black bean-roasted zucchini-goat cheese enchiladas

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I had a tough week last week. One day I woke up to little ants crawling all over the kitchen. One afternoon I went to the dentist feeling smug about how often I’ve been flossing and left with an appointment to get three cavities filled. One morning I noticed blisters on my waist that were suspiciously familiar – because they’re exactly like the case of shingles* I had just a few weeks ago. The list goes on from there.

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I also learned that I definitely do not have time to make enchiladas on a weeknight, even if the sauce is made in advance. Mixing the filling, heating tortillas, rolling and baking is too much to fit in on top of the daily dose of exercise, laundry, and spraying the kitchen with Raid.

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I guess if all’s well that ends well, you could say I had a great week. After a series of challenging days, nothing could have been more relieving than a night spent sipping wine with friends – even if it’s for a wine appreciation class, we’re all furiously scribbling notes, and technically we’re not supposed to be swallowing the wine. And when I got home from class, a delicious dinner was ready, because I’d skipped a workout the day before to fill and roll and all Dave had to do was transfer the enchiladas to the oven while I was out drinking wine. Maybe last week wasn’t so bad after all.

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(*Getting shingles isn’t fun, but I’m extremely lucky that I only get mild cases.)

One year ago: Fried Eggs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Two years ago: Steak Sandwiches
Three years ago: Pumpkin Cupcakes (comparison of 3 recipes)
Four years ago: Pain Ordinaire

Printer Friendly Recipe
Black Bean-Roasted Zucchini-Goat Cheese Enchiladas (filling adapted from Sprouted Kitchen; sauce from America’s Test Kitchen’s Healthy Family Cookbook via Prevention RD)

I roasted the zucchini on a baking sheet immediately after dicing them, but because zucchini is so wet, I think they would benefit from being sprinkled with about a teaspoon of salt, then allowed to drain for half an hour or so before roasting. If you have one, spinning them dry in a salad spinner would also help them pick up more roasted brown color in the oven. On the other hand, the enchiladas were delicious without this extra step.

Serves 4

Enchiladas:
3 large zucchini, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
5 ounces goat cheese, divided
12 corn tortillas

Sauce:
1 teaspoon canola oil
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons chili powder
½ tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup water
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
black pepper, to taste

For serving:
2 avocados, diced
½ cup minced cilantro
lime wedges

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, combine the zucchini, onion, oil, lemon zest, and salt. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is softened and maybe slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the black beans and 4 ounces of goat cheese. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

2. While the zucchini roasts, heat 1 teaspoon of canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and slightly browned around the edges, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the water and tomato sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Maintain a low simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. To soften the tortillas, brush or spray them with a light layer of oil. Arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet; transfer to the oven and cook for about 3 minutes; flip the tortillas and continue baking for 2 more minutes, until the tortillas are pliable. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

4. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Divide the filling evenly between the tortillas. Roll the tortillas over the filling, arranging the filled tortillas seam-side down in the baking dish. Cover the rolled tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1 ounce of goat cheese over the top of the sauce. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the enchiladas are evenly heated. Let set for 5 minutes before serving with chopped avocado, cilantro, and lime.

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Comments

  1. The ant situation makes my skin crawl, not gunna lie. But we have a fruit fly issue with all of our CSA veggies laying around, so I guess I can relate. Anyways…enchiladas. These enchiladas. I definitely know and love the sauce but the filling!? I’m all over this…

  2. (pssst… The link to the pumpkin cupcake comparison at the end of your post needs to be tweaked. It starts with “ttp” instead of “http” so you need to add the “h”.)

  3. Ugh, we had an ant problem last week and it seriously made me want to scream (or cry, maybe both). We bought the little traps and put them in the areas we were seeing them, and within 3 or 4 days – no more ants!

    These enchiladas look amazing. I’ve made this sauce and love it, and the combination of ingredients in the filling is right up my alley!

  4. bridget says:

    Tracey – Yeah, I cried. Hey, what can I say – it was a bad day in a lot of other ways too! But then I felt silly about overreacting when all it took was a few spritzes of Raid to get rid of them.

  5. bridget says:

    Thanks Anne! I never would have caught that. It’s fixed now.

  6. Emily says:

    Can you clarify the zucchini amount in terms of cups? We have large zucchini but they are ginormous and I don’t think that is what you mean! Thanks

  7. bridget says:

    Emily – It’s something like 4-6 cups of diced zucchini. When I spread it out on a 15-by-17-inch baking sheet, the zucchini just covered it in a single layer.

  8. Hi Bridget!
    I just found your blog and am so happy I did! I’m always on the hunt for new recipe ideas to keep myself + the hubby fed, and we love anything Mexican/anything goat cheese. Plus, I’m on a constant quest to sneak more vegetables into his food, so ta-dah! These enchiladas are perfect for the two of us.
    And I fully support your decision to swallow the wine you were tasting. How can you appreciate it if you don’t actually drink it, right?!

  9. I love your blog, the way you’re writing and this recipe. Keep up a great work.

  10. I have both the ant issues (ongoing for a month now – gross) and that same stoneware dish. Three guesses as to which I prefer in my kitchen…

    We just got a last-hurrah batch of CSA summer squash, and since it may actually be under 80 degrees this week, enchiladas would be an excellent use. I’m having trouble recalling a black bean dish I didn’t like. Thanks for skipping your workout so we could partake in such a tasty recipe!

  11. Lee Ann says:

    I’m sick that I just now found your blog. It’s amazing! I love CI recipes but am looking to branch out. Am making my list to make salmon/pesto pasta this weekend, and I’ve bookmarked many others. Keep up the fantastic work!

  12. yikes–hope this week is better. i freakin’ love enchiladas, and i actually prefer mine vegetarian, so this is right up my alley. they look fabulous! but you are so right, enchiladas are a weekend project…and i when i take the time to make them i always make enough for a couple of nights.

  13. I recently made these and they were delicious! My meat loving hubby claimed all the leftovers for himself 🙂