Well, it’s that time of year again, where I enjoy turning on my oven to bake a good casserole!   This dish is made with vegetables and very thin corn tortillas, so even though each serving contains 15 grams of carbohydrate, remember that most of that is very low glycemic impact vegetables and beans.  Mmmm, delicious.

Time to table: 1 hour

Serves: 10

Healing Nutrient Spotlight

Excellent source of vitamin A, zinc
Good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, magnesium, selenium

Ingredients*

3 T. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 T. lime juice
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups grated zucchini
1/4 cup canned green chilies
1 lb. organic, grass-fed ground beef (this recipe works great with leftover or ground turkey as well)
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup salsa or picante sauce, plus additional salsa for serving
4, 6-inch corn tortillas
1 cup shredded hard cheese such as cheddar, or substitute a vegan cheese alternative such as Vegan Gourmet cheddar flavor

*Choose organic ingredients for optimal nutrition

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan.  Heat 1 T. oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add ¾ cup onion and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add 1 tsp. cumin and coriander and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in beans, cilantro and lime juice.  Heat through, remove from skillet into bowl and set aside.  Rinse and dry skillet.  Saute¢ remaining onion in oil for 5 minutes.  Add carrots and zucchini and cook 5 more minutes.

Add ground beef and cook until browned.  Stir in chili powder, garlic powder, green chilies, and remaining cumin.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Add salsa and simmer for 2 more minutes.  Layer 2 tortillas, tearing to fit pan, half of bean mixture, and half of ground beef mixture.  Repeat layers and top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.  Let lasagna cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with additional salsa, if desired.

Nutrition

275 calories, 15 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 3.42 g monounsaturated fat, .84 g polyunsaturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 21 g protein, 7250 IU vitamin A, .1 mg thiamin, .21 mg riboflavin, 2.8 mg niacin, .25 mg pantothenic acid, .21 mg vitamin B-6, .89 mg vitamin B-12, 35 mcg folate, 7.47 mg vitamin C, 150 mg calcium, 45 mg magnesium, .14 mg manganese, 400 mg potassium, 220 mg sodium, 2.55 mg iron, .09 mg copper, 3.83 mg zinc, 11 mcg selenium

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute).  She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention.  To learn more, click here.]

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