No Weigh, José! Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs extra-lean ground chicken
• 1 cup each diced red onions and diced green bell pepper
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup frozen or canned corn
• 1-1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups your favorite tomato pasta sauce
• 1 cup medium salsa
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
• 4 large or 8 small whole wheat flour tortillas
• 1-1/2 cups packed shredded light old (sharp) cheddar cheese (6 oz)
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup light sour cream

  

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large, non-stick pot or skillet, cook ground chicken, onions, green pepper, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Break up any large pieces of chicken as it’s cooking.
Add black beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, and cumin. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Add pasta sauce, salsa, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.
To assemble lasagna, spread 1/3 sauce mixture over bottom of casserole dish. Top with 1/2 the tortillas, overlapping and cutting them as necessary to fit. Top with 1/3 sauce mixture, followed by 1/2 the cheese. Cover cheese with remaining tortillas, followed by remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese over sauce and top with green onions.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Let lasagna stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing for easier serving. Top each piece with a dollop of sour cream.

Hint: If you prefer, you can substitute extra-lean ground beef for ground chicken and
Monterey Jack cheese for cheddar cheese.

Makes 8 servings

PER SERVING: 319 calories 7.9 g total fat (3.7 g saturated fat),  31 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 5.5 g fiber, 73 mg cholesterol, 749 mg sodium

From Eat, Shrink and Be Merry by Janet and Greta Podleski