Black and Red Bean Tortilla Bake

This is one of my low-fat recipes, so feel free to add fat back in if you want. You could use full-fat Cheddar cheese, for example, and regular sour cream.

The recipe is from THE DIABETES SNACK MUNCH NIBBLE NOSH BOOK, 3rd Edition, by Ruth Glick, published by the American Diabetes Association.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

12 servings/serving size: I piece about 3 by 2½ inches

Tex-Mex flavors predominate in this easy layered bake. It’s great as part of a buffet or when you want to feed a gang of hungry male snackers.

2 cups frozen mixed pepper and onion stir-fry

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup mild salsa

1 15-oz can reduced-sodium tomato sauce or regular tomato sauce

1½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and well-drained

1 16-oz can reduced-sodium kidney beans, or regular kidney beans, drained

12 to 14 6-in corn tortillas

1 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese (1% fat)

2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (8 oz) (5 grams of fat per oz)

Garnish:

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion tops

½ cup nonfat or reduced-fat sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small pot or very large saucepan, combine the pepper-onion mixture, garlic, and oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 5 or 6 minutes.

2. Add the salsa, tomato sauce, cumin, and chili powder. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the black beans and kidney beans. Remove from burner.

3. Spread one half of the bean mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9½ x 13 inch baking pan. Top with one half of the tortillas in an overlapping layer. With the back of a large spoon, spread the cottage cheese evenly over the tortillas. Top with one half of the Cheddar cheese. Add the remaining tortillas, then the remaining bean mixture.

4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake uncovered an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is partially melted.

5. To serve, cut into 12 rectangles, and garnish with tomatoes, green onion, and sour cream.