Sweet Potato Enchiladas with an Avocado Mole

I'm resurrecting an old favorite on this old blog because I re-made this tonight and remembered just how delicious this is. They are creamy and full of unique satisfying flavors. This recipe is actually incredibly healthy when it comes to most enchilada recipes I've seen; but it doesn't taste like a healthy recipe which is important criteria in my book. The whole time we were eating this for the first time my husband was like "Does this have cream in it? Does this have chicken in it? How much cheese did you use? It tastes like there is a rich mole on this! This recipe is a keeper! Best new recipe yet!" High praise from my picky Love Muffin. While this recipe doesn't have an expensive protein or unhealthy cream in it, it totally satisfies. I love meatless meals that my husband approves of. Plus it comes together in a snap, I love easy meals that my stomach approves of! 

Ingredients:

6 whole wheat tortillas 

1 can black beans, rinsed 

1 large onion 

1 garlic clove 

1 avacado

3 Roma tomatoes 

2 tsp chili powder 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1 tablespoon water

2 tsp oregano 

1 medium sweet potato, skinned & shred (should make about 1.5-2 cups) 

1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper 

Heat oven to 450. 

In a blender, puree the tomatoes, avacado, chili powder, half the onion, 1 tablespoon veggie oil, water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon veggie oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the other 1/2 of the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes until soft. Add the black beans, sweet potato, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon of both salt and pepper. Cook stiring frequently until the sweet potatoes are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in 1 cup cheese. 

Spray a 9x13 pan with non stick spray. Fill your tortillas with the bean mixture and roll into enchilada shapes and fill pan. Cover rolled tortillas with blender sauce. Cover with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy! 

Notes: Husband suggests you grill your tomatoes and onion on the BBQ to get them nice and charred to add a smokiness to your mole. I say, that's a lot of extra work, but maybe worth a try. He also thinks adding an anaheim chili to the mole and omitting the water would be a nice way to keep the sauce thin enough but add some extra flavor instead. 

Anyway, meatless meal that satisfies your craving for a stick to your ribs dish. Unique and flavorful combinations that your family won't soon forget. Easy on the waistline and pocketbook, a cinch to pull together, what's not to love? These are one of my favorite ways to eat enchiladas ever, you've gotta try them. You won't regret it. 

Lentil Soup

This lentil soup has been a go to fall and winter recipe for us for years. It's easy enough to make on a weeknight, makes plenty of leftovers, and is satisfying without being fattening. And it's affordable! It's a real winner winner not chicken dinner.  

4 strips of bacon

3 medium carrots

1 yellow onion

1 1/2 cup dry lentils

2 tsp dried Tyme 

Salt/pepper 

2 cans chicken broth 

1/2 cup water 

3 garlic cloves 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Chop your bacon into lentil sized peices. In a heavy soup pan crisp your bacon on medium heat. (Non crisp peices will be gross in the soup later, so be patient). Then chop your onion and carrots into lentil sized peices and add them into the pot. Cook until onions are clear. Add salt and pepper. Then add minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute. Then add your lentils, cans of stock, Tyme, and salt and pepper again. 

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 45 minutes. If you cook out all the stock you can add 1/2 cup of water later on. Add your vinegar at the end. Salt and pepper again as needed. You can top with Parmesan shavings if you want, but it really doesn't need it. Enjoy!

Tico Black Beans

During our many visits to Costa Rica, one of my favorite things to eat was what they called a "tico breakfast". A tico is someone who is native to Costa Rica, so their tico breakfast is what all the natives preferred to have each morning. 

I've been on the hunt for a healthier breakfast routine for awhile. Something low in fat, full of protein, that won't have me hungry before lunch time. A tico breakfast is black beans mixed with white  rice to make a dirty rice, served with tortillas and a fried egg. Yum. 

Below is a combination of like 3 of my favorite black bean recipes. Perfect for my tico breakfast. 

2 cans black beans

1 bell pepper chopped

1 SMALL onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp dried cilantro

1/4 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin 

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp white wine vinegar 

Salt 

Pepper

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Chop your onion and bell pepper and add to skillet. Once the onions are translucent add your garlic (minced). Then add your beans and all your spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Use a potato masher to break up the beans just a bit. Let beans simmer until they reach desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste. Would be great topped with a Latin queso fresco. 

Yum! Pura Vida! 

Cayman Fish

Tonight my husband cooked me dinner. He cooked me a dish that he first had in the Cayman Islands. Captain Marvin served it to my husbands family on the beach after an excursion at sting ray city. I was a little worried this dish wouldn't be good because we all know food tastes better on vacation and maybe all this was was a fond memory for my husband. But this dish is quick, easy, and very unpretentious. 

Can't you picture this dish simmering in a pot on a cayman woman's stove? 

Warm 4 tbs olive oil in sauté pan 

Caramelize 1 chopped onion 

Along with 2 chopped bell peppers

Add 3 tbs pickapeppa sauce*

Add 3 tbs ketchup 

Add 1 Tsp salt 

Add 1/2 cup water 

Add 2 tsp honey 

Then add 4 mahi mahi filets (6oz each) or any white fish you'd like. These should be cut in half before you add to pan. Then reduce sauce for about 15 minutes or until fish cooked. 

Then add 2 tbs fresh lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with rice, some steel drum music, and a drink with an umbrella in it and your night is made! 

Easy Quiche

This morning I think I think I threw the easiest party in my hostessing history. It was a birthday brunch for a friend of mine. I bought everything from costco, (including their dangerous ginormous chocolate cake), clipped a few blossoms from the tree out front, and called it good. 

The only thing I actually made was the quiche. This recipe was surprisingly simple and yummy. 

1 premade frozen pie shell

6 eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

Salt and pepper

1 onion (sautéed and caramelized) 

1/2 cup cubed cheddar cheese 

1 cup cubed ham 

1 tsp dried tyme 

Heat oven to 375. Cook your onions, mix all ingredients, pour in pie crust and bake for 45 minutes. The beauty of a quiche is that you can swap out any kinda cheese you want, omit the meat, add bacon, add veggies, it's a great dish to use whatever is left in your pantry. This was a hit at my party today and came together in a snap.