Fall is here!! Time for cool weather, fall foliage and warm, cozy kitchens filled with the aromas of comfort food and fresh baked goodies!! First recipe up…Black Bean, Kale and Butternut Squash Enchiladas.

So as the summer was coming to an end, a friend of mine dropped off some goodies from their garden, including the cutest butternut squash. It sat for days until I came across the perfect recipe…Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchiladas!!!!! I decided to add the Kale to the recipe I had found simply because I had seen other recipes with it so I decided to add it to this one.

I was really excited to make this for many reasons. The first being that Mexican food is one of my all time favorite cuisines and the second being that this recipe is layered like a lasagne instead of rolling it into individual enchiladas which made it an easy week night meal. I was also left with plenty of leftovers to bring for lunch which is an added bonus! I decided to use jarred Enchilada sauce (Frontera)  since I was making it during the week, but had I been making this on the weekend I totally would have made my own.

I also roasted my butternut squash in the oven first before making the mixture on the stove. I just like the extra flavor. All you need to do is drizzle the butternut squash with olive oil, season, and put in the 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Which would cut the simmering time in the recipe below since the squash would already be cooked. This was a great meatless meal. Filling and Satisfying!

Black Bean, Swiss Chard, and Butternut Squash Enchiladas 

*recipe adapted from http://littlespicejar.com/butternut-squash-black-bean-enchilada-casserole/

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 jalapeño, diced (with seeds and ribs removed, optional)
3 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
1¼ cup salsa
¼ cup chopped cilantro + plus more for serving
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
1 bunch of swiss chard, thinly sliced
¼ cup water
1 (15 oz can) black beans, drained and rinsed
1½ cups red enchilada sauce (homemade or store bought)
6 tortillas, cut into 1inch thick strips
1½ cups monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

3 chives, thinly sliced
sour cream, to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions jalapeños and cooke for 4-5 minutes until the onions become translucent, add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional 1 -2 minutes. Add the cubed butternut squash, salsa, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, coriander, water, swiss chard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let cook over medium-low heat for about 25-30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Add the black beans and stir to combine ( lessen your cooking time if you’ve already roasted the squash in the oven first).

2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a ¼ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Lay enough tortilla strips side by side to cover the surface. Place half of the filling over the tortilla layer, top with half of the remaining enchilada sauce and then half of the cheese. Repeat a second layer of tortillas, then the remaining butternut squash mixture, followed by the remaining enchilada sauce and finally layer on the remaining cheese.

3. Bake the enchilada casserole or 10 – 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Top with scallions and additional chopped cilantro. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

…a little Guacamole and brown rice on the side wouldn’t hurt either! =)

With love and sugar, Kristen x0.

PS- I have a really yummy pasta dish to share up next! Keep a look out…