What's Cookin? Tuesday - Spinach and Mushroom Enchilada Casserole

Kristen Mowers, CalSERVES Nutrition Coordinator

California is the leading producer of fresh market and processed spinach in the United States.

Spinach was the first frozen vegetable to be sold for commercial use.

Spinach began being cultivated in North America by the early 19th century. In recent times, it has been popularized by the cartoon character, Popeye, who attributes his amazing strength to a daily diet of the green, leafy vegetable. In fact, when Popeye made his debut on January 17, 1929, spinach became the third most popular children’s food after turkey and ice cream. Today, more than 94 percent of Americans associate spinach with Popeye.

Green fruits and vegetables help maintain vision health and strong bones and teeth. They may also lower the risk of some cancers. Examples include spinach, cabbage, celery, leeks, peas, collards, avocados, kiwis, honeydew melon and green grapes.

Spinach and Mushroom Enchilada Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium chopped onion

2 minced garlic clove

3 seeded, deveined and minced yellow banana chile peppers

3 pounds sliced mushrooms

1 can (14 ounce) enchilada sauce (preferably green)

8 - 6 inch corn tortillas - cut in half

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

2 packages (10 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, - thawed

6 1/2 ounces grated reduced fat Monterey jack cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a very large non-stick skillet. Add onion, garlic and peppers and stir. Add mushrooms and cook about 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid evaporates. (If pan is not large enough, cook mushrooms in batches.)
2. Pour half of the enchilada sauce into a 13x9-inch baking dish.
3. Arrange 8 tortilla halves over the sauce in the baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When mushrooms are cooked, stir in the salt and crumble in the oregano leaves. Drain the spinach, squeeze it dry and mix it thoroughly with the mushroom mixture. Spoon half the mushroom mixture into the baking dish, carefully covering tortillas.
4. Set aside 1/4 cup (about 1 ounce) of grated cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the mushroom mixture. Layer with the remaining 8 tortilla halves, then the remaining mushroom mixture and enchilada sauce. Sprinkle top of casserole with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until casserole is steaming hot in the center.

Note: Allow casserole to stand at room temperature 5 minutes before serving. Serve with pinto or black beans and salad. 

Calories 240, Fat 11g, Sodium 350mg, Sugar 5g, Protein 16g