This principal course, vegetarian casserole, is sinfully scrumptious! So amazingly wealthy in fabulous Mexican flavors. Every fiber-rich serving has 320 energy and eight grams of fats. It’s tremendous fast to make, however does want time to be refrigerated earlier than slicing. I actually hope you get an opportunity to make it quickly. Everybody will LOVE it!
Why You may Love My South of the Border, Skinny Cornbread Casserole
Benefit from the traditional consolation of cornbread with a vibrant, south-of-the-border aptitude, all in a lighter, skinnyfied and vegetarian type. My South of the Border, Skinny Cornbread Casserole supplies a scrumptious mixture of savory, plant-based flavors and satisfying textures with out the added guilt. It is good for anybody looking for a easy, satisfying meal that is each flavorful, vegetarian, and health-conscious. By incorporating vibrant greens, and sensible ingredient substitutions, this casserole supplies a balanced and scrumptious expertise. Whether or not you are searching for a fast weeknight dinner, a potluck favourite, or a lighter, vegetarian various to conventional cornbread, this simple and yummy casserole is bound to change into a go-to recipe.
Ingredient For Skinny South of the Border Cornbread Casserole
Chopped onions:
Fragrant Base: Onions launch sulfur compounds when cooked, making a savory aroma that kinds the bottom of the casserole’s taste.
Sweetness Growth: As they sauté, onions caramelize, releasing pure sugars and including a refined sweetness.
Texture: They soften throughout cooking, contributing to the casserole’s general texture.
Chopped purple bell peppers:
Candy and Vibrant Taste: Purple bell peppers add a candy, barely tangy taste that enhances the opposite substances.
Colour and Visible Enchantment: They contribute a vibrant purple shade, making the casserole visually interesting.
Dietary Worth: Purple bell peppers are a very good supply of vitamin C and antioxidants.
Diminished-fat butter or Good Steadiness Gentle:
Taste and Richness: Butter or a butter substitute provides richness and taste to the vegetable base.
Sautéing Medium: It is used to sauté the onions and bell peppers, permitting them to melt and launch their flavors.
Diminished Fats: Diminished-fat choices decrease saturated fats and energy.
Cream-style corn:
Candy Creaminess: Cream-style corn provides a candy, creamy texture and taste that’s important to cornbread.
Moisture: It contributes moisture to the casserole, stopping it from being dry.
Traditional Cornbread Aspect: It supplies a traditional cornbread ingredient.
Rinsed and drained black beans:
Plant-Primarily based Protein: Black beans present a very good supply of plant-based protein and fiber, making the casserole extra filling and nutritious.
Hearty Texture: They add a hearty, satisfying texture that enhances the cornbread.
South-of-the-Border Taste: They contribute a traditional south-of-the-border ingredient.
Fats-free cottage cheese:
Creamy Texture: Cottage cheese provides a creamy texture and a refined tanginess that enhances the casserole’s moistness.
Protein Content material: It supplies a lean supply of protein, contributing to the casserole’s dietary worth.
Low Fats: Fats-free cottage cheese minimizes the fats content material.
Egg:
Binding Agent: The egg acts as a binder, holding the substances collectively and offering construction to the cornbread.
Moisture and Richness: It contributes moisture and a refined richness to the casserole.
Chili powder:
Heat Spice: Chili powder provides a heat, earthy spice that’s attribute of south-of-the-border delicacies.
Taste Depth: It contributes to the general depth of taste, enhancing the savory notes of the dish.
Cumin:
Earthy Heat: Cumin provides an earthy, heat depth that’s important to many Mexican-inspired dishes.
Fragrant High quality: It releases a heat, fragrant scent that enhances the general sensory expertise.
Jiffy Corn Muffin Combine:
Cornbread Base: It supplies the bottom for the cornbread, providing a handy and acquainted cornbread taste and texture.
Comfort: It simplifies the preparation course of.
Purchasing Ideas Significance: Some retailer manufacturers are inferior to the identify model.
Enchilada sauce:
Tangy and Spicy Taste: Enchilada sauce provides a tangy, barely spicy, and wealthy tomato-based taste that enhances the cornbread.
South-of-the-Border Essence: It contributes to the casserole’s south-of-the-border taste profile.
Moisture: It provides moisture to the topping.
Fats-free plain Greek yogurt or fat-free plain yogurt:
Creamy Tanginess: These toppings add a creamy, tangy end that gives a cooling distinction to the nice and cozy spices.
Texture Distinction: They add a clean, creamy texture that contrasts with the cornbread.
