SWEET POTATO & BEAN ENCHILADAS

So this week I was inspired by these very colourful beetroot and spinach wraps from Marks and Spencer.
I just love colourful food and try to eat the rainbow every day, and no I don't mean a bag of multicoloured skittles or smarties! I mean naturally brightly coloured food, which translates to lots of  my favourite food, vegetables!
Orange sweet potatoes, yellow sweetcorn, purple kidney beans, red onions, green spinach and coriander, red tomatoes and red pepper. 
Add a delicious avocado dressing and you have all the colours of the rainbow!
These wraps are just fantastic and so vibrant. I have to say the beetroot ones are my favourite, they are soft and slightly earthy and sweet which is just delicious! The spinach ones tasted a bit too vegetably  so I wasn't quite so keen on them!
White tortilla wraps are perfect for this recipe too, I just fancied making something eye catching to post on my Instagram account! 

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 So the filling for these delicious enchiladas are simply mashed sweet potato and spicy mexican flavoured beans, a perfect combination! 

​A tomato based sauce and a creamy avocado and coriander sauce finish these off rather nicely, although they would still be delicious with just the bean filling, if you don't have time to make the sauces! 

So although there are a few different elements to this recipe, none of them are difficult and they can be prepared in advance, making these perfect for a weekend crowd pleasing dinner, which is also extremely healthy!! 

So first of all you need to cook some sweet potato, then mash it! Then you need to prepare the beans, easy just open a tin and stir fry a few veggies with some seasoning. Next you need to make the tomato sauce, see recipe,  or you can use salsa, mild, spicy, shop bought or home made! It's always good to have options! 
We are a divided family when it comes to spicy food, so just adjust the amount of chilli powder accordingly!

I prefer to keep the mashed sweet potato as a separate layer but you can easily just mix the beans and mashed sweet potato together, which will incorporate all the lovely flavours!

So here are the ingredients you will need to make these awesome enchiladas!

Ingredients - makes 6 large enchiladas
 
 For the Filling

• 1 tablespoon rapeseed or olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, finely diced or minced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup frozen sweetcorn
• 3 cups of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 large handfuls spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 can black beans, kidney beans or mixed beans, drained
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chilli powder 
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• fresh coriander leaves
• sea salt to taste
• 6 large tortillas

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius (350F). Lightly grease a rectangular baking dish.
2. Steam or boil the sweet potatoes, until soft, around 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size you cut them. Drain and put aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook for around 5 minutes. Add the spices and a good seasoning of sea salt.
4. Add the diced pepper, tomato puree, beans, frozen sweetcorn, cooked sweet potato and spinach. Cook for a few minutes more, until the spinach is wilted. Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix in.
5. Place a good amount of filling in each tortilla. Roll them up and place them, seam side down in the baking dish.
6. Spread the tomato sauce or salsa on top of the tortillas, and if you have any leftover filling, spoon it on top as well.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, you can cover the top with foil or just leave it uncovered. Both work!
8. Serve drizzled with avocado cream sauce, a big mixed salad and some crunchy tortilla crisps!

Spicy Tomato Sauce

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed or olive oil
• 2 or 3 pitted dates or 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp to 2 tsp chilli powder (depending how hot you like it!)
• ​juice of half a lime
• 4 tablespoons water

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1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil and add all spices. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about a minute. Add onions, a couple pinches of salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another couple minutes. If the pot gets dry at any point, add a little of the tomato juice from the can.
2. Pour can of tomatoes into the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste.
3. Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a blender. Add pitted dates, tahini,  lime juice and a couple tablespoons of the water. Blend on high, adding water to thin as needed, until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste.
4. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week.

Avocado Coriander Cream Sauce

• 2 ripe avocadoes
• handful of fresh coriander leaves
• 2 or 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• sea salt
• 3 or 4 tablespoons water

Method
Simply add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy. Add more water for a thinner consistency.

So although there are a few different elements to this recipe, you have options, and can buy shop bought salsa or spicy tomato sauce but do be aware of added sugar!
Just make the filling up, then you are good to go! The Avocado Sauce is optional but it is really delicious and simple to make. I really hope you give these a go, I have high hopes these will become a family favourite...!

​                                                ......your health in your hands......