Lower Carb Lasagna

With summer arriving, you know what else arrives...zucchinis!  If you remember my posts from last year, I had an abundant amount of zucchinis, since I had planted 15 zucchini plants last year...this year, I scaled it back to only 5 :-).  

As I was looking for new ways to use zucchini, it started raining here, which always puts me in the mood for comfort food.  I have a Lasagna recipe that is great, but very time consuming and painstaking.  It's worth the work, but it's not something I would make very often, and is too heavy for summer.  So, in order to lighten up the dish...I'm still trying to lose weight...I thought it would be good to add veggies and make a lower carb version of this dish.  

I'm sure you've seen the recipes that have eggplant in place of the lasagna noodles.  This recipe is a play off that concept, except I use zucchini in place of part of the noodles, but not all of them...I still like a little pasta to tie it all together. 

You will love the flavor of this lasagna, with the home made tomato sauce (ok, I use canned tomatoes, but you can add a few from your garden to add some extra goodness!), the cheese mixture, and the extra veggies will fill out the rest of this dish, so you wouldn't know there was less meat.

Here are the ingredients:

meat sauce:

- 1/2 lb sausage

- 2 cups sliced mushrooms

- 1 small onion, diced

- 1/2 green pepper diced 

- 1 cup spinach

- 2 cans diced tomatoes (I used organic)

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1 tsp black pepper

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp paprika 

- 1/2 tsp basil

- 1 garlic clove - minced

- 1 t. sugar (optional...I use this to help my stomach digest the acid better)

Cheese layer:

- 16 oz. light ricotta cheese 

- 1/2 cup light sour cream

- 1/2 cup cottage cheese

- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

- 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese (can also use mozzarella...I just usually have Colby jack in my fridge.) 

- 1 T. Italian seasoning

- 1/2 t salt 

- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Noodles:

- 1 zucchini thinly sliced (1/8 to 1/4" slice) - should make 6 - 8 'noodles'

- 4 lasagna noodles (I use the kind you don't have to boil first)

Zucchini noodles

Directions:

Brown the sausage and drain the fat.  In a skillet with sides, add the sausage, onion and pepper and cook until the veggies are soft.  Add the mushrooms and tomato sauce and spices (oregano, pepper, salt, paprika, basil, garlic and sugar), simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the spinach and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, boil water and place the zucchini in the boiling water for 5 minutes, until tender, but not too soft.

Mix the cheese layer while the sauce is cooking and the zucchini is boiling.  Just add all the cheese layer ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix together.  Set aside until ready to put the lasagna together.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Now it's time to build your lasagna!  Be sure to spray your lasagna pan (I use a 9x13) with some oil.  

Start your first layer with a third of the meat sauce spread on the bottom of your pan.  Then place a layer of your zucchini noodles (3 - 4 noodles for the layer) on top of the sauce.  Next layer is another third of the meat sauce, then a third of the cheese mixture (this may be hard to spread evenly, just do the best you can).  Then repeat layers; noodle, cheese, sauce; and use the pasta noodles on your last layer. 

Bake for 35 - 45 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

The layers don't hold up as well on the plate with the zucchini noodles...hence the ugly looking picture below, but it tastes great, and I don't even miss the extra noodles!

White Chocolate drizzle popcorn

Who doesn't love popcorn for a quick snack or for a treat at the movie theater...or for baseball or soccer Mom's, a sideline snack?  I've had it on many occasions for lunch alone, and I know I'm not the only one who's done that!  

There are some ultimate popcorn at places like Dale & Thomas and Harry & David...hmm didn't notice that both places have two male names, funny...  Anyway, these places are famous for their specialty flavored popcorns and their chocolate covered popcorn.  I mean who hasn't had some Moose Munch a loved it?  

Well, I took it upon myself to try to replicate their full of flavor popcorn, and here is my recipe.  So the next time you are asked to bring something over for a movie night or a game night, make this popcorn and you will be the hit of the party!  

