Hi – my name is Rosalyn, and I’m excited for the opportunity to be a guest here at F-That Keep It Fresh. Shandelin is my mom, and it’s safe to say I inherited a bit of her penchant for creating fresh and delicious meals in the kitchen. While our tastes are not always the same, making and enjoying different dishes with my mom has always been fun, as we’re both open to trying new things. Since she’s started this blog, there have been a couple of times when I wished I didn’t live so far away so I could pop over and try some of her latest creations. But – enough about her.
I’ve never really been much of a dieter. I’m a little too obsessive compulsive to sustain such rigid eating guidelines; but I am very conscious about what I eat on a regular basis, and I try to eat clean and healthy as often as I can. My mom and I joke that I’m a “selectatarian.” When I go grocery shopping, I’m a vegetarian. When I go out to eat, I’m sometimes a vegetarian, sometimes a pescatarian, and – if I’m really craving something meaty– I’ll order a turkey burger. If I’m a guest at your house, I’ll eat chicken or turkey or fish. I try not to be too high maintenance; but more times than not, I consider myself vegetarian.
For the most part, I came to the decision to give up meat because I wanted to try eating fresh, whole foods as much as possible. Not to say you can’t get good quality meat at the store, but when I’m being super conscientious, I don’t like to buy anything that’s prepackaged. Though, sometimes I don’t feel like putting in a ton of effort, and I’ll buy canned or frozen fruits and veggies. Over time, I’ve realized that when I’m not eating meat, I don’t miss it – so going out of my way to prepare it isn’t my preference. Besides, cutting out meat from my diet has always beckoned my creative side to come out in the kitchen.
At the time of this blog post, I’m dating this guy (to which my mom rejoices!) who is the opposite of a vegetarian. This is not a problem for me. I’m a selectatarian, remember? I can find something to eat on any menu, which means he doesn’t have to go out of his way to pick a place for us to go for dinner. (Though, when he does, the thought is very much appreciated.) Unlike me, he doesn’t just consume meat, he hunts it, kills it, and stuffs his freezer with it. To each his own, right? I respect the fact that everyone’s dietary preferences are unique. (We literally had an entire conversation about the hunting process and the best way to cook beef on one of our dates. I was fascinated the entire time. No lie. He’s got skills.) If he wants to order steak at dinner, all the power to him…except during lent, which he happens to be participating in right now. For the next several weeks, he and I are basically restricted to the same diet.
I’m not Catholic, but I am a Christian and can appreciate the sacrificial practice of lent. Sometimes I’ll even fast from something during lent, too. Though, giving up meat isn’t really a fair choice for me, so I generally skip my diet and go for something else entirely. In any case, there may be a number of you out there who are in the middle of lent and are struggling to come up with different meal ideas that’ll satisfy you. Or maybe you aren’t religious and you’re on the hunt for a meatless Monday meal – or just something new to spice up your dinner plate. Whatever the case may be, I’d recommend these delicious sweet potato, black bean enchiladas.
I haven’t been a vegetarian my whole life. In fact, until I was about twenty-five, I ate the same kinds of meat as the average American. Mexican meals have always been one of my favorite kinds of food, and there’s something chicken or beef can add to a dish that can’t be replaced. Finding an enchilada recipe with more than beans and cheese has been a challenge. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of recipes out there, but not a ton that I’d write home about. Except, when I decided to give this recipe a go, I was quite pleased with the end result.
I think the key to this dish can be found in the green ingredients – the salsa verde, jalapeños, and green chilies added the perfect flavor complexity to the sweet potatoes and black beans. I also think mashing the sweet potatoes and mixing it all together helped enhance the flavor palette. I’m no expert – and I won’t pretend to be – but I definitely enjoyed this dish the first time, the second time, and the third time I had it for dinner. That’s saying something!
But don’t take my word for it; give it a try, and leave a comment letting us know what you think if you do.
NOTES
Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Use certified gluten-free corn tortillas.
MAKE IT DAIRY FREE/VEGAN: Omit the cheese. Stir a scant 1 cup vegan sour cream into the filling, reserving a few tablespoons for drizzling on top. Once baked, thin the vegan sour cream with a little extra water to make it extra-drizzly and drizzle it on top.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
- March 25, 2019
- 5
- 1 hr 20 min
- 452 Cals/Serving
- Print this
Ingredients
- Filling
- 1 ¼ pounds sweet potatoes (2 small-to-medium)
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 ounces (½ cup) crumbled feta cheese
- 2 small cans (4 ounces each) diced green chilis
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Remaining Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 ounces) mild salsa verde, either homemade or store-bought
- 10 corn tortillas
- 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Step 1
- Preheat the oven to 400˚
- Step 2
- Line Baking sheet with foil.
- Step 3
- Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and coat the flat sides lightly with olive oil. Place the sweet potatoes flat-side down on the baking sheet. Bake them until they are tender and cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Step 4
- Meanwhile, pour enough salsa verde into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (I used 2 8 by 8 inch) to lightly cover the bottom (about ½ cup). In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining filling ingredients.
- Step 5
- Once the sweet potatoes are cooked through and cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides with a spoon. Discard the potato skins, and mash up the sweet potato a bit.
- Step 6
- Stir the mashed sweet potato into the bowl of filling, and season to taste with additional salt (I added ¼ teaspoon) and pepper.
- Step 7
- Lightly fry corn tortillas in a frying pan with oil to make them pliable for rolling.
- Step 8
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spread about ½ cup filling down the center each tortilla, then wrap both sides over the filling and place it in your baking dish. Repeat for all of the tortillas.
- Step 9
- Top with the remaining salsa verde and cheese. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and the cheese is lightly golden.
- Step 10
- Let the enchiladas cool for about 5 minutes.
- Step 11
- Drizzle sour cream over the enchiladas, then top them with cilantro and red onion. Serve.
