Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas (vegetarian)

Believe it or not, there are ways to make enchiladas healthier than at your favorite Mexican eatery. Even though this recipe is meatless and uses whole foods and ingredients, my taste testers weren’t disappointed!

Start off with the traditional base, tortillas, enchilada sauce and filling. I made healthy swaps like whole wheat tortillas, organic “clean” enchilada sauce from Whole Foods and added some veggies for added nutrients. The sweet potatoes are the meat replacement, giving you healthy calories and fiber. The added spinach pumps up your vitamin intake and folate. Lastly, the red pepper gives a nice crunch and potassium and vitamin C.

Ingredients cooking!

I call this the stuffing. 

This is one of those dishes that gets everyone around the table to spend time together and savor to meal. I was lucky to have my brother and his girlfriend come over to be my taste testers. Everyone cleaned their plate and we talked for hours. The meal wasn’t so heavy we all felt like rushing away from the table for a nap. Food is energy! Feed yourself key nutrients and whole fruits and vegetables and you will quickly start to feel a difference.

Price – Look for sweet potatoes on sale for .99 cents.  The whole wheat tortillas are from Aldi, under $2, and so are the black beans (.70 cents). The enchilada sauce is what can make this recipe un-healthy. The standard store brands are loaded with sodium and preservatives. I found Whole Foods has a great alternative that is less processed and lower in sodium for $2.49.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchilada Recipe
Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Dash Salt
6-7 Whole Wheat Tortillas
1 can Black Beans
1 can Enchilada Sauce, organic and minimally processes (I found this on at whole foods for under $3)
3 – 4 Cups Spinach
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 tsp. Cumin
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Cilantro to taste
Lime juice to taste

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and chop sweet potatoes (small pieces). Cover a 15x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper and add sweet potatoes and 1 Tspb. EVOO. Toss sweet potatoes so they are covered in oil. Add a dash of salt. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, in a medium/large skillet, add spinach and chopped red bell peppers on medium heat with 1 Tbsp. EVOO. Cook until the spinach is wilted and add the black beans. Cook just until all ingredients are hot. Add 2 tsp. Cumin and sweet potatoes (when they are done in the oven).

Using the same baking dish that you cooked the sweet potatoes on (removing the sweet potatoes and parchment paper), add ½ the can of enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Then place one tortilla open face in the baking dish so it covers the sauce lightly. Add about three tablespoons of the sweet potato mixture (not exact) and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Then roll the bottom of the tortilla into the top until it makes a full circle. Repeat this process until the pan is full. Top with remaining enchilada sauce, cheese and if there is leftover sweet potato mix you can sprinkle that on too. Place in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until the sauce is simmering. Top with Cilantro and lime juice if desired. See below is a short clip of how to roll up the enchiladas.

Enjoy! For more recipes follow me on Facebook and Instagram!