I start with 3 bags of microwave popcorn, popped.  Use whatever your favorite brand is, and buttered is fine...non-buttered is also fine, just whatever you like, or happen to have on hand.  

So, pop the popcorn per the directions...each bag individually.  And spread out the contents on wax paper.  I do this because you'll be drizzling chocolate over it...and you can spread out the popcorn to get all the un-popped corns out...we don't want to break any teeth do we?  While the the microwave is popping the corn, chop 1/2 cup of nuts...I use almonds, but honey roasted peanuts, cashews or pecans will also work just fine... and add to the currently popped corn on the wax paper.

After you have all the popcorn popped; melt 4 - 6 cubes of Almond Bark in the microwave for 1 min intervals until it is close to completely melted...do not over microwave or once it burns, you'll just need to throw it out and start over.  There is no coming back from burnt Almond Bark.

Add your flavoring to the almond bark.  I use a caramel flavored cocoa mix, but you can use hot chocolate or instant pudding to add a little flavoring.  You'll need about 2 Tablespoons of flavoring.  Just add, mix and taste to see if you like.  

Now, the popcorn and nuts are spread out on the wax paper, so all you need to do is drizzle the almond bark over the popcorn.  I sprinkle some, mix with hands and then sprinkle more.  This gives a good coating to everything.  Continue to add the almond bark until you think it's good, or you run out.  

Let sit for about 30 mins, until all the Almond Bark is dry, then put into a popcorn bowl to serve your guests, or put in a plastic bag and put in your purse for an upscale snack at the theater!  

Ingredient list:
- 3 bags of microwave popcorn
- 1/2 cup almonds (peanuts or pecans work too)
- 4 - 6 cubes of Almond Bark
- 2 T. hot chocolate or pudding for flavoring

You can try chocolate Almond Bark with other flavors too.  Warning though, this stuff is addictive, so make sure you have some friends around to help you eat some of it!

I think I'll make some tonight!  
Enjoy!
Dee

Spring time salad and crisps

The weather has finally started looking more like spring with all the snow melted.  This late winter was pretty crazy for Kansas, and we have all been itching for some nice weather to get outside and breathe some fresh air!

With Spring also brings the craving for more fruits and vegetables, so let's talk salad!  I used to buy lots of different salad dressings, until I was forced to make a salad dressing for one of our dinner club nights and realized how easy it was to make salad dressing...and you can make just enough for what you need.  No more rows of half used dressing bottles in my fridge!

Citrus vinaigrette's are so refreshing after a long cold winter, and my favorite is a orange vinaigrette that I'm sharing with you in this blog.  (I didn't get to take pictures while making the dressing...I mean I only have two hands, and my husband wasn't home to help me out).

I'm also including my recipe for making a crisp to go along with your salad that has less calories than croutons.  It's hard to call it a recipe because it's so easy to make.  You'll love them so much, you'll make them all the time because they are just that easy!

Salad dressing:

This dressing goes great with romaine lettuce, fresh spinach, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, cranberries, candied pecans, and goat cheese.  I also add some grilled chicken to get a little more protein into the mix.

- fresh squeezed juice from an orange
- orange zest
- 2 TBL balsamic vinegar
- 1 TBL dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Zest the orange and then squeeze juice into a small bowl, or use a two cup liquid measuring cup, and add the mustard.  Whisk in the vinegar and honey until the dressing is emulsified, or mixed well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add to your veggies and toss to mix well and serve with a salad crisp.

Salad crisp:

10 inch low fat flour tortilla
2 TBL - grated Parmesan cheese
Vegetable oil spray (like Pam)
Fresh cracked pepper

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

- Cut the flour tortilla in half (with either scissors or pizza cutter)

- Spray both halves lightly with vegetable oil spray

- Spread Parmesan cheese on top of both halves and crack fresh black pepper over the tortilla

- Place on a baking sheet and put in oven for 7 - 9 mins, or until it is golden brown.  

Tip - if it turns out a little soggy, even though it is brown, use less vegetable oil spray the next time...too much will make it soggy.

Enjoy your Spring!
Dee