Taking the Reins

Yes, I am alive.  I did not get stung by sting rays, swept to sea by an ocean current, pillaged by gangs on the bike trail, or suffer heat stroke on my run.  I made it!  Woohoo!  I have to say, the high I had when I got out of the ocean today was HUGE.  Not only did I cheat death, but I made it out of Ray Bay without a scratch on me.  Apparently, that’s quite an accomplishment these days.

Mock tri went great.  I went into excrutiating detail on my other blog, so I won’t bore anyone with the details here.  Suffice it to say, I’m primed and ready to rock it next Sunday in Santa Barbara!   I can even inflate my tires….oh, yes…..dangerous now…..

My new favorite magazine, Her Sports, had a fantastic article this month on the powers of beans.  Apparently eating beans can extend your life.  So I jumped on the bandwagon immediately and made some black bean enchiladas.  They smell great, but I haven’t had any yet……  Anyway, here’s the recipe:

Bean & Vegetable Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
2. 1 large onion, chopped
3. 2 cloved garlic, minced
4. 1 teaspoon canola oil
5. 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
6. 14-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
7. 16-ounce package of frozen corn, thawed
8. 28-ounce can of pureed or crushed tomatoes
9. 1 tablespoon chili powder
10. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
11. Hot Sauce to taste
12. Salt & pepper to taste
13. 12 corn tortillas
14. 1 cup grated reduced fat jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and saute bell pepper, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes.  Add beans, corn, tomatoes, and seasonings, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Assemble casserole in 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Cover bottom with one-third of the bean mixture.  Layer 6 tortillas on top of the beans.  Repeat once more, ending with bean mixture on top.  Sprinkle cheese over top layer and bake until hot and bubbly, about 30-40 minutes.  Makes 8 servings, for 320 calories/serving, 7 grams fat, and 11 grams of dietary fiber.  I calculated the points off of the ingredients I used, and I have each serving around 5 pts. each.  Anyway, it’s pretty good!