Starting off the end of the week days with these vegetarian healthy-ish Enchiladas stuffed with maple baked beans. A good way to bring health and comfort food into your quarantine life right about now.
I don’t know if you are like me, but if you are, then you are beginning to consider a healthier diet these days. Being stuck inside the house has really allowed me to enjoy time with my husband, binge watch some shows I need to catch up on, and support local businesses by getting take-out.
While I try to eat healthy most days, this quarantine really has me wondering lately what day it is. With that comes a little less strict of a diet than I am used to. So I am trying to consciously add healthier meals back into my days without skimping on flavor.
And these enchiladas definitely have flavor…
It has actually been a little bit tough for us to get meat at the store recently, so I have been cooking a lot of vegetarian meals lately and really starting to love it. I’ve come up with new ways to get the same dishes that I love just with no meat in them. This might be something that will stick with us well after quarantine. Although, I’m not sure how Chris will like that. However, the closest place I was able to find organic chicken breasts lately was whole foods and that is about an hour drive from our small town. Not really a trip I like making more than once a month.
So I improvised and stuffed these enchiladas with my famous maple baked beans recipe. One I have been making for quite some time with maple syrup instead of sugar to make them a little less bad for you and still have the same taste. I start off with three different types of canned beans since I think they add a lot of dimension to the dish. I usually like to add northern beans, pinto and kidney beans. Then organic ketchup (simple ingredients means less hidden sugars), a bit of mustard, chili powder, maple syrup and salt. That’s it!
Everytime I make these maple baked beans, I get so many compliments. Then when I tell them they are on the healthier side, they don’t believe me.
Next I make a simple enchilada sauce. It takes less than 5 minutes and comes out perfect every time. I start with avocado oil, add some arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce, stir in some enchilada spices to activate them, then finish it off with some chicken broth and tomato paste. So simple and quick, it’s always my go to for enchiladas sauces.
Finally, to assemble, I just mix the maple baked beans with some aged cheddar, stir in some green chopped chilis and stuff them into tortillas. I like to use Siete Almond flour tortillas for a low carb healthier option. This also makes the dish gluten free if you use the same tortillas. Then smother the tortillas in enchilada sauce and cover with a bit of mozzarella. If you are dairy free, then just omit the mozzarella and cheddar and they will be perfect.
I always like to top my enchiladas with fresh cilantro and avocado but some greek yogurt can also be drizzled for a healthier sour cream option.
I love to make these at the beginning of the week and have them on hand for a few days after. Especially when things get a little hectic. It’s really nice to not have to cook all the time. You can even prep these ahead of time and make them when you are ready to serve. They can be stored already assembled in the refrigerator overnight. All you have to do is take them out 5 minutes before you cook and let them sit room temperature while you preheat the oven. Then bake! Simple.
It is also a good idea to make these if you are having company over. A crowd please and easy to make if you have someone with a dietary restriction. If you want these to be vegan, all you have to do is leave out the cheese and they are good to go!
Healthy-ish Vegetarian Enchiladas
Ingredients
Maple Baked Beans
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 15.5 oz can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15.5 oz can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15.5 oz can northern beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup 100% pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup water
Easy Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Enchiladas
- 8 tortillas (I use Siete for Gluten Free)
- 8 oz aged cheddar cheese (omit for vegan)
- 1 can (4oz) green chilis
- 2 cups maple baked beans
- enchilada sauce, all of it. Smother those bad boys!
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella (omit for vegan)
Instructions
- Start by making the maple baked beans. In a medium pot over medium heat, add the avocado oil and onion. Cook until fragrant and the onions begin to sweat (soften). About 2-3 minutes. Then add in the rest of the ingredients and stir. Let the beans simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until the water is absorbed and they have thickened.
- Meanwhile, make the enchilada sauce. In a small saucepan, add avocado oil and arrowroot powder. Stir until a thick paste forms, then add in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Whisk until combined and continue to whisk until the spices are activated and toasty. About 2 minutes.
- Next whisk in the tomato paste and vegetable broth. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens. About 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Finally, assemble the enchiladas. In a medium bowl, add the cheddar, green chilis, and maple baked beans. You may need to add more depending on the size of your tortillas. Otherwise, save the rest to serve with the enchiladas.
- In a 9×13 inch baking dish, pour 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom and spread to the edges. Take your tortillas, and one at a time spoon a little bit of the filling down the center of the tortilla. Then place, seam side down in the casserole dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Then, carefully pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas covering them. Use a spoon to spread the sauce so the tortilla is completely covered in sauce. Sprinkle chunks of fresh mozzarella on top of the enchiladas and bake in the oven uncovered for 15 minutes. Then broil (to get the cheese nice and bubbly) for 2 minutes.
- To serve, top with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro.