Well it looks like its going to be a really busy January with almost 20 athletes signed up for the nutrition program! Congrats on taking that next step!! I am so excited to begin working with you and seeing the results that you will achieve. If you are still sitting on the fence about diet, now is the time to jump in and do it. what better resolution to make than one that will enhance your health? Best of all the zone is a sustainable eating program.....unlike many "diets" that are just too restricting to stay on for the long term.
On that note.....I am back to making regular posts....December was a crazy month with the move of my office to CrossFit full time plus the Christmas preparations. I am glad to be "back" and focussed again!
So back by popular request is the Zuchini Zone lasagna....Yum.....a nice break from Turkey. Note that I sub ground turkey for the sausage and omit the cottage cheese ( add some extra mozzarella) just because Kristen really dosen't like cottage cheese.
this recipe makes alot and is great for the next day's lunch or dinner!
Happy zoning
This recipe contains 30 blocks of protein, which means about one-quarter of the lasagna would equal four blocks. However, the recipe contains only 10 blocks of carbohydrate and nine blocks of fat. Extra carbs and fat will have to be added to the meal. I like to add a big salad with olive oil dressing. This recipe replaces pasta lasagna noodles with blanched zucchini, sliced in long thin strips. It takes considerable time to prepare, but it is ideal for a large group and also freezes well for lunch later. I like this recipe because it uses all of the items purchased in entirety and it fills the house with the Italian fragrance I sometimes miss.
Ingredients:
Meat Sauce*:
1 pound Turkey Sausage, Sweet Italian
1 pound Turkey Sausage, Hot Italian
2 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 eggplant, skinned and cubed
1 med onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 29-ounce can of Hunt's tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
basil, to taste
oregano, to taste
parsley, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Layering Items:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 fresh zucchini (straight shaped, not curved)
Meat sauce
1 24-ounce container of low fat cottage cheese
1 package of frozen spinach (thawed, and drained)
1 package of low fat mozzarella cheese Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Remove skin of sausage and chop. On stove, in large soup pot, brown meat and then add all ingredients into pot for meat sauce. Cook down sauce to thicker consistency -- about one hour. When sauce is ready, in another large pot bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt (just like you would for pasta noodles). Add all zucchini at one time, sliced long and thin like lasagna noodles (straight shaped zucchini will be easier to slice). Blanch zucchini for no more than 2 minutes. Drain immediately. You want the zucchini to be limp, but not mushy. Defrost frozen spinach in microwave (to use for layering). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large glass cake pan, smear olive oil on bottom and sides of pan. Layer half of zucchini "noodles" on bottom. Add a layer of meat sauce, half of cottage cheese, all of spinach (thawed and drained), sprinkle of parmesan, and mozzarella (save most for top). Repeat for second layer (without spinach). Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove when mozzarella looks brown. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, making it easier to cut (but I find that it's nearly impossible to wait).
*Meat Sauce Note: About one-fourth of the meat sauce is left over. I simply freeze it in plastic gladware, so that I can defrost it and make a "smaller" version of this recipe at a later date. Of course, the leftover sauce is good inside a tortilla or on top of chicken breast as well.
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