Vegan Yellow Rice and Bean Enchiladas

I haven't posted anything savory for quite some time.  If you're wondering whether that reflects my life over the past few months, yes it does.

Now I am posting something both savory and vegan (and dairy- and gluten-free!).  If you're wondering whether that reflects my life over the last week, yes it does.

I've had that thing happen again.  You know the one?  The terrible one.  Where I can't eat sugar for a while.

Oh man, the withdrawals the other day!  I was like, shivering and disordered, man.  

I'm doing a little better now.  And this won't last forever.  But the upshot is that, generally, eating less sugar is a good thing (noooo!), and it fits in with some of my February goals.

February goals!  Remember the goals I'm making this year?  In my year of seasonal eating?

I'm happy to report that my January goals have all been met.  And now it's time to up the ante, just a little bit.

Nothing too sudden in our year of seasonal eating.

February plans:
Cook three meals a week, one meat, one vegetarian, and one soup (this is the same as January, it's working fine)
Stop eating beef after the 15th of the month, but feature it in my meals until then. (Dropping pork has been pretty easy, although I miss bacon...but guess what!  They make turkey bacon!)
Run two days a week, a little further now.  About 1 1/3 miles.
Do yoga or another gentle, indoor exercise four days a week, and rest the last.

Good plans?  Good plans.  Things are going smoothly so far.  I am pleased to feel slightly more fit than I did a month ago at this time, and looking forward to being slightly more fit a month away than I am now.

We'll catch up on this in March!

Vegan Yellow Rice and Bean Enchiladas adapted from Silvana Nardone's "Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals" (great book, although sister loves the sugar)

Just have to take a minute to mention the photos here.  Uh, I'm not really proud.  In the transfer from the pan to the plate my lovely enchiladas sort of...morphed into more of a...food pile.  Don't get me wrong, I love food piles.  They go down smooth.  But not the prettiest pictures.  But please trust me...this recipe does make actual, beautiful enchiladas.  And they taste awesome.

Serves 8

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, 1 smashed and 2 finely chopped
2 tablespoons chile powder
2 cups dry red wine or broth
1 28-oz can tomato puree
3 cups water
Salt
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
8 corn tortillas
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1 cup corn kernels
2 ripe avocadoes
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and finely chopped garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the chile powder and toast for 1 minute (smells so good!).  Add the wine or broth and bring to a boil; simmer until reduced, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato puree and 1 cup water; cook for 15 minutes.  Season with about 2 teaspoons salt.

In the meantime, in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the smashed garlic, rice, cumin, turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and remaining 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Take off the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff with fork.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Grease a large baking dish.  Dip the tortillas, one at a time, in the chile sauce and place in the dish.  Fill each one as you go with 2 heaping tablespoons rice, 1 heaping tablespoon of black beans, and 1 heaping tablespoon of corn kernels.  Roll it up and place seam-side down in your prepared dish.  Brush them with olive oil and bake, uncovered, until golden and crisp around the edges, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the guacamole, mash together the avocados, lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

To assemble, pour the remaining sauce down the middle of the enchiladas (I also poured on the remaining rice, beans, and corn...thus the food pile) and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and the guacamole.  Serve immediately.