chipotle sweet potato & black bean enchiladas
+ before/after pics from a new project on the farm
As a farmer, I am ruthlessly practical. If a plant isn’t edible, I’m stubbornly resistant to growing it. My (admittedly, very flawed) reasoning goes something like this: I’ve got limited growing space, so if I can’t eat it (and/or put in my CSA boxes), what’s the point?
This (again, very flawed) mentality has meant that in seasons past, our farm has been abundant in every kind of vegetable and herb and plenty of fruit, but not nearly enough flowers. (With the exception of *edible* flowers, which I adore and have always found an excuse to grow everywhere and use as a garnish atop every dish).
But this glaring lack of non-edible flowers and perennials around our farm has been entirely short-sighted, as we all know that flowers and native perennials are essential for supporting pollinators and sustaining healthy, diverse eco-systems. Yeah, yeah, I KNOW.
I’m telling you all of this because this season, I’m finally making a real effort to plant a whole mess of flowers and perennials around our farm (even if I’m still annoyed that I can’t eat most of it). All winter, the crew here has been busy sprucing up what we call the “perennial garden” – a gathering space that will host a rainbow cacophony of perennials and flowers, and will (hopefully) be home to a vibrant ecosystem of insects, pollinators, birds, you know, all the good stuff. This garden is like the weird middle child with curved rows and no real “plan” (unlike the rest of the farm), so it’s a space where my type-A self has to LET GO and see the beauty in the chaos.
This week we finished up all the weeding, mulching, and pathway re-working in this new and improved perennial garden… see below for some before/after photos of the ever-evolving space. (Two years ago, this area was an ugly pasture for chickens, so it’s pretty wild to see how – with a lot of elbow grease and sore muscles – it has transformed from a patch of grass into a space that’s buzzing with new purpose and potential).
This little perennial garden is only just getting started, and I’ll be sharing the evolution all season long, so stay tuned. :)
Need some culinary inspiration for the weekend? Here’s my weekly round up of seasonal recipes from around Substack (and from my ever-growing recipe index) to help you eat like a farmer:
Sesame Ginger Noodle Salad with Flank Steak – from yours truly /
Fennel & Cheese Quiche – from
/Warm Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad from
/
Also! It’s the first Friday of the month, which means I’m sharing some favorite things that I’m digging right now…
READING – Every week I learn about new (to me) writers here on Substack, and it’s a wonderful rabbit hole to tumble down. But there’s one writer here that I’ve been a massive fan of for a long time, and that’s
. Every time I see one of her newsletters ( ) pop into my inbox, I sit my butt down and read the whole thing, start to finish, dishes and laundry and whining children be gone. I’ve been following her work since the Orangette blogging days, and inhaled all her books (A Homemade Life, Delancy, and The Fixed Stars). Molly’s writing is deeply honest and funny and quietly profound, and I just think she’s the coolest. (Also, can we talk about the writer’s retreat she’s leading this summer on an old dairy farm on an island in Lake Superior? SIGN ME UP).WATCHING – Honestly? The thing bringing me the most joy at this moment is watching (and re-watching) clips of Taylor and Travis being so adorably in love after the Chiefs won on Sunday. What can I say? I love love. (AND I love Taylor, AND I’m a Missouri girl, so by default I’ve got a lot of love for the Chiefs).
LISTENING – I feel like the majority of my day (and night) is spent feeding / getting a 3-month old baby to sleep, so I’m almost always listening to a podcast to stay awake. Here are some recent favorite podcast episodes: Zoozve from Radio Lab, Jon Batiste on Armchair Expert, Victor and Maite via Heavyweight, and this interview with Sohla El-Waylly from
new podcast, So Into That.
Okay, your turn. What are you especially digging right now? Share away in the comments.
The inspiration for this week’s recipe is pretty simple: I was craving enchiladas.
I mean… what’s better on a dreary winter day than warm tortillas packed with a delishhh filling, smothered in a rich and smoky sauce, and topped with cheese, cheese, and more cheese?! Yep. Enchiladas are just the thing.
Specifically, these Chipotle Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas.
