Martha Stewart Vegetable Enchiladas

Life's been hectic around here lately what with the holiday season, school, and job switching. In light of all this busyness, it has been pretty rare for Mike and I to sit down to dinner together during the week, both because we're on different schedules and because I don't have the time or energy to prepare a full on meal. In an effort to subvert at least one of the reasons why we've had trouble having dinner, I decided to make some freeze-able meals, things that can be made ahead of time and pulled out for a quick defrost whenever Mike and I find ourselves together, hungry, and in the mood for a healthy meal.

Martha Stewart was my go-to on this one and I found plenty of recipes on her site that are freezer-friendly. One of the most pleasing dishes I made was her Vegetable Enchiladas. Stuffed with corn, spinach, and beans, these enchiladas are healthful and filling but not too heavy. Though the recipe calls for 3 cups of cheese, you could easily downsize it to 2 for a less calorie-intensive dish. And topped with some sliced avocado or served alongside some simple grilled chicken, this is a satisfying and versatile meal to eat any day of the week.

Martha's photo of the enchiladas (below) is much more appetizing than mine (which I opted not to post on account of their unappetizingness), mostly because I forgot to capture the baked enchiladas before divvying them up to freeze. Though these are pretty messy and they're not the prettiest of dishes, they're flavorful and simple to make and come highly recommended for busy people in need of a freezer-friendly meal solutions.

Vegetable Enchilada Recipe

Ingredients

• • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Directions

1. Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. Make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, spinach, corn, scallion whites, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square baking dishes; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute. Or stack and wrap in aluminum foil, and heat in oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Top each tortilla with a heaping 1/3 cup of filling; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes.
4. Dividing evenly, sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup cheese, and top with sauce. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; serve garnished with scallion greens.