East Coast Enchiladas (?)

Another recipe I marked, as I’m always trying to tempt myself to something healthier than cheese enchiladas, I didn’t notice how unconventional it was until I went to make them.

Enchilada Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
• 4 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
• Water to sauté veggies (between ¼ and ½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 tortillas (whole wheat recommended)
• 14 ounces tomato sauce
• Cumin, oregano, paprika and pepper for topping

Fresh Salsa Ingredients:

• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup cucumber, diced
• ½ cup cabbage, thinly julienned
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 avocado, finely diced
• Oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the rice and water and cool to approximately room temperature so that you can work with it.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrot and celery in water until tender. Add the spices, rice and bean and mix until thoroughly combined. Taste the filling and add salt and pepper as desired.
4. Fill each tortilla with 1 cup of the mixture and roll up. Place in a baking pan with the seam side down. Top the filled enchiladas with tomato sauce. Sprinkle the top with cumin, oregano, paprika and pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the fillings are hot.
5. To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients and stir gently to not break up the avocado. Serve the salsa cold on the side of the enchiladas.

Comments: While I can give up a bit of authenticity for health, these just didn’t fly. Rice in enchiladas? Why? Overall, I just found them lacking, the enchilada sauce was underdeveloped, and the vegetables in the enchiladas seemed quite European. Next time, I’d go with my Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas, and keep my rice and beans on the side.

The salsa was interesting, although again…cucumber? Cabbage? I’d go for a more traditional pico de gallo here, as well, but the creativity was appreciated.