Frugal Recipes: Enchilada Casserole

Enchilada Casserole (from Weight Watchers Miracle Foods)

Cooking Spray
1 (10 ounce) package frozen southwestern style corn and roasted red peppers, thawed (such as Green Giant)
1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp salt
1 (15 ounce) can red enchilada sauce, divided
13 corn tortillas, cut in half
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup fat-free sour cream

Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add corn mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Add black beans and salt; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

Spoon 1/3 cup enchilada sauce over bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish; spread evenly. Arrange 8 tortilla halves over sauce. Spoon half of corn mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layer with 8 tortilla halves, remaining corn mixture, and 1/3 cup cheese. Top with remaining 10 tortilla halves. Cover with remaining enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.

Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition information: 303 calories, 12 grams fat, 13 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 32 milligrams cholesterol, 700 milligrams sodium.

This is one I have bookmarked but not tried. Weight Watchers recipes have a tendency to be a bit bland. Adding additional spices does not alter the nutrition information. If I were to add to this, I would probably add some oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and fresh chopped garlic to the corn and beans during cooking. But that’s just me.

Frugal Recipes: Healthy Lasagna

Healthy Lasagna

7 ounces (1/2 package) firm tofu
1 pound bulk mild Italian turkey sausage
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 package (12 ounces) no-cook or oven-free lasagna noodles
2 jars (24 ounces, each) Barilla marinara sauce

PREPARATION: Remove excess water from tofu by wrapping in two layers of paper towels and place under a heavy weight for about 15 minutes. Once tofu is drained, crumble and set aside.

Meanwhile, in skillet, brown sausage over medium heat, crumbling the meat as it cooks.

Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 jar of marinara sauce over bottom of pan, then layer with 4 lasagna noodles, lengthwise. Top with 1/2 cooked sausage, 1/2 of spinach, and 1/2 of crumbled tofu. Spread with another 1/2 jar of marinara sauce and repeat layers of noodles, sausage, spinach, tofu and sauce. Top with final layer of noodles and remaining 1/2 jar of marinara sauce.

Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let stand covered, 10 minutes, to allow lasagna to set before cutting into servings.

Makes 12 servings

Nutrition information: 282 calories, 12 grams fat, 13 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 17 milligrams cholesterol, 722 milligrams sodium

I usually add some garlic and onions to the sausage when it’s browning. I also divide this into two 8x8 pans. That way I have one for dinner and one to save for another day. This keeps really well in the freezer. I throw it into the oven frozen for 1 hour.