Healthy Taco Casserole

My original plan for today was to bake cookies and watch football. That was until I decided I didn’t want to bake cookies and would rather make a casserole because they’re simple and make it easier to watch football….While making something. I decided to go with a healthier version of a taco casserole. Not only is it healthier but it is also vegetarian. You could always replace the soy crumbles with real meat but this is my version and if you follow my recipe, I promise you no one but you will know it’s not the real stuff.

Ingredients:
2 bags Morningstar Crumbles (Boca also makes a version of these but I’ve found the Morningstar ones to breakdown easier)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups salsa (Target’s own brand makes a really good standard one)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon Ghost Chili flakes (these are potent and will whoop your ass so be careful)
2 1/4 cups crushed lime Tostidos tortilla chips (the lime flavor gives it an extra kick)
8 ounces shredded low-fat Mexican cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook and stir soy crumbles in a large skillet over medium-heat. Add in garlic and stir. Allow the crumbles to cook down, they are usually done in about 10 minutes.
Stir in salsa, onion, sour cream, chili powder, cumin, and Ghost Chili. Remove from heat once everything is stirred together.
Spread half of the soy crumble mixture into the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread about half of the tortilla chips in a layer atop the soy crumble mixture. Layer about half of the Mexican cheese over the tortilla chip layer. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, ending with Mexican cheese.
Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil and put dish into the oven.
Bake the casserole for about 30 minutes, or until all the cheese is melted.

Cheesy Goodness

Look at that cheese

This came out very good and very spicy. If you can’t handle the heat then get out….I mean, scratch the Ghost Chili and go easy on the chili powder. The cheese made a beautiful middle and top layer. The crumbles, as I mentioned earlier, can easily be passed off as real meat so long as you add the minced garlic and don’t tell people what it really is. I’m really proud of this dish. Enjoy and watch football.