Healthy Mexican Cuisine: Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

This recipe for enchiladas combines various traditional Mexican flavors into one exceptionally delicious and healthy dish. Black beans provide protein, fiber, folic acid and magnesium, while the corn tortillas, chiles and cheese add crave-worthy Mexican taste.

So get cooking and thank your South of the Border neighbors for this delicious dish!

Nutritional Information:
Amount per serving

• Calories: 302
• Fat: 12.9 g
• Saturated fat: 5.3 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.9 g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3 g
• Protein: 17.3 g
• Carbohydrate: 36.1 g
• Fiber: 6.4 g
• Cholesterol: 32 mg
• Iron: 1.7 mg
• Sodium: 574 mg
• Calcium: 426 mg

Ingredients:

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper, ground
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups (8 ounces) reduced-fat Mexican-4-cheese-blend, divided and pre-shredded
• 3 green onions, divided and thinly sliced
• Cooking spray
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 6 tablespoons light sour cream

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine chiles and 2 cups water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain chiles in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add onion; sauté for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through cumin); cook for 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour onion mixture into a blender; add chiles and reserved liquid. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape; secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in lid. Blend until smooth; stir in lime juice and red pepper.
5. Combine the beans, 1 cup of cheese and half of the green onions in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. 
6. Warm tortillas according to package directions. 
7. Spoon 3 tablespoons bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. 
8. Place seam-side down in prepared dish. 
9. Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining green onions; serve with sour cream.

Total preparation time, one hour and 10 minutes. Hands-on time is 55 minutes. 

This recipe is provided courtesy of David Bonom, Cooking Light (October 2011).