Green Enchilada Sauce

This recipe comes from Our Best Bites & is supposed to be a knock off of the sauce at Cafe Rio.  We use it to cover enchiladas, or dump it in the slow cooker with some chicken breasts & serve over rice.  It would also really pop as the sauce for a Mexican Pizza.

This recipe makes a HUGE batch, so plan a few meals that can use it the week you make it, or freeze half for later.

Green Enchilada Sauce Recipe by Our Best Bites (slightly altered to fit my preferences)

• 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (or some cooking spray)
•  1 large onion, minced (I used a sweet onion)
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and membranes removed if desired (mine was HOT, so I only used half, next time I might omit it completely since we do things mild around here)
• 1 1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and quartered or halved
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
• 2-3 Tbsp. sugar (optional and to taste; the sauce Cafe Rio uses seems to be slightly sweet, so taste & decide for yourself)

In a large saucepan or stock pot, heat olive oil or cooking spray over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender and fragrant.

While onions are sauteeing, combine tomatillos, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, cilantro & about half the broth in your blender. Process until smooth; you may have to do it in batches.

Pour the tomatillo mixture over the onions and garlic and add remaining broth, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer 15 minutes-1 hour, depending on the consistency you want. I let it boil uncovered until it thickened up considerably.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Hash

A favorite meal when I just need to throw something together from my pantry staples. Goes great with fresh lettuce greens and sour cream.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Hash

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 or 2 red potatoes, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (sub a 4 oz can of mild green chiles for less heat)
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Splash of lime juice (if desired)

Sauté onions in a little cooking spray or broth until browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sweet potato & red potato and cook, stirring, until they start to brown in spots, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño (or green chiles), cumin and salt; sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in corn and black beans and cook until heated through. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lime juice if desired - also go great over greens.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

This is another recipe that I was too excited about to wait to post it.  I know what you’re thinking – sweet potatoes in Mexican food, what?  But I’m telling ya, this blend of flavors is as delicious as it is unique.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

• 2 sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled and mashed)
• 4 tablespoons cilantro (chopped, divided)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 package Flat Out Light wraps (the 90 calorie kind)
• baby spinach leaves (torn)
• 1 can green chili enchilada sauce
• 1 handful cheddar cheese (optional)

Peel, cook, and mash sweet potatoes (I steamed mine in the microwave, but you could boil them too). Mix the sweet potatoes, and 2 Tbs of the chopped cilantro. Saute onions with a little cooking spray until translucent.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, just about a minute.   Add the beans, water, chili powder, and cumin, soy and cook until most water has evaporated. Mix in the cilantro and remove from the heat. Mix in the mashed sweet potatoes, until they loose their orange color.

Load your tortillas with bean/potato mixture and torn spinach leaves (if using).  Place in lightly sprayed baking dish.  Repeat until all enchiladas are rolled.  Top with enchilada sauce and cheese (if using).  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, (edges will start to crisp).

Serve with tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, sour cream, or anything else you might fancy. : )

Variations: 1) Leave off cheese for lactose-free meal. 2)Just eat the stuffing for a really healthy snack/lunch.

Spanish Red Beans and Rice

I made this tonight by throwing some things together that I had around. I didn't take pics, since I didn't plan to post it, but Mom and Dad asked for the recipe so here goes.

Spanish Red Beans and Rice

• Cooked Brown Rice (I had about 3.5 cups, but you could use as little as 2)
• 1 med onion, finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, finely chopped
• 2 handfuls of baby carrots, finely chopped
• 1 cup or so of frozen corn
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can pinto beans (I used no salt pintos and it was still great)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• splashes of chicken broth

I set my brown rice to cook, then I chopped my zuchini, onion, and carrots using a food processor to make them very fine - the idea was to hide the sneaker veggies from my picky eater. Next I threw all of the veggies into my biggest frying pan with a few splashes of broth.  I sauteed them on med-high heat until they softened up (which was very fast since they were so fine). Next I added the garlic and cooked it until just fragrant.

