Southwest cooking and healthy rarely go hand in hand.  Tortillas fried in oil, refried beans with added lard and of course lots and lots of cheese; the primary components of many Southwest dishes are typically high in fat and calories.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  In "The Healthy Southwest Table", Janet E. Taylor presents southwest recipes that are health conscious. Janet use lots of vegetables, whole grain tortillas and rice, soy based cheese and tofu to create low fat, healthful southwest recipes.  One example is "Flat Enchiladas" shown below.  Others include dips, salsas, enchiladas, tacos and a variety of chicken and fish entrées.  Each recipe provides nutritional information to help make healthy choices clear.  The recipes are also presented with lots of details that make them easy for beginner cooks to prepare.  For those just starting out on health focused cooking, Janet also provides a nice introduction to the ingredients she uses and cooking techniques that incorporate less fat.   

Flat Enchiladas

From "The Healthy Southwest Table" by Janet E. Taylor, Rio Nuevo Publishers 2007

Serves 8

These enchiladas are overstuffed, and a single one will be enough for two people. There's nothing like a warm, flavorful corn tortilla. However, they are high in starch and have a glycemic load of about 10 for each tortilla. Carbohydrates are good for you, but carbo­hydrates with high glycemic loads should be eaten in combination with foods containing soluble fiber. By combining soluble fiber (available in vegetables) with starchy foods (corn tortillas), the glucose entering the bloodstream is slowed down. Thus, less insulin is produced.

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 small zucchini
• 1 small yellow squash
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (include some green)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 corn tortillas
• 2-4 cups shredded chicken
• 4-5 cups homemade enchilada sauce, or canned Rosarita or Hatch enchilada sauce
• 4 large basil leaves, finely torn, one per enchilada
• Unbleached parchment paper

Garnish

• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/2 Hass avocado, sliced and chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup goat feta cheese

Roast the eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini, and yellow squash. After roasting, transfer to a medium-sized bowl, add the green onions, and then toss the vegetables in 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil the tortillas with 2 more teaspoons of olive oil and place in the oven on a cookie sheet. Bake until the tortillas are pliable, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, stack on a plate, and set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, toss the shredded chicken with 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Pour the remaining sauce into another bowl.

Dredge one tortilla through the remaining enchilada sauce and place on 2 large oven-safe platters or a jellyroll pan. Cover the tortilla with the mixed vegetables, then spread chicken over the vegetables and cover the chicken with more vegetables. Sprinkle with torn basil leaves.

Dredge another tortilla through the enchilada sauce and place on top of the vegetables. Follow the same procedure to make 3 more enchiladas.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce equally over the enchiladas; cover with an appropriately sized piece of parchment paper and heat in the oven until warm, 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with garnishes. Cut each in half and serve.

Calories per serving: 262
Total fat: 8g
Saturated fat: 2g
Calories from fat: 66
Protein: 17g
Carbohydrates: 37g
Dietary fiber: 9g
Sugars: 11g

About The Healthy Southwest Table

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