If you’re craving Mexican food but want something a bit off the beaten path, check out this recipe from the food blog, Veggies Don’t Bite. Gluten-free, oil-free and vegan, your kids will be wowed by the “noodles” (hint: they’re actually thinly sliced zucchinis. Check out the recipe below and then tell us what you think!

Ingredients:
2- 15 oz cans black beans
½ cup walnuts
1- 4 oz can green chiles
2-4 tablespoons water, just enough to get the beans blended
Himalayan pink salt to taste
2 cups spinach
2 medium sized zucchinis
12 corn tortillas
2 cups Easy Red Enchilada Sauce
3 green onions

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Rinse Beans and put them with the walnuts, green chiles, water and salt into a blender and puree. Place in large bowl.

3. Wash spinach and zucchini. Using a spiralizer, make zucchini noodles out of the zucchini. I use the flat thin blade versus the spaghetti like blade. Make sure you stop and break the string of noodles as you go or cut them down a bit after so you don’t have one long zucchini noodle. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can also cut the zucchini into flat thin noodle like slices. Add both the spinach and zucchini noodles to the large bowl. Slice green onions and set aside.

4. Slice the tortillas into ½ inch strips. Add to the bowl.

5. Add the enchilada sauce to the bowl and mix everything until combined well.

6. Add mixture to a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with sliced green onions. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling.

7. Serve with Garlicky Lemon Crema, Guacamole and Mexican Cabbage Slaw.

Notes from the cook:
You can omit the walnuts to make this nut free. They are there for a little more depth and creaminess to the dish. You can also substitute it with cooked cauliflower or potatoes for added creaminess. I have tried both and the flavor is great. You can also use a store bought enchilada sauce instead of using my homemade version. Be mindful of how runny your sauce is though. If it’s too thin then it may make this dish more runny overall.

Tips to prep ahead: Puree bean part of the dish. Make enchilada sauce. Make sides.

What other vegan dishes have you made? Tell us what you think of the recipe in the Comments below!

Sophia DeSantis is the author of Veggies Don’t Bite, a vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free food blog targeted to all types of eaters. She is the mom of two beautiful boys and wife to an amazing husband. Her and her family live a vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free life 90% of the time because she believes that the stress of having to be perfect shouldn’t overpower the benefits that their healthy lifestyle brings. Through her website, she hopes to reach anybody interested in making a positive health change in their life.