Lifestyle Change

Enchiladas, Plus More WFPB Resources

Nutrition Bites | Week 25

Welcome back to Nutrition Bites, Week 25! This week I will be sharing one of my favorite dinner and meal prep recipes, Enchiladas! These whole food, plant-based enchiladas are packed with veggies are great to make a few extra pans and keep in the freezer. Let’s dig in!

Enchiladas 

Ingredients:

• 10 sprouted whole grain tortillas
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• ½ an onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 can green or red enchilada sauce
• 1 avocado
• ½ cup green onions, chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400℉.
• Heat a pan with olive oil and sauté the onion and bell peppers until soft. Add the garlic and the mushrooms. Stir until all are soft and translucent.
• Add the beans and ¼ cup of enchilada sauce. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
• Fill a tortilla with 3-4 tablespoons vegetable filling. Roll the tortilla and put in the dish.
• Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
• Cover with enchilada sauce and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Take out the oven and sprinkle with green onions and avocado.
• Serve with a side salad.

Plant-Based Products 

Let’s talk briefly about some of the plant-based products that are out there, including plant-based meats, cheeses, and sauces. Ideally, these products shouldn’t be a stable in your diet. Rather, they should serve the role to help you make the transition from an animal-based diet to a plant-based diet. These products are often highly processed and can still contain high levels of sodium and saturated fat. Once you have made the transition to a more plant-based diet, I want to challenge you to make a second transition to a more whole food, plant-based diet, decreasing or eliminated these products and focusing on “foods as grown.”

I bring this up as part of this session because there are lots of recipes out there for plant-based enchiladas using a variety of highly processed products such as meat and cheese alternatives. But I want to submit the idea to you that meals like this can be just as delicious with whole plant foods. This recipe is proof.

The Plant Slant 

One idea that I want to introduce you to is the concept of the “Plant Slant.” This phrase is talked about in Dan Buettner’s “Blue Zone Solutions,” a book that discusses habits that are practiced in areas of the world that have been identified as having a high number of individuals living over the age of 100. One of the practices that is common in all of these communities is what is known as the “Plant Slant.” Essentially, 95% of daily calories in these communities is coming from plants or plant products. Individuals in these Blue Zones that do eat meat do so very sparingly, and more as a celebratory food than a staple in their diet. Definitely a concept worth practicing! Ready to get started? Check out the Plant Slant Pinterest page for tons of recipe ideas!

Whole Food Plant-Based Resources  

As a dietitian, I am always on the lookout for whole food, plant-based resources to share with my patients. Because of this, I keep a running list of books, websites, podcasts, apps, etc. I want to share that list with you today! Click here for my current list of some of the best resources out there.

Weekly Challenge 

This week, I want to challenge you to take the “Plant Slant” Challenge! Aim to get 95% of your daily calories from plants or plant products.

By Kelsie White Kelsie is passionate about helping others adopt healthy lifestyle practices through sharing nutrition education and setting goals. She believes that optimal nutrition is essential for health and well-being and may look different for each individual. This is why she values getting to know each of her patients and what motivates them. Kelsie grew up in Washington state and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Promotion at Walla Walla University prior moving to Southern California. She most recently attended Loma Linda University, completing a Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics. Kelsie enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, and activities such as hiking, playing volleyball, cooking, baking, and reading