Saucy Black Bean Enchiladas

Now that that’s out there, let’s move on to the grub. In my mind, this is the perfect black bean recipe – saucy, spicy, and a little bit sweet. I know a lot of people aren’t huge bean fans, but I could eat these for days. They fit all of my criteria – cheap, healthy, and delicious. The bean recipe itself is very healthy, coming in at 265 calories, 10 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of protein per serving. (See bottom for rough nutritional and cost analysis.) I’ve turned them into enchiladas which are less healthy but more satisfying when you want a full meal, and that still have all the nutritional benefits of the beans, tomatoes, and herbs. These beans are also killer over couscous if you’re looking for a happy medium recipe – a full, balanced meal, without the not-exactly-diet-friendly tortillas and cheese.

So that kicks off our healthy streak. Try these, let me know what you think, and get excited for the next healthy recipe – it’s the perfect late summer meal and one of the best recipes I’ve tried all year. Happy healthiness.

Saucy Black Bean Enchiladas

Serves 3

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS minced garlic
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 small can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/3 c. orange juice
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 TBS ground cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp oregano
• kosher salt to taste
• 4-6 flour tortillas
• 2/3 c. shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
• 1 can enchilada sauce, or half of this recipe
• fresh, chopped cilantro, to garnish

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and sautee until translucent.  Add garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, chili powder and oregano, and sautee for 1 minute.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, and orange juice to onion and spice mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beans are bubbly and thickened, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.
3. If making enchiladas, preheat oven to 400 °F.  Line casserole dish with tortillas, overlapping slightly.  Scoop some of bean mixture into tortillas one at a time, rolling the tortilla up and flipping over so that seal is on the bottom of the pan.  Pour enchilada sauce over, and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and gooey.  Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Nutritional and Cost Analysis (Nutrtition estimated using SparkPeople’s recipe calculator):Nutrition: Beans only – 265 calories per serving (3 servings per recipe), 10.2g fat, 10.5 g fiber, 10.7 g protein.  Enchiladas – 645 calories per serving, 24.3 g fat, 13.8 g fiber, 23.4 g protein
Cost: Beans only – $3.59 per pot, $1.20 per serving.  Enchiladas – $4.99 for pan, $1.66 per serving.