Zucchini Lasagna

Picture it... you've just come home from a busy day at the office, it seemed that nothing went right today and all you want to do is bury yourself in a tub of chocolate ice cream or a vat of homemade macaroni and cheese. WAIT! DO NOT DO THIS! It will only make you feel worse. Turn your day from bad to fabulous with my newest recipe - Clean Comfort Zucchini Lasagna. There are no pasta noodles or ricotta cheese, but it's packed with protein and sure to be your new go-to clean comfort food! (Note: It's gluten free and has no added sugar if you pick the right spaghetti sauce - see below)

Clean Comfort Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey breast
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 large or 4 small zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise
• 24 oz low-fat or 1% or 2% cottage cheese
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I just discovered Monte Bene sauce... NO SUGAR and all fresh ingredients, absolutely nothing I couldn't pronounce!)
• Non-fat or low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine onion, ground turkey breast, sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a skillet over medium heat, cooking the turkey until it is no longer pink.

3. Layer zucchini in the bottom of your lasagna pan (I would suggest a more substantial pan, such as ceramic) just as you would lasagna noodles, covering any gaps with additional slices of zucchini.

4. Spread 12 oz of cottage cheese over the layer of zucchini.

5. Add ground turkey mixture over cottage cheese, careful to spread turkey evenly.

6. Layer approximately 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce over the cottage cheese and turkey mixture.

7. Repeat steps 2-5.

8. Place your last layer of zucchini over the second layer of cottage cheese, turkey mixture and cottage cheese.

9. Top with tomato spaghetti sauce and add shredded cheese.

10. Cover with tinfoil and bake in oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

11. Remove tinfoil and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 350 degrees to brown cheese.

12. Let rest for approximately 10 minutes and Enjoy!

He & She Tip: This lasagna will be a little runny because of the consistency of the tomato sauce, moisture in the cottage cheese and the amount of water that zucchini hold. I found that I just scooped out my lasagna and the excess liquid stayed in my pan.

Clean Eat Recipe: Pear and Sage Stuffed Pork Chops

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I've been a little behind in my magazine reading... bad for me, but good for you! I finally got around to making the Pear and Sage (I forgot the sage and they were oh so fabulous - whoops!) Stuffed Pork Chops from the December 2011 issue of Oxygen Magazine. I think that these are the best tasting pork chops that I have EVER had! (Yes, I really said that - EVER!)

Clean Eat Recipe: Pear and Sage Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 4 thick, boneless pork chops
• 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 c yellow onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 slice whole wheat bread, cubed
• 1 pear, cored and diced
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
• Cooking spray 

Directions:

1. Trim away fat and cut a pocket into each chop.

2. Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate and dredge chops in flour mixture.

3. Sear chops to brown in a skillet sprayed with cooking oil, about 5 minutes on each side. Add some water to pan to deglaze and pull up any brown bits. Remove chops from the pan and set aside.

4. Add oil to pan and saute onion and celery. Add bread cubes, pear, sage and rosemary. Moisten with 2 tablespoons of water, or more if needed.

5. Stuff chops with cooked mixture. Place a toothpick in each cop to hold together.

6. Place in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour any residual liquid over chops, cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, until center is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Serve.

You cannot go wrong with this recipe! The sweet combination from the pears mixed with the onion and celery is absolutely amazing!

Clean Eat Recipe: Quinoa with Mixed Vegetables

Quinoa is a very healthy, easy to prepare side dish.  Adding vegetables makes it even more delicious!  Try the recipe below or try your own variation and let us know how it turns out!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic quinoa
• 2 cups organic, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup organic edamame
• 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine the quinoa and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and lightly simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. Mix together edamame, red pepper and cucumber.
3. Once quinoa is cooked add garlic, black pepper and sea salt and mix throughly.  Then add in your vegetable mix.

I will sometimes add baked chicken and eat it in a bowl as one of my meals while I am on the road!  Easy and nutritious...add any vegetables that you like!

Enjoy our recipes?  Get help with your grocery shopping here.

- Whitney