Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

HAPPY NEW YEEEEEARRRRR!!! :) It's 2016, and things are looking good! How do you guys herald the new year? Do you make copious resolutions to do better/be better/change things? Are you first in line at the gym to work off all those holiday pounds? Or, like me, do you start cooking? (I hope the answer is yes!)

I stopped making new year's resolutions long ago. I figured that if I have to wait until a new year arrives in order to make changes in my life, I'm probably not all that ready to change. You know? But that's just me. I wish you all the success this new year. :)

I DO want to be healthier in 2016, and I've found that the best way for me to keep my health on track during the week is by making meals in big batches on the weekend and then using them for meals throughout the week! If I pack my lunches and have food made already, I'm less tempted to grab something on campus. Homemade food is generally healthier and better-tasting, and I save money by not spending it on junk! Win win, right?

So I bought a butternut squash some time ago, and wasn't feeling particularly inspired by it. Thankfully, squash stays good for a long time, so I didn't have to worry about it spoiling while I waited for the perfect butternut squash recipe to fall into my lap! And into my lap it fell, by way of these DELICIOUS Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas! Because these keep well and taste sensational the next day, they're perfect for my meal prep plans.

To begin with, I freaking love enchiladas. The cheese, the stuffing, the tortillas...I mean, COME ON. But the standard enchilada isn't known for being particularly healthy, so I try to avoid them most of the time. However, butternut squash is loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants and TONS of fiber! Black beans bring the flavor while also keeping you full. There are lots of other veggies stuffed in there, too, like tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, and some savory garlic and fresh cilantro to keep things interesting!

The original recipe from SkinnyTaste called for whole wheat flour tortillas, but I can't eat whole wheat and I prefer corn tortillas over flour, so I went with these instead! I hope you love them as much as I have.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup red enchilada sauce
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut 1/2-inch-dice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup water
• 12 corn tortillas (or 8 medium low-carb whole wheat flour tortillas)
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions, for garnish
• Sliced avocado or reduced-fat sour cream for serving (both optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish (I used 9x13); set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add cubed butternut, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, water,  cilantro, cumin and chili powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.


Place about a generous 1/4 cup filling in the center of each tortilla (1/3 cup if using flour tortillas) and roll, place on the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese and bake, covered with foil until hot and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Top with scallions and eat with sour cream if desired.

Nutrition Facts- Servings: 6 • Size: Two enchiladas (based on corn tortillas) • Calories: 219 • Fat: 3.1 g • Carbs: 43.4 g • Fiber• 7.9 g  • Protein: 7.1 g • Sugars: 4.3 g