Recipe Rehab: Mexican Lasagna

No matter how you wrap, roll or serve Mexican food, it is sure to be delicious! I could eat fajitas, burritos, enchiladas or tamales every day and never get tired of this wonderful cuisine. My waistline, however, may show the damage. The downfall of many Mexican dishes is the high content of fat found in ingredients such as ground beef and pork, re-fried beans, sour cream and often large amounts of cheese.

With this simple Mexican lasagna, I will replace the traditional ground beef with tofu crumbles. This swap not only makes the meal vegetarian, it cuts out most of the saturated fat, which has been linked with high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease. I will reduce the fat content and calories further by using black beans instead of re-fried beans. As for the cheese, I will use non-fat mozzarella cheese instead of the classic Mexican cheese blend and I will reduce the amount by including it only in the topping.

By layering these ingredients like I would lasagna, I have a simple one pot meal that keeps the spicy flavors we love about Mexican foods, but reduces both the fat and calories.

Ingredients:

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 package (12 oz.) Morning Star Veggie Meat Crumbles

1 tablespoon dried cilantro

1 teaspoon cumin

1 can (14 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/4 cups salsa

4 (8-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas

1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices

1/2 cup shredded non-fat mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Sauté peppers and onions in olive oil until tender. Add veggie crumbles and spices. Continue to cook until heated through.

2. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Start layering with 1/4 cup salsa; then add one fourth of the veggie crumbles, 1/2 cup black beans, 1 tablespoon jalapenos, and top with one whole wheat tortilla. Continue to layer as such until you place the last tortilla. Top this final one with the remaining salsa and then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake in a 350° F oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes until the cheese is slightly browned.

Serves: 6

Nutritional Content (per serving):

383 calories, 13 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 46 g carbohydrates, 13 g fiber, 23 g protein, 748 mg sodium

Looking for more Mexican-inspired favorites? Try our Recipe Rehab: Nachos!

Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your most favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REHAB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Send us an e-mail at reciperehab [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com.