The Red, White, and Green

Since this was my first time making these, I think I was a little overzealous with the sauce and cheese. (Still delish, though!) The amount in the recipe listed below should be just right.

I’m a big fan of leftovers. It’s one of the best ways to extend your vegetarian eating beyond Meatless Monday, since you can make a big pot or casserole of something yummy one night, and then stretch it out over a couple of dinners or lunches during the week. If I’m having a particularly leisurely weekend (which I did this past one — yippee!), I find that late Sunday afternoon is the perfect time to do this. That way, I can start the workweek fresh, knowing that I already have a healthy, home-cooked dinner waiting for me.

Loyal RWG reader Andrea Duwel sent in this recipe for vegetarian enchiladas, and I thought it was the perfect dish to whip up last night, since I had shopped a little too overzealously for produce at the farmers market the week before and had a bunch of leftover veggies that I needed to get rid of. Below is the combo that Andrea suggested (coincidentally, I had all of these left in the fridge), but you can substitute any other vegetables you like — zucchini, onions, and corn also work nicely.

Farmers Market Enchiladas

Serves 4-6

12 corn tortillas
1 can black beans (You can also use refried — they spread nicely inside the tortilla)
8 oz. Mexican blend shredded cheese
2 cups enchilada sauce (If you’re in a hurry, use a canned version; it’s nice to make it from scratch if you have time, though, since nearly every store-bought version out there uses cottonseed or soybean oil, both of which are likely to be genetically modified)
2 cups washed spinach
2 carrots, shredded
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 chopped bell pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan, saute veggies on medium-high heat for two minutes, adding the spinach in the last 30 seconds and cooking until leaves are just wilted.

To fill the tortillas: Spread a small spoonful of sauce inside each tortilla; add veggies, black beans, and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll tortilla gently and place seam side down in a casserole dish. Continue with remaining tortillas. Cover tortillas with enchilada sauce, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Cover casserole dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove foil and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is crispy. Garnish with your favorite toppings (guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, green onions) and serve with Mexican rice.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: A whopping 40 percent of all food produced in the United States is thrown out. Help fight food waste by discovering creative recipes (including plenty of vegetarian ones) for your leftover ingredients at Lovefoodhatewaste.com.

More Meatless Monday posts:
Spring clean your diet: The Blissful Chef eCookbook has arrived!
Feel like a kid again! Fun Meatless Monday meals

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