When I was growing up, casserole type dishes were extremely popular.  My mom came across this bean dip recipe that everyone seemed to love.    It was super tasty but it was also LOADED with fat.  I didn’t catch on to this until I became an adult.  The original recipe called for a layer of refried beans, followed by a layer of cooked ground beef, onions, and chorizo, followed by green chiles, cheddar cheese, and  taco sauce.  I can still see the puddles of orange colored oil that used to settle on the edges of the casserole dish.  Yikes!  I revamped the recipe for my Vegetarian class and made a vegan version, but this version is the lacto-ovo vegetarian version.  I hope you enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large can or nonfat refried beans
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• 1 package soyrizo (I only use the Reynaldo’s brand)
• 1 small can of diced green chiles
• 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional or you can use a low fat or vegan variety)
• 1 small can of sliced olives, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook chopped onions and soyrizo in a skillet on medium heat until the onions are translucent.  Spread the beans in a 9 inch casserole dish.  Layer  the soyrizo/onion mixture on top of the beans.  Spread the green chiles evenly over the soyrizo/onion mixture.  Top with a layer of  cheese.  Finally, top the dish with a layer of sliced olives.  Put in the oven, uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, uncovered.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

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