Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna

This is kind of a different take on Enchilada Casserole, and it is loosely inspired by the Meal Makeover Moms' recipe. I recommend the thicker "homestyle" corn tortillas for this. It takes on a texture similar to lasagna noodles in this dish.

This is a great make-ahead dish.

Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna

10 oz sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 oz bag frozen corn, thawed
2 cups cooked red kidney beans (or 1 can)
1 16-oz jar medium salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
8 homestyle corn tortillas, cut in half
1 16-oz container 2% cottage cheese
2 cups 2% Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1- Preheat oven to 375.

2- In a skillet, heat the oil and sautee the mushrooms until they have released all their liquid (about 5-7 minutes).

3- Add beans, corn, salsa, and seasonings and mix well.

4- Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

5- Layer the following on the baking dish:
1/3 of the bean mixture
8 of the tortilla halves
1/2 of the cottage cheese
3/4 cup of the shredded cheese
1/3 of the bean mixture
8 of the tortilla halves
1/2 of the cottage cheese
3/4 of the shredded cheese
1/3 of the bean mixture
remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese
feta cheese

6- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

7- Uncover, turn broiler on, and broil until cheese starts to brown, about 5 minutes.

Vegetarian Pi~non

Feliz Dia de Reyes! Today is Three Kings Day, a huge holiday in Puerto Rico. It is only fitting that I reincarnated some leftovers from earlier this week to stand in for the traditional meat of one of my favorite childhood casseroles, pi~non.

Irony: The root of the word "reincarnate" is the Latin word for "meat".

Vegetarian Pi~non

2 boxes Goya ripe plantain slices
1 can French cut green beans
3 cups leftover Sweet & Hearty Red Kidney Bean Stew
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons fat-free milk
pinch of salt and pepper

1- Preheat oven to 375.

2- In greased 7 x 11 baking dish, layer the following: 1 box plantain slices, 1/2 can green beans, bean stew, green beans, 1 box plantain slices.

3- Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, milk, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over casserole.

4- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until egg mixture is set and slightly golden.

5- Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Sweet & Hearty Red Kidney Bean Stew

Happy New Year, everyone!

The recipe for Sweet & Hearty Beef Stew from the Meal Makeover Moms blog caught my eye. I love the sweet and sour factor of the maple syrup / apple cider vinegar combo and the simple combination of stew veggies. As if that wasn't enticing enough, the stew is very simple to make and it is work night friendly (cooks in the crockpot). I thought it would be a perfect candidate for that most straightforward of protein substitutions: beans.

I used partially cooked red kidney beans (20 minutes in the pressure cooker) but you can use canned beans. I upped the umami factor of the dish by adding some low-sodium soy sauce as a finish. Just because I was home all day when I made this, I served this with freshly baked homemade whole wheat rolls.

This recipe is best suited for a 6-quart slow cooker.

Sweet & Hearty Red Kidney Bean Stew

8 ounces presliced mushrooms
4 cups red kidney beans, cooked (canned OK)
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 16-ounce bag baby carrots
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1. Place the mushrooms in the bottom of a slow cooker. Top with the beans, potatoes and carrots. Pour the tomato sauce, maple syrup, and vinegar over the top and sprinkle with the salt. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

2. When done, stir in the peas and soy sauce. Heat for another 5 minutes or until peas are heated through.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 226 g
Calories 306
Calories from Fat 8
Total Fat 0.9g 1%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 395mg 16%
Total Carbohydrates 60.0g 20%
Dietary Fiber 13.1g 52%
Sugars 10.9g
Protein 16.8g
Vitamin A 111% • Vitamin C 32%
Calcium 8% • Iron 30%
Nutrition Grade A
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet