South of the Border Goes Healthy

Since we are all looking for good things to eat on our diets, I thought I'd try something different this week. Here's a recipe which has been requested by almost everyone who has eaten my enchiladas. They were my contribution to a family dinner and even the non-vegetarians loved them. Low in fat, low in calories, high in flavor, the fiber rich whole wheat tortillas are wrapped around oven roasted vegetables, enhanced with corn sauce and cheese and topped with green salsa . This post is dedicated to Nicole, who's been waiting a long time for this recipe.

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Corn Sauce:

• 2 cloves unpeeled garlic
• 2 10-oz. packages frozen sweet corn (a quality brand)
• 1 cup low fat milk
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper to taste

To prepare the corn sauce: Roast the garlic in a skillet over medium high heat, shaking the pan often until the garlic is browned, about 6 minutes.

Add all but 1/2 cup of the corn and roast in the same skillet until lightly toasted. Put the corn, peeled roasted garlic, milk and seasonings in the blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, add reserved corn and set aside.

Enchiladas:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed (don't bother peeling them)
• 1 butternut squash, cubed
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 can 16-oz can black beans or garbanzo beans
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large jar green salsa (I'm a lazy cook)
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Jalapeño cheese, reduced fat
• 6 - 8 large whole wheat tortilla (I like La Tortilla Factory)
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• If you like it spicy add a sprinkling of crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Put the veggies in a large roasting pan with olive oil. Toss to coat. Roast in a 425 F oven for 30 minuted, stirring occasionally.

To assemble: put a heaping portion of roasted vegetables in the center of a tortilla, spoon some corn sauce on top, sprinkle with cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds, roll up and place seam side down in a large baking pan.. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, veggies, corn sauce, pumpkin seeds and cheese.

Cover the tortillas with green salsa, top with the remaining cheese and bake, covered with foil, in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer.

I hope you'll try this recipe and let me know how you liked it.