SAUCY TURKEY ENCHILADA LASAGNA

A modern twist on enchilada casserole, this paleo turkey enchilada "lasagna" is made with layers of delicate zucchini instead of pasta or tortillas and is INSANELY GOOD. Not only is it super simple to make, it also makes an AWESOME meal-prep recipe as the flavors meld and taste even better the next day. Originally I planned this recipe to make 6 servings, but it was so good it lasted my family household of 2 only 4!

If you are plant based, feel free to swap the ground meat for your plant based option or beans of choice.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

Turkey Filling

• 24 ounces ground turkey (or meat of choice or tempeh/tofu, crumbled if vegan)

• 8 ounces of jarred salsa

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1/2 lime, juiced

Lasagna Layers

• 4 small or 2-3 large zucchini, thin sliced lengthwise

• 8 ounces enchilada sauce (We love Frontera Red Chili Enchilada Sauce)

• 4 ounces cashew "cheese" (or organic full-fat cottage cheese)

• 1/2 cup dairy-free cheese shreds (or organic shredded cheese)

• Cooking oil spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, add the ground meat and fully cook, breaking it apart into small crumbles. (Turkey Pro-Tip: While I don't include these ingredients in this particular recipe, I always like to add a few dashes of liquid smoke, worchestershire sauce, and coconut aminos to my ground turkey to provide a little more depth of flavor.)

3. Once the turkey is fully cooked, chop the cilantro and slice a lime in half, juicing one half. Add these ingredients along with the rest of the ingredients for the turkey filling to the skillet. Stir to combine.

4. Bring the ingredients to a low simmer to allow the flavors to infuse into the turkey, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner to allow it to cool while you prepare your lasagna layers.

5. In a 9x13 glass pan, give it a spray with cooking oil. Cut off the ends of the zucchini and slice them lengthwise, as thin as you can, to resemble lasagna noodles.

6. Place 1/3 of the sliced zucchini in one layer on the bottom of the pan. Next, spread on 1/3 of the cashew cheese or cottage cheese.

7. Next, layer on 1/2 the cooked meat or plant-based alternative.

8. Repeat a second layer of zucchini, cheese, and the remaining 1/2 of the meat.

9. For the final layer, top the meat with the rest of the zucchini slices and the last 1/3 portion of cheese. Pour over the enchilada sauce and sprinkle on the shredded cheese.

10. If you are baking this immediately, place your pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the lasagna is bubbly and hot. (Quick Note: The prepared uncooked "lasagna" can be prepped in advance and refrigerated until ready to cook. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 30-40 minutes.)

11. Remove the enchilada lasagna from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve as is, top it with a dollop of sour cream, hot sauce, fresh sliced avocado or a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. This would be great paired with with a refreshing side salad or vinegar-based slaw.