Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas with Lime Cilantro Rice

I should name these, Trader Joes enchiladas because every ingredient I use comes from Trader Joes! These are fairly quick and simple to prepare, namely the sauce. Speaking of the sauce, one night I was watching a TV show, with a man in the kitchen teaching other men to cook for their wives in a very humorous manner. At one point he looks into the camera and says “now she may know that flavor of one soup and the flavor of another soup, but if you mix them together she won’t have any idea what it is!” Well, from this concept comes the sauce used in this recipe. Mixing the enchilada sauce, which is a bit thin and very spicy, with the thicker and milder marinara creates the perfect blend of flavor and consistency. If you don’t have a Trader Joes near you, or there is a store bought brand of sauce that you prefer to use straight up, feel free to sub that in for mine, just make sure to use 3 1/2 cups sauce total.

Enchiladas:

Ingredients:

10 Corn tortillas (*get corn tortillas with no gluten of you are on a gluten-free diet)
1 cup corn, fresh, canned or frozen (I used Trader Joes frozen fire roasted corn)
One 14 ounce can of black beans
1 cup chopped red peppers (about 1 large pepper)
¾ cup chopped white onion
1 teaspoon crushed garlic or 2 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon water
ICB spray or olive oil using olive oil sprayer (if both N/A use a teaspoon of olive oil)
½ cup of reduced fat shredded cheese of your choice (mozzarella, cheddar, blend *buy gluten-free brands such as Trader Joes shredded cheese if you are on gluten-free diet)
chopped avocado (optional for garnish)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large pan or skillet with ICB or olive oil sprayer (or drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil) and add the garlic, onions and peppers. Sauté on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes to soften. Add the corn, black beans and cumin and then sprinkle with the tablespoon water, stirring well to mix. Cook for another few minutes and then remove from heat and set aside. Start on the sauce next.

Sauce:

Mix the following two ingredients in a medium bowl.

2 1/2 cups Trader Joes traditional marinara sauce
1 cup Trader Joes enchilada sauce (*use a gluten-free sauce, such as Frontera brand if you are on a gluten-free diet)

Assembly:

Spread a quarter of the sauce to thinly coat the bottom of a 9 X 12 inch pan. Take the 10 tortillas out and microwave one or two at a time for 10-20 seconds to soften. Place each heated tortilla on a clean surface or cutting board and spoon 1/3 cup of filling inside. Fold up the sides and then place in the pan with the folded side down.







Repeat this step with each tortilla placing them side by side, very close to each other to make two rows of five.



Pour the rest of the sauce to evenly coat the enchiladas and bake for 15 minutes covered with aluminum foil. Sprinkle the ½ cup cheese over them and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with a few thin avocado slices if desired and serve with lime cilantro rice (recipe below).

Makes 10 enchiladas, ten servings

Serving size 1 enchilada Calories 184 Protein 6.6 g Carbs33 g Sugar 3g fiber 5.5 Fat 3 g Saturated fat <1 g Sodium 588 mg




Lime Cilantro Rice

The fresh and tangy rice pairs really well with the hearty spice of the enchiladas.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice (I use Trader Joes frozen brown rice, a bag makes 2 cups exactly)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

Cook the brown rice according to package directions to make 2 cups and put in a small bowl. Add the lime juice, olive oil and cilantro, stir well and serve.

Makes 2 cups , six servings

Serving size 1 cup Calories 93 Protein 1.5 g Carbs 15 g Sugar 0 g fiber 1g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 0 mg