Skinny Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredients (5 enchiladas (serves two))

250 g minced lean turkey (about 1/2 packet) or 3/4 can of kidney beans, drained

5 small whole wheat tortillas

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 tsp vegetable oil

500 ml good canned tomatoes, whole or diced (about 3/4 of a large can)

4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili flakes or hot paprika or 1 fresh chili pepper, minced

about 1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions

Chop onions and garlic, and divide each of them into two parts.

In a large non-stick pan, sautee chopped onions in 2 tsp oil until soft for about 2 min, then add garlic and fry until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the turkey and break up the mince with a wooden utensil. Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook until no pink remains, 5 to 6 min. Mix periodically. Transfer to a plate, cover and set aside.

Rinse the pan and clean with a paper towel. Add remaining oil to pan, then the rest of onion and garlic. Sautee until soft, just as for the turkey mix. Mix in the tomatoes (break them into pieces if they’re whole), chili powder, cumin and chili flakes. Bring to boil and cook for 5 to 7 min for the sauce to gain flavour. Spoon about 1/3 of the sauce into a separate dish and set aside.

Mix in the cooked turkey into the remaining tomato sauce in the pan, add chopped peppers and cook for about 3-4 min longer. Stir in chopped cilantro and turn off the heat.

Heat the oven to 400F. Switch it to “grill” (i.e. heat comes from the top) if you have one, in not, “bake” is fine.

Divide turkey mixture into 5 portions. Scoop a portion into centre of each tortilla. Roll into a cigar shape around filling and secure with a toothpick. Place enchiladas into a small baking dish (a rectangular 9 in casserole pan fits just right), top with the remaining of the tomato sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Note 1: you can divide the cheese in two portions and stuff some inside each enchilada. For a less cheesy version, just sprinkle it on top.

Bake for about 5-7 minutes until cheese has melted and tomatoes are bubbling. Enjoy immediately with more fresh cilantro or green onions sprinkles on top.

Note 2: if you’re making a vegetarian version with beans, it’s even easier and involves less dishes. Just sautee onions and garlic in their entirety, add spices and tomatoes, followed by beans and peppers. Cook until veggies are soft and the sauce gains flavour.