Pork and Cheese Enchiladas


1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
½ teaspoon cumin
2 to 3 dashes chili powder – optional
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 10-oz. package white or yellow corn tortillas.
cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 oz.) grated reduced fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 to 5 grams fat per 1 oz. serving)
1 1/4 cups (5 oz.) grated Frigo Truly Light Mozzarella or other light or nonfat cheese
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 – 5 green onions, thinly sliced
10 thinly sliced medium to large ripe olives – optional (adds 5 fat grams to total recipe)
1 recipe SONORAN RED ENCHILADA SAUCE


1. Trim all possible fat from tenderloin. Mix cumin, chili powder and garlic together in small bowl. Rub spice mixture on to pork tenderloin. Place pork tenderloin on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap meat up into a tight package. Cook package on grill or in a 400º F. oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into pork reads 150º . Remove from foil and allow meat to cool; then cut or shred meat into bite size pieces and set aside.

2. Prepare enchilada sauce following recipe instructions and set aside.

3. To assemble enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350º F. Pour 2 cups of enchilada sauce into a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Lightly spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium for 2 to 3 minutes. Cook each tortilla 30 to 60 seconds per side or until soft. Stack and cover cooked tortillas with a cloth towel to keep them from drying out. Do not overcook tortillas or they will become tough. Lightly re-spray skillet every 3 or 4 tortillas.

4. Adding tortillas to baking dish one at a time, lightly coat both sides in sauce. Place approximately 1/4 cup cheese, one tablespoon chopped onion and 1/3 cup shredded pork in center of tortilla and roll up. Repeat process arranging enchiladas side by side, seam side down in baking dish. Add more sauce to baking dish as needed to coat tortillas. When dish becomes full, dip tortillas in pan of sauce and assemble enchiladas on top of the others in baking dish. Pour 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the remaining sauce over enchiladas, spreading evenly. Don’t immerse, enchiladas will become soggy. Cover with foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.

5. While enchiladas are baking; re-heat sauce over medium, stirring frequently. Remove foil from enchiladas, top enchiladas with a little more sauce, sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with green onions. Return enchiladas to oven and bake uncovered for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 12 enchiladas served with about 1/3 cup sauce at approximately 160 calories each; 4 grams total fat; 1.5 grams saturated fat; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 20.5 grams carbohydrate; 2.7 grams dietary fiber; 13.5 grams protein; 327 milligrams sodium.

Traditional recipe compares at 310 calories and 20.5 grams fat per enchilada

Sonoran Red Enchilada Sauce

  • 5 cups water or de-fatted Chicken Stock and water equaling 5 cups total liquid
  • 3 oz. tomato paste (1/2 a 6 oz. can)
  • 1/2 cup unbleached or whole wheat flour
  • 2 to 3 cloves fresh pressed or minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chicken base or bouillon, (reduce if using stock)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 to 5 tablespoons of chile powder, preferably fresh ground from a combination of at least two of the following dried chiles; New Mexico, ancho, mulato and pasilla

    1. Pour 3 cups cool or warm liquid (stock or water) into a 4-quart saucepan. Adding about a third of the flour at a time, rapidly whisk flour into liquid until smooth.

    2. Whisk remaining liquid and all remaining ingredients into slurry and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently until sauce comes to a low boil and begins to thicken. Reduce to low and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally.

    3. Adjust seasonings if necessary and remove from heat. Cover sauce and set aside until ready to use. As sauce cools it has a tendency to thicken and can be thinned with a little water or stock.

    Yield: 6 cups or 12 1/2-cup servings at approximately 41 calories each; 0.6 gram total fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 8.8 grams carbohydrate; 1.6 grams dietary fiber; 1.5 grams protein; 460 milligrams sodium.

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