Enchilada Casserole

Aren't casseroles are just the best?  You throw various ingredients into a dish, and BAM, you have your entree & sides all in one place.  Plus, for some reason when you serve food together in a casserole dish, the meal becomes comfort food.  Eating healthy shouldn't have to mean denying yourself comfort foods, so I decided to try my hand at creating a healthy Enchilada Casserole that doesn't taste healthy.  That meant that I couldn't decrease the amount of cheese too much (because honestly, that's the best part), so I saved fat and calories by using lean ground turkey.  I made my own enchilada sauce from scratch (surprisingly easy!), but feel free to use store-bought if you're in a hurry.  Just remember that the casserole will only be as good as the enchilada sauce you use (it's a large part of the dish, after all), so buy the good stuff.

Enchilada Casserole

Serves 6 

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 lb 99% Lean Ground Turkey

1/2 Onion, diced

1 tsp Dried Oregano

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Coriander

1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

15 oz can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed

4 oz Diced Green Chilies

1 Cup Corn (I used frozen)

9 Corn Tortillas

3 Cups Enchilada Sauce (store-bought or homemade)

8 oz Block of Reduced Fat Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

Optional Garnishes: Chopped Cilantro, Sour Cream, Diced Jalapeños

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 2 1/2 or 3 quart casserole dish.

2.  In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the turkey and onion until the turkey is no longer pink. Stir in all the seasonings, the black beans, green chilies, and corn.  Take off the heat.

4.  Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the greased casserole dish.  Layer on 3 corn tortillas (tear the tortillas to make it fit the casserole dish shape).  Next sprinkle on 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the tortillas, followed by half the turkey mixture.

5.  Add another layer of 1 cup of enchilada sauce, 3 corn tortillas, another 1/2 cup of cheese, the rest of the turkey mixture.  Top with the last 3 tortillas, followed by a final cup of enchilada sauce, and the rest of the shredded cheese.

6.  Bake covered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted and casserole is heated throughout.

7.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes, and then cut into squares and serve with your favorite garnishes.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size:  1/6th of Dish
Calories:  405
Fat: 15
Carbs: 38
Protein: 36