Ending our month of healthy eating recipe ideas, we have two recipes which are a change from earlier. The first is a delicious tamale pie which could easily become a family favourite. An extra bonus with this dish is that the corn-topped pie is perfect for anyone who can’t eat anything with gluten.
The second recipe is a lean homemade lasagne and even though it takes an hour to prepare, it freezes well as is, or as leftovers, and it’s more healthful than the supposedly healthy ones found in the freezer section at the supermarket. Enjoy.
Low Fat Tamale Pie
2 tsp. canola oil
1 medium onion
1 large green pepper
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 - 16 oz. can corn
1 - 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 - 4-oz. can jalapenos
1 - 4-oz. can sliced olives
1-1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 quart fat-free milk (4 cups)
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese
Place oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion and pepper and sauté until soft.
Crumble beef in to skillet and cook until no longer pink. Add chili powder, corn, tomatoes, jalapenos and olives. Simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer to an 11X7-inch baking dish.
Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, salt and milk in a 2-quart saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring almost continuously until thickened. Spread cornmeal over top of meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is golden.
Lean Lasagna
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 lb. ground turkey breast
3 cups tomato sauce
3 tsp. Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp. each dried basil, parsley and oregano)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
6 cups chopped fresh spinach (or chard)
2 cups fat-free ricotta
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 pkg. whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 8 oz. or 9 noodles)
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a medium-sized nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Sauté onion for 2 minutes, then add turkey and cook an additional 5-7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, all seasonings and mushrooms and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
In a bowl, combine spinach, ricotta and nutmeg.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 (3) lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread a layer of the ricotta mixture, then 1/3 of the mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Cool at least 5 minutes before cutting.
