Black bean and veggie enchiladas

From this week: bell pepper, corn, cheese, tortillas

From weeks past: spinach, tomato paste, black beans

Staples: oil, onion, tomato sauce, spices, salt

I got a stomach bug for Christmas, and it ruined my New Year's. Not because I'm a wild party animal and I had to stay in for the night, or because I'm a night owl and I didn't get to ring in the New Year and then some, but because I'm a glutton and I couldn't stuff my face.

Being sick is about the only thing that keeps me from eating to excess. On New Year's Eve, Alex actually expressed sorrow at my uncharacteristic inability to consume my share of our menu - frozen appetizers, ice cream sundaes, and candy. You and me both, man.

As I recovered from my illness, all I wanted was junk food. I'm not sure why (and I'm certain there's a sophisticated medical explanation), but when I don't really feel hungry - whether it's because I've just been sick and have to force myself to eat (rare) or because I'm stuffed and want to force myself to eat (less rare) - I can't imagine eating anything healthy. Fruits and vegetables? No. French fries and milkshakes and Cheesecake Factory strawberry lemonade? Yes, please.

Now that I'm better, I'm easing whole foods back into my diet. I don't want to shock my system, you know. I'm starting by coating my vegetables in cheese.

My stomach is never too queasy for cheese (lactose-intolerant, I'm not). Sharp cheese is like my chicken soup; spicy cheese, my Pepto-Bismol. So I combined the two in this. But you could use any cheese. And any combination of vegetables. I chose these because I had some and the others were easy and I'll use them in other recipes. Whatever you have lying around would be delicious, even starchy vegetables like potatoes (pre-cooked).

Making these is also a pretty fun Sunday-night activity: mixing up all the components and setting up an assembly line...

...rolling up the little enchiladas.

Exciting! Who says I'm not a wild party animal?

Black bean and veggie enchiladas

Serves 3

Enchilada sauce:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

8oz can tomato sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until very lightly browned. Add cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and sauce. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt. Set aside.

Enchiladas:

1 recipe enchilada sauce (above)

6 small corn tortillas

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

3 oz fresh spinach leaves, torn, tough stems discarded

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pickled jalapeno, minced (about 1 tbsp)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno, and cumin, and cook, stirring, until garlic is very lightly browned. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Take off heat, add corn and stir until corn is defrosted. Pour mixture into a medium sized bowl. Stir 1/2 cup of each of the cheese into the mixture. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400. Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Wrap stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds, until just soft. Make sure you have all of the ingredients set out near the baking dish. Remove one tortilla from the pile at a time, fill with veggie mixture, roll up, and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Continue until all of the rolled tortillas are in the baking dish (you'll probably have to put one perpendicular to the others). Spread enchilada sauce over the rolls in an even layer. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.