Whole Wheat Lasagna

I was craving Italian today. Lasagna sounded good. I was inspired by someone special to make this and also on a healthy note. Well as much as you can with Lasagna. Come on now..look at the cheese!!! This special person loves Lasagna very much and also is conscious of what they take in so I created a healthy twist as an inspiration for me to a path I'm on in enjoying food but being healthy conscious about it. Thank you..you know who you are. :)

Whole Wheat Lasagna

1 pkg. Whole Wheat organic Lasagna noodles (ready to bake..no boiling)
1.5 lbs. Jennio Turkey
1 Medium Onion, diced
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground Oregano
1 1/2 tsp dried Basil
1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes
Black Pepper and minimal Salt to taste
6 oz Tomato Paste
2 Large cans of Tomato Sauce

24 oz.Cottage Cheese, Non fat
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 eggs

2 Zucchini's, thinly sliced

Mozzarella Cheese

1.Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.

2. Cook ground turkey, once fully cooked add garlic and onions, saute a bit. Add basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Cook for another few minutes so all flavors mingle together.

3. Add tomato paste and tomato sauce, if too thick may add a little water. Stir everything well and bring to a light simmer for 5-10 minutes.

4. Mix cottage cheese, eggs, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese together set aside and assembly process starts.

5. 1/2 cup sauce spread on bottom of pan, layer lasagna noodles, this one I used 4 on each layer. Then spread about 1/3 cup of cottage cheese filling on top of noodle, then added sliced zucchini, then shredded mozzarella, more sauce and repeated layers with the mozzarella cheese layer being the last one on top.

6. Cover with foil and baked for 35 minutes. Removed foil and baked for an additional 15 uncovered. Let sit before cutting.

This was really good!! It doesn't need salt do to the sodium content in tomato sauce which you can opt to use without sodium. Lasagna is Lasagna. You can't go wrong as long as there is good balance between all characters and the sauce is perfect! :) Use your personal preference as to how much cheese. Mmmmmm...thanks to my Sunshine of a friend.

Pork in Salsa Verde with Creamy Polenta

Here I mixed a bit of Mexican with a touch of Italian with a twist. I typically make my own salsa verde, but this time I bought for a quick fix. Plus store was out of decent tomatillos. I have no words for this dish..just that I moaned and repeated to feed myself..and moaned again. HERE MY MOAN! MMMMMmm! Was that ever good!! Mas..porfabor!

Pork in Salsa Verde
with Creamy Polenta

2.5 lbs Boneless Pork loin ribs (cubed)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 tbsp minced garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
Chili Powder
Cumin Powder
16 oz. Jar of Salsa Verde
6 0z of water
Cilantro (Garnish optional..may chop up and add to salsa even though salsa already has some)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat bottom of pan.

1 box of Polenta
Mexican Shredded Cheese
Cilantro
Salt & Pepper
Garlic Powder
Water or Broth

*For Polenta just follow box instructions. I added seasoning to water or broth and tasted to liking, then when started boiling add Polenta. Keep stirring for 5 minutes. It thickens quick so at this time add cheese and cilantro. Stir up well. Serve it up to dish. Make this last minute!!!! Hardens quick but soooo good!!

Pork in Salsa Verde:

1. Season cut up meat and season with salt, pepper, cumin powder and chili powder. Heat up pan with oil then add meat. Stirring and searing on each side. Add garlic and onion. Cook together covered for 15 minutes medium low. Stirring occasionally.

2. Add salsa verde and water. Give it a good stir and cover. Bring to a simmering low boil and leave it there for 10-15 minutes until pork is fork tender. Salsa will thicken a subtle bit. You may add cilantro now if you like.

I made the polenta last minute. Dished it up and topped with the pork. Polenta thicken and got stiff like a tamale consistency as it sat. Really..out of the park. I normally would make it with my homemade salsa verde which rocks, but this will do for the ones that don't like to cook much and want to buy minimal ingredients.

You can serve this pork with some spanish rice and beans or even soft corn tortillas. I always encourage to think outside the box as I do and just do what sounds good to your palette.

Pasta Salad

I love pasta! The good thing about pasta salad you can throw anything you have on hand in it and call it good. This is definitely nothing fancy, but satisfying.

Throw it together Pasta Salad

1 box of Pasta of choice
1 bottle of Italian dressing of choice
1/4 lb of Large Pepperoni, stacked and cut into quarters
1 can of medium Black Olives, drained
1 can of Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
2 large tomatoes, cut into quarters, seeded and diced
2 tbsp of Poppy Seeds
1 cup of Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
8 Basil leaves, cut into ribbons for garnish and flavor

1. Prepare pasta according to directions, drain and rinse with cold water and drain real good.

2. In large bowl, add pasta, dressing, red pepper flakes, black pepper, poppy seeds, give it a good stir until fully mingled together. Then add the last cast members of Olives, Beans, Tomatoes, give it another stir. Mmmm..starting to look good. Finish off with Parmesan Cheese and Basil leaves. Give it a good blend and let set for a good hour. You can eat it right away, but the flavors mingle more and explode into happiness the longer they sit together.

I like making this with Thin Spaghetti and adding a little tomato paste, green peppers, and anything that makes your hair blow. Mmmmm..enjoy! I will for lunch Manana!

Panzanella

Panzanella is an Italian dish used through out Italy. It's basically a Bread Salad with raw vegetables, Italian herbs, Olive Oil, Vinegar, Salt Pepper and just tossed together. One can alter it and make many variations. Here is one of mine.

Panzanella

1 Crusty loaf of Bread (chopped into big chunks)
1 Pint Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 Large English Cucumber, Quartered and sliced in big chunks
1/2 of a Large Red Onion, cut into bite size chunks
2 Medium Yellow Bell Peppers, cut into bite size chunks
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, cut into bite size chunks
1 small pkg. Crumbled Feta Cheese

~I pretty much cut all veggies into same size and make the bread chunks a bit bigger~

Dressing:

1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
4 Basil Leaves
1 Clove of Garlic
Salt & Pepper
Lime Zest with juice of 1/2 of a lime
1 Splenda packet or 1 tsp of Sugar

*Add everything to a food processor and give a spin until everything is thoroughly blended. If used later you will have to shake it up or stir before serving.

1. I add all chopped veggies to a large bowl. Toss together.
2. Last I add the cheese and bread and when ready to serve I add dressing to veggies or have people individually add it on there own.

This salad is nice and refreshing and a great hit in the summer time. I like to add Black Olive, perhaps fresh Mozzarella with ribbons of Basil. You could grill Chicken and have it be a great side dish to it. Perhaps toss some Orzo Pasta to the Salad and it makes a complete meal.