Tuesday Recipe: Pumpkin, Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

Once again, my skepticism with a pumpkin recipe impacting one of my fave genres of food turns to OH MY GOODNESS! THIS WORKS!

Hubby & I love TexMex! We could eat it 3, 4, 5 times a week! So, when somebody wants to mess with it, we're like, "Naw." But, this is #PunkinChunkin month when I like to try a pumpkin or pumpkin pie spice twist on sweet and savory dishes. Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications issued the PUMPKIN edition for America's pumpkin addiction

After reading several articles online about the ancient Hispanic culture and the pumpkin, I figured the two have made a beautiful life, together. Who was I to think my Mexican food and my orange squash don't work in the same recipe?

I used a blend of the cute little Sugar Pie Pumpkin and the Japanese Kabocha Pumpkin to measure enough cooked pumpkin for this recipe. The Kabocha is a brighter, sweeter flavor -in my opinion- compliments the cumin seasoning, fresh cilantro and soft corn tortillas! It just works!

Pumpkin, Bean & Chicken Enchiladas

2-4 tsp Olive Oil (enough to sauté onion and jalapeño)
1 small Onion, chopped
1-2 Jalapeños, seeded & finely chopped
1 3/4 cups Cooked Pumpkin -OR- 1 (15 oz) can 100% Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cups Water
1-2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp ground Cumin

1 can Black Beans or Kidney Beans, rinsed & drained & smooshed!
2 Chicken Breasts, cooked & shredded -OR- 2 cans of (12.5 oz) Chicken Breast
1/2 cup shredded Cheese (your preferred)
Cilantro, chopped
6-8 Corn Tortillas, softened in microwave 30 seconds between paper towels) I purchased the "Super Soft" White Corn Tortillas at Walmart and bypassed the microwave.

• Heat oven to 400*. Lightly coat square/rectangle baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• In medium skillet, heat onion and sauté onions & jalapeños until tender and onions are opaque.
• Stir in pumpkin and water, chili powder, cumin and heat through. If needed, add enough water (up to 1/4 cup) to your desired consistency. 
• 
  
• While this mixture is heating...Turn beans (already rinsed & drained) into a large bowl and slightly smoosh with the back of a fork.
• Add HALF of the pumpkin mixture, all the chicken and cheese and cilantro. Reserve the other HALF of pumpkin mixture to pour over the tortilla rolls, once assembled.
• 
  
• Assemble tortillas: Onto a soft(ened) tortilla, spoon about 1/3 cup bean, pumpkin & chicken mixture; roll up tortillas and place seam sides down in prepped baking dish. Pour the remaining half of pumpkin mixture over all of the assembled tortillas. COVER DISH with lid or foil.
• 
  
• Bake, covered, 15 minutes. The lid or foil keeps the tortillas and pumpkin mixture
  
  from drying out.
• Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired, and Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until heated through.
• Serve with extra cilantro, salsa or limes.

Note: I thinned the left-over filling with a little of the pumpkin mixture and poured into an oven-safe dish coated with non-stick spray. Then, topped with the remaining pumpkin mixture and crunched up tortilla chips on top with extra cheese. Made a great TexMex Lunch Bowl for later!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! 

I'd love to hear how your enchiladas turned out and what you thought of them or how you changed the recipe to make it your own!

Tuesday Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

Some days you just gotta have some cheesy, spicy (or not) Texican-Mexican flavor! Here's a super fast resolve to settle your inner longing for the Southwest when you are far, far away and "#7 Speedy Gonzalez" menu item will never suffice.

Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

1/2 to 1 cup  bottled Roasted Red Bell Peppers, drained & sliced
1 tablespoon Mayonnaise (or Vegannaise)
1 cup + Colby Jack/Fiesta Blend or Sharp Cheddar, shredded
Cilantro, chopped
For heat: 1 Jalapeño Pepper, seeds & membrane removed, chopped OR
For heat: splashes of Sriracha, to taste
(optional: 1-2 splashes of Mesquite Liquid Smoke)
(optional: sauté one small onion, diced)
Flour Tortillas, size and flavor depends on you
Olive Oil or spray oil

• Drain Roasted Red Bell Peppers and slice into strips.
• In medium bowl, combine mayo, cheese, cilantro and chopped jalapeño. Stir in strips of sliced Roasted Red Bell Peppers.
• Heat skillet to medium to medium-high and lightly coat with oil.
• Spoon some of the cheese mixture onto one side of each tortilla. Then, fold tortillas in half.
• Slide the stuffed & folded tortilla onto the heated and prepared skillet for 3-4 minutes each side OR until cheese is melted and tortilla is toasted.
• Remove from skillet. Cut each tortilla in half or thirds to serve!

The breakfast twist on this recipe is to scramble one egg per tortilla. Spoon the cheese mixture and the scrambled egg onto one side of each tortilla and proceed with heating. Serve with salsa and additional cilantro! :)

Go play with your food!

2-on-Tuesday: White Bean Chili with Jalapeno and Lime

OH MY STARS!

My taste buds want to sing whenever Tex-Mex flavors embrace one another for that oh so wonderful combination! In this Forks Over Knives recipe, fresh limes and jalapeños are the dancing partners adding brightness to this vegan chili!

Wait...I see. You're a little scared of jalapeños. Don't be. Remove the membrane and seeds to cool off the heat, but jazzing the chili with great flavor! 

White Bean Chili with Jalapeño and Lime
(The Forks Over Knives Cookbook, page 130)

1 large Yellow Onion, peeled and diced
1 large Bell Pepper, seeded and diced (I had an orange pepper on-hand.)
3 Jalapeño Peppers, membrane and seeds removed and chopped finely
6 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons Ground Cumin
1 (28 oz) can Petite Diced Tomatoes (Do not drain)
2 (15 oz) cans Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups Vegetable Broth
Zest & Juice of 2-3 Limes 
1 cup Cilantro, chopped (I love this stuff and add double!)
Salt, to taste
**optional: Plain Greek yogurt & shredded cheddar cheese as toppings

• Sauté onion, bell and jalapeño peppers in large pot over medium heat for 7 minutes.
  
  If you have time, use the dry sauté method to reduce fat by using only a couple of tablespoons of water to keep the veggies from sticking. If you're in a hurry, use less than 1 tablespoon of olive or coconut oil to sauté the veggies.
• Add garlic and cumin and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, rinsed beans and veggie broth and bring to boil over hight heat.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for 25 minutes.
• Add lime zest and juice and cilantro!

Need a little more kick? Add another jalapeño or a couple of splashes of habañero sauce! Now, we're talking!