Healthy Waists, Healthy Wallets: Sorta Cinco de Mayo Enchiladas

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I only realized that it was the 162nd anniversary of an obscure battle in an obscure war in a colonial city in Mexico late this afternoon, and I hadn’t gone to the grocery store to stock up on cheap beer, Velveeta, and margarita mixer. So I went to the pantry to see if I could pull together a healthy, inexpensive meal that had a vague south of the border feel to it. I’m actually really happy with the result!

Cinco de Mayo Stacked Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced
1 zucchini, ends removed and coarsely grated
1 poblano pepper, diced (you can use a bell pepper for this, but I had a poblano in my fridge!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup frozen corn
2 cans beans, drained (I had black beans, but you can use almost any kind of canned beans you have)
1 can Rotel
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortillas, number will depend on your baking dish (I used corn because that’s what I had on hand)
1 can enchilada sauce (I used green because I had it)
8 ounces grated cheese (whatever you have)
Cilantro, sour cream, avocados or guacamole, and lime wedges to garnish

Directions

In a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, sauté the onions, zucchini, and poblano or bell pepper for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and sauté just until you can smell it. Add in the frozen corn, beans, Rotel, and spices. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mixture is warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

To assemble, layer the tortillas, the vegetable mixture, the enchilada sauce, and the cheese, ending up with the cheese. (Because I used corn tortillas, I cooked them in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds a side just so they would hold together in the casserole. It also gives them a deeper flavor!) Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly.

Serve with your choice of garnishes. This serves 4 with leftovers.