Being Fat in School Sucks, But YUM Enchiladas

    

    

Enchiladas, brown rice, and sour cream w/ tajin

    Like I have mentioned countless times before I have always been fat. I wasn't one of those tiny babies who were slim and sh*t and then became fat once middle school rolled around. I was a chunker from day 1, and I wouldn't wanna have it any other way. But since I was fat as a fresh baby that meant my entire schooling career (THE MOST FORMATIVE YEARS) would also be filled to the brim. Starting in kindergarten I quickly noticed how I would be the "biggest" kid. How I would have to get husky pants. And how everyone assumed lunch was my favorite class period of the day. (To which they were correct but that's besides the point). However being fat at school didn't seem like a bad experience until I was able to finally reflect on the torment I had.

    There was this girl, let's call her Leah because that was her name. Now Leah was a skinny athletic girl who knew it. So naturally like any skinny b*tch fatness was her arch enemy. Me and the other plumpy kids would simultaneously envy her and hate her. We wanted to be her, but at the same time hated every time she used a breath. She did this thing were when anytime a fat kid walked through the halls she would make *boom* *boom* sounds. While after mere hours of this behavior it was immediately shut down by the teachers, this anti-fatness has stuck with me ever since. Sadly, it didn't go up from there, but rather the fat phobia became less overt. It was hidden in the halls, the bathroom stalls, and the whispers. It was the blatant discomfort I felt in gym class when we all had to run the mile (HAHA jokes on your gym teacher I can run a mile under 9:00 minutes now.....choke). It was the assumption by the lunchroom staff that I always wanted seconds of whatever the hot lunch was (the only time this was true was enchiladas or chicken nuggets). It was the way it felt as though skinny equaled popular, and fat meant there was something wrong with your body. Fatness isolates young kids, and I was no exception.

    And then high school hit. If you thought being fat in elementary and jr. high was hard wait until you got to Downers Grove North. That's where the systemic fat phobia really starts to sink in. While it wasn't the kids poking fun of each other for their weight, it was the physical spaces that made it impossible to function. Everyday you would walk into DGN (and legit every other school on this planet) and immediately notice things were not made for the fat kids or teachers or aides or coaches or staff. Fatness is not encouraged at school. The gym class student leaders were the skinny kids. Of COURSE I complained about this and I was put into the program and hopefully changed some kids lives. I would sign kids off on things if they tried their best, and didn't laugh at the fat kids running like a certain DGN gym teacher (cough, cough Mrs. D***e). Once you're out of gym it doesn't get much better. Classrooms are not MADE to accommodate fat bodies. I would spend 8+ hours everyday uncomfortable in the desks because I did not fit in them. I would envy the skinny kids who change their position to gain comfort, when I quite literally had to hold my breath and suck in my gut to even sit down and get an education. Somehow I managed and was able to get good grades, but everyday I had to put in twice as much work to just be able to sit down. Once class ended I would wait for everyone else to leave the room to stand up because it was a process for me and I didn't want to become a spectacle. Being in fat in this education system makes you feel like all eyes are on you all the time.

    Now college happens and the desks are the same, the assumptions are similar, and the discomfort is still there. However, things changed once I got to senior of the speech team. Suddenly fatness became an issue I did not feel alone it and I finally learned to love my body. And now I don't hate fatness and I am working to make sure that I fuel my fat body in healthy ways with the intention of longevity not slimness. But with all this said and done today's recipe is a revamp of a classic school lunchroom staple: enchiladas. This go to meal for me is super easy to make homemade and will fuel your body without you even knowing it. Friends today I present to you: Enchiladas Fat Foodie Style.

crappy pic, yummy food

What you'll need: 

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/4 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can of sweet corn

1 can of black beans 

1 can of green chiles

1 can salda verde (or a jar of salsa)

1/2 can diced tomatoes

1 tbl chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbl chipotle seasoning 

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cups shredded cheddar (use more or less)

5-8 flour tortillas (or corn, next time I am using corn)

2 chicken breast, seasoned HEAVILY, cooked, and chopped

1 tbl olive oil

1 tbl butter

1/4 cup cojita crumbling cheese

How to do it:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet and add in green pepper, garlic, and onion. Cook until fragrant and onion is translucent. Once cooked add in beans and corn and brown for a little bit.

2. In a large glass bowl add in EVERYTHING else (EXCEPT: a couple spoonfuls of the diced tomatoes and a 1 cup of cheddar cheese). Mix it all together and add in green pepper, beans, corn, and onion. Load up on the seasonings, DON'T SKIP THEM.

3. Get a glass baking dish and pour the reserved tomatoes on the bottom. Place a couple spoonfuls of the filling into each tortilla. Fold over the tortilla and place it in dish seam side down. Repeat until you run out of room in dish or you run out of filling. 

4. Put some salsa verde on top of tortilla. Top with cheddar cheese and the cojita crumble cheese. (optional add jalapenos)

5. Bake for 20 minutes covered in a 350 degree oven. After the first 20 minutes uncover a bake until cheese is slightly browned. Remove from oven top with cilantro!

    I plated my dish wish some brown rice, sour cream (topped with tajin of course), and cilantro. While super cheesy this dish is also super healthy! All the fresh veggies and baked chicken fuel your body. It's spicy, creamy, and leaves you feeling full after just one serving! While not the school lunchroom staple we are used to, this revamped version of enchiladas are made under the guise of redefining our experiences. Schools need to be a safe space for fat kids. These institutions are meant for learning more than just math and english. These buildings shape how be see ourselves. They shape our confidence. They shape our view on the world. And everyone deserves comfort in these spaces no matter their size. While it took me 18 years to find solace in a classroom, I hope after today we understand, fork in hand, fueling your body starts with educating yourself.

xoxo,

The Fat Foodie