with a layer of enchilada sauce and bake for 25 minutes. Top the enchiladas with chopped cilantro, avocado, and pumpkin seeds, and idk. More corn because noooom!!!
- Also, squeeze a lime on there and, call me crazy, but I put a little cinnamon on mine and it was off the charts
So.. why is this recipe so generally disease reversing?
- No Salt: although 0 calories, it is a super processed white powder (aka crack cocaine) that causes responses in the brain to make us not only want to eat more, but that makes wholesome food taste less flavorful. Cut the salt, and all of a sudden, celery, cilantro, avocado and lime dance on your tongue like a tap dancer in times square. Flavors so very exciting, no white powder added. Plus plus, high sodium intake has been shown to decrease calcium absorption / utilization. That ain’t good!!! Also also. Sodium is important. This is different than salt. Naturally occurring sodium is sufficiently found in wholesome plant foods like the veggies I mentioned a second ago. No stimulants needed. Excess sodium causes water retention, causing blood volume to increase, leading to high blood pressure, strokes, heart disease, etc.
- No Oil: Talk about caloric density. Not many foods are more calories per pound than oil… are any foods more calorie per pound?? Just a tiny bit of oil adds a lot of calories with not much benefit. All it really does is make you eat more calories than you’re designed to eat plus make you want to eat more. The fat from the avocado and pumpkin seeds is fantastic. You got fiber and zinc and fresh phytochemicals and antioxidants. Avocado oil and pumpkin oil?? Mmm I’ll pass.
- Nutrient Dense: Self explanatory. Every calorie is full of nutrition. Helping you to feel calm, balanced, satisfied, energized, clear headed.. not to mention beautiful bowel movements. Which is actually a huge fricken deal these days. If there’s a magazine rack in your bathroom… call me!!! You need help!!!
- Intact Grains: Ok, obvi the tortillas are made of corn flour, which is not intact. The quinoa tho- that’s good stuff. And the tortillas I used were just 3 ingredients: non-gmo corn, lime, and water. That’s all you need. No gums, oils, preservatives, or fortified etc etc. Keep it simple. The more whole the better.
- Beans: Resistant starch is liiife. Did you know that resistant starch in beans actually decreases the glycemic load of your next meal? Also, beans are such great sources of protein, iron, fiber. Eating them has been shown to help decrease risk of so many diseases and cancers. If you’re afraid of fartiness. Don’t fret. The resistant starches may take a couple of weeks for your gut to adjust to. Start with a little bit like 1/4 cup a day for a week and work your way up to ~1-3 cups or so / day. A healthy gut can process beans just fine. Little to no fartiness. If you’re used to eating a V low fiber diet. Warn your friends and family your increasing ahead of time hahaha.
- Greens: The most nutrition per pound possible. Everything you need. Just amazingness.
- Mushrooms: Should be eaten cooked. Mushrooms help decrease excess estrogen that may cause breast cancer- very well targeted, doesn’t cause low estrogen if you are healthy. Also, mushrooms contain lectins (ABLs) that recognize cancer cells and prevent them from growing and dividing. Also also, mushrooms upregulate IgA antibody secretion, helping the immune system. Also also also, they have beta glucans which also boost immune function. PLUS they make their own vitamin D if exposed to the sun!! Honestly. All plants are amazing. I just don’t have all day to tell you every magical component of everything gawd!
- Onions: Eaten raw the allinaise enzyme is active and is potent cancer fighter. Onions also help to blunt blood sugar spikes. Onions and garlic are antimicrobial and help the immune system to fight viruses and fend against cancers. Scallions are great too.
- Healthy Fat: Includes fiber 🙂 Necessary for healthy hormones, satiety, clarity, and overall optimal health. It doesn’t take much though. A little dab will do you.
- Peace of mind: Honestly, of course. A favorable health destiny is priceless. HOWEVER I say “generally” disease reversing because I do have clients with eating disorders, amenorrhea, and anemia, and athletes who aren’t getting in enough calories and wasting away, or frail adults, etc. Who, it is healthier for them to eat more refined foods. More calorically dense foods. More stimulating foods. These recommendations are for the general average American looking to lose weight, lower their cholesterol, blood pressure, have regular bowel movements, and reverse type 2 diabetes. Have your healthy AF enchiladas, and your vegan cookies too maybe. Ok? All depends on your goals and what you, you beautiful individual, need.
That is all. xoxo
VITAMIN KATIE 