Whether you’re a carnivore, vegetarian, low carb, looking to squeeze in more veggies or just simply looking for a delicious high protein, meatless dinner, this recipe is for you! Each enchilada is 116 calories with a macro breakdown of 10g protein, 15g carbs and 3g of fat. Since it’s well balanced with all three macros you could eat these solo or pair with guacamole and some fresh sliced veggies for some added healthy fats and carbs.

I feel really excited about this recipe. Last spring Lou and I decided to try a plant based diet and after a full month of giving it a try, we ultimately decided it wasn’t the right fit for us. I can’t even remember what sparked the idea to cut out so many foods we love, but I did like the challenge of trying new foods and recipes so I was onboard. However, once we were back to meat, I stopped exploring meatless recipes as an option. Recently though, I was presented with the meatless challenge by my friend Jamie at Wabi Sabi Fitness.

If your’e not familiar with Wabi Sabi, she offers group fitness classes for women of all phases of life. But that’s not all. Above a great workout – and I’ve tried several of her classes and can attest that they truly are amazing, Jamie offers community. The majority of women who join her classes are somewhere in the pregnant and post partum phase of life who are all too familiar with the struggle of making time for ourselves while tending to the needs of small children. Her classes are fun, uplifting, provide a great opportunity for cardio and fitness and a great place to find your tribe. My favorite class of hers was the stroller walk class. It was so great to meet other Moms with littles while getting outside and walking Ruby in her stroller.

In addition to taking classes, Jamie offers 8 week challenges that are a great way to set and conquer a goal. Her next fitness challenge starts this Sunday, March 26 and runs through May21st. This is the perfect timing to get your summer body out of winter hibernation. You can find more info about the challenge here. As part of the challenge, Jamie asked me to create eight recipes the group can commit to making – that’s one per week. My recipes are tailored to busy Moms looking for healthy and quick recipes the whole family will love so I was so excited she thought of me to collaborate.

I will say though, when she asked me to create a meatless recipe I wasn’t too excited. I tried a few recipes and the general consensus among my judges (family) was, “this tastes okay, but it would be great with a little chicken.” Not only does Jamie push the girls in her challenge, but she pushed me too. I was committed to creating something that was delicious and had macros I felt good about. Many of the plant based meals I had tried in the past were high in carbs, but not so high in protein. This recipe checks all the boxes and it’s delicious! So thank you Jamie, for pushing me. Sometimes a coach is exactly what you need to push past your comfort zone.

If you’re not familiar with the powerhouse, cottage cheese packs 28g of protein for one cup. It’s super versatile and can be sweetened up for dessert with a little sweetener and fresh fruit or turned savory with some grape tomatoes, basil and a drizzle of balsamic. I will say though, not all cottage cheese is created equal. I’ve had a few clients tell me they don’t love the texture of cottage cheese and I can totally get why. Some brands are super thin and watery and it’s unfortunate they make a bad name for the delicious dairy treat across the board. If you’re on the fence but willing to give it another try, I am a huge fan of Good Culture Cottage cheese. It’s super creamy and the curdles are large and solid. If you have the option, use Good Culture in this recipe and let me know what you think.

I topped the enchiladas with homemade pico de Gallo. I can’t believe I’m saying this because I HATE cilantro, but recently I started enjoying it and homemade pico really brings out the flavor of the dish. If you’re in a pinch, you can grab store bought pico, but I recommend making it yourself while the enchiladas bake.

Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 cup low fat Good Culture cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup tri color quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup red salsa
• 1tsp cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
• For the Pico De Gallo (or use store bought)

For the Pico De Gallo

• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1teaspoon salt

Directions