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Light and Easy Tex-Mex Bake

Light and Easy Tex-Mex Bake

Light and Easy Tex-Mex Bake has come to be one of my favorite flavor combinations. This low-fat dish doesn’t disappoint when it comes to flavor and satisfaction. It is filling, quick and easy to prepare, freezes well, and makes awesome leftover; as a matter of fact, I think it tastes even better the next day! The servings are really large, so even though I calculated the nutrition information based on 4 servings, I usually get about 6 servings out of it. The flavors and spices in this dish can easily be altered to suit your taste, so by all means, change up the spices called for with your favorite tex-mex spices.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 356
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces whole wheat thin mostaccioli pasta (or penne, or ziti)
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey breast
  • 1 package frozen corn, thawed and drained (or about 2-3 ears fresh corn)
  • ⅔ cup salsa
  • 1 container fat free cottage cheese (16 ounce)
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced (or 2 teaspoon dried)
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper (black pepper is fine, too if you don’t have white on hand)
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ cup shredded low fat Monterey Jack cheese

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet
  • oven
  • 1 small bowl

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions (omitting the salt called for) ;rinse, drain and set aside.
  2. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, add the ground turkey, and cook over high heat until no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Stir in the corn and salsa, and remove from the heat. (you can also try stirring in a packet of taco seasoning mix for even more flavor)
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cottage cheese, egg, cilantro, pepper, and cumin in a small bowl.
  4. Spoon half of the turkey mixture into the bottom of a sprayed baking dish. Top the turkey with the pasta, then spoon the cottage mixture over the pasta and top everything with the remaining half of the turkey mixture. Sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake 25 – 30 minutes.

Video

Notes

Make It Ahead: Need a time-saving solution? Prepare the Tex-Mex Bake in advance and refrigerate it overnight. When you're ready to serve, simply pop it in the oven and bake according to the recipe instructions. This make-ahead option is perfect for busy days or when you want to enjoy the flavors without the fuss.