Enchilada Pulp Casserole

  I have always loved enchiladas, and it used to be the only thing I would order in a Mexican restaurant — that is, until I started making them myself and liked them much better homemade. When I started cooking with juice pulp, I knew I would have to try enchiladas, but when it came down to actually making them, I felt a bit lazy and decided to make an enchilada casserole instead. The result: a simple, flavorful, nutritious meal!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil (I used half olive oil, half coconut oil) 
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic 
• 1-2 cups juice pulp (I used this one)
• Mexican spices to taste (cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, chili powder)
• Enchilada Sauce (supermarkets in California sell El Pato in a can, which is a favorite of mine, but I just tried an enchilada sauce seasoning packet and it was just as good. Otherwise, you can try a homemade recipe.)
• Tortillas (the number will depend on the size of the tortilla and the dish. Corn or flour will work, but most restaurants use flour.)
• 1-2 cups grated cheese (preferably mexican or cheddar) 
• Extras: cooked chicken or other meat, jalepenos, red/green peppers, beans, corn, black olives

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sautee the onion and garlic until onions are translucent
3. Add the juice pulp and mexican spices. Cook until pulp is heated through.
4. Oil the casserol dish. Layer all ingredients starting with tortillas and sauce. Finish with cheese
5. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving

Notes

This casserole goes really well with beans and rice, guacamole, sour cream, and/or salad. With all the cheese and spices, it’s quite rich and I ended up adding an extra layer of tortillas to balance it out. This recipe can take a lot of pulp, so use as much as you want — the more savory, the better. What’s more, my veg-hating roommate loved this dish. We both had seconds and there were still leftovers!