Anasazi Bean Enchiladas with Green Chile Sauce

We have yet another winner!

I've been thinking that I may, at some point, write a Mexican/Southwestern veg*n cookbook, it just seems to be my thing. Not to mention, most authentic Mexican food is very un-veg*n, and also very unhealthy, which it doesn't have to be. If I end up doing this at some point in the future, I will probably use a lot of the recipes I've posted here, what you all see is my 'rough draft' of a recipe, I perfect my recipes more with each consecutive attempt. I will also have to work on measuring my spices and tracking my cooking time. Anyways, I have so many ideas, and I haven't seen a wealth of cookbooks that center around the style of food I prefer, so we'll see. I just hope I'm not crazy to think my food is good!

Lindsay (the Happy Herbivore) and I have also been tossing ideas around for a book we could do together, so far it's just ideas, but they seem to have a lot of potential. We'll see how that goes.

But anyways....

This meal was not nearly as involved as the last meal I posted about. This took about an hour to make, 30 minutes of which was spent sitting on my bum, as the enchiladas were baking in the oven.

Note: This is not Green Sauce, this is Green Chile sauce – there is a difference. This sauce, for one, is not green, it is brownish-red. Why? Well there is tomato in it. The sauce can be used in similar applications as Green Sauce such as enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, burritos or burros, quesadillas, etc. It can also be used in place of other salsas. When I spend lots of time in the kitchen making something authentic, I like to make extra sauce so that I can freeze it, and have a quick meal in the future. This time, I did not freeze it, as it lasts about 3+ weeks in the fridge as is (and it will definitely get used), but next time, I will freeze it.

You can also use kidney beans in place of the Anasazi beans here - it would still be tasty!















Green Chile Sauce:
1/4 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small tomato, chopped
a few tablespoons water
8 Anaheim peppers, seeded, roasted and sliced
2 jalapenos, seeded, roasted and sliced
2 cups veggie broth
ground cumin
chili powder
1-2 tbsp dried cilantro
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water

Heat water in a small sauce pan. Add onion and garlic and cook for five minutes. Add the tomato and cook for another five minutes.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Put back in the sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch and water mixture and stir frequently until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Makes 2-3 cups.

Anasazi Bean Enchiladas with Green Chile Sauce:
2 cups anasazi beans, cooked
1/4 red onion, diced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced green chilies, drained
1 cup no salt added tomato sauce
cumin
chili powder
ground coriander
Mexican oregano
salt

8 corn tortillas
Green Chile Sauce
1 tbsp dried cilantro
guacamole

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat a few tablespoons of water in a medium skillet. Add the onion, garlic and serrano and cook until soft, about ten minutes.

Add beans, chilies, tomato sauce and spices to the pan and simmer for about ten minutes.

Coat the bottom of an oven safe dish (such as a casserole dish) with green chile sauce.

Spoon a small amount of the bean mixture into warmed corn tortillas. Roll up and place in the baking dish. Spoon some green chile sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with some dried cilantro.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and the tortillas have crisped.

Serve with guacamole.

Yum!

'Til next time!