Healthy Taco Casserole

I made this for my family tonight and it was a huge hit-- even though my hubby complains about veggies, I sneaked a lot in here and he loved it! Full of protein and fiber, too!





Ingredients:

*2 cups instant brown rice (precooked-- will make about 3 1/2 cups cooked)
*1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (we used 93/7 ground beef)
*1 packet taco seasoning
*3/4 cup water
*1 can of black beans, rinsed
*1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels
*1 cup canned diced tomatoes
*1/4 cup finely diced raw onion
*3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper (I used red and green)
*1/4 cup spaghetti sauce (like Prego)
*1/2 cup 2% Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook rice according to directions on stovetop while you brown your meat. Drain meat if necessary when done.

2. Add taco seasoning to meat along with water, stir until well blended.

3. In large bowl, mix all items except cheese until you get a well blended mixture. Pour the mixture into a casserole baking dish and flatten the top with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with 2% cheddar cheese shreds.

4. Bake at 325 for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until mixture is hot throughout and cheese is melted.




Makes 6 large servings-- 380 calories, 11 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein per serving.