green chile queso enchiladas
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
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We are a real enchilada loving household, but THESE…oh my, THESE are the ULTIMATE GRAND SUPREME fan favorite 💚 I’ve made an iteration of the “Easy Skillet Cheesy Green Chile Enchilada Bake” from of everyone’s favorite, Tieghan Gerard of The Half Baked Harvest. Rather than bake the whole skillet, I premade the sauce, poured it in a baking dish and placed the tortillas. There’s really no wrong way to make these, they’re just a win. And we ALL deserve some easy wins. Recipe below.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 lb free range, organic ground chicken or turkey
1 organic yellow onion, chopped
3 organic garlic cloves, chopped
2 poblano peppers, chopped
1 tsp chili powde
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
Pinch of pink Himalayan salt or sea salt + fresh cracked black pepper
2 jars (12 oz) salva verde
2 oz cream cheese, at room temp
1/2 c fresh chopped organic cilantro
1.5 c shredded Mexican cheese blend
6 tortillas (I like grain free from Siete…ideally any without xantham gum)
FOR SERVING: avocado, limes, yogurt/sour cream, organic green onion, raddishes & jalapeños
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet, then add meat, chopped onion, garlic and peppers. Breaking up the meat as it cooks, until browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add all spices (chili powder, paprika, garlic powder), 1 of cup water, 1 jar salsa verde and season with salt. Simmer 5-8 minutes.
4. Add the cream cheese to the skillet until creamy (this is where the magic happens…!) and then remove from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro.
5. Pour mixture into baking dish.
6. Sprinkle shredded cheese down the center of each tortilla and roll. Place the tortillas, seam side down, into the baking dish over the meat and cheese mixture.
7. Pour over the remaining jar of salsa verde on top of everything and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
9. Serve, drizzled and sprinkled with desired toppings and enjoy!
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
ORGANIC PASTURE RAISED CHICKEN
Similar to buying organic produce, it’s critical to seek out organic pasture raised chicken and eggs. Similar to whole organic grass-fed beef, there’s a major pay off on the nutrient and taste front, as well as on the ethics side — and if we have to realize that the ethics, such as filthy living conditions, cross right over into the quality of our food (and health!). Don’t skim on quality, if anything skim on quantity.
This brings me to my next point on the importance of quality animal protein. As I primarily plant based eater, I personally find it challenging to eat enough high quality animal protein. I can pile on the nuts, beans, tofu and seeds, but I can tell that when my energy level is down at certain moments, it’s typically pointing back to my body’s need for a little more protein. My recommendation is that as long as you’re open to it, give yourself the challenge of making a fun new meat dish once or even twice a week. It really ups the kitchen game and also gives a boost to energy, as well as mood and immunity!
CILANTRO
Also known as coriander, cilantro is very polarizing, but it’s hands down one of my absolute favorite herbs! And thankfully, it’s a true superfood. From lowering blood-sugar levels, to heavy metal cleansing, to preventing cardiovascular damage, to possessing anti-anxiety and mood lifting effects, to improving sleep quality, to acting as an antimicrobial and natural internal deodorant — cilantro is simply a super-powered detox herb! Its strong antioxidant properties should also be highlighted, rich with beta-carotene and lutein, both carotenoids known to reduce damage to cells caused by free radicals.
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
