Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole

This year Memorial Day fell on a Monday. Everyone at the BBQ agreed to go meatless, which was totally unexpected. My boyfriend and I brought our own veggie burgers just in case, but it turns out that portabella veggie burgers were on the “regular” menu- an awesome surprise.

 

The veggie burgers were good, but I think this dish took 1^st prize at the meal. Everyone seemed to love it, and it is so easy and inexpensive to make. This would be a perfect dish for a BBQ at home (it would be hard to keep it at a safe temperature if you didn’t have an oven) or for a light lunch or dinner. I made it the night before so I only had to reheat at the BBQ (which took about 30 minutes, uncovered).

 

Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole

Serves 8

 

Ingredients:

3 medium summer squash, quartered and sliced thin (about 8 cups)

Small sweet onion, diced

½ cup sliced pickled jalapeño peppers, drained*

¼ cup white flour**

¾ cup salsa (low sodium if possible)

1 ½ cups shredded low-fat Mexican or Cheddar cheese, divided

Pepper, to taste

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x3 casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Combine squash, onions, jalapeño peppers, and ¾ cup cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle flour on the mixture and stir.

3. Pour mixture into the casserole dish and cover with tin foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until squash is soft.

4. Remove from oven, spread salsa and remaining cheese over the top. Pepper to taste. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutesuncovered or until cheese begins to brown.

 

*If you don’t like a lot of spice, substitute with diced canned green chile peppers.

** If gluten-free, use 1 ½ Tbsp of cornstarch

 

Nutrition Facts: 1 ½ cups of casserole

120 calories, 4 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 13 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein, 310 mg sodium