Cowgirl Taco Casserole

I am definitely in hibernation mode with the time change and just want to get cozy. I made this dish earlier in the week and despite my general dislike of meals planned around chicken it was tasty and we could have happily had it two nights in a row. I had the itch to get in the kitchen so I came up with this remarkably easy and healthy little dish. I am pretty sure anyone can throw this together, leaving plenty of time to snuggle up and get comfy.

As always this truly was inspired by my mother sneaking veggies to our meals. I added Heirloom Spinach, from the local farm Church Bros in Salinas, as well as mini zucchinis to the traditional Mexican inspired ingredients. The spinach did manage to turn the turkey slightly purple but it was unnoticeable once the casserole was assembled.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 diced yellow onion
6 sliced mini zucchinis
1/2 pound spinach or substitute for kale or other greens
1 diced jalapeño (omit if you don’t like it spicy)
1/2 envelope of taco seasoning
2/3 cup frozen corn (the only kind I use is the roasted corn from Trader Joe’s, so much flavor)
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (you can use reduced fat if you prefer)

Garnishes
Avocado
Non-fat sour cream
Scallions
Black olives

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the onions and zucchini and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the greens and cook down. Stir in the taco seasoning, 2/3 cup water, and the corn. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes, then stir in the black beans.

3. Lay 4 tortillas on the bottom of the pan, and spoon half of the meat mixture on top. Cover with 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Top with 4 more tortillas and the remaining meat mixture. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese over the top.

4. Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Slice and serve, topped with scallions and sour cream.

(slightly purple, but it turned out yummy)

My attempts at a pretty radish and fennel salad are coming, I’m happily getting my mandolin slicer in the mail on Friday, so we will see what I can create.