I have recently jumped on the ‘zoodle’ wagon and have permanently ended my white pasta addiction. Yes. I was completely, and utterly addicted to the stuff. For almost 11 months straight I ate it daily and it was a staple not only in my childhood, but when able to cook on my own while still at home.
This week we featured the famous zucchini as substitute for any standard pasta in this lasagna recipe from our lovely Maggie!
Play with the recipe! I have used thinly sliced egg plant for a version of this and my kids had no clue. I stick with the full fat cheese and use ricotta with garlic as one of the layers.
Enjoy!
~A
Zucchini Lasagna with Lean Turkey
I love lasagna, but traditional lasagna – layers of pasta, tons of cheese, fatty beef and sausage – isn’t very healthy. Delicious, but not healthy. Add in the complication of having to find a gluten free version, and you can see why I haven’t had it in a while!
Typically, I decided that if I couldn’t find a version in restaurants I could eat, I decided to make one myself. I replaced the sheets of pasta with thin slices of zucchini, used seasoned ground turkey instead of beef, and used fat free feta and reduced fat mozzarella. This is still so satisfying and delicious, even with these simple swaps! And at 340 calories for a huge plate of tasty protein and vegetables, you won’t miss the pasta, but you will probably be able to swing dessert!
You will need:
2 packages (41.6 ounces) ground lean or extra lean turkey, sauteed with:
Poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, paprika, dried herb and garlic blend, and crushed pepper flakes to taste, then drained of fat
2 large or 3 medium zucchinis
1/2 red onion, finely diced
6 mini peppers (or 1 bell or Italian pepper), diced
10-20 large leaves of fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 jars of gluten free, low calorie tomato sauce (I like Classico)
1 can of diced tomatoes (with liquid)
168 grams (6 servings) fat free feta (I like Athenos)
84 grams reduced fat shredded mozzarella (I like Sargento)
pizza seasoning
crushed red pepper
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. With a chef’s knife or a mandolin (If you are lucky enough to have one!) carefully slice the zucchinis lengthwise. You want the zucchini slices to be fairly thin – about a quarter of an inch – and when you slice them lengthwise, they resemble pasta sheets!
In a lasagna pan, pour about a cup of the sauce into the bottom and spread out evenly. This prevents the bottom layer of lasagna from burning and sticking. Lay out your zucchini sheets so that they are touching or just barely overlapping, and then layer in half of the onions, peppers, basil, tomatoes, and turkey. Sprinkle about a third of the cheese on, and then pour over half the remaining sauce. Place another layer of zucchini sheets on top, and then repeat layering on all the ingredients – this time with the cheese on top. Sprinkle a generous amount of pizza seasoning on top, along with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, and then put your lasagna in the oven.
Bake for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce starts to bubble up to the top. Once it is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit and ‘set’ for about ten minutes before slicing. Then devour! 1/8th of the pan (a pretty massive serving) is only 340 calories, and all that crispy, golden cheese on top tricks your brain into thinking you are eating something truly sinful. And how much protein? 35 grams! Your body will thank you, and so will your family. Enjoy guys, and as always, let me know what you think!
My name is Maggie Jasmin, and starting in January 2013, I dedicated myself to a new fitness journey, and have since lost 115 pounds. I move more, pick up heavy things, think intelligently about my food, and try to be the healthiest I can every day. This doesn't mean I gave up the foods I love – I just make them healthy! I blog and post recipes about my comfort food turned health food at 
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