MEXICAN ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

This Mexican Zucchini Lasagna has all the cheesy, saucy taste but without the carbs and calories! It’s a healthy, gluten free and protein-packed crowd-pleasing dinner that’s only 280 calories! Make-ahead and freezer friendly too!


We don't eat a considerable measure of dairy on FFF. 

B-U-T, when we do? 

It's an ooey-gooey, mushy to the MAX zucchini lasagna. 

That additionally happens to suggest a flavor like a taco on account of hot salsa, velvety Mexican mushy mix, SOMUCH cilantro (when is there not?) and a HEAVY hand of taco flavoring. 

Have you seen I have an odd fixation on joining two solace nourishments into one twofold solace sustenance however PSYCH-it's-sound kinda formula? That is to say, we've had Healthy Mac and Cheese: Pizza style, Pizza Zucchini Lasagna and Vegan Mug Cake with Lemon Macaroons. 


Presently tacos. With Lasagna

In the event that you need my P-U-R-E where it counts admission: I just truly like yummy nourishment that makes my midsection feel great. 

And after that I can't pick what feel-great sustenance to make for your appearances (that I know additionally similarly appreciate the above sort of nourishment.) 

Thus, I make both. 


#NOAPOLOGIES. <– I have a craving for utilizing that hashtag makes me sound truly extreme

As I stay here and eat a lasagna made out of zucchini noodles. Whatever. All in-your-face individuals eat veggie noodles right? 

Try not to answer that inquiry. Absolutely theoretical and conversing with myself at this moment. 

Anyway. 


Mexican zucchini lasagna. It's preee much the most scrumptious thing that has left my kitchen in quite a while. All things considered, until tomorrow. When I say that in regards to whatever formula I impart to you then. Where is that snickering/crying emoji when I require it?

Be that as it may, SRSLY. I am REALLY amped up for it. For the most part since it has a LOT OF CHEESE/PROTEIN/HIDDEN VEGGIES/SPICY YUMMINESS NOT a great deal of carbs/gluten/general terrible for-you-ness that the exemplary melty-cheddar loaded saucy-carb-stuffed lasagna has. 

In any case, likewise in light of the fact that the way that it has nourishment of the "dairy" assortment sittin' on its delicate, sustenance stuffed veggie noodley-ness implies that Mr. FFF can't have it (dairy bigotry FOR THE LOSE.) 

Aaaaand I don't need to share it. So perhaps really dairy prejudice for the win? 

I sort of need to shrewdness giggle here. Yet, then I know it will be the ONE post that the center point o-rama really peruses and he will be distraught at me for giggling at his absence of capacity to eat tasty sustenance that he REALLY needs to devour. 


Along these lines, until further notice. I will simply stick to eating it upsettingly before him at supper time.

Great spouse? Presumably not. 

Spouse with paunch loaded with comfortable, cilantro-loaded mushy, great feelins? Correct. #Priorities. 

Did you know lasagna is additionally REALLY simple to make? The hardest part is utilizing the mandolin (fundamental instrument peeps. Try not to attempt to utilize your spiralizer here. I know you pondered it) to cut the zucchini. What's more, by "hard" I signify "Unsafe." 

Have you ever really utilized a mandolin some time recently? I, FOR REALS, think you ought to need to take a wellbeing course before you're permitted to purchase one. THOSE BLADES THOUGH. 


SOSOSO sharp right at this point.

Other than that amazing game of mandolin zucchini cutting, the rest is basically sautéing delicate, delicious chicken and blending it with a hot burst of taco flavoring, layering on the enchanted combo of salsa + tomato sauce to give it that vital super-saucy-rundown-your-button yumminess and sprinkling (read: soaking) with ALL THE CHEESE PLUSPLUSPLUS CILANTRO, heating and EATING. 

Basic. Hot. Mushy. Mystery ninja veggies. 

P.S You can FREEZE it. 

But, in the event that you are a genuine individual that has remains of a heap of ooey-gooey sauce-loaded yumminess after supper is finished… 


I ponder about your life decisions.

YIELDS 8 SERVINGS

* You only NEED 3 zucchinis for the recipe, but I always like to use 4 so that I have some extra if some zucchinis break or stick to the pan. This can be made a day ahead, covered, and left in the fridge. It also makes great leftovers! The leftovers keep very well in the freezer.

