Cilantro-corn tortilla dish

With all of the culinary indulgences that I enjoyed over the holidays, I need to start replacing rich meals with healthier ones again. This Tex-Mex-inspired meal is great if you are in the mood for something gooey and cheesy. I found the original recipe in Sunset magazine but have adapted it to my family’s tastes.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Mushrooms (12-16 oz)

Bell peppers (2-3, any color but I prefer red)

Sweet corn (8 oz can)

Cumin (I tsp, ground)

Coriander (1 tsp, ground)

Cayenne or black pepper (1/4-1/2 tsp to taste, ground)

Black beans (15 oz can)

Cilantro (1 cup of loosely packed leaves)

Tortillas (medium size, 3)

Green salsa (16 oz jar)

Low-fat Sharp cheddar cheese (8oz bag, shredded)

Slice mushrooms and start sautéing them. Cut the bell peppers into bite-size pieces while the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown. Add the peppers to the mushrooms, sauté until they are soft, then toss in the drained can of sweet corn. Mix in the ground cumin, coriander and cayenne/black pepper, then take the mixture off the heat and divide it into thirds in the pan.

Puree the black beans and coriander leaves into a smooth paste and roughly divide it into quarters in the mixer. You can set one quarter of it aside if you’d like to keep the ratio of beans lower.

Now it’s time to assemble the ingredients.

Smooth a third of the black bean puree onto each of the tortillas. Spray a Pyrex bowl with cooking oil. Place one of the tortillas into the bowl and top with one third of the vegetable mixture. Next spoon over one third of the green salsa and finally, sprinkle on one third of the cheese. Repeat this process three times but keep aside extra cheese for the top so you have a delicious crust of cheese to cut through at the end.

Place the completed dish in a 375F degree oven for 40 minutes. Let the dish cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into portions. Serves 4 generously.

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