Butternut Squash Enchiladas

I definitely have one of those obsessive personalities. Well, maybe I could call it passionate. Either way, when I do something, it tends to consume me. This can be good or bad. When it comes to many things in life, it can be beneficial. When it comes to food, it can be helpful or even harmful.

I've decided to give myself a break. There are plenty of people out there who are perfectly healthy and who do not obsess over every macro-nutrient, every calorie burned, and every bite that enters their body. I've decided to see if that works for me. I haven't logged in to My Fitness Pal for a couple of weeks now, I haven't been calculating the nutrition in the recipes I make, and I haven't stepped on the scale every single morning. My focus has been simple: drink water, eat clean, and exercise regularly - even if it's just 20 minutes of yoga in the morning.

Well, an asteroid has not come crashing down on my head. I have not gained a dress size. In fact, I - gasp - feel better!

So here's what I made for dinner last night: enchiladas. Enchiladas are not health food. Unless, of course, I make them. :) Now, this recipe is fairly labor intensive, and will take about 90 minutes start to finish. Well, probably less, because I had to stop to make a few more tortillas, and I wasn't really in any kind of rush. So probably closer to an hour. There's some recipes within recipes here, so pay close attention. As with all of my recipes, if you want to substitute something premade (like tortillas or sauce) instead of going from scratch, feel free. But I'm telling you, these were bomb. I wish I'd made more.

For the tortillas (this will make 8-9):
8 whole eggs
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp coconut flour
Pinch of salt

Whisk eggs into a large mixing bowl. Melt coconut oil and whisk into the eggs. Combine dry ingredients and whisk together until no lumps remain, then whisk wet and dry ingredients together.

Preheat a small frying pan over medium heat (I used an omelet pan). Spray lightly with cooking spray. Pour a small amount of batter in pan, about 1-2 T, just enough to lightly coat the bottom, turning pan to spread batter around. Cook a minute or two, until edges start to turn up and bottom starts to brown. Flip, and cook another minute or two on the other side. Remove from pan and continue with remaining batter.

For the chicken:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depends on size)
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
Sea salt & black pepper

Pound chicken lightly with a meat clever. Don't flatten it, we're just looking to tenderize it a little. Put in a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil and lemon juice. Let marinate for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Preheat frying pan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Spray generously with cooking spray. If chicken breasts are smaller, cut in half lengthwise. If larger, cut in thirds lengthwise. Arrange chicken pieces in pan, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cover. Cook, flipping over every 5 minutes or so, until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken from pan to mixing bowl and let cool just until you can touch it. Shred chicken with two forks.

For the sauce:
4 c. cooked butternut squash
1/2 roasted red bell pepper
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 T. chili powder
1-2 T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 T. honey
5 drops liquid smoke
1 T. nutritional yeast (optional)
Water or chicken broth (amount will vary depending on desired thickness of sauce)
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Put all ingredients except water in a blender and process on high speed until smooth. If sauce is too thick, thin it down with some water or broth.

Assemble the enchiladas:
Coat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour a small amount of sauce in the baking dish, just enough to cover the bottom.

Take a couple of tablespoons of shredded chicken and spread it in a line down the center of each tortilla. Add as much chicken as you think you can fit without ripping the shell. Pour a little sauce, about a tablespoon, in the center, then roll the tortilla end to end. Arrange in pan, folded side down. Continue until all tortillas are used.

Pour remaining sauce over top of enchiladas, using a spoon to spread it around if necessary. Make sure to get sauce down all sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.