Enchiladas Even a Carnivore Can Love

One of my favorite kinds of Mexican food, or any food for that matter, is a big plate of enchiladas. There is just something about warm, filling goodness wrapped in a chewy tortilla and smothered in a delicious sauce. What's not to love? In the past, I've always filled these up with rice, beans, and a mix of vegetables. But this past week, I had a coupon for any Lightlife product, so I picked up a package of veggie protein crumbles. I decided to use them in these enchiladas. It really gave the meal some filling "meatiness", and added great texture and flavor. Besides the sauce, I topped these with a simple guacamole to give them some creaminess. I fed these enchiladas to Mark and my dad, who both really enjoyed them. My dad was, however, pretty bummed that there were no leftovers!

Enchiladas
-canola oil
-1 12 oz package veggie protein crumbles
-1 packet taco seasoning
-1 onion, diced
-5 cloves garlic, minced, with 1 cloves worth set aside
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 4 oz can diced green chilies
-1 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
-1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
-2 tbsp chili powder
-2 tbsp cumin
-hot sauce to taste
-3 tbsp prepared salsa
-1 bunch cilantro, chopped, with 1 tbsp set aside
-salt and pepper
-6 flour tortillas
-1 15 oz can enchilada sauce
-2 avocados
-juice of 1 lime

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the veggie crumbles and break up with a spoon.
-Prepare about 3/4 of the taco seasoning packet as directed (usually you just add water). Add the seasoning mixture to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the crumbles from the pan and set aside.
-In the same pan, add the onion, 4 cloves worth of the garlic, and bell pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until vegetables are tender and fragrant.
-Add the green chilies, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and salsa. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and cook for another 7-8 minutes until everything is heated through and combined.
-Turn off the heat and add the cilantro, leaving 1 tbsp of it aside. Stir to combine.
-Grease one or two baking dishes, depending on their size. Heat the tortillas in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up.
-Lay a tortilla flat on a cutting board. Spread veggie crumbles in a line in the middle of the tortilla. Spread some bean and veggie mixture on top of that. Roll the tortilla closed, and place in the baking dish. Repeat until you've filled all the tortillas.
-Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over all the enchiladas. Put them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
-While the enchiladas bake, prepare the guacamole. Remove the flesh from the avocados and mash with a fork. Add one clove of minced garlic, a tbsp of chopped cilantro, and the juice of one lime. Stir to combine.
-Serve the enchiladas topped with the guacamole.

Rice and Beans with a Twist

I can't take credit for tonight's dinner theme. One of my husband's (his name is Mark, by the way) favorite home cooked meals is black bean cakes and rice. He would eat rice and beans in any way, shape, or form, I'm pretty sure, but the cakes are a nice change of pace. Anyway, he suggested these pretty early on in the day and luckily I had just about all the ingredients on hand at home. Mark wasn't too upset about needing to run out to the store and grab a tomato and some cilantro, though! I served the cakes over chopped romaine for some crunchy freshness and I mixed up a quick pico de gallo with a tomato, half an onion, and some cilantro. I like to set out all the fixings for the bean cakes and rice and let everyone put their own plate together. Besides the salad and pico, I pulled out a few different kinds of salsas and hot sauces to top the meal with. This is a hearty meal that's full of protein and fiber. The recipe below serves two.

Black Bean Cakes and Spanish Rice
-1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
-half a red bell pepper, minced
-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-3 scallions, minced
-1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
-1/4 cup bread crumbs
-1 tbsp chili powder
-1 tbsp cumin
-salt and pepper
-2 tbsp of your favorite salsa
-2 tbsp vegetable oil
-3 tbsp cornmeal
-2 servings of cooked Spanish rice (I used the Near East brand, but if you feel so inclined and have a bit of extra time, go ahead and make your own!)

-Mash about 3/4 of the beans in a shallow bowl. Leave some beans whole for texture.
-Add the peppers, garlic, scallions, and cilantro to the mashed beans. Mix well.
-Add the bread crumbs, chili powder, cumin, and salsa. Mix to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Form the bean mixture into 6 cakes that are about 3/4" thick. Place the cakes on a tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This will allow them to firm up a bit and make them easier to handle.
-Remove the cakes from the refrigerator and heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Put the cornmeal in a shallow bowl. Dredge the cakes in the cornmeal, shaking off any excess, then place them in the hot skillet.
-Cook the cakes about 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy on the outside and heated through.
-Remove the cakes from the heat. Serve them with Spanish rice any fixings and toppings you like. A salad, pico de gallo, salsa, hot sauce, or guacamole would all be great options.