Easy Enchilada Bake With Cilantro-Lime Fiesta Salad

All the yumminess of enchiladas--without all the work!

I haven’t made enchiladas in a long, long time. Mostly because the whole process of layering, rolling, dipping, etc. just sounds WAY too time consuming for this busy mama. So, when I saw this Beef Taco Bake recipe, it got my wheels spinning.

I made several swaps on this one. I traded the tomato soup for enchilada sauce, added green chilies, omitted the milk, cut back on the number of tortillas, used ground turkey instead of ground beef, and changed the type/amount of cheese. By the time I was done, I realized I needed to tweak the name of this dish to reflect the ingredients that were actually in it, hence the Easy Enchilada Bake.

The best part of this recipe is that you can use any cooked meat you like. Think shredded rotisserie chicken, ground beef, steak, etc. If you’re vegetarian, try kidney, pinto, or black beans, or a combination of your favorites. You can also add more chilies or a little diced bell pepper if you’re feeling adventurous. The possibilities are endless.

Bottom line: Even if you change it up a little to suit your preferences, this is still an easy and tasty dish.

Easy Enchilada Bake
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey (or meat of your choice)
Pinch onion—or garlic—powder (optional)
2 cups mild enchilada sauce*
1 cup chunky salsa
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
2 slices jalapeño jack or regular jack cheese, torn into pieces (or about ¼ cup shredded)*
4 tortillas, torn into 1-inch pieces (I used small white corn tortillas)
½ cup shredded lite Mexican blend cheese (or reduced-fat cheddar if you prefer)

*I used spicy enchilada sauce and jalapeño jack and it turned out SUPER spicy. To turn down the heat, I suggest mild sauce and regular jack cheese. Especially if you are making this dish for kids.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown turkey meat in a skillet adding a pinch of onion or garlic powder (not salt) if desired. In a large bowl, combine cooked turkey (or other cooked meat of your choice), enchilada sauce, salsa, green chilies, jalapeño jack cheese pieces, and tortilla pieces. Stir well. Place this mixture in a 2.5 quart baking dish.  Cook uncovered for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven, cover the top with ½ cup of Mexican blend shredded cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Cilantro-Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing
Makes about 1 cup

Creamy salad dressings don’t usually have a place in a healthy diet—unless they are made with Greek yogurt! This Cilantro-Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing recipe is pretty close to the one I found on Simple Food Healthy Life. I just adjusted a few of the measurements and added some freshly ground pepper.

Ingredients:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
1 lime (juiced)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 small bunch of cilantro, rinsed
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Cilantro-Lime Fiesta Salad
Servings vary

Healthy, creamy, and oh-so-yummy!!!

I didn’t put an exact serving size on this salad because you can make as much (or as little) as you’d like, depending on how many people you’re feeding. Again, this recipe is great, because you can adjust the ingredients based on your personal preferences. Here’s what I like in mine.

Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
Black beans
Corn
Avocado, pitted and cubed
Bell pepper (yellow, red, or orange), chopped
Tomato, chopped
Onion, minced

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss with Cilantro-Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing.

Results:
Since this has been a rather long post, I’m just going to say that if you like all the yumminess of enchiladas—without all the work—this is the recipe for you. Enjoy!

Until next time,
Ryann