Zucchini Lasagna, The Guilt-Free Comfort Food of Choice
Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian meals but the calories can certainly add up and leave you feeling like a useless couch potato for hours. Okay so that might have been a little aggressive but I know that I personally have a hard time with portion control when it comes to lasagna. I mean, what is really a "slice" anyways? I was lucky enough to grow up with the fabulous cooking of my mother and never actually cooked my own lasagna before because why mess with mama's cooking! With that said, I have been on a serious zucchini kick lately. Zucchini wheels, zucchini pasta, zucchini oats, you name it. With plenty of zucchini and lasagna essentials in the fridge, I decided to experiment in the kitchen! The taste exceeded my expectations and kept my tummy full and happy! 1 serving (1/4 dish) is only 285 calories ( 7g f, 18g c, 40g p). I would also like to mention that 1/4 of this dish is a VERY generous serving size. Below are the ingredients and recipe:
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini
12 oz extra lean ground turkey
1 1/4 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup skim ricotta cheese
1 can Del Monte diced tomatoes with zesty green chiles
1/2 can tomato paste
Recipe:
Cook the turkey on medium in a skillet and set aside.
As turkey is cooking, slice zucchini vertically to create thin zucchini strips as "noodles".
Once turkey is cooked, add diced tomatoes and tomato paste and continue to cook on medium-low for 3-5 minutes or until consistency of bolognese sauce is created.
Preheat oven at 350F.
Layer baking dish starting with zucchini, then add sauce and cheese. Repeat this layering until dish is almost full. (I like to add extra mozzarella on the top).
Bake at 350F for 28-30 minutes. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to let juices settle.
Enjoy!