Mexican Lasagna (Copyright)

[Guest guest]

Liza May brought this to the CRON gathering. The sweet potato & Konjac

process facinates me! Please note the Copyright at bottom:

Summary of Nutritional Data: http://snipurl.com/77ll

Liza May's recipe for Mexican Lasagna:

1 cup cooked kidney beans (canned ... or use 1/3 cup dry)

1 cup cooked black beans (canned ... Or use 1/3 cup dry)

1 small-medium sweet-potato

Water

Konjac

1 Cob of Corn

1 medium onion, cut into four thick, flat slices

1-2 green bell pepper sliced into thick slices

1 tomato (leave whole and unpeeled, not sliced)

2 (or more, to taste) large cloves garlic

Cumin Powder to taste

Chili Powder to taste

Fresh cilantro to taste

1/2 - 1 cup non-fat cottage cheese

If desired: turmeric or annatto for yellow color

[Optional: Salt if desired ... Lemon Zest plus Lemon Juice is healthy

alternative to salt]

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If using dry beans instead of canned: soak beans overnight, then

pressure-cook or regular-cook beans until tender.

Pre-heat oven to 450 Fahrenheit.

Microwave or bake sweet-potato until soft. Mash until smooth. Add enough

water and konjac to extend this mixture to 2 - 3 cups. (The technique is to

add the water first, mixing thoroughly; then add konjac slowly in

1-teaspoonful increments, mixing thoroughly after each addition and allowing

mixture to thicken before adding another teaspoonful. You want your finished

mixture to be the same consistency and thickness as mashed potato). When

finished adding konjac, add cumin, chili powder, and salt (or lemon) to

taste.

Grill the cob of corn on a grill or cast-iron pan (or broil under the

broiler-coil in your oven). Slice kernels off the cob, into a large mixing

bowl.

Grill (or broil) onion, bell pepper, and tomato until tender. Add onion and

pepper to the corn in mixing bowl. Drain beans and add to mixing bowl.

Put grilled tomato, garlic, and cilantro into food processor and process

until smooth. Add to vegetables in mixing bowl.

Put non-fat cottage cheese into large mixing bowl. Add water to extend this

mixture to 2 1/2 cups. Add konjac as before in 1-teaspoon increments, until

the mixture is consistency of the original cheese. (When making " mock

cottage-cheese " or " mock ricotta, " I like to retain some of the undissolved

lumps of konjac as these give the same consistency, " mouth feel, " and

appearance as these cheeses). When you've reached the desired texture add

salt and/or lemon and/or turmeric (excellently healthy spice) for taste and

color. (I sometimes add turmeric to only part of the cheese mixture to make

a mock " cheddar " or parmesan for the top only. The texture can be changed,

too, for this top part, but more on " mock-cheese cookery " at another time).

Use a non-stick 2-quart casserole (or line a regular casserole with

non-stick aluminum foil).

Cover bottom with layer of 1/3 of potato mixture. Cover this with layer of

1/3 vegetable mixture. Cover this with layer of 1/3 cheese mixture. Repeat

this layering two more times.

Bake uncovered until heated throughout and cheese mixture on top has " puffed

up " and browned nicely on top.

Please let me know how it turns out!

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C Copyright Liza May, M.S. 2004

All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any

form by any electronic means, including information storage and

retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except

by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in an interview.

Liza May, M.S.

Phone: 301-261-0555

Fax: 410-451-6105

Email: lizamay at comast dot net