nanowrimo fuel

National Novel Writing Month is definitely on my mind, and so this week instead of Reading in the Kitchen I went for Writing in the Kitchen.

As a writer on a mission to reach 50,000 words who works a full-time job in a deadline-oriented field, it is tempting to turn to fast food and takeout for every meal. Though I will admit to picking up a donut or sandwich and coffee on my way to work twice this week, and eating out once to reward myself for reaching my week one goal, I am pleased to say that for the most part I have done a good job of eating well.

For snacks I have tried to avoid candy even though I have a sweet tooth. At work I stuck to Nutrigrain bars or the trail mix we have in the cupboards. Though the trail mix has a few more calories, it also contains nuts and sunflower seeds that are high in protein. It also has a few M&Ms, which satisfies my sweet tooth.

At home, I snacked on chips and salsa this week. Though chips can be high in sodium, again, this feels like a better substitute than eating candy bars or regular potato chips.

For meals, I used some convenience meals this week, such as frozen pizza or veggie corn dogs. Not the greatest, but it still feels better than living off of french fries all week.

The best thing I did all week in the kitchen, though, was make a delicious meal one night that lasted me throughout the week. It was super easy, delicious and even earned me props from one of the broomies. I enjoyed it so much that I did not grow tired of eating it every day, and I actually look forward to finishing the leftovers, tonight.

Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas

1 can drained corn
1 can drained and washed organic black beans
1 red pepper, diced and roasted in the oven (for 10 minutes)
2 cups white Mexican cheese, shredded
1/2 cup crushed organic blue corn tortilla chips
14 small white corn tortillas
1 can enchilada sauce

In a large bowl, mix the corn, beans, pepper, crushed chips and about 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Spoon the filling on the tortillas and fold the edges like a blanket. Place them in a sprayed 9x13 dish. I placed them in the dish so they overlapped each other a little for space issues. I poured the enchilada sauce over them and covered with the remaining cheese.

Put them in the oven on 350 degrees for 15 minutes and they are done.

Since switching to a pescetarian diet more than three months ago, I have done a lot of research to find ways to add protein and iron to my diet. I saw a few recipes suggesting black beans as a meat substitute in enchiladas, and I loved it. I would have enjoyed this even if I still ate meat (but I guess I never liked beef that much, which is why I decided to try pescetarianism). Craving enchiladas, I picked up other items I would want to pair with the black beans as filling. It turned out well.

I would have added onion, much to the broomie's chagrin, if I had it in my fridge. He lucked out this time, but I would suggest it. The broomie and I think we might try adding cooked quinoa in place of the crushed tortilla chips next time we make these. Our hypothesis is that it will taste delicious, add good texture and provide a lot of the natural iron we all need.

I'm in for 2011.
Are you?

This was a delicious and nutritious meal that offered me some convenience, but also gave me the stamina I need to keep writing. It was a big win for me all around.

Thanks for checking out this week's Reading in the Kitchen. I'll be back again next Friday with another recipe. Read previous dishes by clicking on the tab at the top of the page.

If you have a book-related recipe you would like me to try, please let me know. Leave it as a comment here or share it with me on Twitter @lmchap.