30 minPrep Time

1 hrCook Time

1 hr, 30Total Time

Ingredients

• For the zoodles:
• 3-4 Large zucchinis *(Read notes!)
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• For the lasagna:
• 2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb Ground 99% fat-free Turkey
• 1 Cup Onion, diced (1 small onion)
• 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp Fresh garlic, diced
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Taco seasoning (I always make my own and I use THIS RECIPE)
• Pepper
• 3/4 Cup Tomato Sauce
• 3/4 Cup Salsa, of choice
• 1 15 oz Container of light or fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1 Large egg
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro, roughly chopped + additional for garnish
• 8 oz Light Mexican blend cheese, grated (about 2 cups, firmly packed)
• 1 Large red pepper, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a mandolin, slice the zucchini into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick,
3. Lay them out flat onto 2 cookie sheets and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp salt (it's okay if some zoodles overlap on the pan)
4. Bake them for 15-20 minutes, until just lightly beginning to brown, to get all the moisture out.
5. While the zoodles cook, heat the olive oil over medium/high heat in the large pan. Add in the ground turkey, diced onion, diced garlic, taco seasoning, and a pinch of pepper. Cook until the onion is soft and the turkey is browned, about 10-12 minutes.
6. Once the zoodles are cooked, transfer them to a long piece of paper towel, cover with another piece of paper towel, and gently press out as much excess moisture as you can. Set aside.
7. In a medium bowl, stir together the tomato sauce and salsa.
8. In a separate, medium bowl, use a fork to beat together the ricotta cheese, egg and another pinch of pepper. Set aside.
9. Now it's time to assemble:
10. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
11. Start by pouring half the sauce mixture on the bottom, spreading out evenly, followed by half the turkey. Layer half the zucchini noodles in a single layer, lightly overlapping them, followed by half the ricotta mixture. Gently spread out the ricotta to "seal in" in the zoodles.
12. Sprinkle half the cilantro over and then finish with half the grated Mexican blend cheese.
13. Repeat the layers once more, except add the chopped pepper on top of the last layer of Mexican blend.
14. Turn the oven up to 375 and cover the lasagna with tin foil.
15. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes.
16. Turn the broiler up to HIGH and broil for 2-3 minutes more, until the top is golden brown and bubbly!
17. Garnish with extra cilantro (if desired) and DEVOUR!

Notes

You can make this a day ahead and bake the next day, and it freezes great!

PISTACHII PESTO PIZZA

We’re eating so much green! This totally counts.

Pistachios. Basil. Pistachios and basil joined. Tonssss of green. I feel so great about existence at this moment. 

What's more, this is the second post in succession where I have pictures of something I developed. 


Affirm so perhaps it's simply lavender and basil and possibly that is so super straightforward, however cleverness me. I've attempted (and fizzled) to develop basil throughout the previous three years. Also, I swear it's been more than simply millennial lethargy that causes the herb breakdown.

Sadly, I don't have any insider facts. Almost certain it's simply developing so lavishly in light of the fact that we live in the place where there is heavy precipitation at this moment. FUN!! Not by any stretch of the imagination. This is not helping my side of the contention for getting a swimming pool. 

Who cares on the off chance that we can just utilize it, similar to, 13 days out of the year? 


I can hardly wait until I can have an enormous garden and develop my own lettuce and stuff. I additionally can hardly wait to have a splendid white kitchen. What's more, I ALSO can hardly wait to go do some harm at the Nordstrom commemoration deal this weekend. Is it accurate to say that this is the best time for sure?

That batter with a heavy spread of pistachio pesto? It looks kind of peculiar yet it likewise sort of looks like DESSERT. Perhaps it helps me to remember baklava. Then again perhaps it just helps me to remember this pizza. Which I'm so urgently desiring right now.

The universe tends to feel… off… in the event that I don't share another pizza formula at regular intervals. We are as yet riding the meager hull prepare and I'd be lying on the off chance that I said we would prefer not to eat it every.single.freaking.day. Actually, that technique is simple to the point that we haven't requested conveyance or take-out pizza in weeks. 


Fail, that might be a falsehood. I haven't requested it. On the other hand devoured it. Eddie requested it when I needed to go do a work thing one night. And afterward continued to eat the whole thing before I could have a cut when I returned home. How discourteous.

I totally adore love this combo. Like, super love. It's sort of like a white pizza additionally, with no crisp tomato. I can thoroughly manage without crisp tomatoes, particularly when pesto compensates for it. Furthermore, a nectar sprinkle. What's more, crunchy pistach pieces on top. (ew at "pistach.") And new mozz. 

On the other hand burrata! 

You ought to totally utilize burrata. I have a hell of a period finding the stuff however it is justified, despite all the trouble and what the pizza I construct this formula with respect to calls for. I'm simply going to make my own. Simple? 


