Vegetarian Enchiladas

So...I think if I post any more America's Test Kitchen recipes, they are going to sue me for copyright infringement.  But maybe they will forgive me if I also add a shameless plug for their recipes.  I Love America's Test Kitchen Cookbooks.  I have three - the Family Cookbook, the Healthy Family Cookbook, and the SlowCooker Revolution.  Every single one of them is exactly what I think a cookbook should be - not just a compilation of recipes selected because "yeah, I guess it's edible," but a group of people who actually try out a million different versions of things and then tell you what the best ways to cook things are, what the best ingredients are, what is worth the extra effort and what isn't.  Basically, they are amazing.

This recipe is from the Healthy Family Cookbook.  It takes a little bit of work, but I think it is totally worth it.  It's a fantastic tasting sauce with lots of flavor and not too much heat.  And the enchiladas are filling and have an excellent texture so you don't even notice there's no meat.

I'll post the original recipe - the only adjustment I made was to use 1/2 an onion where it called for a whole onion.  Two onions in one pan of enchiladas seemed like a lot to me...

Red Enchilada Sauce: (Makes about 2 1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons sugar
2 (8-oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2.  Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3.  Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Vegetable Enchiladas:


1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, minced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 zucchini (8 oz) halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped small
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup drained, canned chopped green chiles
salt and pepper
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
vegetable oil spray
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Lime wedges (for serving)

1. Adjust the oven rack to middle and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Mash half of the beans in a bowl with a fork until mostly smooth.
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Stir in the zucchini and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Stir in the mashed beans and remaining whole beans and cook until warm, about 2 minutes.
7. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce, feta cheese, cilantro, and green chiles.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cover to keep warm.
8. Lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with vegetable spray.  Place 6 tortillas on a baking sheet and bake until soft and pliable (2-4 minutes).
9. Working quickly, spread the tortillas out over a clean counter.  Place 1/3 cup of the vegetable mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla.   Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay seam-side down in a 9x13 baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas, stacking the second layer on top of the first if necessary.
10. Increase oven temp to 450.
11. Pour 1 cup sauce over the enchiladas, spreading it evenly.  Sprinkle the cheddar down the center of each enchilada.
12.  Cover with foil and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is melted, about 3-5 more minutes.
13.  Serve with remaining sauce and lime wedges.

Breakfast Couscous

Couscous has replaced cereal as the breakfast staple at our house.  It's much healthier and sticks with you longer than cereal.  (Except Lydia - she will eat couscous occasionally, but definitely still prefers her Cheerios.)

You need:

Whole wheat (not Israeli) couscous (we buy it at Trader Joe's, but I'm sure you can find it other places)
One individual serving-size cup of diced fruit (4 oz).  We like peaches best, but pears are good, too.  Mixed fruit isn't as good because pineapple or other hard fruits don't work as well.
Water

1. You will use equal parts couscous and liquid.  I use 1/4 of a cup, Daniel eats 1/3 of a cup.  Measure your couscous and put it in a microwave-safe cereal bowl.
2. Drain the syrup from the fruit into the measuring cup.  Fill the measuring cup the rest of the way with water, and stir the liquid into the couscous.
3. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the fruit, and enjoy!  Daniel and Lydia prefer it with a splash of milk as well.

When I'm feeling more ambitious, I also like to make apple cinnamon couscous:

You need:

Equal parts water and couscous
1/2 an apple, grated
Brown sugar to taste
Cinnamon to taste

1. Stir all ingredients together.
2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
3. Enjoy!