As many of you know, we don’t eat a lot of meat in this house, as my husband is a vegetarian. Don’t get me wrong, the kids and I do get in our chicken, turkey meatballs and fish whenever we can, but most days our protein comes from beans, eggs, cheese or peanut butter and occasionally, tofu. (chuckle, chuckle… Michael and Lucas are peanut butter addicts! They eat at least a couple servings every day.)
For dinner tonight, we’re making these delicious, Black Bean Enchiladas. They are packed with protein and fiber and oh, so delicious. I just love cheese so I fill up the inside with tons of cheese and sprinkle a ton more right on top.
Today, we are using my homemade Enchilada Sauce. It’s so easy to make with just a few simple pantry ingredients. I have to be honest, this was my first time making Enchilada Sauce. I didn’t realize it would be so easy to make, but it was so simple and only took a few minutes. Plus, it tastes so much better then the canned stuff too. I don’t think I’ll ever buy mass produced enchilada sauce again!
There are so many benefits to making your own sauce. First, you know exactly what ingredients you are putting into the sauce. There aren’t any preservatives or additives, such as monsodium glutamate, soy protein or corn gluten. Second, you can make it allergen friendly, which is what I did, substituting the all-purpose flour with brown rice flour. However, I know we all lack time in our lives so if you don’t have the time to make your own enchilada sauce, I would buy it at your local natural foods store, as those brands aren’t likely to contain MSG.
With so many different types of beans, it is easy to enjoy meatless meals from these Black Bean Enchiladas to Minestrone Soup or Vegetarian Chili. The options are endless. As I am a firm believer in living and eating everything in balance, I feel it’s important to balance our intake of foods. We are so fortunate to live in a country where there are so many available food options for us. So, we should use that freedom and allow ourselves to keep an open mind to different foods.
I welcome you to replace a couple of your meat or fish meals, with a vegetarian option. Go ahead and make a couple days of your week, meatless meal days. Your body will thank you.
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