Yummy Dinners

So we have really been trying to eat healthier these past few months…we have been cutting out white or enriched flour and white sugar, and really paying attention to not eating processed foods (now, I’m not going to lie and say we NEVER have some of these things…I mean a pregnant girl has got to have her occasional treat  )  Even though it has been a little more expensive, we are really trying eat much more organic things when I cook at home, organic meat (grass-fed, free-range beef, eggs and chicken)  If you haven’t seen Corn King or Food Inc. this will make you want to start looking at the labels on your meat for sure!  But as far as what I’ve been cooking at home a lot has been out of a magazine called Clean Eating, it’s along the same lines as the Maker’s Diet, and she has a cookbook too that I would eventually love to get.  Anyways…the other night I made her “Deconstructed Lasagna” and it was so yummy and it was very kid-friendly…Izzy LOVED it!  So I thought I’d share the recipe!

Deconstructed Lasagna

from Clean Eating magazine

-1 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced

2 cups eggplant, unpeeled and cubed

1/4 cup carrots, peeled and diced ( I actually didn’t add the carrots to ours)

1 cup no salt added tomato sauce, divided

1/2 tsp. oregeno

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat fusilli pasta (Iz had fun eating these for sure!)

1 cup whole-wheat elbow macaroni

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese (I personally like cottage cheese better in lasagna, so I used the low-fat cottage cheese)

1/2 cup tomato, diced

10 fresh basil leaves, torn

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded

Additional basil leaves as garnish

Instructions:

In a large skilled over medium high heat, saute beef, onion, garlic, eggplant, and carrots until meet is cooked thoroughly, about 10 minutes.  Stir in 1/2 cup sauce, oregano and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Then uncover and stir in spinach until just beginning to wilt.

Meanwhile, cook fusilli according to package directions in medium pot. Drain and set aside in a bowl. Next cook macaroni according to package using the same medium pot. Drain and add to fusilli.

In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, tomato, basic and oil.

In a large bowl, add beef mixture, both pastas, remaining 1/2 cup sauce and mozzarella, stirring until well combined. Then stir in ricotta mixture, until all contents are combined.  Serve, garnished with additional basil leaves.

This recipe does make quite a bit, so you can let it cool and freeze it in a resealable container for 2-3 months.  To reheat, defrost in refrigerator for 24 hours, then reheat in microwave or saucepan.

The following night since I had a considerable amount of the eggplant left over and a good amount of fresh basil I made one of our favorite things…Veggie Paninis…this is adapted from Giade DeLorentes from Food Network…

But basically, cook sliced eggplant and sliced zucchini in some olive-oil over medium heat, while they are still in the pan I put some shredded mozzarella over them to melt.  Saute red onion in olive oil until almost carmelized.  Toast some fresh sourdough bread.  On the panini, put fresh Pesto (recipe below), fresh tomato, eggplant and zucchini…and oh my goodness these are incredibley yummy!! These have been some of our faves!

Basil Pesto:

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Yield: 1 cup

Hope you enjoy some of these yummy dinners!

One Response to “Yummy Dinners”

1. Melissa says:

   March 16, 2010 at 11:49 am

   We tried the Deconstructed Lasagna last night…so good! Thanks for sharing!!