Sweet Potato Lasagna

Adapted from The Happy Kitchen, a program of the Sustainable Food Center of Austin.
(Serves 8)

INGREDIENTS
1 tbls oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 green pepper, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed (up to 2 will work if you want more)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
8 - 10 corn tortillas
1 cup Monterrey Jack or other semi soft cheese, grated
6-oz queso fresco or feta cheese (such as goat feta)
2 tbls fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, but makes a big difference)
1 cup plain low- fat yogurt (optional, but also makes a difference)
For a little spice, add 1/8 tsp chili flakes and 1 tsp hot chili oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Heat oven to 425º. Bake sweet potato until soft, approx. 45 minutes.
2) Reduce oven temp to 350º.
3) Heat oil in a large pan. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
4) Add oregano and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add green pepper, mushrooms, and bay leaf to the tomato sauce. Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes.
5) Add the cooked and mashed sweet potato, salt and pepper.
6) Build the ‘lasagna’ by covering the bottom of a medium- sized casserole dish with the sauce. Then place 3 or 4 tortillas on top of the sauce. Break tortillas in half to fit pan size as needed. Next layer 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat until all of the sauce and cheese are used. Top layer can be torn up tortilla and cheese.
7) Bake for 25 minutes or until casserole is completely heated through.
8) To serve, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and top with yogurt.

NOTES

The flavor of this dish is fresh and tasty, but I sometimes add a little heat. One way to do this is to add some chili flakes as you are adding the green peppers. I have also added hot chili oil at that point as well.

To quickly cook sweet potatoes cut in half and place on cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 for approx. 45 minutes, or until soft enough to mash with a fork. If you have the time, pierce with fork and cook whole . Once cooled for 10 minutes, squeeze cooked potato from the skin and mash.