Make a spicy one-dish meal with Mexican lasagna.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Whether you're interested in saving kitchen time or stretching your hard-earned food dollar (or both), it's high time to revisit the classic American casserole. Aside from the retro, my-mom-used-to-make-them-
so-they-must-be-back-in-style vibe, healthy casserole recipes are a great way to extend protein sources like meat and seafood. Since they generally freeze beautifully, you can keep a few in your freezer for easy weeknight dinner solutions. And if you're having flashbacks to old memories of canned cream of mushroom soup, limp vegetables, and processed cheese, you'll find our twists on classic casseroles to be a tasty revelation. Replacing those '50s standby ingredients with fresh or frozen produce, homemade sauces, real cheese, herbs, spices, and healthful whole-grain pasta will make you wonder why you don't make a healthy casserole for dinner every night.

Keep some basic pantry staples on hand, and your healthy casserole recipes will come together in a flash. Canned beans add fiber and protein to Mexican-style enchilada casseroles and tamale pies. Canned tuna and salmon add heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and protein to creamy noodle casseroles. Fat-free and low-fat chicken and vegetable broths are essential pantry items; look for low-sodium versions. Fat-free evaporated milk can stand in for cream in some recipes, while dried spices, jarred olives, and chile peppers can jazz up the flavor of many baked dishes. Canned tomatoes and jarred spaghetti sauce are time-savers when you're making Mexican casseroles or lasagna. And remember to update your noodle-based casserole recipes by using whole-grain pasta. Whole grains contain all the disease-fighting, healthful nutrients (folate, magnesium, vitamin E, selenium, potassium, lignans, and phenolic compounds) that have been stripped from refined grains. They also contain more fiber than refined grains, and fiber has been shown to help reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Healthy pasta options for your casseroles include 100 percent whole wheat, white and whole wheat blends, and super-tasty pasta made by combining various grain flours with seeds and legumes.

Want to stock up on frozen casseroles but don't have enough casserole dishes? Try lining the dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil, spraying the foil with cooking spray (if necessary), and assembling then freezing the casserole. Once frozen, you can simply lift out the foil-covered casserole, wrap it well with more heavy-duty foil, and pop it back in the freezer. Just place it back into a casserole dish when you're ready to thaw and cook it.

Read on for the Rodale Recipe Finder's lightened-up takes on classic casseroles like tuna-noodle casserole, turkey tetrazzini, and lasagna. Your Mexican-inspired favorites are here, too, as well as traditional Greek casseroles like moussaka and pastitsio for some new flavor sensations. Consider doubling up on ingredients and making an extra casserole for the freezer; at the end of a busy weekday, you'll definitely be glad you did.