Open-Faced Mexican Lasagna

This is a healthy recipe for a delicious Mexican lasagna casserole that is loaded fiber.  The dish is made with ground turkey, onions, Poblano peppers, tomatoes, corn, black beans, salsa, a blend of seasonings and topped with a reduced fat Mexican cheese blend.  I called it an open-faced lasagna, because to reduce the carbs I left off the traditional top third layer of tortillas.

I took a little help from the store and used a 40% lower sodium taco seasoning packet and a store bought salsa.  Homemade salsa would work well in this dish, as well.

 

Enjoy!

Open-Faced Mexican Lasagna

Makes 8 Servings

2 Tbls. Extra virgin olive oil

1 Lb. Ground turkey
½ Cup Chopped sweet onion; ¼-inch dice
2 Poblano peppers, stem, seeds and membrane removed and diced into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
3 Garlic cloves, minced fine
1 ½ Tbls. Ground cumin
1 Tsp. Ground Ancho Chili pepper (or ground chili powder)
1 Can (14.5-ounce) Diced tomatoes, unsalted variety
1 Packet (1.25-ounce) low-sodium taco seasoning
½ Cup Hot water
½ Cup Frozen corn kernels (or fresh when in season)
1 Can (15-ounce) Black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ Cup Fresh salsa, either store bought or homemade (see recipe - Fresh Tomato Salsa)
8 (6-inch Fajita size) Corn tortillas
1 Cup Shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese blend
3 Scallions, sliced
1 Container (6-ounce) Greek fat-free plain yogurt
 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom and the sides of a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil; swirl to coat.  Add the turkey in the skillet, break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned.  Add to the skillet, the onions, Poblano peppers and garlic; cook for about 5 minutes or until the pepper is just tender.  Add the cumin, chili pepper, taco seasoning; mix to incorporate.  Then add the canned tomatoes, corn, black beans, and water; continue to cook until it bubbles, then remove from the heat.

Spread ½ cup of the salsa on the bottom of the baking dish.  Lay 2 tortillas in the bottom of the dish, along the long side.  Cut 2 tortillas in half and fill in on the sides.  Top the tortillas with the meat mixture, spreading evenly.  Dot the meat mixture with ¼ cup of salsa and spread lightly to cover the meat mixture.  Sprinkle ¼ cup cheese over the entire top.  Make a second layer with the last 4 tortillas, meat mixture and remaining salsa; layering the same as the last.  Top everything with the remaining cheese.

 

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 5 – 10 minutes, or until everything is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned.

Remove the dish from the oven and top with the scallions.  Let the dish rest for about 5 minutes.  Cut and serve with the yogurt on the side.

Mango and Grilled Peach Salsa

This fresh fruit salsa is a sweet and tart combination with just the right amount of heat to balance it out.  In the past, I grilled grilled peaches and served them as a side, but never had I used them in a salsa, so I gave it a try.  What I found is that they complement the mango perfectly!  It is a perfect salsa to serve at a summer gathering or as an accompaniment to a light summer meal.  

 Summer salsas are so tasty and refreshing…enjoy!

Mango and Grilled Peach Salsa

5 – 6 Peaches (about ¾ of a pound) cut in half, pit removed

2 Tbls. Honey; divided use
2 Tbls. Canola oil; divided use
1 Large ripe mango, peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces
1 – 2 Serrano pepper(s), ribs and seeds removed; very small dice
3 Tbls. Chopped cilantro
2 Garlic cloves, minced
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 small lime

Note:  Choose peaches that are just ripe.  You do not want them too soft or else they will become too saucy when grilled.  You can add more or less of the Serrano pepper depending on how spicy you like your salsa.  Add more or less honey depending on how sweet you want your salsa.

 Preheat the grill to high

Lay your peaches out on a flat surface, pour 1 tablespoon oil over them and rub to coat each peach.  Drizzle 1 Tablespoon honey over the cut side of the peaches.  Place the peaches cut side down on the preheated grill, and grill until nice grill marks appear; about 5 minutes.  Turn the peaches over and grill another 5 – 10 minutes, or until the skin begins to char and loosen away from the peach.  (Be careful not to grill the peaches too much, or you will end up with a peach sauce.)  Remove the peaches from the grill and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced mango, diced pepper, cilantro, garlic, lime zest and lime juice; mix to combine.  When the peaches are cooled, remove the skins and dice them into ¼ - ½ inch pieces.  Add the peaches to the mango mixture, and stir to combine. 

Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight. 

Serve multi-grain tortilla chips, or roasted pita chips.  

Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and Avocado Cream

Fish tacos for dinner tonight!  A couple of years ago we went on a family vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.  While there I was watching a local channel that highlighted area restaurants.  One restaurant they featured served fish tacos.  Not ever having one before, I wanted to go there and try them.  Needless to say, we went everywhere but!  After coming home I did get a chance to try them at various local restaurants.  Some fish tacos were good, some not so good, and some were very greasy because they were deep-fried.  So I decided to try to make them at home.  Of course, I find that mine are more flavorful and satisfying; why would I say otherwise (they really are!).

The fish I used for this recipe is Wild Alaskan Cod Loins.  You can use any other mild, but meaty, white fish.  I do not recommend tilapia as I feel it is not meaty enough and will just get lost with the other ingredients.  I marinate and grill the fish in a cilantro, sweet red pepper sauce.  The cod loins are grilled on an outdoor grill.  If you do not have an outdoor grill, an indoor grill pan would be fine.

Most restaurants serve the fish tacos with some sort of coleslaw, which I find really does not do much for the flavor.  In mine, I prepare a fresh mango salsa to over the top.  I have to admit, I do like the sweet tang the mango salsa brings to the tacos.  We used to eat our tacos with a dollop of sour cream.  So for this recipe, I wanted something healthier... I made an avocado, cilantro cream to dollop on the tacos. 

Now the mango salsa, I use a ripe mango, red onions, cilantro and sweet red bell pepper.  As for the mango, just some interesting factoids… (data below was copied from http://www.mango.org/mango-nutrition).  For more facts and benefits, visit www.mango.org.

• One serving of mangos provides 100% of your daily vitamin C and 35% of your vitamin A, both important antioxidant nutrients. Vitamin C promotes healthy immune function and collagen formation. Vitamin A is important for vision and bone growth.
• Mangos provide 12% of your daily dietary fiber. Diets low in fat and high in fiber-containing grain products, fruits and vegetables may be associated with a reduced risk of some types of cancer.
• Mangos contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals.
• Each serving of mango is fat free, sodium free and cholesterol free.
• Mangos scored 93 out of 100 on the recently introduced NuVal scoring system for overall nutritional quality.

Not only are these fish tacos healthy, they are extremely tasty and very satisfying.

Enjoy!

Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and Avocado Cream

 Makes 5 – 6 tacos

½ Cup Fresh Cilantro (small stems are okay to use, as well)

½ Sweet Red Bell Pepper
1 Tsp. Canola oil
2 Tsp. Ground Cumin
1 ½ Tsp. Garlic powder
1/8 Tsp. Sea Salt, fine grind
1/8 Tsp. Fresh ground pepper
Juice of ½ fresh lime
1 Pound Cod Loins
5-6 Whole Grain Corn Taco Shells
Head Lettuce, sliced very thin

Note:  Prepare the salsa and avocado cream while the fish is marinating in the refrigerator, see recipes below.

Cilantro Marinade and Grilling Sauce:
Place the first 8 ingredients in a small food processor and continuously pulse until all is ground finely, and it has the consistency of a loose paste.

Rinse the cod under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.  Place the fish in a zip-top bag and pour the cilantro marinade over the fish, using the bag to gently move the marinade over the fish, coating them completely.  Set the bag in the refrigerator for 20 – 30 minutes – no longer than 30 minutes.  Then remove from the bag and grill immediately.

Note:  prepare the salsa and avocado cream while the fish is marinating in the refrigerator, see recipes below.

To grill the fish, lightly spray the grate on your outdoor (or indoor grill pan) grill with cooking spray, or wipe it down with a bit of canola oil.  I used an outdoor non-stick grill pan.  Then, pre-heated the grill to about 400 degrees.  Place the cod, marinade with the marinade sauce still on the fish, on the grill.  Grill for 6-8 minutes on the first side. Turn them over and grill for another 6 – 8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  

When the fish are done, remove them to a tray.  Use a fork to flake the fish into large chunks.

To assemble, place some chopped lettuce in the bottom of the taco shell, place the fish on top, then the avocado cream and mango salsa on the very top, pressing slightly into the cream. 

Mango Salsa

1 Mango, diced
½ Cup Sweet Red Bell Pepper, diced (about ½ half of a pepper)
2 – 3 Tbls. Red Onion, finely chopped
1 Serrano pepper, seeds and ribs removed; very finely diced (as small as you can dice it)
Zest of 1 lime
3 Tbls. Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tbls. Canola oil

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, and mix thoroughly.  Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Avocado Cream

1(6-ounce) Container Plain Yogurt, non-fat Greek style

1 Small Ripe Avocado
1 Tsp. Fresh Lime juice
2 Tbls. Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, and mix thoroughly.  Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Guilt-Free Snacking Recipes

Are you looking for guilt-free snacks to serve at your next gathering, or snacks to have on hand when you just can’t find that satisfying something to eat moment? Here are some quick guilt-free snacks you can prepare ahead of time and put out for the crowd, or store to munch on when you have the urge.

 

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Fresh Tomato Salsa

4 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and ¼ inch diced

2 Jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed, very fine dice

½ Red onion, ¼ inch diced
1 Garlic clove, minced

2 Tbls. Chopped Fresh Cilantro

3 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of ½ Lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine the all the ingredients. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

 

This is best made at least 3 hours before serving, giving the ingredients a chance to meld. You can also make it the day before. 

The salsa stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Serve with your favorite low fat, salt free tortilla chips.

 

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Black Bean Salsa

2 (15-ounce) Cans Black Beans – Low, or no sodium added; rinsed and drained

½ Medium Red onion, finely chopped (or less depending on your taste)

2 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed, ¼ inch diced

2 Serrano peppers, ribs and seeds removed, very fine dice (can substitute with Jalapenos)

½ Tsp. Chili powder

3 Tbls.  Canola or corn oil

Juice of ½ Lime

1Tbls. Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

Note:  I think the Serrano pepper adds a nice flavor to this salsa, but of course, you can use a jalapeno instead. Serrano peppers also add a heavier layer of heat to the salsa.

Pour the canned beans in a large colander, rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Set aside to drain. 

Transfer the drained beans to a large mixing bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.  Cover and store in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

The salsa stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Serve with your favorite low fat, salt free tortilla chips.

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Avocado Dip

2 Ripe avocados, seed removed, peeled and diced

Juice of ½ Lime

1 Roma tomato, seeds removed

¼ of Medium Red onion, finely diced

¼ Tsp. Chili powder

¼ Cup Low fat sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

 

In a medium mixing bowl, add the avocados and lime juice, smash lightly with a fork or potato masher. Leave them a bit chunky.

 

Add the rest of the ingredients to the avocado mixture, stir to combine.

 

Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

 

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Pita Chips

1 Package Whole Wheat Pita Bread – 6 ½ inch size

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place the pita bread on a cutting board, brush both sides lightly with olive oil.

Stack pita bread on top of each other and cut into 16 equal size wedges.

Separate the wedges; place each wedge on baking sheets, in single layer. 

Bake in oven about 6 – 7 minutes, until crisp and golden.  Take care not to over bake (they bake quickly – so check often) or they will be dry and brittle.

Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with your favorite seasoning. Cool chips on a baking rack until completely cooled.  Serve with your favorite salsa or dip.

Seasoning suggestions might be to sprinkle with the following:

• Garlic powder
• Ground sea salt
• Onion powder
• Cinnamon and sugar, combined – or instead of sugar use Splenda

Store chips in an airtight container, or storage bag.

 

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Yogurt and Honey Fruit Dip

2 Cups Fage Total 0% yogurt

1 Tsp. Vanilla extract

3 Tbls. Honey (more if you prefer it sweeter)

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, stir until smooth.  Transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve with fresh fruit, such as sliced fresh apples, pears, or bananas, all sprinkled with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning; fresh pineapple chunks; strawberries; sliced kiwi fruit.