Fajita Casserole

We're heading into these cold November days and all I want is cozy comfort-food. It has ignited my imagination as I attempt to satisfy my cravings without falling into the unhealthy trap of classic-"Child of the 80s"-casseroles.  You won't find any Cream of Mushroom Soup here.

Last night's creativity resulted in an absolute keeper that I'm excited to share with you, my friends. :)

Here's tonight's gluten-free, grain-free, flavorFUL dinner:

 Mama's Fajita Casserole

 Here's the base layer of riced/shredded veggies.  I'm still working through the freezer stash of zucs' from my summer bumper-crop, but if you don't have any on hand, feel free to use a second package of riced veggies!

 Once the garlic, onions, and peppers are cooked, 

combine with the beans and a touch of the cream sauce.

 I had leftover pork tenderloin I diced up from the night before which made the recipe even faster! You could very easily pre-cook chicken breasts on the weekend to speed this up on a weeknight!

 I swear I was not trying to be all fancy with this lattice. I simply didn't have any shredded cheese on hand so I sliced my pepper-jack cheese slices that Hubby loves on sandwiches into strips so we could have the pretty top layer.  Next time it will be a nice sprinkling of the shreds. 

 OMG. I was so excited to pull this out of the oven. My daughter's friend was over and gave me major props on the smells wafting from our kitchen.  I'll take what I can get. #Imnotlikearegularmom #ImacoolMom #meangirlsforever

¡Buen Provecho!

Fajita Casserole

1 pkg Green Giant Cauliflower Rice (2 pkgs if you don’t have zucchini)

2 C shredded zucchini 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

2t Cumin

1t Chili Powder

1/2 t Coriander

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 can black beans, drained

2/3 C Plain Greek Yogurt

1/3 C plain, unsweetened almond milk

1- 10oz can Green Enchilada Sauce

2 cups diced chicken breast or pork 

1 C Monterrey or Pepper Jack Cheese (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 Casserole dish with cooking spray. Combine the Cauliflower rice and shredded zucchini.  Cover the bottom of the dish with the rice vegetable mixture.  In a pan, heat 1t oil and cook the minced garlic for 1 minute. Add the diced onion and cook until transparent.  Add the peppers and spices.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the beans.  Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together the yogurt, milk and enchilada sauce. Add 1/4c of the liquid mixture to the cooked vegetables.

Layer the cooked vegetable and beans on top of the veggie rice. Add the cooked, diced chicken or pork as the third layer.  Top all the ingredients with the yogurt cream. Finally top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Top with Fresh avocado and enjoy!