Sweet Potato, Zucchini, and Black Bean Enchiladas!

The recipe I’m posting today is absolutely delicious and filling and healthy AND did I mention, delicious?! The best part is that it’s gluten-free and vegan! I know some of you may doubt me after that last sentence but seriously, try making these enchiladas for dinner one night and you will become a believer!

Sweet Potato, Zucchini, and Black Bean Enchiladas

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped
• 3 small zucchinis, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 2 cups pasta sauce (we use Amy’s Premium Organic Pasta Sauce)
• 3 Tbsp avocado oil or grapeseed oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp gluten-free taco seasoning mix (we use Bearitos Taco Seasoning Mix)
• 1 Tsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tsp garlic powder
• 4 brown rice tortilla wraps (we use Food for Life Brown Rice Gluten Free Tortilla Wraps)

Avocado & Cilantro Sauce

• 3 avocados, pitted
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice, to taste
• 1 Tbsp water, might need more to thin out sauce
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 Tsp chili powder

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Enchiladas

1. In a medium saucepan of water, simmer the chopped sweet potato for about 10 minutes or until just tender. Make sure to not overcook. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Stir often.
3. Add the pre-cooked sweet potato, zucchini, and bell pepper to the stockpot. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables become tender. Stir often.
4. Add the drained black beans and chopped spinach to the stockpot. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the beans are soft. Stir often.
5. Add the pasta sauce, lemon juice, taco seasoning mix, chili powder, and garlic powder to the stockpot. Stir well and remove from heat.
6. Spread a thin layer of the mixture evenly onto the bottom of a large casserole dish. Scoop a generous portion of the mixture onto each tortilla and wrap, placing the fold down onto the casserole dish. Spread the remaining mixture onto the top of the tortillas. You can sprinkle the top with grated vegan cheese if you would like to do so.
7. Bake the tortillas at 350F in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Avocado and Cilantro Sauce

1. Add the avocados, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, water, vinegar, and chili powder to the food processor. Process until smooth and well blended, adding more water if necessary.
2. Pour the sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion if wanted. Serve immediately.

You need to try this recipe – it is absolutely one of my favourites. And the health benefits of these ingredients are amazing as well.

• Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of dietary fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They are full of flavonoids including beta-carotene and vitamin A. Sweet potatoes also contain essential minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium that are crucial for body metabolism
• Zucchini is a rich source of both dietary fibre and protein. It is also choke full of folate, potassium, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Zucchini also contains phytonutrients including lutein and zeaxanthin which foster bone health, heart health, and cancer prevention.
• Black beans are a great source of both protein and fiber that combine to help move food through the stomach to the large intestine at a healthy pace. This aids the digestive tract to function optimally and maintain a healthy digestive system. Black beans also contain at least 8 different flavonoids with enormous antioxidant potential.
• Avocados have typically gotten a bad rep but are actually a rich source of monosaturated fats, the good fat. The monosaturated fats in avocados help in reducing both LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, making them a great food source for diabetic patients. It’s also very high in vitamin E, which protects your skin from free radicals.
• Few people realize that herbs such as cilantro have even greater concentrations of antioxidants than any common fruit or vegetable. Not only that, but cilantro is a natural anit-inflammatory with its rich supply of both cineole and linoleic acid that contain anti-rheumatic and anti-arthritic properties. Cilantro also helps lower LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol thanks to the oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and ascorbic acid found in it.

I hope some of you will get a chance to try this recipe this weekend – trust me, you won’t be disappointed!