Next add tomato sauce and all of the spices, stir to combine.  Next add the cooked brown rice and cilantro. Mix together until rice, sauce, and veggies are evenly distributed. This is meant to be a play on Red Beans and Rice + Mexican Rice, so it won't be very saucy. If you're worried that it is too dry, you can always add a few more splashes of broth. 

Serve with fresh chopped tomatoes on top - also wonderful with avocados, sour cream, and baked chips.

Veggie Pita Tostadas

This recipe is a killer, and I'm so proud because I invented it myself!  Making all of the components can take a bit of work, but a good food processor/chopper saves tons of time.

Veggie Pita Tostadas

• 1 recipe of Benito Bean Dip
• 1 red pepper, diced small
• 1 red onion, diced small
• 1/2 small jicama, diced small
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 can pinto beans (I used no-salt beans, then added a bit of salt to taste)
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 package whole-wheat pita bread

Make the bean dip ahead of time and store in the fridge until needed.  Dice all veggies to similar size, then saute in their own juices until tender. Add cilantro and beans, continue stirring until heated through.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, non-stick foil, or cooking spray (I used foil). Slice the pitas to just be one layer (not a pocket).  Lay out the thin sliced tomatoes on the pitas, then top with a thick-ish layer of bean dip.  Put in the oven until edges brown and it is warmed through (should only take a few minutes). Remove from oven and top pitas with the bean/veggie mixture. Serve with avocado, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, more tomatoes, anything you want as a topper.

Benito Bean Dip (AKA No Avocado Guacamole)

Such a great dip for a snack with chips or veggies, or work it into a Mexican meal. I'd call this no-avocado guacamole since it's green and I really want my dad to try it. YUM!

Benito Bean Dip (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

• 1 1/2  cups  cooked edamame (these are soy beans, can be found in the frozen veggie section in most grocery stores)
• 1/3  cup  fresh salsa or pico de gallo
• 1    Tbs red or green onion
• 2  tablespoons  fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4  teaspoon  Zippy Zonya Mexi Mix 
• 1/4 tsp salt (optional)*

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

* I added salt since I was using an unprocessed frozen bean. If you use a canned bean (pintos can be subbed) or a very salt salsa, then this shouldn't be added.

Zippy Zonya Mexi Mix

A simple blend for at-home taco seasoning.

Zippy Zonya Mexi Mix (lots of internet sites all say the same)

• 5 teaspoons  chili powder
• 4 teaspoons  ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon  cumin seed (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon  garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon  dried minced onion
• 1/8 teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon  cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix the ingredients in an air tight container.

Black Bean Extravaganza

This is a very simple dish, with beautiful flavors. Eat it and feel good about what's going in your body!

Black Bean Extravaganza (adapted from Whole Foods website)

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 cup reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth 
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 2 to 3 tomatoes, chopped 
• 1 small-med onion, chopped 
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained OR 1/2 small jicama, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 small bell peppers, any color, seeded and chopped 
• 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and chopped 
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced 

Saute onion and peppers until soft. Add jicama/water chestnuts and corn, and saute until warmed through. Add beans, broth, chili powder, and bring to a low boil. Drop heat to low-simmer, cover, and let the flavors work together. Chop tomatoes and avocado. Mix cilantro into bean mixture and stir until wilted. Serve bean mixture over rice and top with tomatoes, avocados, and anything else you like (non-fat sour cream was great).

Picante de Pollo

Picante de Pollo is a classic Bolivian dish which I ate often while living there.  When I saw this recipe I knew I’d have to give it a try.  The name is deceiving, this IS NOT a SPICY DISH.  It’s savory with a touch of sweet underlying the salsa flavors.

It wasn’t like the Bolivian dish that I knew, but it has become a new favorite of mine.  I see HUGE potential here for making it as a taco/burrito filling, making it in the slow cooker and shredding it, or just serve it simply over rice as the recipe calls for.

