TwoFaced: Olives

"TwoFaced Tuesdays" is a joint venture between CupcakesOMG! and Jenna from The Paleo Project. Each week, we select one secret ingredient and put our own paleo spin on it. You can catch up on the entire series here. Also, if you have any special ingredient requests, you can always tweet us (@CupcakesOhMG and @ThePaleoProject) using the hashtag #TwoFacedTuesday.

100% of the time I go home to visit my parents in Houston, we eat Mexican food 80% of  the time. I will order enchiladas 100% of those times, which means that 1,500% of the time Mexican food outside of the state of Texas is horseshit. Math, y'all!!

And yes, that does include Mexico. and no, I don't speak from experience. Details like those are irrelevant!

More on things that are relevant--enchiladas. I gave up trying to find a decent Mexican restaurant in D.C. long ago, after ordering too many bowls of queso made with Velveeta and Rotel (NOT queso) and enchiladas devoid of an adequate amount of cheese. Now, I'll only step foot in a Northeastern/Mid-Atlantic "Mexican" restaurant to order a margarita, so I can literally drown my Mexican-food-longing sorrows in tequila. Fun fact: Tequila is considered one of the most "Paleo" of liquors.

Clearly, I was suffering some Pavlovian response to the idea of going home next week, which I assume is why I couldn't stop craving enchiladas this weekend. And because there was no restaurant where I'd get anything even half as good as the real thing, I figured it was the perfect occasion to experiment with my new Paleo enchilada recipe.

For the record, I'm aware cheese isn't considered "Paleo" in many circles, but dammit if I would make the same mistake as all the Yanks up here and leave it out for the sake of being true Paleo. 

I am also aware that sour cream isn't true Paleo either, but screw you man!!!! It's delicious with the coconut flour torillas and ground beef and olive filling (there's the TwoFaced ingredient you were waiting for!).

This was an absolutely fantastic paleo swap for the real thing, and a far better option to anything I've been served in a Mexican restaurant north of the TexArkana border.

For more olive-y goodness, you have to check out what Jenna whipped up at The Paleo Project!!

Paleo Beef Enchiladas

Makes about 8 servings

For the tortillas (makes about 12 tortillas)

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp. water (more if mixture seems too thick)
• coconut oil

For the meat

• 1 can (28 oz) Red Enchilada sauce--check the labels and pick something sugar free
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds grass-fed ground beed
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 can diced green chiles
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3-4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 can large black olives, chopped
• green onions, chopped
• cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. While oven preheats, make the tortillas by whisking together all the ingredients until batter is slightly thin (add more water if it's too thick).

3. Heat a tsp. of coconut oil in non-stick pan over medium heat. Once oil has melted, add about 2-3 Tbsp. of batter, swirling around in pan as you pour to get a thin tortilla. Brown on first side for about 2 minutes, or until the tortilla can easily be flipped over. Flip and brown on other side. Remove to cool on a cooling rack or plate and finish cooking remaining tortillas. Set aside.

4. Make the enchilada sauce by bringing red sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer for about 30 minutes.

5. While the sauce simmers, brown the beef in a skillet with the onions. Drain off some of the excess fat then add the green chiles and salt. 

6. To assemble the enchiladas, ladle about 1/2 cup of red sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish, spreading out evenly.

7. Spoon meat, cheese, olives, and green onions into each tortilla. Roll tortilla up and place seam down in the dish. Repeat until pan is full (it's okay for the enchiladas to be in tight together). Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Cover with a thick layer of cheese and bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with green onion and cilantro before serving. Serve with sliced avocado and sour cream.