Happy National Lasagna Day!!

HAPPY NATIONAL LASAGNA DAY!!!!

Oh my goodness! An entire day dedicated to LASAGNA?

You know what? If I had known long time ago that there was such a thing as National Lasagna Day, I would have done SO MUCH MORE to celebrate!!! The house would be decorated in Italian flags, I would whip up a few lasagnas to take to family and friends, I would probably found a cable station with nothing but Italian opera or a soccer match with Italy playing and enjoyed lasagna to my heart's content. (Yeah, it would have been that deep.)

Honestly, I believe that there is no more perfect food than lasagna. It has all of the requirements for a complete meal right in one sheet pan. You have your grains, your vegetables, your dairy, your meat, and your fat, layered together in beautiful harmony. The fragrance from the oven is so overwhelming that you cannot wait for it to cool a bit before tearing in. And the first bite....pure heaven. Plus, you have tons of leftovers that you can take to work for lunch or freeze for a later date - more joy - whoo-hoo!!

Now that I have adopted a healthier lifestyle, I love a good vegetable lasagna and a heart-healthy lasagna along with the version I grew up eating (the italian sausage and full fat cheeses). Speaking of which, it is so funny - I always grew up thinking my mama had been to Italy because her recipe was just the absolute BEST! I found out later in life that her recipe was the one from the back of the lasagna noodle box with added bulk Italian sausage. Oh well.... :)

To commemorate National Lasagna Day, I want to share a couple of recipes for lasagna with you. I pray that you enjoy this wonderful meal with me.

Vegetable Lasagna

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups zucchini, chopped in 1/2 inch dice
2 cups yellow squash, chopped in 1/2 inch dice
1 cup portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup carrots, julienned
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8 ounce) container part skim ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
1 package (5 ounces) shredded parmesan cheese
10 whole wheat noodles, cooked according to package directions
3 cups part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add all other vegetables and cook over medium heat until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and tomatoes and heat through. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg whites, and parmesan cheese. Line a 13"x 9" x 2" pan with foil. Spread 2 ladlefuls of sauce at bottom, then layer 3 noodles over sauce. Add 1/3 cheese mixture, 1/3 sauce mixture, and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce and reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, add remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake 15 minutes more until cheese is bubbly. Let cool before serving (if you can!). 16
servings.


Heart-Healthy Lasagna

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds ground turkey
2 jars marinara sauce
1 (8 ounce) container part skim ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
1 package (5 ounces) shredded parmesan cheese
1 package baby spinach leaves, washed, stems removed
10 whole wheat noodles, cooked according to package directions
3 cups part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add ground turkey and cook for about 10 - 12 minutes. Add marinara and stir to combine. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg whites, and parmesan cheese. Line a 13"x 9" x 2" pan with foil. Spread 2 ladlefuls of meat sauce across bottom of pan, then layer 3 noodles over sauce. Add 1/3 cheese mixture, layer of baby spinach leaves, 1/3 sauce mixture, and 1/3 mozzarella cheese, then cover with noodles. Repeat, ending with sauce and reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, add remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake 15 minutes more until cheese is bubbly. Let cool before serving (seriously, if you can!). 16 servings.


(p.s. If you REALLY want to do the regular version, go and pick up the Barilla Oven Ready [no boiling required] Lasagna Noodles and follow the directions on the box, adding 1/2 package of cooked Jimmy Dean Italian sausage to the meat sauce mixture. I know, sometimes you just need the full fat version of this amazing meal!)

Celebrate Your Independence!

First of all, I need to apologize to you, my loyal customers. The month of June has been a trying time for me, and I did not make the opportunity to keep up with the emails to you. Well, I received some very "hot" emails from a few of you, basically telling me that the mid week motivations from me are seriously missed. I'm sorry for not being there when you needed me, and I pray that this will not happen again. You all are important to me, and I really do want to see you change your health and your lives for the better. If I can do anything else to encourage you or get you excited about what your future holds, please let me know.

Now, on with the motivation!

As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, please do NOT allow that to be an excuse to "be free" from the healthy habits that you are making. You have come too far to take a whole weekend off! I am not saying that you cannot have your favorites - not at all! Personally, I am going to enjoy my slice of pound cake with strawberries and Reddi Whip. However, I know that with enjoying the foods that are not so healthy, I am going to have to work that much more to maintain my weight loss.

Instead, find new ways to eat old meals. How about taking a pork tenderloin, putting it in the crockpot and slow cooking until fork tender, then shredding it and adding your favorite barbecue sauce? Or enjoying a beautiful light slaw recipe instead of the heavy mayonnaise version we are used to having? Even dessert can be a treat - puree some mangoes or watermelons, add water, and put in ice cube containers to freeze? YUM!

With your exercise routine, how about you and the kids go swimming for a hour or two? Can you get in an extra walk in the morning, before the heat of the day hits like a ton of bricks (or is that just here in Birmingham, Alabama??)? If you are going out of town, take a Beachbody DVD with you and work out wherever you go.

Celebrate the freedom to get healthy and the freedom to change your life for the better! You are amazing and so worth it!

Remember, have a Happy Fourth, and keep doing it BIG!

Enjoy this cool treat I mentioned in the motivation today:

Fruity Ice Cubes
1 cup mangoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cane sugar

Place mangoes, water, and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium low and simmer for about 8 minutes. Pour mixture into blender and puree. Add to empty ice cube containers, then freeze until solid. If you like, after about 1 hour, put popsicle sticks into each cube. So good!!