Lean Times and (not) Enchiladas

Well, January has rolled around again and after the holidays, we're all feeling a little pinched. In the waistband and in the pocketbook. Am I right?

I literally revert to the most basic of meal ingredients during these times: rice and beans. I make a big batch on Monday and make it stretch as long as I can (though there's lots of "belly-aching" by the end. Ha! Another double entendre!).

The trouble comes along with how to make these simple ingredients have some variety.

I had a hankering for enchiladas the other night, but not the ingredients to make the real thing. It was a rice & beans week, after all. But I thought I'd experiment a bit, and it turned out quite well. My husband even commented after his first taste (He generally thinks my cooking is good and therefore only comments when I pry, or if it stands out).

So here you are, from my kitchen to yours:

Not Enchiladas

This made enough for my husband and I to have dinner and a "Left-Over's Lunch" 

(always my goal).

I started with pre-cooked rice and black beans. 

(I made a Crock Pot of beans on Monday and make the rice as I need it.)

The most important ingredient in any cooking experiment!

 I started by dicing half an onion, mincing 4 garlic cloves, and shredding a carrot.

Then I threw it all in a hot skillet with some olive oil until 

everything was soft and the onions were transparent.

I also added a dash of cayenne pepper and a cap-full each of cumin and chili powder.

 I mixed the cooked veggies with rice and black beans. 

 Then I wiped my pan clean and added a touch of oil.

I like to soften my corn tortillas by cooking them it a bit of oil.

This helps them to be more pliable as I form the enchiladas.

 Doesn't that look ready to eat now! 

(It's even better when you know its easy on the wallet and the skinny jeans)

But we're not done yet:

 Fill your baking dish...

Top with cheese...

And bake at 350 for 15ish minutes

(until the cheese is melted and bubbly).

While eating these, we decided they would be especially ooey-gooey good 

with cheese on the inside as well as on the outside. 

But since this is a post about being "lean," I didn't go there. 

Maybe in February when we've forgotten all about those pesky skinny jeans again.

 With hot sauce!