Picante de Pollo (from Campbell’s Kitchen)

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 c. fresh salsa
• 3 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 Tbs honey dijon mustard

Place trimmed chicken breasts in a baking dish.  Mix remaining ingredients together until blended then pour over chicken.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.  Serve over rice.

Fiesta Salad

The only reason I can think to call this Fiesta Salad is because it’s a party in your mouth. : )  The flavor is tangy, but not overpowering when used sparingly, and is a healthy, oil free, blend of awesome veggies and flavors.


Lime-Honey Dressing:

• ¼ c. lime juice
• ¼ c. applesauce
• ¼ c. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbs honey
• 2 Tbs cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced very fine

Meat Mixture:

• 3 small chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 small onion, cut into thin rings
• ½ red pepper, chopped to small pieces
• 1 Tbs fresh chopped cilantro

Salad:

• Romaine lettuce
• black beans,  drained, rinsed
• corn, drained
• cucumbers
• cilantro
• avocado chunks
• tortilla chip crumbles
• cheese, if desired

Mix together all dressing ingredients until well blended making about 1 cup of dressing (I didn’t use nearly that much, so this can be halved if you aren’t feeding a big crowd). Refrigerate until needed.

Sauté chicken, onion, and pepper chunks in about ¼ c. dressing mixture.  Add fresh cilantro.

When the meat is ready build your salad master piece!

Fajita Sauce

Hubby and I LOVE fajitas.  Love, not like, not want to hold hands at summer camp then part ways never to see each other again.

We’re talking the BIG L.

So when we moved to TX we were kind of surprised to find that just about anything can pass for a fajita down here as long as there is meat in a tortilla.  Sadness – meat is good, but I love the flavorful slightly burnt onions and pops of peppers.

I took it upon myself to make fajitas at home and had a wonderful success!  I was surprised by some of the non-Mexican flavors that went into the original recipe that I found, but with a few tweaks of my own I ended up with a perky (but not spicy) Mexican delight.  I used chicken this first time, but will give it a whirl with other meats in the future.

Fajita Sauce

• 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 dash cumin
• 4-5 drops of lime juice (more can be squeezed on the finished food, but this is just what goes in the sauce)

Mix all ingredients together in an air-tight container.  Add trimmed meat, seal and marinate for at least an hour.  Dump container out into a warm fry pan and saute until meat is partially cooked then add onion and peppers and cook until softened and meat is fully cooked.  Serve in tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, beans, cheese, sour cream, whatever you like.

Lime Chicken Mexican Filling

Good for salads, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, whatever!

Lime Chicken Mexican Filling

• Juice of one lime
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp fresh chopped cilantro
• 3-4 chicken breasts cut to bite sized pieces
• 1 small onion, sliced

Combine all marinade ingredients and chicken in an air-tight container, let chill for at least 30 minutes (mine was in the fridge all afternoon).  Dump out chicken and sauce in a frying pan and cook with sliced onion until done.  Serve warm.

Bean and Veggie Enchiladas

At first I wasn’t too excited about making this dish, but I finally found a meatless Mexican that is delicious!  Jay and I both couldn’t believe how much we loved it and even fought over the leftovers since I only made half of this recipe.  This one is a keeper in our house for sure!

Bean and Veggie Enchiladas

• 2 cans (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 can (4 ounces) diced green chile peppers, drained
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small yellow pepper chopped
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2  heaping Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish if desired)
• 1 can (20 ounces or less) enchilada sauce, red or green, both are great with this
• 8-10 low fat/calorie flour tortillas (depending on how full you like your enchiladas)
• OPTIONAL: 2 cups shredded pepper-Jack cheese

Directions
Chop onion and pepper then sauté them on med-high heat with the frozen corn until just softened.  Add chili powder, salt, cumin, and cilantro.  Drain and rinse beans, then mash slightly with hands.  Add them  to the veggie mixture.
Pour about ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13×9in baking dish, turning dish until the sauce coats the entire bottom.  Place desired amount of bean mixture in a line on one side of a tortilla shell then roll up.  Place rolled enchilada, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.  Repeat until bean mixture is gone.  Top tortillas with remaining enchilada sauce, sprinkle with cheese and additional cilantro (if using)
.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Enjoy with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and Mexican rice.

