Vegan Lentil, Kale & Salsa Verde Enchiladas

Screw men. I'm marrying these enchiladas!

Kale is the new black and men are the new burnt orange (as if anyone actually likes that color). I have to say that I enjoy dating about as much as I enjoy gorgonzola cheese on my frisée salad. Like I'm not gonna be a betch and send it back, but I'm not gonna instagram it either.
Dating is the hot crop top that's supposed to make you look skinny but kind of makes you look like a wide load.
Dating is the whole wheat chocolate chip muffin that's actually a sneaky sugar bomb cupcake made with an eighth a cup of whole grain flour.
Dating is your grandma's vintage turquoise wool sweater that's supposed to be totally rad but actually feels like you have chicken pox.
Dating is like interviewing for a job that you don't even know if you really want. Am I exaggerating here? Maybe I just need a system that sorts through the crap and leaves all the tall, dark and handsome bachelors on speed dial.

Is there an app for that?
I don't think I'll ever go on a dating website. Tinder offered enough shallow dating technology to last me a lifetime. I'm gonna be that old lady married to my whisk. I don't even think it sounds all that bad. I'm just not a hundred percent confident that I could love a man as much as I love hummus with hot sauce. Or dark chocolate. I mean that would have to be one helluva smart, funny, sexy, ambitious, trustworthy, caring, honest, food-loving hunk. It's not like I have high standards or anything.

Let's chat about these beauties for a hot minute. They were inspired by my all-time fave pinto bean and swiss chard enchiladas, which I so fervently adore because I literally don't get sick of them. Is that not a rarity in the dinner world? Each zesty batch makes twelve enchiladas and I have three per sitting, leaving me with four awesome meals. I always look forward to enchilada night. I douse 'em with extra salsa and cubed avocado and go ham. The soaked cashews give them this uber creamy texture that makes you forget all about the fact that they don't have the typical cheese-laden filling. Lentils and kale may sound like bird food, but fear not--these are just PERFECT.
And we all need more excuses to scarf down kale, amiright?

I cooked my own lentils for these. That may sound like a pain, but you really just bring them to a simmer and then go watch Orange Is the New Black or swipe right on Tinder or whatever else you do with your thirty minutes of free time. If cooking legumes from scratch isn't your jam, feel free to use pre-cooked lentils like the one's from Trader Joe's. Don't worry, we won't call you out for being lazy.
Why date when you can be in a relationship with food like this?

Vegan Lentil, Kale & Salsa Verde Enchiladas

★★★★★ 4.7 from 7 reviews

• Author: Alexis
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4
• Category: Entree

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Description

Loaded with filling fiber from hearty lentils and kale, these creamy vegan enchiladas are sure to please!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
• ¾ cup dry lentils + 1 ¾ cups water (or 2 cups cooked lentils)
• ½ cup salsa verde (plus more for serving)
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• ½ jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• 3 leaves of kale, de-stemmed and torn into pieces
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1-8oz package of green enchilada sauce (I used Frontera)
• Cubed avocado, for serving

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Instructions

1. Place cashews in a bowl. Cover them with water and allow to sit for at least two hours or overnight. If you're in a hurry, pour boiling water over them and let them sit for ten minutes.
2. If using pre-cooked lentils, ignore this step. Rinse lentils with a fine-mesh sieve. Place lentils and water in medium pot. Bring lentils to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low, or until lentils are simmering. Cook, uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Drain any excess water.
3. Preheat oven to 350F. Drain cashews. Combine cashews and salsa in a large food processor and blend for about a minute, or until smooth and creamy. Add in lentils, chopped pepper, jalapeño, salt, cumin and cayenne. Process until mixture is fairly smooth. Add in the torn kale and process just until the kale is broken down.
4. Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
5. Using a 13x9 pan, pour just enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom.
6. Spoon filling into tortillas, fold them up, and place seam-side down on the pan. If the tortillas break, that's ok. Once all enchiladas are all next to each other in the pan, cover them liberally with the rest of the enchilada sauce.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with avocado and extra salsa.

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Notes

Adapted from my pinto bean and swiss chard enchiladas

The winner of the Swanson's Health Products giveaway is Deborah Neil!