Enchiladas With Black Beans And Sweet Potatoes

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

These amazing  enchiladas are not only healthy and filling,  but easy to make and versatile. I have a preference for recipes that can take on a different character depending on a few exchangeable ingredients, while the preparation remains largely the same. For this one, you can substitute the black beans with cooked lentils, other kinds of beans, or tofu (extra firm, cubed, and marinated, then fried – an air fryer works best). Instead of green pepper and zucchini, one can use mushrooms and spinach, for example. Use what you have at hand and what strikes your fancy.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sweet potatoes 

• 2 TS olive oil

• 1 med. onion, chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 2 green pepper, diced (or use one green, one red pepper)

• 1 zucchini, diced

• 1 ½ oz sun dried tomatoes, chopped

• 1 can black beans, drained, rinsed

• ½ ts salt

• 1 ts cumin

• freshly  ground black pepper to taste

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• 1 cup med. fresh salsa

• 5 - 6 flour tortillas

• 1 cup  shredded vegan mozzarella cheese

• some chopped cilantro for garnishing

• Optional garnish: sliced fresh avocado, chopped green onions

Preparation:

Cook the sweet potatoes in some salted water and cube when soft. Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry first the onion, then the garlic until lightly browned.  Add green peppers and zucchini, roast for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sun dried tomatoes. After another 5 minutes add the drained beans and the sweet potatoes. Add salt, cumin, and black pepper,  adjust to taste. Lower the temperature, cover with a lid, and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off, remove the lid, and let the mixture cool a bit.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce with the salsa and use half of the mixture to coat  the bottom of a rectangular baking dish (mine is 9” x 13”). Put one tortilla on a large plate and add about ½ c of the filling mixture in the middle. Wrap first one, then the other side over the filling and place in the baking dish, seam-side down.

Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fit them snuggly in the dish. Pour the rest of the sauce mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered for about 20 - 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Let the enchiladas cool for about 10 minutes, then garnish with fresh cilantro and whatever you have around.

¡Buen provecho!