Not certain if there is much else "Friday" in our life that pizza, however that doesn't mean you can't make it some other day. Alternately every other day. Until the end of time! It's justified, despite all the trouble.

yield: serves 2

 

total time: 45 minutes

ingredients:

dough
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

pistachio pesto
1 cup shelled pistachios
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

pizza
12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
2 ounces pecorino romano cheese, finely grated (plus more for topping)
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons crushed pistachios
a few basil leaves for garnish

directions:

Place a pizza stone inside you oven on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. You most definitely need a pizza peel for this - or at least something to easily transfer your dough to your stone.

In a large bowl, mix together the water, yeast and honey. Let that sit and get foamy, about 10ish minutes. During that time, I like to get out all of my pizza ingredients and measure them out - because this dough doesn't have to rise! You want everything measured out and ready to top so you can quickly transfer the dough to the stone.

After 10 minutes, stir the flour and salt into the yeast mixture. Stir until the dough comes together, first using a spoon and then using your hands. If the dough is REALLY sticky, use a little more flour until it becomes silky, adding 1 tablespoon of flour as needed. Flour your workspace and knead the dough a few times with your hands. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Roll the dough out as thin as you possible can - at least 10 inches. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest another 5 or 10 minutes. Flour your pizza peel VERY well. To transfer the thin dough to your peel, I gently and quickly fold the dough in half and then in half again, pick it up, and unfold it on the floured peel. Spread a layer of pesto on the dough. Cover with the mozzarella and romano.

Open the oven and gently slice the pizza from the peel to the stone - I use a spatula to help if needed. Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes - just keep and eye on it since the oven is so hot and stones can differ. It will be done when the crust is crispy and cheese is golden.

Remove the pizza and drizzle with the honey. Cover with an additional romano sprinkling, the pistachios and basil leaves. Slice and serve.

pistachio pesto
Place the pistachios, basil, mint, garlic and cheese in a food processor. Pulse and blend until the nuts are coarsely chopped, then with the processor on, stream in 1/3 cup of olive oil. Add a little more if necessary, depending on how "spreadable" you want your pesto to be. Taste the pesto and add in the salt, blending once more. This will make a little extra pesto than needed, so store it sealed tightly in the fridge for up to a week.

RASPBERRY LIMEADE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

I've been wanting a cherry limeade from Sonic for around 7 years now. No, truly. I surrendered pop at some point in school, and right up 'til the present time, I never have it–with one special case: Barbecue. In case I'm eating a cleaved brisket sandwich, I'm tasting on Dr. Pepper. It's simply my Texan roots that make it so. Last time I had grill, I was super pregnant, and considerably more resolute in my hostile to pop ways. I let myself know I'd just top off my glass most of the way from the wellspring. I succeeded!… in topping it off midway no under 3 times. And afterward some other time in transit out the entryway. Mom come up short. Gracious well, Camille still appears to be fine.

My eyes detected a container of brilliant red raspberry sorbet in the market a few days ago, and I swear it was an out-of-body experience when I ventured into the cooler and place it in my staple truck. I never purchase frozen yogurt. I like making it, or we go to Ted Drewes. Be that as it may, I needed to have this brilliant red sorbet! That is to say, take a gander at the shading! It's something no Photoshop modification can make. It's ruby gem conditioned and I venerate it. When I sandwiched it between two splendid and lively lime treats, it was flawlessness!

wish I could let you know whether you can include the raspberry sorbet and the put the treat sandwiches back in the cooler to serve later, however truly, I consume these straight. They never make it that long. Be that as it may, on the off chance that you have self discipline, if it's not too much trouble make them and let me know! 

I had some remaining no-agitate strawberry frozen yogurt in the cooler, and I was going to test it with the lime treats yet once more, I ate every one of them so rapidly! Next time, next time. There will be a next time for stuffing sorbet and frozen yogurt between delicate, little lime treats.

1 hr, 10Prep Time

10 minCook Time

1 hr, 20Total Time

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 lime, zested
• juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 mini scoops store-bought raspberry sorbet

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed the butter, sugar, zest and lime juice. Beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add the flour and salt, and beat just until combined.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
5. On a small baking sheet, scoop 8 balls of dough, smaller than a tablespoon. Roll them into perfect balls before placing on the baking sheet evenly spaced.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges turn a light golden brown. Don't remove the cookies before they brown, because this is so much flavor!
7. Let the cookies cool completely.
8. Turn 4 cookies over, top with mini scoops of sorbet, place the other cookie on top and serve.

