{The Girl Kyle} Cooks!

Let me start by saying, I am not a cook.  Not even close.  I am a hard-core recipe follower.  Not at all like my wifey Simone who can look in the fridge and make something new and amazing from two day old leftovers!  So anyways, I think that in my day I've made some tasty dishes, but I almost never share them on here.  Why?  Because I never remember to take a photo of the finished product!  I'm too busy stuffing my face I guess.  This post is no exception, but I have so many of what goes inside that I think you'll get the picture without the actual picture. ;)

 Fire roasted tomatoes, lime, sugar, cumin, cayenne, and cilantro simmering.

I wish I could say I thought up this recipe all on my own, but that's not what recipe followers do.  So this recipe comes from the inspiring blog Can You Stay for Dinner?  If you like before/afters and weight loss journey then you can definitely spend an hour or two reading Andie's story.  She's now slim and trim and a believer in not running because you hate it, but instead finding your own healthy balance with diet and exercise.  Andie also shares some great recipes that don't strike you as bland or bizarre "diet food".  Long story short - give her a read!

Grated pepper jack cheese.

A few things to note about the changes I made and/or would make next time.  Andie's recipe is vegetarian, but I threw in a couple cans of chicken because I never have enough protein in my diet.  You can cook up some actual chicken, but I'm scared of salmonella.  Her recipe warned about using the cayenne pepper based on desired spiciness, but R.F. that I am I put in 2 tsp. and it was SPICY!  So if you're a wuss like me then hold back on the cayenne pepper.  Also, I used a yellow onion because I hate red onions.  Aaaand I think that's it for modifications!  Enjoy!

Spicy Garlic and Lime Black Bean Enchiladas

{recipe via}

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, more or less depending on spice preference
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 cans chicken, drained and shredded
• 10 small flour tortillas
• 1 15 oz can red enchilada sauce
• 1 cup freshly grated pepper jack cheese

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until melted, add onion and pepper and saute for 4 minutes, until beginning to soften.
2. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes, lime, sugar, cumin, cayenne, and cilantro. Let simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
4. Stir in black beans, rice and shredded chicken. Remove from heat.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread half of the enchilada sauce across the bottom of a 13×9” greased baking dish.
6. On a clean work surface, lay your tortillas in a single layer. Divide the vegetable and bean mixture among the tortillas, roll each into a long cylinder and place seam-side-down in the prepared baking dish. Fit each rolled enchilada snugly beside one another.
7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce across the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese. Tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and let the cheese bubble and brown for 5 additional minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool..