MEXICAN LASAGNA

Here's an Italian inspired dish with a Mexican flair- presenting you with layers upon layers of healthy and tasty ingredients. My Mexican lasagna has lean ground turkey, spiced up with classic Latin flavors, sandwiched between soft tortillas, fresh vegetables, and protein packed black beans. So the next time you're thinking 'lasagna,' impress the family with this Mexican style fake-out!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb ground turkey
6 flour tortilla shells (10")
1 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz. can refried black beans
8 oz. green chiles
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4" slices
1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/4" slices
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, diced
6 oz. can tomato paste
12 oz. chicken broth
1 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. coriander
1 tbs. hot sauce (such as Frank's or Tabasco)
2 tsp. cumin
chopped parsley or cilantro for garnishing
sour cream and lime wedges for serving
extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
-in a large skillet, warm 1 tbs. olive oil and brown turkey
-once turkey is cooked, add chili powder, coriander, cumin, hot sauce, tomato paste, and broth and stir until evenly coated
-stir in corn, and set aside
-in another large skillet, warm 1 tbs. olive oil over medium heat
-add sliced zucchini, squash, onion, and mushrooms, cook 5-8 minutes until vegetables start to soften and brown slightly
-turn heat off, add spinach, mix vegetables and let spinach wilt, set aside
-in a medium sized mixing bowl, mix refried black beans and the green chiles, set aside
-grease a 9x13 casserole dish
-cut the 2 of the tortillas in 2 inch strips
-place the tortilla strips in the bottom of the casserole dish, 'puzzle piecing' and cutting the strips until the bottom is covered
-spread 1/3 of the bean mixture on top of the tortillas
-spread 1/3 of the meat mixture on top of the bean layer
-spread 1/3 of the vegetable mixture on top of the meat mixture
-spread 1/3 cup cheese on top of vegetables
-continue to layer tortillas, bean mixture, meat mixture, vegetable mixture, and cheese
-place in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until hot and bubbly
-let cool, garnish, and serve with sour cream and lime wedges, enjoy!

makes 4-6 servings

SHOUT OUTS:
This recipe was developed for a dinner with my Mexican-food loving friend, Abi.

TIPS and ADAPTATIONS:
-You can use water instead of chicken broth, and use the empty can of tomato paste to measure it!
-Try swapping out sour cream with plain Greek yogurt- just as tangy and tasty, and much healthier too!
-Use regular refried beans instead of black beans.
-Ground chicken or ground beef would be excellent in this dish too.
-Use flour tortilla of choice, or what you have on hand: whole wheat, multi-grain, spinach, sundried tomato...
-Skip the green chiles if you'd like to to be less spicy, just add some broth, water, or salsa to help thin out the beans so they can be more spreadable.
-Use cheddar, jack, pepper jack, monterey jack, or any of these cheese combinations!
-Make it vegetarian by skipping the meat and adding more veggies.
-Make it now, freeze it for later! Just defrost 24 hours in advance in the refrigerator, and add about 10-15 more minutes to the cook time.