Food Friday

Food Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  If you are like me, I love Mexican food and serving up one of my favorite dishes to my family is super easy and is packed with TONS of veggies. This is also a great dish for entertaining and leftovers are even better.

Butternut Squash and Pinto Bean Enchiladas

What you will need:
Casserole dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2-4 cups of Pinto Beans: I always make a batch in the crock-pot. They are super easy to make or you can buy them at the store. Just make sure to drain them and give them a little rinse. 

**(Crock Pot Beans)

Soak your beans overnight

Put them in the crock-pot 

cover with vegetable broth and/or water to cover the beans. 

Place a Ham Hock for flavor in the beans or without if you want vegetarian beans. 

Add some S&P, cumin for extra spice. 

Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours. 

That is all!  

1 dozen corn tortillas

A bunch of raw spinach

Enchilada sauce (You can go with store bought if you have a good healthy alternative or you can make your own)

Cooked butternut squash (I found fresh squash cubed at Trader Joes and Whole Foods or you can buy it as a whole squash)
Cook the butternut squash until soft, mash with masher/fork.
Once the butternut squash is cooked (you can also do this in advance and use the leftovers for soup)

Spread butternut squash over corn tortilla, add some cooked pinto beans, shred and sprinkle spinach leaves, roll up and place in baking dish. 

Repeat until all tortillas are rolled. 

Top with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through at 350 degrees.
Cool and serve. Top with Cilantro garnish.

These are amazing!  I always serve this with a side of mixed "Super Greens" tossed with chopped mint, avocado, a little citrus slices and a fresh vinegar-ette.  You have all you need here with this super simple dish.  

If you want something non-alcoholic to go along with your Mexican themed meal Try this from my friend Kristen. You can visit her on her FB at Coach KR.  

In the blender: Watermelon, cucumber, mint, MILA, ice, and water. Super refreshing.


Enjoy and let me know how you like them! 

Food Friday

Welcome to Food Friday!

OK...we are nearing the end of the week and looking forward to the weekend. I am a huge meal planner Sunday through Thursday and then usually things get a little wonky.  I am starting Food Friday's to get a good recipe base going for my followers plus keep me on track from the weekend and week. 

Planning is key so keeping things healthy into the weekend will set you up for success for the week ahead.  

This is a favorite recipe and a great staple in our family. I am able to get in extra veggies and even throw in some Mila (Chia Seeds) to the recipe for an extra boost.  

Zucchini Lasagna with Pine Nut Ricotta

2-3 medium zucchinis

Ricotta: 

1 cup pine nuts, soaked for 4-6 hours

1 cup blanched almond flour

2-3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Other: 

3-4 cups pasta sauce

sauteed sliced mushrooms (I use balsamic, salt and pepper) 

fresh spinach or other super greens

fresh basil

Mila chia seed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13 inch pan

Make zucchini noodles by cutting long, thin, flat strips about 1/8 to 1/4 inch

(I love my mandolin as it does all the work for me)

To make ricotta, drain the pine nuts and add them to a food processor fitted with the "s" blade along with the remaining ingredients. process until it is pasty

To assemble the lasagna, first pour about one cup pasta sauce on bottom of pan and spread. Place a layer of zucchini "noodles" over the sauce. Take half o the ricotta and spread it over the noodles. Add the other ingredients plus any other you want to add. I love adding the mushrooms, super greens and fresh basil.  Add another cup of pasta sauce and repeat the layering process.  Then add the rest of the sauce and final layers of zucchini noodles. Drizzle with olive oil over the noodles and then sprinkle with any fresh herbs and a few tablespoons of blanched almond flour. 

Bake 40-45 minutes. Let it rest 10 and enjoy.  

I love serving this with fresh arugula, sea salt, light drizzle of olive oil and fresh parm. 

ENJOY!!!