High Protein High Fiber Meal To Keep the Fire Burning- Skillet Lasagna, Mediterranean Orzo Salad, Homemade Whole Grain Bread, and Oatmeal Crumble Fruit Pie!
Gone are the days of eating keto- friendly meals to maintain your weight. Our bodies need the nutrition and fiber obtained from multigrains including oatmeal, whole grains, and lentils. This skillet lasagna prepared with ground turkey, fresh vegetables , three different cheeses, and lasagna noodles made from lentils and chickpeas is loaded protein and fiber to build muscle, burn stubborn fat, and provide energy.
This healthy dish was obtained from a cookbook, Let's Cook With Kids distributed by the California Department of Health to encourage healthy preparation of meals. I added more vegetables and substituted lasagna noodles made from chickpeas and lentils for extra nutrients and protein. Use with your favorite marinara sauce. I prefer a sauce made with all natural ingredients with no sugar added.
Skillet Lasagna
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesa cheese, grated
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1 pound ground turkey
1 zucchini or yellow squash (chopped)
1/2 chopped onion
3-4 cloves chopped garlic
1 (25 ounce) organic pasta sauce (no sugar added)
6 lasagna noodles made with chickpeas and lentils
chopped fresh basil
Mix cheeses in a bowl and set aside
In skillet, brown turkey meat and drain excess fat.
Add onion, garlic, and squash. Cook 5 minutes
Add 1/2 jar of sauce and mix.
Add 4 lasagna noodles, breaking noodles to fit the pan.
Spread cheese mixture on top of noodles. Add another layer of noodles and pour remaining sauce on top.
Add remaining mozzarella cheese.
Add chopped fresh basil.
Cover skillet with lid and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Compliment the Skillet Lasagna with Mediterranean Orzo Salad made with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, whole grain orzo, olives, feta cheese, garlic, red onions, and zesty lemon vinaigrette. Be sure to use whole grain orzo for the added nutrients, protein, and fiber.
A good pasta dish is complete with healthy homemade bread (eaten in moderation of course). This recipe is compliments of the Herb Crib in Blairsville, Ga. I substituted whole grain flour for the manitoba flour for the added health benefits and the taste is as good as using bread flour. This is a quick, easy bread to make for a meal. Serve with olive oil tempenade.
Piccoli Finoli Bread (Herb Crib-Blairsville, Ga)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing pan.
1 1/2 cups of cold water
2 tsp. dried instant yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 cups King Arthur whole grain flour or bread flour, plus extra for dusting
3/4 cup of King Arthur all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of pitted olives (if desired) I prefer to omit the olives.
Grease a large bowl with olive oil.
Mix 1/2 cup warm water with yeast and sugar.
Add the whole grain flour, all purpose flour, sall and 1/2 cup water, knead for 5 minutes.
Mix the rest of the water (1/2 cup) with the olive oil and add to the dough while kneading for another 5 minutes. Dough will be sticky.
Cover with a towel and let rise until double in size (1-2 hours).
Sprinkle more flour on dough. It will be soft and sticky.
Form dough in rectangle on pan and leave it to prove for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425.
Bake 15-20 minutes until golden. Do not overcook.
(This is a picture of the bread placed on the pan. Let it sit and it will rise after 30 minutes and will rise more upon being baked in the oven.
Add a slice of homemade wholegrain bread and orzo salad to your pasta dish!
An awesome meal is not complete without an awesome desert! Keep your healthy eating train moving right along with this Oatmeal Crumble Fruit Pie made with your favorite fresh fruit. I used strawberries, blueberries, and peaches in this pie made with a whole grain crust made with olive oil instead of butter, topped with oatmeal crumble, sweetened with a little Stevia, local honey, or maple syrup. Your heart and waistline will thank you!
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