We started it with big dreams and lots of willpower, and then these came along and we kind of fell off the wagon.
But I’m proud to say that we’re back at it.
And by we, I mean he.
Yeah.
Since I’m not really exactly doing the whole lifting weights thing, I figured the best thing I can do is try to start making some more high-protein (meat?) dishes. Lean meat, of course. Please tell me cheeseburgers are considered lean meat?
Peppers, onions, jalapenos and black beans topped with spicy meat (lean meat!) and cheese. It’s mostly my gift to Bjork for working so hard at P90X, and partly my gift to myself for avoiding P90X.
Comfort food meets good-for-you food. I could definitely get used to this.
| Southwest Black Bean Casserole |
- 1/2 lb. ground extra lean turkey
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1-2 chopped seeded tomatoes
- 1/4 cup crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and a handful of the onions to the pan, sauteing until meat is browned. Remove turkey and set aside.
- Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, pepper, and jalapeno, sauteing for 4 minutes and stirring occasionally. Add salt, cumin, red pepper, and garlic. Saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly (I added a tablespoon or two of water to keep things from sticking in the pan.)
- Stir in broth and black beans. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Mash beans to desired consistency.
- Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with turkey, bacon, tomato, and cheese. Bake at 425F for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Top with green onions and let cool for atleast 10 minutes (otherwise it will be too runny).
- Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, on tacos, on a salad, or just eat it plain!
PS. You definitely earn extra healthy points by eating this cheesy goodness with multigrain tortilla chips. Definitely.
I'm a teacher, pug lover, and dessert enthusiast. When not in the classroom, I'm in the kitchen. And when not in the kitchen, I'm in a food coma. Juuust kidding. Pinch of Yum is a place where I share pictures and recipes of my favorite foods. Enjoy! -Lindsay
{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a great way to sneak some veggies into a meal and the combo of beans, meat and cheese sounds just perfect. Pictures are awesome too!
Thanks! I was kind of excited that I “hid” some veggies in there, too!
so pretty! definitely bookmarked!
Oh… boy. I’d fall of the wagon too!… and never get back on!
That is my kind of casserole. Putting on the ‘to make’ list.
Eating lean turkey + beans = same effect as P90X… right?! This looks healthy but still so satisfying!
My thoughts exactly!
You said bacon!!! And now this is on next weeks menu, suh-weet!!!
That looks fantastic! And I love Emily’s logic… lean meat and beans are DEFINITELY the same as P90X!
Ok, good. I give myself permission to eat this instead of working out.
YUM!!! I want that for dinner tonight!
Me, too, even though I just had it last night!
This looks really fantastic. Comfort food meets health food. Now if only my husband liked black beans…
Maybe he will after he tries this??
This looks great! Combination of delicious flavours.
There is a constant quest for protein in my house (not me!) – thanks for the help! I love the combination of flavors and the beans.
This is great for meat and nonmeat lovers alike… there’s just enough to be filling and pack a lot of protein!
Looks great! I love finding casserole-type dishes like this that don’t include grains, pastas, rice, etc. Yum!
I know, same here! I love that this is all protein and veggies (carbs added after the fact with chips, tortillas, etc)!
My husband won’t eat ground turkey, but that doesn’t stop me from feeding it to him. My latest trick is to disguise it as ground beef by mixing it with a little chorizo or something with lots of sauce. This casserole would be perfect for more of my trickery. I’ll have to call it a “southwestern dish” when I serve it to him because anything called a casserole is off-limits.
I think honesty in marriage doesn’t cover trying to get your husband to eat healthier.
Hahaha… too funny! I was trying to add some flavor to the turkey it by adding bacon, and it worked!! (PS. where does one find chorizo? apparently I don’t shop at fancy enough grocery stores?)
Wow thT is just wonderful looking. Thanks for sharing this one.
How could I not share this goodness?!
Looks just up our alley! I’ll have to file this one away
Grant showed me this website at work and now I check it daily! This dish looks amazing I cannot wait to make it! LOVE THIS BLOG!!
Haha.. aw, that’s nice. Thanks!
I’m glad you like it. And tell Grant I said hello.
I just finished lunch and am stuffed but your casserole makes me hungry again! What beautiful photos – esp of something like a casserole that doesn’t usually turn out “pretty” – I love southwestern flavors – healthy + comfort…this is a winner in my book!
Oooh. Beautiful–thanks for sharing. I can’t wait till it gets cold enough to make things like this. Snow already!
Noo! Not snow. We have snow for too many months in Minnesota. But the upside is making nice warm comfort food like this!
Heh, I hear such things about the Midwest. We get hit quite a bit in Nevada too, but having mountains around means that snow is a lot more fun! For a while, anyway… I’ll be singing a different tune come January.
Same here. By January, I’m ready for summer again!
Definitely going to be trying this. Growing up I always hated casseroles, but now that I’m married with a full time job and a baby, I appreciate the concept!
I agree! And it’s really a casserole for non-casserole people because there’s no cream of anything soup or noodles or anything. All just good, healthy stuff!
We don’t eat meat, but I love casseroles (and cheese) and I am so excited to experiment with a vegetarian version of this dish!
You could totally leave out the meat or sub some more veggies and it would still taste great! Let me know how it works out.
oh my! this looks sooo good! cant wait to try it on! Beautiful photographs on your blog
Thank you! It is definitely worth a try if you like black beans!
That bean casserole looks and sounds so good!
I made this tonight and loved it! Definitely a keeper. I can’t wait to try another recipe.
So glad you liked it, Courtney!
Just made this for dinner tonight…yummy! Perfect use for the ground turkey leftovers I had.
Glad you liked it Angela!
This looks awesome. Like you, I don’t participate in my husband’s exercise pursuits. Hello, I have the internet instead. In any case–this is a relatively low-carb casserole and I’m stoked to try it. (He gave up carbs and I try my best to cook carb-free at home. Sometimes pasta sneaks in. I AM HELPLESS.)
Anyway, loving your photography and recipes!
Looks great! I am looking for recipes that are high protein, low fat – especially for a gluten intolerant, insulin resistant, trying to-get-back-on-the-fitness-wagoneer like me! Looks great! Avoiding the P90X but trying to get back in shape for some Triathlon’s after being out for 18 months!
This is an awesome recipe! I just made it for dinner tonight and I will definitely be back to your blog for more meal ideas. I was wondering how you think this casserole would freeze?
Thank you for this recipe.
We just stated going through food allergy/in-tolerance testing. It feels like everything we enjoy has been removed from our diet.
This recipe, with the modification of Almond Cheese, met all the avoid requirements yet was tasty enough that for the first time since the testing began I didn’t have more than one meal on the table and/or missing family members. All 5 of us enjoyed it. I don’t know if you realize how huge that is to me. Thank you!
That is awesome! So happy to hear that Jessica!!