Don’t be scared off by the longer-looking list of ingredients in this recipe. I’ll bet you already have most things in your pantry, and the homemade enchilada sauce comes together in about 10 minutes, which you whip up while the sweet potatoes are roasting in the oven. (That said, if making a homemade enchilada sauce isn’t in the cards, don’t do it! Ain’t no shame in the store-bought stuff. I haven’t tried it personally, but I’ve heard good things about Whole Food’s brand of Red Enchilada sauce). ALSO, for anyone attending a Super Bowl party next weekend and you need a dish to bring.. these bbs will be a HIT.
A few quick recipe notes:
Let’s talk tortillas. Traditionally, enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, though (sorry if this offends anyone) I personally prefer flour tortillas. You do you! Though if you use corn tortillas, you’ll want to prep them before adding the filling so they don’t rip: either wrap them in a damp towel and heat in the microwave for about 60 seconds, or lightly fry them in oil. And a note on the SIZE of your tortillas – I usually get 10” flour tortillas, and this recipe is perfectly portioned to make eight 10” enchiladas (using 1/2 cup of filling per 10” tortilla). Alternatively, this recipe will make 10 enchiladas from 8” tortillas (using 1/3 cup of filling per 8” tortilla).
Let’s talk spice. This homemade enchilada sauce has a nice kick of smoky chipotle spice that I love. The recipe calls for just 1 teaspoon of chipotle pepper, which might not sound like a lot, but I promise it packs some heat! That said, adjust as needed if you want more or less spice (ie - if you’re cooking for kids or spice-averse folks, then just use 1/2 teaspoon chipotle).
No sweet potatoes? If you want to keep these enchiladas vegetarian but don’t like sweet potatoes, the next closest thing would be butternut squash.
Keep scrolling for the full recipe (and a handy PDF for easy printing).
PS – It’s the first Friday of the month, which means EVERYONE gets access to my weekly recipe. If you enjoy this recipe and want to receive a new hyper-seasonal dish every week, consider becoming a paid subscriber! Paid subscribers also get access to my (ever-growing) full recipe archive, handy gardening guides, and you’ll be able to join our private community chats.
Chipotle Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas
INGREDIENTS
For the Enchiladas
2lbs sweet potatoes (2-3 potatoes), cut into small ¼” dice (about 4 cups diced)
1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup diced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 can (14-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 ten-inch flour tortillas *see note below about tortillas
Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, avocado, pepitas, queso fresco
For the Enchilada Sauce (OR feel free to use store-bought sauce – you’ll need about 3 cups)
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (use more or less based on your spice tolerance)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups broth/stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef are all fine)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F.
Roast the sweet potatoes:
Add 4 cups diced sweet potatoes and one cup diced red onion to a large rimmed baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt directly to the baking sheet and use your hands to toss to combine.
Roast the sweet potatoes and onions in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are very tender. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
While the sweet potatoes roast, make the enchilada sauce:
Measure out the dry ingredients into a small bowl – 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt.
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until it’s hot and shimmering, then stir in the flour + spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook the mixture until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute.
Whisk 3 tablespoons tomato paste into the saucepan, then pour in 3 cups broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring often, for about 8 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit. Remove from the heat, then stir in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. TASTE (!) and adjust seasoning if needed.
Finish the sweet potato and black bean filling:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed), ½ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and the roasted sweet potatoes and red onion. Add ⅓ cup of the enchilada sauce to the bowl and stir to combine. TASTE (!) and adjust seasoning as needed… I usually add another ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
Assemble and bake the enchiladas:
Spray a 9x13 pyrex baking dish with cooking spray, or rub the dish with a tablespoon or two of oil. (Don’t skip this step, or else your enchiladas may stick to the bottom of your dish).
Smear ½ cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of your 9x13 pyrex baking dish.
Assemble the enchiladas by scooping some of the sweet potato/black bean enchilada filling on the lower third of a tortilla – use ½ cup of filling per 10” tortilla, OR use ⅓ cup of filling if using 8” tortillas. Roll up the tortilla and then place it in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.
Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the enchiladas are warmed through. Serve hot and enjoy with desired toppings – fresh cilantro, avocado, pepitas, queso fresco, etc!
That’s all for this week! If you enjoyed, it would mean the world if you tapped that “heart” button below, share this with a friend, subscribe, or leave a comment. Thank you so much, I’m thrilled you’re here. :)