Verde Vegan Enchiladas

What To Do With Tomatillos From The Garden

There are a few things we like to make with our home grown tomatillos. Number one favorite is verde posole second is these verde vegan enchiladas. There is nothing better than home grown and homemade enchilada sauce. I’m sorry the stuff in the jar just doesn’t do it for me. But lets be real, it never does. I am the type that would grow and home make everything if I had the time freedom. So when I have tomatillos growing like weeds it makes life easier and tastier.

The funny thing about the tomatillos growing like weeds is that I tried to grow them from seed and they didn’t take. Which is a good thing because other wise I would of had more tomatillos than anything else. I always find it funny how nature works it self out, it is no coincidence. When you become a gardener you begin to see the nuanced patterns that the garden teaches you about life. Having your hands in the soil is one of the greatest places to learn about all things great and small.

Seasonal Plant-Packed Enchiladas

Vegan enchiladas are packed full of grounding summer vegetables that are full of seasonally balancing nutrition that our body is craving during the summer. During late summer it is good to incorporate sweet foods that are yellow and orange wherever you can. Adding fresh summer corn, sweet potato, and yellow squash is always a great addition to vegan enchiladas during the earth season. This is the color that nourishes the imbalances within the gut, the earth season is all about proper nourishment and digestion. This way of thinking is out of the 5 element taoist system that is referenced in Traditional Chinese medicine.

If it is late summer right now I would add some local organic corn to the vegan enchilada mix. Sweet corn is a native grain that nourishes the heart and stomach. Helping to regulate digestion and tonifies the kidneys and reproductive systems. Corn has energetics that are slightly cooling and diuretic. I have been adding corn to almost every meal this time of year.

Late summer beans for protein are a staple for vegan enchiladas. Dragon beans, green beans, black beans, succotash beans. There are so many beans that can be grown easily. Sustaining us though the seasons. Add in some other vegetables that are growing lie zucchini, bell pepper, potatoes and you have a solid base for vegan enchiladas.

Health Benefits of Tomatillos

The energetics of tomatillos are slightly cooling and moistening. The high pectin content helps alleviate diarrhea and constipation. They are high in dietary fiber, minerals, antioxidants, and flavonoids that are essential for skin and eye health. Tomatillos are sour and sweet in nature. Their specific energetics and flavor tell us that they are a great remedy for clearing heat especially in the liver. They also help treat thirst, red eyes, dizziness, diminished appetite, constipation and indigestion. It is also important to keep in mind that too many tomatillos can be to cooling for most especially for those with cold/weak constitutions. But eating them seasonally in vegan enchiladas won’t hurt especially if you add some chilies to the sauce.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine this makes tomatillos a ideal choice for the spring time and the wood element. So I like to freeze these tomatillos straight up or make extra sauce so I can nourish the liver with another batch of verde vegan enchiladas in the spring.

To learn more about foods that help you stay balanced this time of year check out the Earth element eating guide. Also try drinking a digestive herbal tea like this one made specific for staying healthy this time of year.

How To Make Verde Vegan Enchiladas

Lets go over the steps to make these enchiladas. I would suggest making these when you have a little extra time and have the extra energy. They are a tad time consuming to make. But if you make a big batch you can eat them for a few days or even freeze for later.

1. First make the enchilada sauce in a large blender or food processor. If you are feeling extra ambitious you can even fire roast the tomatillos for extra flavor. But don’t worry its not completely necessary.
2. Sauce the vegetables and cooked beans in a large pan until they are tender. I like to have my dry beans cooked the day before or earlier that day but you can also use canned beans to make it easier.
3. For the tortillas you can also make these yourself because lets be real all the package ones are crap. Just buy the masa harina flour and follow the instructions. Or if you have a local tortilla company that makes decent tortillas use those to bump up the flavor and nutrition benefits.
4. Another suggestion is to top with bitch’in sauce or you can even create your own spicy cashew crema. Don’t forget to top with fresh micro greens and/or cilantro.

Verde Vegan Enchiladas

Verde enchiladas sauce with tomatillos and green chilies. Loaded with summer corn, potatoes, zucchini, and black beans.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

Verde Vegan Enchiladas Sauce Recipe

• 4 cups of tomatillos
• 1 1/2 cups of roasted green chilis
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 lime juiced
• 3 tbs of pumpkin seeds
• *add water if the consistency is too thick.

Vegan Enchiladas Filling Recipe

• 3 yellow potatoes
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 ears of corn
• 1 cup of black beans
• 2 tsps of cumin
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 1 tsp of coriander
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• 1/2 tsp of salt

Instructions

 

• Blend all of the enchilada sauce ingredients in a blender.
• Add some to the bottom of the pan.
• Prepare the vegan enchilada filling in a skillet.
• Then add the filling to some small- medium tortillas.
• Lay in the baking sheet. Cover with sauce and vegan cheese.
• Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Top with micro greens and pepitas then enjoy!

Keyword enchiladas

Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. North Atlantic Books, 2009.