Sunday, December 16, 2012

Feliz Navidad!

I had a craving for enchiladas this week!!  Now, I know this dish may not seem like the healthiest in the world, however, there are some ways to make it more nutritiously satisfying.

Start with...you guessed it...vegetables!

Soften some chopped onions, green/red peppers, spinach, and mushrooms in a skillet.  Cook brown or white rice and add this to the softened veggies with some nice spice (cumin, red pepper, garlic, other spicy stuff) for a healthy filler.  If you want, add some cooked chicken, beef or pork.

No enchilada dish is complete without the sauce!  Grab a can of cream of mushroom soup (I used the low sodium variety), enchilada sauce (find it with the salsa), 1/2 jar of your favorite salsa, and about a cup of milk.  Blend these ingredients in your blender until smooth.

Prepare the dish (9.5x11, or something smaller if you are making a smaller amount) by covering the bottom with a thin layer of the sauce.

Next, grab a package of your favorite tortillas.  I do my best to avoid the ones with lard and trans fat (this is hard to do once you start reading food labels!!).  For this batch of enchiladas, I even used whole wheat tortillas which were a healthier option without sacrificing taste.

Before you stuff and roll the tortillas, microwave each tortilla for 15 seconds.  This makes it easier to handle and roll.  Put about 1/3 cup of rice/veggie/meat filler into the tortilla, sprinkle with taco cheese, roll it up tight, and lay it in the bottom of the dish.  Repeat this process until the dish is full.  Pour more sauce over and around the tortillas.  Sprinkle the top with cheese and crushed tortilla chips, and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.


Mmm...warm, gooey enchiladas!!!!  Serve with fresh guacamole and enjoy!

Combine with a partner walk outside.  It is so important to get natural Vitamin D this time of year to chase the winter blues away.  Wear sunscreen if you have sensitive skin!