Zucchini Lasagna (no pasta)

I LOVE lasagna! I usually make an eggplant lasagna but I got tired of the toughness that the eggplant sometimes has. Pasta is not going to be included so what to do?

Zucchini! I love it and it goes great with mushrooms, so that's what I did today and this is definitely a keeper!

Remember, cooking is an art, not a science so I am vague and don't typically measure, I will be giving approximations. Since I am in the off season and don't have to weigh everything out right now, it's OK.

This made two small lasagnas, I used two regular loaf pans. I ate about 1/4 of a pan myself...

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Pre-heat oven to 425

1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground turkey breast 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

3 cups sliced mushrooms (sliced thin, I used my Cuisinart)

1 4 ounce can tomato paste

1 28 ounce can tomato sauce (I used Pato Brand spicy Mexican sauce, but regular will do just fine).

Salt and pepper

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

4 large, slim zucchini, sliced thin (about 1/8 inch thick, I used my Cuisinart with the slicer attachment!)

1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 1/4 cup grated low fat mozzarella cheese (divided)

8 slices lite Jarlsberg cheese

Sauté the garlic and onion the olive oil in a deep skillet until lightly browned. 

Add the turkey and cook until the meat is cooked through, be sure to break up the large chunks. 

Add the mushrooms and let it cook until they have cooked down and the liquid is released. 

Then add the tomato sauce and paste, along with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and oregano and simmer, stirring occasionally about 20-30 minutes till thickened.

Mix the ricotta cheese with 1 cup of the mozzarella and a dash more oregano in a small bowl. This will make the ricotta less sticky and easier to use.

In two loaf pans, place a layer of the sauce, then a layer of zucchini. 

Next add 1/4 of the ricotta/mozzarella cheese mixture then 2 slices of lite Jarlsberg (I have each slice here torn in half, so two slices on each loaf pan).

Repeat again to make two layers. 

End with a small sprinkling of mozzarella on each lasagna.

Cover with foil and bake one hour. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes, cut into serving pieces and serve.

This was so good! David and Cooper really wanted no part in it since it was missing pasta; however, Cooper said "If it had pasta it would be good!"

The funny thing about this was I was heading out to train with Roy. David was in the garage and I said "At 5:15 can you turn the oven on to 325 and put  my lasagna in? I will be home about 6:00."

At 6:00 I walk in the door and David said "Was it 425 at 5:15 or 515 at 4:25?". I wanted to cook it slow at 325, but he cooked it at 425, and it turned out great! The zucchini was cooked through and tender.

You may feel that spicy tomato sauce and Jarlsberg cheese seem like odd additions to a lasagna, but when cooking with lower fat foods, a bit more flavor is required. If beef were used this would have a whole different flavor and would be fine with only mozzarella cheese. Use your imagination, do what tastes good to you!

Printable Recipe

La La Lasagna!

La La Lasagna! I have been craving lasagna for ages, but I just have a hard time eating it. I feel too guilty. I know that sounds sick, but in reality, it is a very unhealthy dish. What makes me feel so guilty? I work my buns off at the gym (actually, no I work those even bigger!) so I can be lean, strong, healthy and look ripped. Sitting down to a big plate of lasagna would pretty much destroy all of my hard work.

One serving of lasagna can easily hover around 1000 calories, that is almost half of my daily caloric intake when I am not dieting!

Saturday I made this, it was healthy and it was damn good! A keeper for sure!

I will explain what I did, and then tell you what I will change next time; you decide what you want to do.

Did I mention there was no pasta involved? No starches at all!

While this may have fat in it due to the low fat cheese, I tend to shy away from most fat free foods; they tend to have added sugars and garbage. I have also been changing my diet a bit to greatly reduce starches and increase protein and fats. This is the perfect dish.

Feel free to substitute fat free if you like. Other than that, this has no “packaged” foods, it is fairly straightforward and delicious!

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Pre-heat oven to 375

20 ounce package extra lean ground turkey breast (1% fat)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp olive oil

3 cups sliced mushrooms (I love mushrooms)

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes

Salt and pepper

½ tsp oregano

1 large or 2 small eggplant, peeled and sliced thin about ¼ inch thick

1 cup low fat cottage cheese

1 1/3 cups grated low fat mozzarella cheese

Sauté the garlic and turkey in the olive oil in a deep skillet or 3 quart pot till the meat is cooked through (this will not ever brown, no fat in it).