Garnish: It acts as a pleasant garnish.
Tips on how to Make South of the Border, Skinny Cornbread Casserole
Step 1: Preheat and Put together the Baking Dish
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 levels Fahrenheit (220 levels Celsius). This excessive temperature ensures the cornbread cooks by means of and achieves a golden-brown crust.
Baking Dish Preparation: Coat a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. This prevents the casserole from sticking and makes cleanup simpler. Set the ready dish apart.
Step 2: Soften the Onions and Purple Peppers (Microwave Technique)
Vegetable Preparation: In a microwave-safe bowl, mix 1 cup of chopped onions, 1 cup of chopped purple bell peppers, and 1 tablespoon of reduced-fat butter or Good Steadiness Gentle.
Microwave Cooking: Prepare dinner the greens within the microwave on excessive for roughly 4 minutes, or till they’re comfortable. This softens the greens and releases their fragrant flavors.
Set Apart: Set the cooked greens apart, together with any liquid that has accrued within the bowl.
Step 3: Put together the Cornbread Batter
Massive Bowl Mixing: In a big bowl, mix 1 (14.5 oz.) can of cream-style corn, 1 (15 oz.) can of rinsed and drained black beans, ½ cup of fat-free cottage cheese, 1 egg, ¼ teaspoon of chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon of cumin.
Mixing: Mix the substances collectively completely till effectively mixed. This ensures a clean and constant batter.
Cornbread Combine Addition: Stir in 1 (8.5 oz.) field of Jiffy Corn Muffin Combine. Solely stir till the substances are simply blended. The batter could also be barely lumpy, which is completely wonderful.
Rubber Spatula Spreading: Utilizing a rubber spatula, unfold the cornbread batter evenly into the ready baking pan.
Step 4: High with Greens, Enchilada Sauce, and Yogurt
Vegetable Topping: Spoon the cooked onions, purple peppers, and any liquid from the bowl evenly excessive of the cornbread batter.
Enchilada Sauce Pouring: Pour ½ cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the onions and peppers.
Yogurt Spreading: Utilizing the identical rubber spatula, fastidiously unfold ½ cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt or fat-free plain yogurt evenly excessive. It’s okay if the yogurt doesn’t cowl all the floor of the casserole.
Step 5: Bake the Casserole
Baking Time: Bake the casserole within the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or till it’s cooked by means of. The highest will change into very brown.
Doneness Check: Insert a toothpick into the middle of the casserole to verify for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clear, the casserole is completed.
Step 6: Cool and Refrigerate
Cooling Interval: Take away the casserole from the oven and permit it to chill barely at room temperature.
Refrigeration: Refrigerate the casserole for at the least 1 hour earlier than slicing it into 6 slices. This permits the casserole to agency up, stopping it from being mushy.
In a single day Refrigeration: For greatest outcomes, refrigerate the casserole in a single day.
Step 7: Serve and Get pleasure from
Slicing: Minimize the chilled casserole into 6 equal slices.
Reheating: If desired, reheat the slices earlier than serving.
Freezing: This casserole freezes effectively after it is baked, refrigerated, and sliced. Wrap particular person slices tightly in plastic wrap and retailer them in a freezer bag.
Ideas for Success:
Microwave Timing: Alter the microwave cooking time for the greens based mostly in your microwave’s energy.
Cornbread Combine Stirring: Keep away from overmixing the cornbread batter, as this can lead to a tricky texture.
Even Spreading: Unfold the cornbread batter and toppings evenly for constant cooking and presentation.
Cooling Time: Refrigerating the casserole for at the least 1 hour is essential for firming it up.
Reheating Technique: Reheat slices within the microwave or oven till warmed by means of.
Vegetable Variations: Be at liberty so as to add different greens, akin to corn kernels or diced jalapeños, to the casserole.
Spice Adjustment: Alter the quantity of chili powder and cumin to your most popular spice degree.
Storage: Retailer leftover casserole in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Useful Ideas About this Recipe
Makes 6 servings (every serving, 1 slice) Purchasing Ideas Most supermarkets promote Jiffy corn muffin combine within the baking aisle. For those who can’t discover it use one other model that’s about 8.5 ounces. For this recipe, I used ½ cup from a (12oz) bottle of Dealer Joe’s Enchilada Sauce. Or, use ½ cup from a (10 oz.) can of purple enchilada sauce discovered at most supermarkets. WW Freestyle SmartPoints 8-Blue WW SmartPoints 10-Inexperienced