ORANGE CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

Simple to make, light and solid orange chicken lettuce wraps! The ground chicken tastes simply like a more beneficial adaptation of orange chicken and being in lettuce wraps means it's a low carb, high protein, and filling supper for lunch or supper!

Bring on all the low carb, high protein meals. 🙌

What's more, these orange chicken lettuce wraps are a thing. A BIG thing around here. All the more particularly ground chicken sautéed and after that showered with a hand crafted orange chicken sauce that really contains, genuine 100% no sugar included squeezed orange, alongside naturally ground orange get-up-and-go and finished with little mandarin oranges so the orange flavor brings totally.

These lettuce wraps are a sound other option to the not really solid orange chicken you get from your most loved Chinese Restaurant and might I venture to say that orange chicken was intended to be wrapped in spread lettuce this time and we are justtt discovering now?

f you tail me on snapchat (👻:littlespicejar) then you realize that Anees and I as of late just got Fitbits. Which in each other family unit may imply that a couple attempting to get more beneficial together and walk more. At our home, it is GAME ON. It doesn't help that Fitbit permits you to "test" individuals to walk all the more either. The hubby and I have done only 1 week of rivalry and I kid you not, we were actually on each other's heel the whole time. You can check alternate people progress at whatever time amid the day and you realize that I did no less than 10 times each day. I don't know whether our method for contending is precisely "solid" yet I will say that I certainly walked more than I generally do. So i'm summarizing and calling it achievement.

Keeping in mind we're progressing, these chicken lettuce wraps are my new go to lunch. I'm adoring the measure of vitality I have when i'm having a lunch that is stuffed with loads of genuine protein and is low in carbs. It took me half of my twenties to understand that carbs at lunch abandon me feeling drained, tired, and lethargic around the 3-5pm imprint. Skirting the bread/rice keeps me going, which implies I have TONS of vitality to formula test a wide range of heavenliness for every one of us.

Be that as it may, it doesn't need to simply be a sound lunch. Orange chicken lettuce wraps make a perfect supper as well. What I additionally adore about these wraps is that they are perfect for #mealprep Sundays or Mondays. The kinds of the orange chicken really heighten as it sits. I made them before in the week and we had them for supper the previous evening. I even neglected to top them with the mandarin oranges yet the orange flavor helped through from the juice/get-up-and-go flawlessly. The hubby likewise likes to include wonton strips (typically found alongside the bread garnishes at the supermarket) on top of his lettuce wraps. He's about that CRUNCH.

In the event that you have minimal ones (and once in a while hubbys as well) that decline to eat anything green which is frequently the case I listen, you can simply serve the orange chicken on a bed of white/chestnut rice. Cut peppers and matchstick carrots on top would make this an all the more filling and nutritious supper also adding somewhat more crunchiness to the entire thing.

As usual, you can swap out the ground chicken for turkey in the event that you incline toward. I typically utilize ground chicken bosoms yet ground thighs would include more flavor for those that appreciate dull meat.

Genuinely how about we begin the most exceedingly awful day of the week with a solid supper.

ORANGE CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS TO THE RESCUE.

Serves: Enough filling to fill 10-12 lettuce leaves

 

Easy to make, light and healthy orange chicken lettuce wraps! The ground chicken tastes just like a healthier version of orange chicken and being in lettuce wraps means it's a low carb, high protein, filling meal for lunch or dinner!

INGREDIENTS

ORANGE CHICKEN SAUCE:

• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon EACH ground ginger AND red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons water AND ½ tablespoons cornstarch

CHICKEN FILLING:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound ground chicken (turkey or beef works too)
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can mandarin oranges (fresh cutie slices work too)
• chopped scallions, lettuce leaves AND toasted sesame seeds for decorating

INSTRUCTIONS

1. ORANGE CHICKEN SAUCE: Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a mason jar, give it a few good shakes until all the ingredients are mixed. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat. When the sauce begins to simmer, lower the heat and allow to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. You want the sauce to be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from stove, allow to cool.
2. CHICKEN FILLING: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground chicken and break down any lumps with a wooden spoon, let the chicken cook for 5-7 minutes or until it cooks all the way through. Drizzle the chicken with the prepared sauce. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the filling to cool for several minutes before filling lettuce leaves. Top with mandarin orange slices and toasted sesame seeds.

MARZIA'S NOTES

The leftover ground meat can be kept in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This is a great meal for prepping ahead of time and enjoying all week long for lunches/dinners.