Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Okay, this cooking rut I'm in, it's for realz. I just haven't felt like cooking. I haven't been inspired by anything. I really just want to go back to Costa Rica and have someone else cook every meal for me. That was so nice.

But since THAT ain't gonna happen, I do need to get my act together. However, I really dread the idea of sitting down and making a weekly menu again. Somehow, just the thought of spending 1-2 hours pouring over cookbooks and inevitably making the same 15 or so dishes over and over again makes me want to cringe. I need a kitchen intervention!

I can say one good thing that has come out of my malaise, though - it has forced me to get creative and resourceful. Since I haven't been menu planning, I haven't been grocery shopping regularly, and I don't always have a variety of fresh ingredients on hand. I mean, it's hard to shop for produce when you have no idea what you'll be making. This afternoon, I was shuffling around my kitchen and poking in the fridge, freezer, and pantry, looking for something (anything!) to jump out at me. For produce, I had two giant sweet potatoes, one onion, some sad looking baby spinach, a knob of ginger, two limes, two lemons, and the ubiquitous carrot/celery/cucumbers I nearly always have on hand. Hmm...sweet potatoes. I love sweet potatoes. I had 5 brown rice tortillas and about 6 small corn tortillas in the freezer. I had black beans. Enchiladas? Let's see...

A few months ago, I had bookmarked this recipe from Gena's blog. Unbelievably, I had everything I needed to make the enchiladas, but almost nothing to make her tomatillo sauce. No tomatillos, no garlic, no jalapeno pepper. Still, I would not be deterred. I rummaged through my pantry and threw a bunch of stuff into my Vita-Mix to make the easiest, quickest, no-cook enchilada sauce you could imagine. And you know what? It was pretty good! Not at all authentic, mind you, but great in a pinch! :)

Pantry Enchilada Sauce
Makes enough for 1 pan of enchiladas

1 28-oz can organic whole peeled tomatoes
1/8 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 4-oz can diced fire-roasted green chilies
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tbs olive oil
2-3 dashes of Cholula original hot sauce
2 big handfuls of fresh baby spinach

Add all ingredients to blender and blitz until smooth.

Gena's enchiladas, by the way, were totally awesome :) Don't let the terrible photography make you think any different!

The filling is cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, onions, black beans, lime juice, and other spices. It's killer. I sprinkled a couple of handfuls of Daiya vegan cheddar cheese on top before I baked the whole enchilada (excuse the pun - I couldn't help myself). It's hard to believe how cheesy these enchiladas taste, considering there was only that handful of Daiya on top. Amazing! Sweet potatoes are the new cheese! LOL