Creamy Green Vegetarian Enchiladas

This meal is a wonderful vegetarian (easily vegan) option for anyone looking to break into the plant-based bracket of eating. For me, I don’t like to put labels on my lifestyle. I go through long periods where I eliminate meat because I’ve either just recently listened to the Omnivore’s Dilemma authored by the extraordinary Michael Pollan or because I’ve simply just not been interested in meat. I often say the word vegan aloud to friends or family or restaurant staff because it is the easiest way to ensure no dairy will find its way to my plate.

This dish may look daunting with a long list of ingredients but I promise it is an easy execution. You nor your family will be hunting around for chicken or beef once you dig into these flavorful enchiladas.  

Notes:

• Feel free to make this vegan by subbing the ghee for vegan butter.

• Make it less spicy by using a jalapeño instead of serrano.

• Always choose low sodium stocks so that you have control over the salt factor.

• Gluten no problem for you? Use all-purpose flour.

• I love Siete tortillas which are grain-free, I’ve not used them in a dish such as this before but I would imagine they would require heating beforehand to make them pliable enough to roll.

Enjoy!

Creamy Green Vegetarian Enchiladas

 INGREDIENTS:

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon ghee or vegan butter

• 1 Serrano pepper, minced with no seeds

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp gluten-free flour

• 1 cup low sodium veggie stock

• 1 tsp cumin

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

• 1 cup mild salsa verde (I look or no added sugar)

• ½ cup vegan sour cream

For the filling:

• 2 cups steamed or boiled cubed sweet potatoes

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 3 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped

• 8-10 flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Make the sauce:

1. In a medium skillet pan, melt ghee over medium-high heat.

2. Sauté serrano pepper and garlic, for 1 minute.

3. Add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. You want to cook out the raw flour taste.

4. Whisk in the veggie broth, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil.

5. Once boiling, whisk in the vegan sour cream, salsa verde and cilantro.

6. Remove from heat.

Make the enchiladas:

1. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.

2. Add 3/4 cup sauce to the bottom of the baking dish.

3. To each tortilla: add sweet potato, black beans and a few cubes of avocado to the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish.

4. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.

5. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling. Serve immediately.