Easy Relleno Bake

If you know anything about me, you know I have a thing for cheese. I also not so secretly wish that I were allergic to cheese, so I would stop eating it. I'd probably drop 5 pounds in a week. Sarcasm? You be the judge.

Today we're making chile rellenos... kinda! I used to make this dish all the time in high school. It was easy and delicious, and figure friendly when you need a good mexican-style cheese fix. This is about as white-washed as any mexican dish can be, so don't expect authentic mexican cuisine out of this one. In other words, lower your expectations, cuisine connoisseurs. Come down to the ranks of we lowly comfort-food-eaters.

This is a great side dish to grilled fajitas. It also makes a great burrito filler if you are into the chile relleno burrito thing. Make a dish of these and eat all week. It's a good one!

Chile Relleno Bake
8 servings


cooking spray
1 large can whole green chiles
1 pound shredded light mexican style cheese (i.e. jack blend)
1/2 c. egg substitute
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 can nonfat evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. (I made two smaller dishes)

In a mixing bowl, combine egg substitute, evaporated milk, flour, and salt. Whisk well. 

Layer half the chiles.

Half the cheese.

Remaining chiles.

And remaining cheese. Then pour over the egg mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until bubbly, brown, and set!

It kind of looks like mexican lasagna for cheese addicts?

Vegan Taco/Burrito Filling

This blog has been super sugary recently and we need to balance this business out, ASAP.

Let's make a complete 180 from all the desserts, sweets, breakfast foods, and candy and go directly to vegan mexican food. K?

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Trader Joe's?

Well, I do. And here are two of the greatest packaged foods in the whole store: steamed lentils and soy chorizo. HELLOOO! Soy Chorizo?!?!

First off, normal chorizo is heavily spiced, super fatty pork sausage. Don't get me wrong, it is delish, but it doesn't have much nutritional merit. So if I can sub the fatty porky version with a soy, cholesterol free version and trick my taste buds, I'm in.

Cut that with high protein, high fiber, tasty lentils and you have a protein packed, delicious and nutritious mixture.

Step 1: Get your butt to TJ's.

Step 2:
Saute a diced yellow onion in a bit of EVOO, add crumbled package of soy chorizo (12 oz) and cook 4-5 minutes, then stir in 2 cups of cooked lentils and heat through.

Step 3:
Eat.


For realsies, couldn't be easier.

Uses:

• Tacos
• Burritos
• Breakfast burritos
• Breakfast tacos
• in other words, this is great with eggs and potatoes!
• Tamale filling
• Taco salad topping
• Mexican casseroles
• Enchiladas
• Nachos
• Just for snacking
• Sloppy Jose's

I think I've made my point.

Skinny Tortilla Soup

Today's recipe is the perfect pre-thanksgiving meal. It's not heavy and won't leave you feeling gross before you eat a 3,000 calorie dinner tomorrow evening (not including the booze). I wasn't kidding about the 3,000 calories. I won't lie, if you're one of those people that isn't against dinner foods for breakfast (i.e. leftover pizza, mashed potatoes, sushi?), then this tortilla soup is excellent for breakfast with an over-easy egg.

This version of tortilla soup utilizes Reduced Guilt tortilla chips from TJ's, though you could easily pick up another version of reduced calorie tortilla chips in baked form.

Truly, what makes restaurant tortilla soup dangerous is not the soup itself - it's the toppings! If you douse anything in large amounts of avocado, full fat sour cream, full fat cheese, and deep fried chips, it's going to be less than healthy. Case in point: taco salad. Argument over.

So, with recipe inspiration cred to Ms. Rachael Ray, I bring to you a skinnied up version of tort soup.

Skinny Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 2 chicken breasts, diced
• S&P
• 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp coriander
• 2 c. reduced guilt/baked tortilla chips
• 1 quart chicken stock/broth
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
• Toppings of your liking:
• Fat free greek yogurt
• Hot sauce like Cholula or Tapatio
• Avocado, sliced
• Lime wedges
• Reduced fat shredded mexican blend cheese
• Reduced guilt/baked tortilla chips

Instructions

• In a soup pot, heat EVOO over med-high heat
• Season chicken with S&P, lightly brown in pot
• While chicken is browning, get together garlic, bell pep, onion, jalapeno, and celery
• Add all veg to pot along with cumin and coriander and a pinch more of salt
• Cook for a few minutes until veg starts to soften up, stirring frequently
• In the meantime, food process, or crush, the 2 cups of tortilla chips. This part is a little weird, but it's what thickens the soup and it makes it super good. So trust me.
• Add tortilla chip crumbs to pot, and stir to incorporate into the chicken/veg mixture
• Add broth, zest and juice of 1 lime (I throw in the limes after I squeeze out the juice. I like it limey)
• Let her simmer on low for 15 minutes for all the flavors to have a little party
• When ready to serve, throw in the cilantro and stir it up
• Ladle up and garnish to your liking

strangely delicious!

I served the soup with black bean quesadillas. This not only prevented me from gorging on chips, it also provided more protein in the meal. TJ's has blue corn tortillas that look cool, taste great, and are only 60 calories.

it's not a white balance problem.

This recipe is not super brothy like traditional tortilla soup because of the crushed chips. It's almost chowder-y because of the thickness. Highly recommended! You could always reduce the amount of crushed chips or increase the amount of broth to reach your desired soup thickness balance. It would also be a great way to utilize left over turkey after T-day! Just omit the chicken browning step and toss in the cooked turkey after the veg is browned. 

Happy Thanksgiving readers!