Pretty Darn Healthy Enchiladas

So I got this McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook from one of my clients who so generously and sweetly gave it to me. We both have a passion for cooking (hers having a more professional side of actually owning a restaurant) and so one day she gave this book to me as a gift “just because.”

And she specifically pointed out a recipe, “Spanish Rice Enchiladas.” As usual, I diverted somewhat from the recipe because I think you should make each recipe your own. I ended up making another batch right after because Chris was still hungry for more. Check it out–it made for two meals for two!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cooking Time: 30 minutes
• Serves: About 4-6 normal people (makes 10-12 enchiladas)

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice (cooked, I use a rice cooker)
  
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 5 oz. spinach
• beans of your choice (we had white)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 block cheddar cheese (can be any kind but I lurve cheddar)
• 10 to 12 corn or flour medium tortillas (we used both kinds)
• 1 can enchilada sauce (16 oz)
• salt & pepper
• avocado (optional)

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Chop up that onion. Doesn’t have to be fine pieces, but small enough to eat comfortably in the enchilada

• Put the water and the onion in a saucepan and stir. I put some garlic in there too. Heat the onions up until they’re soft
• Once onions are soft, put the spinach in the saucepan. I added some salt and pepper here to season it up because I love flavor.
• Grate a good amount of cheese, depending on how cheesey you want your enchiladas

• Once the spinach is softened, take the saucepan off the heat.
• Stir in the rice, cumin, and soy sauce. Make sure it is all mixed around so it’s well-balanced

• Pour 1 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of your casserole dish
• Put the rice-onion mix and cheese down the center of your tortilla 

• Roll the tortilla and have the folded side placed down. Keep doing so until casserole is full like sardines in a can.

• Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce atop the enchiladas
• Put in the oven for 30 minutes. This number worked perfectly for me. Just make sure the tortillas are cooked and the cheese is melted, which it most certainly should be
• If you’d like, which I always do, chop up some avocado and put it on top

They are messy and delicious. The above picture is the second batch I made after Chris still wanted more. It’s that easy to do. We got to enjoy them while watching a great episode of Chopped All-Stars, where our girl Sunny Anderson won. Anyways, this is a quick, DELICIOUS (seriously) recipe full of fiber and protein to enjoy with others. And there will probably be leftovers too, just don’t eat them 30 minutes before a workout like I did the next day.

BONUS KITTY PIC

Sajah and I both cried while I cut up the onions. For some reason, Nymeria didn’t. I felt so bad, but didn’t think I should give him human eye drops.

Cheers!