Bean and Quinoa Enchiladas

There are a number of things I could have titled this post. The most appropriate one being "The week my computer decided it was just as tired as I am and quit working." Or perhaps "That time I walked out of the mall crying, with my mascara running all over my face while I had a wedding meltdown."

Both would be true, but neither very fun to talk about. Thank goodness I had a batch of these in the freezer to save me from having to make dinner last night because I just didn't have it in me.

The requests and e-mails just keep rolling in asking for more easy dinner ideas that can be prepared quickly or made ahead of time and frozen. To those of you wanting more dinner recipes, I have great news because these enchiladas fit the bill. 

I'll be the first to admit that I've been known to stock a freezer that contains its fair share of Trader Joe's frozen bean and cheese burritos. They're easy to pop in the microwave and relatively healthy, plus Joey ate one for dinner the other night and didn't even miss the meat. Major win-win.

My one complaint, however, is that they aren't made with whole wheat tortillas, which is typically a deal-breaker for me. That and the fact that they are more expensive to buy than make at home.

So when I sat out to make some of my own, I knew I wanted them to be healthier and heartier. Mission accomplished. Inside the whole wheat tortillas is a combination of fat-free refried beans, shredded cheese and, here's my favorite addition, cooked quinoa in place of rice. Not that I have anything against rice, it's just that I had quinoa on hand and it's absolutely packed with high-quality protein not normally found in other foods.

Plus, when wrapped up with beans and cheese, picky eaters will never notice it's not rice. That goes for future husbands, too. :)

Bean and Quinoa Enchiladas
Ingredients
*1 cup uncooked quinoa 
*4 whole wheat tortillas
*3/4 to 1 cup fat-free refried beans (vegetarian if you follow a veg diet) 
*1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
*1/4 to 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
*Additional shredded cheese

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. 
*Bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa to the saucepan. Reduce heat to low (simmer) and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and quinoa is light and fluffy. Remove from heat and toss lightly with butter.
*In the center of each tortilla, spread some of the refried beans and Mexican cheese blend. Spoon some of the quinoa into the center, atop the cheese (you will have leftover quinoa).
*Fold in the shorter ends of each tortilla first, then roll lengthwise to form tortilla 'pockets'. Place in a large baking dish. Top with the enchilada sauce and some additional shredded cheese.
*Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mixture on top is bubbly and cheese is melted.
*Make Ahead Tip: You can make these ahead of time. Just fill the tortillas as directed and place each tortilla in a zip-top bag. When you are ready to eat, top with the enchilada sauce and cheese and bake at 375°F until heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Happy Cooking!

Madison