Crab, Artichoke, and Spinach Enchiladas

I love artichoke dip with chips, and my husband loves crab dip with chips. Here's a way to have your dip for dinner! This recipe uses a filling reminiscent of crab and artichoke dip for enchiladas. The stealthily healthy part of this is that the filling replaces the sour cream of a dip with vegetables, resulting in a filling that's naturally lower in saturated fats, sodium, and calories than either a regular chip dip or a regular enchilada filling. When you read the directions, you'll think there's a lot of spinach, but not to worry, it cooks down in the microwave. It's all good!

Ingredients:

for the filling:

1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups chopped spinach (about one 5 ounce container)
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts (about 4 hearts)
1/2 cup chopped cooked crab meat (omit for vegetarian version)
2 tbs diced green chilies
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup low fat shredded Mexican cheese blend
             (or use half cheddar and half jack)


10 corn tortillas

13 oz green enchilada sauce

1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 3 onions)
1/4 cup low fat shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish by placing several tablespoons of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish. Place the garlic, onion, and spinach in a large microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the onion is translucent. Drain any extra moisture out of the spinach mixture. Add the remaining filling ingredients (through the 1/2 cup of Mexican cheese blend) to the bowl and mix. Soften the corn tortillas by stacking them and heating them in the microwave for 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with about 3 tablespoons of filling and 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce. Roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Prepare the remainder of the enchiladas in the same manner. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce, then top them with the green onions and the 1/4 cup of shredded cheese. Cover the dish and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish.

I made this dish by adding the crab meat to about half of the enchiladas. I prepared two smaller baking dishes. First, I filled one pan with 4 vegetarian enchiladas, then I added the crab meat and filled the second dish. This works well if you have some vegetarians and some seafood lovers.

Serves 5 (2 enchiladas per person)

Stealthy Cooking Tip: If you don't make your own enchilada sauce, check the labels on the cans. Many canned enchilada sauces still use monosodium glutenate, or MSG. Also, I used fiber and flax enchiladas to up the healthy factor, or you could make your own, too!