Cinco de Enchaladas!!!!

Really they are good anytime, but I just made them for a cinco de mayo party and I guess they were too good because we had no leftovers :( But I'm happy everyone enjoyed them :)

Start with:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 onion chopped
1 green onion chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can black beans
1 packet taco seasoning

First cook the meat, onions, and peppers in a skillet until the vegis get soft, add in remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool so that you can comfortably handle the mixture.

You'll also need:
1 can enchilada sauce
1 cup salsa
8 (or so) flour tortillas (if you have less just stuff more filling into each one)
1 cup chopped Velveeta (you can use any cheese, but Velveeta really makes the dish!)

Coat a 9 x 13 (or so) oven pan with about 1/2 the can of enchilada sauce. Place about 1/2 cup of filling into each tortilla and roll up, place in pan seam side down. Top with salsa, remaining enchilada sauce, and cheese. Bake in 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. yummmm! I served this with Spanish rice, southwest salad, chips with salsa, guac, and queso, margaritas, and chocolate covered strawberries.

Sorry, no picture because I think it's very hard to make enchiladas look good in a picture, but I promise they are delicious! :)

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

Adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters, this recipe was a very welcome and colorful winter dish during what can sometimes feel like a very earth-toned food season. I was shocked at how quick and easy assembly was. Walters provides a recipe for cashew cheese as a vegan topper (below), but I used about a half cup of a cheddar Colby mix.

Ingredients:
3 sweet potatoes or yams
3 tablespoons lime juice
1.5 cups black beans (I used 1 15 oz can of great northern beans, since it was all I had on hand)
1/2 red onion diced (I used a whole red onion)
1 large tomato diced (I used a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes since they're not currently in season)
8-10 soft corn tortillas (I used whole grain flour tortillas)
1.5 cups prepared salsa
1/2 cup corn (I switched the corn/salsa ratio and used a 15 oz can of corn and a half cup of salsa)
1/4 cup chopped scallions (I didn't have this, but that was probably for the best with all the red onion I used)

Directions:
1. Bake sweet potatoes for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit while you prep your ingredients. Remove and cool enough to peel.
2. Mash peeled sweet potatoes with lime juice.
3. Fold in black beans, onion and tomato.
4. Spoon filling into the center of each tortilla, roll and place, seam side down, in a shallow baking dish.
5. Spoon salsa over top and place under the broiler (mine was at 500 degrees Fahrenheit) for 3 minutes.
6. Remove from broiler, top with corn and cheese and broil for 2 more minutes (I did 4 since I had extra corn).
7. Remove from broiler again and top with chopped scallions.

YUM.

I will make sure I have black beans on hand when I try this again. I just didn't think ahead to soak and cook dried beans. The great northern beans weren't bad, but they weren't quite right. Also, I think a half cup of red onion, or using a small onion is good enough. I'm a huge fan of raw red onions, but a whole medium onion definitely lingered as an aftertaste. I think I will stick with the salsa/corn switch next time I make this, but I can't wait until it's summer and I have some fresh tomato to use in the sweet potato mash. If you use frozen or fresh corn, Walters recommends you blanch it before using.

Cashew cheese:
(which I intend to try next time, since it seems like it will only add to the awesome nutritional content that this dish has to offer)

1/2 cup cashew pieces
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon canola oil

Grind cashews to a fine meal in a food processor. Add nutritional yeast and process briefly to combine. Add oil and process until you have a moist meal (do not over process or meal will become dough-like). Set aside to use as topping during step 6 above.