My Mexican Lasagna is missing something?

[RobW]

I'm trying to make a low calorie low fat Mexican lasagna and it came out OK, but it seems to be missing something. I can't seem to put my taste buds on what needs to be added.

Here are the ingredients.

1 1/2 pounds 97/3 ground beef
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspon ground black pepper
1.25 oz pacage low sodium taco seasoning mix
15 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
27 ounces canned whole green chilies
2 tablespoons tabasco sauce
4 six inch corn tortillas

Anyone have some suggestions on what ingredient it may be missing?

 

[mollyanne]

Hi Rob...i would use 2 1/2 cups of shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese instead of the ricotta and i would not use the sour cream or salt at all. I would add a can of stewed or fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped red onion, can of black beans, and frozen corn kernels.

I'm not familiar with using tabasco sauce, green chilies, and taco seasoning mix...that's a lot of "heat" for my taste. Instead, I would opt for a mild taco sauce (instead of the tomatoes i mentioned above) and add 2 Tbsp chili powder and 2 tsp ground cumin.

By eliminating the salt and sourcream in your recipe, you could afford to add the black beans which are packed with nutrition...be sure to rinse them first.

I'm new here and not an expert so take my suggestion with a grain of salt...no, hold the salt

 

[Andy M.]

Consider cumin, cilantro, oregano and a touch of cinnamon.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Mollyanne has read my mind...I like how she thinks. Try it her way.

 

[SierraCook]

Chipotle chili powder substituted for some of other chile powder would add a smoky flavor. I like to add sliced black olives to my recipe. I also agree with everyone else about the cumin. It is a key ingredient in my Mexican recipes. With the addition of the cumin and chili powders I agree with Maryanne, you will not need the taco seasoning. You might also need more liquid. Add a couple of 8 oz. cans of El Pato Mexican tomato sauce. Be careful though to adjust your seasonings to not make the lasagna too hot.

 

[marigeorge]

I would have put Mexican oregano in, for sure..you can never have too much spice!

 

[Constance]

El Patio is good sauce, but this Gringo finds it VERY hot!

I think you need some fat-free re-fried beans. I like to brown the meat (try ground turkey to save calories), drain, then mix in the beans and a packet of taco sauce mix. If you use the spices Andy mentioned, you won't need a packet of mix. I like to add Pace Piquanti sauce because you can choose mild, medium or hot, and it will have chunks of tomato, peppers and onions in it.

For cheese...please grate your own. The pre-grated stuff contains cellulose to keep it from sticking together. You will notice the difference in the taste. Cabot cheese makes a low-fat cheddar that is really good.

Save the sour cream to serve on the side, along with lettuce and chopped tomatoes.

 

[Alix]

Think you need to deepen the flavours you have rather than adding more. Try adding some sweet to balance the salty and hot. Maybe add some lemon to brighten it too.

 

[SierraCook]

Constance, you are right El Pato can be hot. Ok, maybe only one can. Also, I agree about Pace Picante sauce. I have also added it to recipes. I use the mild when my parents visit, because my Dad only does mild. He cannot handle the hot stuff.

 

[Silversage]

I'm trying to make a low calorie low fat Mexican lasagna and it came out OK, but it seems to be missing something. I can't seem to put my taste buds on what needs to be added.

Anyone have some suggestions on what ingredient it may be missing?

I'd add cumin to the meat, and add a jar of salsa to the layers. (Sort of like the tomato sauce in Italian lasagne)

 

[Gramma Linda]

Hi, RobW,
I usually add chili powder, at least a tablespoon of minced garlic (my family loves garlic, and the health benefits are great), and a large chopped onion to any Mexican dish I cook. For my Mexican dishes, I prefer mild shredded cheddar cheese, but my dh likes the sharp better.

 

[ChefJune]

IMHO, you are not going to have success with your recipe until you add FAT! All these flavors need some fat to make them show.

Seems to me you asked the same question on another bbs, and we told you you needed fat over there, too.

 

[babetoo]

rob is trying to make low fat dish. hence not a lot of fat.

 

[MoodyBlueFoodie]

definately cumin, garlic, and some smooth (mild) taco sauce mixed with the spicy mexican tomato sauce to go between the layers.

 

[ChefJune]

rob is trying to make low fat dish. hence not a lot of fat.

I understand that, but he needs to understand how much fat he can reduce in order to maintain the flavor profile he is going for. And how many ingredients he wants to incorporate in order to make that happen.

I contend that "Low Fat Lasagne" is pretty much an oxymoron. Every recipe I know for lasagne has a decent amount of cheese. and cheese is also spelled "F-A-T." Low fat cheese is good in some applications, but in others, it's been my experience that it just doesn't work so well.

If one is required to eat that low of a fat diet, I would go with some other type of pasta dish and forget the lasagne.