But I Love Mexican Food !?! - Healthy Enchilada Recipe

Being in to health and wellness and living in New Mexico can be challenging at times. I was spoiled in some of the bigger cities I’ve lived in like Atlanta, and all the cities up north in Canada, by the ease of access to fresh organic produce and free-range meats, as well as restaurants that catered to gluten-free, dairy-free, and even vegetarian and vegan, when I was more committed to that.

Here in good ol’ Las Cruces you can find your hidden gems like the Mountain View Market Co-op, and the "one-off" restaurants that will at least claim “gluten" and "dairy-free” to get your business, (sometimes I feel like they’re really just saying stfu and eat my food or leave! Hahaha, which I’m definitely not a fan of, but I’ll take it if it smells good enough and I’m starving.)

The best statement I ever get in Las Cruces, however, when trying to be picky is, “Um, it’s meat.” Not the most reassuring answer when I’m trying to find out if they’re serving chicken, beef, or pork in whatever meal I’m looking at. That’s when you know your in trouble, and if your trying to be particularly conscious about your health that day, you may want to reconsider.

The Silver Lining 

On the other hand, their is one great result of being in a Las Cruces over the years as it’s slowly evolved in its health consciousness; I’ve had to become crafty. 1., because I am just as enticed by all of the lovely tasting deserts, and comfort foods available at every turn as the next man or woman, and 2., because I have 3 children who are even more enticed and aren’t as quick to enjoy my healthy “alternatives" as I am.

In the 9 years that I’ve been consciously pursuing healthier ways to feed my kids the foods they enjoy I’ve become the master of making a healthy ordeal of taco night, chili night, Friday pizza nights, spaghetti and meat balls, chocolate birthday cake, to name a few. But theirs been that one white whale that’s eluded me for ages, and it’s been the worst.

I LOVE CHILÉ 

I claim ‘other’ on most applications due to being half-black, on my dad’s side, half-Sicilian on my mom’s side, and half-Mexican due to being raised in Chaparral most of my life. One beautiful lady opened me up to the idea that I’m actually all of everything in me, no-half’s, which really spoke to me on a soul-level, but if you look at a lot of my character traits, you’d probably agree I’m mostly Mexican.

This is most evidenced in how much I crave chilé, both red and green. But, It’s not just the fact that I crave chilé, I have to have the right chilé or the craving doesn’t go away. The only way that I can really describe the chilé the way I like it is; that authentic, bitter red chilé like they’d serve at Gadsden High. If you were awesome enough to call yourself a Panther, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

The only other way I can describe it, is; chile that tastes like that smell you are all-too familiar with if you live over on the industrial side of Las Cruces where they obviously have a chilé processing plant. Every time I’m on that side of town I smell it, the craving kicks in, and the wild goose chase begins; “Which restaurant makes chilé that tastes like that?” I’ve driven 30 miles to Anthony at 8pm before only to find that all the restaurants close early out that way, and besides not having my hankering fulfilled, I wasn’t upset in the least about the drive, it’s worth it.

I’ve decided their isn’t a restaurant that makes chilé the way I want it, and thusly, started dabbling very unsuccessfully in the art of making it from scratch about 5 years ago. I remember making some so hot that it actually may have made me ill. I think there were some other problems with the recipe that lead me to give up on it until just a few months ago.

New Ish

I was introduced to a new, more authentic, recipe where I’d need a special cone-shaped strainer and pestle, and my mentor happened to be on a gluten-free kick as well, so their was no cooking flour at the bottom of the pan to start, and it was super simple. It took a few attempts to get in a groove, but 5 years after feeling like maybe I’d never enjoy a pan of fresh cooked authentic chicken enchiladas again (The last time I was craving them I just said "F it" around Christmas 2011, ate them with cheese and flour and everything, and a few day’s later had the worst New Year’s of my life with my first experience of an ear infection, I guess I learned my lesson and haven’t indulged since - or been sick like again either.)

Think Again

A few weeks ago I decided to treat my kids to one of their favorite meals, and see if I got the seal of approval I always wait so earnestly for when I try a new recipe on them.  My oldest daughter is the queen of salsa and everything authentically spicy, so her opinion would be the most relevant on this meal. I nearly shed a tear when her sweet, innocent, honest lips uttered these words, “…these are good dad…better than Si Señor!” :'-)  WHAT!!!

Personally, I prefer their green chilé to the red, but as far as red chilé is concerned in her world it’s; 1. Si Señor, 2. Grama’s, 3., anyone else’s but mine. I'd have to say "I arrived!"

Another phrase that’s unique to the area and that's always concerned me as a wellness coach has been when talking about nutrition and my listener says; “Ya, but I love Mexican food, and I’m never gonna give that up.” It was hard to rebut when I had found healthy alternatives to everything except for the quintessential New Mexican family gathering food, (besides brisket, and maybe tamales???). But now to all of you Mexican food lovers… CHEW ON THIS!!!

I Have Arrived, So Has My Recipe – Gluten/Dairy-Free Enchiladas To Cry For

1 Bag of  Dried Hatch Red Chile

3 Cloves of Garlic

3 Sprigs of Garden Fresh Oregano

Sea Salt to Taste

Corn Tortillas

2 to 4 Free-Range Chicken Breast Halves

1 Onion Diced

1 Tomoto Diced

¼ Organic Red Leaf  Lettuce Thinly Sliced

Nutritional Yeast

1 Pot of Cooked Beans

Brown Rice (I’m still working on my Spanish rice recipe too)

Directions:

Boil the red chilé until soft. (Also boil the chicken breast in a separate pot with ½ an onion, and salt to taste) Take the pods out of the water and place in your blender or vitamix after removing the stems. Save the water. Add garlic and oregano and blend adding water slowly, careful to not make it too runny. Mix in sea salt to taste.

I never could find the cone-strainer deal, so I pour the chilé through a regular strainer over a glass bowl with a little cup conveniently propping up the strainer as I work the juice through the strainer reserving the shell and seeds. The conservationist held onto the first batch of seeds thinking I could dehydrate it and turn it into the red pepper flakes you get at peter piper pizza, but that didn’t last long before I through them away. But that’s it, the chilé is ready.

Next I shred or dice the chicken, also reserving the water it was boiled in.  I used the chicken stock to soften my tortillas rather than dipping them in oil the old-fashioned less healthy way. I place a layer of tortillas on the bottom of the baking pan. Then I put a layer of chicken. Smother with red chilé sauce. Sprinkle on some onion, and some nutritional yeast. Repeat for 3 or 4 layers.  On the top I prefer just a little onion and chilé, but add some chicken if you like.

Place in the oven and bake it together for 10 to 20 minutes or be impatient like me and Broil it for a few seconds so you can get the kids out the door. Enjoy!!!