Recipe: Spinach Lasagna Using Zucchini "Noodles"

Spinach Lasagna
makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
3 lbs Zucchini
1 lb Ground Turkey or Chicken
29oz can Tomato Sauce (or two 15oz cans)
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Italian Seasoning (or your fave Italian seasoning)
1 Tbsp dried minced onion 
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
two 10oz boxes Frozen Spinach
15oz Ricotta, part-skim
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt, to taste

Directions:[1] Microwave frozen spinach until cooked. Drain spinach well.
[2] In a pot over medium-high heat, brown ground meat until cooked through. Add tomato sauce, ricotta, spinach, Italian seasoning, onion, basil, oregano, garlic powder & salt (I used 2 tsp total). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let hang out.
[3] Slice zucchini into thin rounds, or thin long pieces, using a mandolin, box grater, etc.
[4] In a 13x9 casserole dish, place a little bit of sauce on the bottom to prevent "noodle" stickage, then layer zucchini and sauce in alternating layers until your dish is nice and full.
[5] Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, top with cheese, and bake about 15 more minutes.

Enjoy, and until next time... rock on!
--Jay :)

Foodie Friday: Spinach Lasagna Using Zucchini "Noodles"

Let's reboot another Foodie Friday episode from the history books! Join Jay as he reworks his old Spinach Lasagna recipe, using zucchini instead of lasagna noodles. Let's do this!!

Diaita Vlog #6 - Updated Updates: More Weight Loss, Fewer Wisdom Teeth, Harry Nilsson?!

Time to put the lime in the coconut with this update...? :D

Recipe: Chicken Posole / Pozole

Chicken Posole / Pozole
makes 6 servings, about 2 cups each

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp oil
6-8 medium carrots
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 15oz can tomato sauce
3 15oz cans hominy
1.5 lb chicken breast
1 Tbsp seasoned salt
2 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp dried cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
[1] Dice carrots.
[2] In a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil and let come to temperature. Add carrots and let soften for 10 minutes
[3] Grill chicken breasts, let rest for a few minutes, then dice into bite sized pieces.
[4] To the carrot pot, add broth, water, tomato sauce, hominy, and all spices. Bring to boil, reduce heat, then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
[5] Add diced chicken, and let simmer 5-10 more minutes.
[6] Eat!!

Nutrition Info Per Serving (based on 6 servings):
308 calories, 3g fat (0.5g saturated), 9.75g fiber, 30.5g protein.

Recipe Cost: $1.54 per serving.

Enjoy!! ~Jay :D

Foodie Friday: Chicken Posole / Pozole

Happy Cinco De Mayo AND Foodie Friday! We're celebrating today with our take on posole, a classic Mexican soup with hominy. ¡Olé!

Diaita Vlog #5 - Healthy Lifestyle Updates: Weight Loss, Tasting More La Croix, Cats

Time for another diaita update vlog!! :D

Recipe: Stuffed Peppers w/Farro

Stuffed Peppers w/Ground Turkey & Farro
makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
4-6 bell peppers
2 cups water
1 cup pearled farro
2 Tbsp oil
1 lb ground turkey
29 oz can tomato sauce (or two 15 oz cans)
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:
[1] Prepare farro according to package instructions. For the brand I used, bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1 tsp salt, add farro, reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until water is absorbed.
[2] In a large pot over medium-high, heat oil for a couple of minutes. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.
[3] To the turkey pot, add tomato sauce and all spices, including the other 1 tsp salt. Let simmer until farro is done.
[4] Add cooked farro to meat sauce mixture and stir to combine.
[5] Arrange peppers in a 9x13 baking dish (either 6 peppers standing upright with tops removed and insides cleaned out, or 4 peppers using the horizontal "boat" method as I did in our video) and fill with meat sauce, letting the extra flow over into the dish.
[6] Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, top peppers with 1 cup shredded cheese, then bake 10-15 minutes more.
[7] Eat!!

Nutrition Info Per Serving (based on 8 servings):
304 calories, 13.5g fat (5.5g saturated), 4.5g fiber, 18g protein.

Recipe Cost: $1.25 per serving.

Enjoy!! ~Jay :D

Foodie Friday: Stuffed Peppers w/Ground Turkey & Farro

Time for another dose of Foodie Friday! Today, Jay takes on a comfort food classic... stuffed peppers... Let's do this!!

Diaita Vlog #4 - Random Updates: Healthy Lifestyle Reboot, Tasting La Croix, Busch Gardens

We're back at it again with the lifestyle update vlogs... these have become less about specifically eating healthy, and more of a general update... huzzah!! :D

Recipe: Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup
makes 6 servings, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups each

Ingredients:
1 lb split green peas, rinsed
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4-6 medium carrots
4-6 stalks celery
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 tsp dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp salt

Directions:
[1] Dice carrots and celery; soften on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes in a pan with oil.
[2] Add all remaining ingredients; raise heat to high and bring to boil.
[3] Once bubblage has been obtained, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour.
[4] Insert soup into bowl; spoon into soup; then spoon into mouth.

Nutrition Info Per Serving:
250 calories, 0g fat (0g saturated), 12.5g fiber, 21g protein.

Recipe Cost: $3.77 total recipe; $0.63 per serving.

Enjoy!! ~Jay :D