Kim’s hint:  If you would like to serve this dish with rice, a quick way to take plain rice to Mexican rice is to reserve about 3-4 Tbs of the enchilada  sauce and add it to 2 cups of plain rice with cilantro, some splashes of lime juice, and dashes of onion powder.

Navajo Taco

Mmm, navajo tacos are so good.  Warm, buttery fry bread, covered in slimey chili and salad.  When they made these for lunch at my old job I got giddy, I frolicked, I didn't think about how bad they are.

But, I've been thinking about that lately, and have come up with a solution.

Start with a low-cal healthy pita bread such as:

This isn't a fancy health-food store item, I got it as Super Wal Mart right next to the unhealthy pitas, and the even more unhealthy tortillas.

Healthier Navajo Taco


5 pita breads
2 c. vegetarian chili
lettuce (I also mixed some fresh cilantro into my lettuce)
black beans, drained rinsed
corn, drained
tomato
cucumber
avocado
fat free sour cream*
a few tortilla chips for crunch, if desired.

Warm the pita bread in your microwave for 30 seconds, it becomes warm, soft, and pliable.  Top the pita with vegetarian chili, and every other awesome  taco salad food that you like.  Sticking with the healthy theme of the evening, I left the cheese off and used only fat-free sour cream.

*Leave off the sour cream for the lactose-free version.
Happy Cooking!

Chicken Tomatillo Soup

I know that Mexican Tortilla soup recipes are a dime a dozen on line, but I dare you to compare the freshness of this recipe to any of those others that use taco meat seasoning packets or bottled salsa.  This recipe got the whole family excited - even my sister in law who was visiting.  It doesn't have a lot of kick to it since my boys are spice sissies, but if you want more spice adding some diced jalapenos or Tabasco Sauce would be a very simple alteration.

Chicken Tomatillo Soup

• Shredded chicken meat (about 2 breasts worth)
• 4 c. chicken broth (I used low-sodium)
• 1 can beans, drained and rinsed (I used black, but pinto or kidney would go great)
• 1/2 c. corn
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 tomatillos, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, including liquid
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 bay leaf

Top soup with:

• shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, mexican blend), if desired
• 1 avocado, diced (Recommended - Josh and I couldn't get enough of the avocado in ours)
• sour cream, if desired
• tortilla chips

Add a little cooking spray to your soup pot and set over medium heat. Add onions and the tomatillos and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the onions have softened and are beginning to turn a light brown. Stir in the chopped garlic cloves and all other spices, and cook for another 2 minutes.  Next, add the chicken breasts (if not using leftover chicken) chopped tomatoes with liquid, and the chicken broth bring to a boil over med-high heat, then as soon as you see bubbles, reduce the heat to med-low.  When the chicken is cooked through (about 20 min, more or less depending on size and heat of stove), remove to a plate. Now add the beans and corn to the soup. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot as well. Let everything heat through on a med-low heat.  Salt & pepper to taste (if flavors are weak, I'll sometimes add more chili powder and cumin at this point too).  Only add the cilantro in the last few minutes before serving.

Serve the hot soup with the toppings I used or others to your liking.

Happy Cooking!

Chili Lime Chicken Rub

Chili Lime Chicken Rub
(adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe)

• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all powders (including lime zest) in a small dish.  Trim chicken as desired.  Lay chicken in a large sealable container then add half of the lime juice and half of the powder.  Rub and press mixture onto chicken, then flip to the other side and repeat.  Seal container and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (I let mine go all afternoon) then cook as desired.  Since I took the oil out of this dish, you may want to use a bit of cooking spray on your grill or in your pan.

*Kim's note:  This is a very versatile dish! Eat as a main dish, or chop them up for salads or tacos.
Happy Cooking!