Vegetable Enchiladas with Beans + Lentils

These protein-rich enchiladas are made with lentils, beans, and nutritious vegetables. It’s a casual, hearty entrée that smells and tastes delicious. Simple to make, but so satisfying, my vegetable enchiladas are a meatless, dairy-free alternative to traditional enchiladas. It’s a meal that tastes as good as it is good for you!

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 green pepper, chopped

• 2 cups chopped broccoli

• 1 10 oz. package of mushrooms, chopped

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 6 ounces baby spinach

• 1 cup frozen corn

• 2 cups cooked sweet potato

• 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

• 1 cup cooked lentils (brown or green)

• 8 whole-wheat tortillas

• 1 cup enchilada sauce

• Chopped cilantro and sliced avocado for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cook the filling:

   1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until simmering. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, green pepper, broccoli, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables soften slightly.

   2. Add the cumin, chili powder, and salt to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it has reduced in size. Repeat with remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted.

   3. Add the corn, cooked sweet potato, black beans, and lentils.

3. Assemble the enchiladas:

   1. Pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce into a rectangular baking pan (mine measured 8 x 11.5”) and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated.

   2. Fill the tortillas with vegetable-lentil-bean filling, fold and place seam side down in baking dish.

   3. Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas.

4. Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

5. Garnish with cilantro and avocado.

Notes:

• This recipe isn’t the quickest, but there are some shortcuts you can take. Try buying premade lentils (available at Trader Joe’s), sliced mushrooms, and prepared enchilada sauce (I used Frontera Red Chile Enchilada Sauce).

• This recipe is vegan as written (assuming your tortillas are vegan).

• For gluten-free, use gluten-free tortillas.

• Like most of my recipes, these enchiladas are versatile. Feel free to substitute a different dark leafy green (kale, Swiss chard) for the spinach or use 2 cans of beans instead of lentils or 2 cups of lentils and no beans. The sweet potato can be swapped for butternut squash, and you can replace the mushrooms with zucchini.

Serving suggestions: These enchiladas are great served with a simple salad of mixed greens and my basic oil-free vinaigrette.