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Gluten free spinach enchiladas
More of a layer project, not a wrap!
Let Others Know How You Would Rate This!
Prep and Cook Time
Let's Be Honest
Like I said, I have started with a lot of great suggestions for recipes on the internet and then began shifting and changing to create something that is more suited to my family. When I found this little gem, I was on EatingWell and fell in love with how easy it was to make the dish. You combined the ingredients and layered them into a casserole style, saving a ton of time when it comes to prep! Immediately, I was in love with the concept, but also knew I was going to have to begin making a few adjustments to obtain a recipe I really enjoyed!
The following will be the result of how I "doctored" the recipe to make it something my family would enjoy and still left me with the easy preparation suggestions! Not only this, I was able to maintain a gluten free focus! Combining easy and the gluten free makes this recipe even more of a win-win! As always, I want to encourage readers to leave any comments and suggestions! I know each person comes up with new ideas and changes to help improve recipes and make it more their own and we all have a chance to learn from these changes!
As I have mentioned, I am not a vegetarian (but I am gluten intolerant) but still prefer to enjoy some meatless dishes from time-to-time. One of the biggest challenges is making sure that when I elect to go meatless, I have to make up for the nutrients I need in other ways. Thankfully, this recipe does offer me the option and opportunity to do just that!
And the adjustments began!
So, How Did I Decide to Alter this Recipe?
As I mentioned, I feel in love with the ease of the recipe on the website where I uncovered it, but I was not happy, even reading it, I knew there were things missing! One of the first things I knew that I would add was black beans! For me, when preparing enchiladas, black beans are a must! On the other hand, I know there are those who are not fans of black beans, and I could even suggest the possibility of re-fried beans.
Now, when I look at the recipe, I demand beans for a higher dose of protein and fiber, both which are mandatory in my diet and one of the reasons I do focus on recipes and changing them around so much. I need high doses of both in every meal I eat, and so when I see a recipe where beans can be worked in, I am super excited!
I will mention some of the other additions that I have tried to this point in case you may want to try them in your own dish:
- Corn
- Sour cream
- Pico de Galo
- Green pepper
- Mushrooms (I have had others try this but because of food allergies, I have not)
- Roasted peppers
- Yellow Squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Asparagus
As you can see, the possibilities are endless!
Change it up!
Just a little side information about the benefits of gluten free living
Another informational video
Before I Move Ahead
Okay, I know for most people, the idea of gluten free means loss of flavor, but this is far from the truth and it is one of the reasons I am devoting time now to begin sharing some of the recipes I have found that prove that gluten free can still produce an amazing meal! I also know there are people who have a great understanding for the reasons to approach gluten free (my option is food allergies, so there was not a lot of choice for me), but there are still those who have limited knowledge or even understanding about the value of a gluten free life.
When I was forced to remove gluten, I immediately began to notice a major difference in my health, my appearance, and even my weight. If all of this was not great enough, I quick being sick and was immediately rewarded with an increase in health! It was definitely worth the shift! Because of this, going to include a couple of videos on this post sharing the information from physicians discussing how the gluten intolerance can appear in your daily life. Because of this, I encourage you to move ahead if you don't care about the information, but welcome you to enjoy the information!
Yummy!
Dicing Tomatoes Perfectly Every Time!
Best Way to Dice an Onion and Not Cry
Ingredients
- 14 oz. Diced tomatoes, (I prefer organic fresh tomatoes and dice them myself)
- 1 med. Organic Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 small Organic Green Bell Pepper, Diced
- 1 15 oz. can Black Beans, rinsed
- 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 c. Cottage Cheese
- 10 oz. Frozen Spinach, thawed
- 1 c. Monterrey Cheese, off the block, shredded and separated
- 1 bunch Scallions, diced, with white and green parts separated
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 8 6-inch Gluten Free Tortilla shells
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place tomatoes, onion, 2 teaspoons chipotle and salt in a blender. Puree until smooth. Mash cottage cheese in a medium bowl; stir in spinach, 1/2 cup cheese, scallion whites, bell pepper, garlic powder and the remaining 1 teaspoon chipotle. After rinsing the black beans, also place in a bowl separate from these ingredients
- Spread 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce in the prepared baking dish. Cover with 4 tortillas (they will overlap). Spread on 1/2 cup sauce, then all the spinach filling and then the black beans. Top with another 1/4 cup sauce. Layer on the remaining 4 tortillas and the remaining 1 cup sauce and black beans. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.
- Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the reserved scallion greens.