Add the mushrooms, the tomato sauce and tomatoes, crushing with the spoon. Add salt, pepper and oregano and simmer, stirring occasionally about 20-30 minutes till thickened.

In a small lasagna pan (approximately 8x12), place a layer of the eggplant, ½ of the cottage cheese, ½ of the turkey/tomato sauce then 2/3 cups grated mozzarella. Repeat again to make two layers.

Bake 45 minutes. Let sit about 10 minutes, cut into serving pieces and serve.

Changes: It had too much liquid; I would drain the whole tomatoes and discard the liquid. I would add I small can tomato paste and cook sauce until very, very thick.

Other than that- I loved it! 

Slow Cooker Turkey Lasagna

I love lasagna. I rarely eat it though as it is not unusual for a serving to contain well over 1000 calories, not to mention all the saturated fat.

I saw a recipe on Facebook from Recipes for Gals in Figure and Bodybuilding, Jen posts all sorts of recipes that are simple and usually really low calorie. I decided to give this a try and I was really pleasantly surprised!

I will make a few changes and adjust a few things next time. First, I am not a slow cooker kinda gal! I actually got a beautiful, huge one for Christmas in 2009, and I just opened it today. So that means I have had it for 10 months and never even opened the box.  I need to use it a few more times to get used to it I think.

Some of the edges of my lasagna were extremely dark and crispy, I guess you might say "burned" but as long as I chucked out those pieces, the rest was fine. The recipe said to cook 4 to 5 hours on high, I set it for 4 1/2 and I guess 4 was sufficient! I would suggest that you just check it periodically.

Also, I think I might saute my onions and garlic first, then add the turkey. This way the onions can get a caramelized, sweet flavor. I also realize as I type this that I forgot the nutmeg...and as far as "cooking wine"- never cook with anything that you wouldn't drink!

I must caution you, this isn't going to satisfy anyone who loves lasagna.It does not have the silky, tender pasta or rich, meaty sauce with the melting cheese running throughout.  But, I love a lean body, and the thought of eating all those calories just puts me off, it would undo everytihng I work so hard for.

So, given my goals, and the fact that I need to make a choice and also like some variety in my life, I enjoyed this.

What did the family think? My husband David didn't say much, (his mother taught him that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all), and he didn't finish it .

My son Cooper said it was OK, but then said "this is turkey isn't it?! Lasagna  needs beef!" and he ate almost all of it, but only because he was hungry.

Maybe the fact that I slightly burned it had something to do with this, I have never prided myself on "slow cooker cooking" because I don't consider that cooking at all, so maybe it was my lack of technique.  I mean I can whip up a souffle, a cassoulet, a tart, but this dumb as a doornail slow cooker recipe seemed to get the better of me.

I will make it again (for myself) though!

Here is the recipe as she gave it:

Makes 10 servings (10 average servings or 8 large ones)

Ingredients:
 
6 oz whole wheat lasagna noodles (basically enough for 2 layers)

12 oz 99% fat-free ground turkey (precooked on the stove top)

1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (could sub for fat-free, but I didn't have any one hand)

8 oz low-fat ricotta cheese

6 oz low-fat part skim mozzarella cheese

6 oz can tomato paste

29 oz tomato sauce

1 cup chopped white onion

2 minced garlic cloves

2 tbs dried parsley (divided)

Mrs. Dash to taste

1/4 cup red cooking wine

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Saute turkey, onion, and garlic til browned and tender. Add tomato paste, sauce, 1 tbs parsley, and Mrs. Dash to meat mixture. Simmer for a few minutes on low. Remove from heat. Stir in cooking wine and set aside.

In another bowl mix all cheeses along with 1 tbs parsley and nutmeg.
Spoon one layer of turkey mixture into bottom of slow cooker. Add one layer of dry lasagna noodles (you'll have to break them to make them fit). Add layer of cheese and then turkey mixture. Repeat again with noodles, cheese, turkey. Top lasagna with a pinch of parsley, cheese (optional) and 1-2 more tbs of cooking wine.

Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for around 4-5.

Nutrition:
Calories: 266
Total Fat 7.4g
Cholesterol 36.7mg
Sodium 868.8mg
Total Carbohydrate 25.85g
Dietary Fiber 3.38g
Sugars 10.51g
Protein 23g