Joel’s Healthy Enchiladas

I am fond of Mexican food but most of it is too high in sodium, and frequently fat, to fit my diet. I had a taste for enchiladas the other day and decided that I would try to see if I could come up with a recipe that was low in sodium, fat, and calories. This recipe fit the bill nicely and made enough for a satisfying dinner and a couple of lunches I took to school.

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients

2 C tomato sauce-no added salt
2 T corn starch
2 T chili powder
1 C water, reserve ¼ C to mix with the corn starch

Combine tomato sauce and ¾ C water with chili powder in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmering boil. In a small cup, add the cornstarch to ¼ C of cold water and stir so the cornstarch doesn’t settle to the bottom, and add it all at once to the simmering tomato sauce. Simmer for about 7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and become smooth. Stir with a wooden spoon frequently while the sauce cooks.

Sauce: This recipe makes 3 cups and we will only use one cup in the enchilada recipe, so freeze the rest for later. Nutrients per 1 cup: calories-66.67, protein-.23 g, carbohydrates-1.4, fat-0, sodium-24.48.

Enchiladas

Ingredients

9 Mi Casa white corn tortillas (any corn tortillas will do)
1 C Joel's Enchilada Sauce
¾ pound extra lean ground beef (94/6)
1 C black beans (cooked)
1 medium onion, chopped (reserve 2 T if desired to put over the top of the enchiladas)
2 T chili powder
4 T. low-fat mozzarella cheese-grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Brown ground beef with onions in a skillet sprayed with pan spray. When nearly browned, add 1 C cooked black beans and 2 T chili powder and heat through. This is the filling for the enchiladas. Heat the tortillas a few second in a microwave oven until warmed. Add the filling to each tortilla, roll it, and place seam side down in a casserole dish sprayed with pan spray, repeat until all tortillas are finished. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of Joel’s enchilada sauce, and the reserved 2 T chopped onion (if desired) over the tortillas and place in the oven until the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes.

A serving of this recipe is 2 tortillas and it makes 4 ½ servings. Nutrients per serving: calories-225.82, protein-8.22 g, carbohydrates-28.69, fat-4.54 (17.1%), and sodium-206.82. This recipe freezes and reheats well.