By Renee Dumont – www.crushsugarcravings.com
Whether you’re trying to eat more vegetables, cut down on carbs for weight loss OR lower your blood sugar or have a gluten allergy, one thing is for sure – we all crave a good home cooked meal from time to time. So, get ready to stop craving those belly bloating white zucchini noodles which as you already know are another form of sugar. Yes “BAD CARBS”.
By home cooked, I mean something that is made from scratch, hearty, and has all the flavors you remember growing up. Most times when we think of such a dish we think of pot roast and potatoes, roast chicken and vegetables, meat loaf, and of course, casseroles. Casseroles are the embodiment of home. A one pot meal loaded with all kinds of delicious (and most often unhealthy) ingredients that inspires your taste buds and satisfies the soul.
One of my favorite all time casseroles is lasagna. Meat, cheese, noodles, and tomato sauce baked to perfection and full of flavor. While this perfect casserole is satisfyingly good, it’s not the most healthy dish out there. It’s usually full of carb-laden pasta, fatty meat, and whole milk cheese – all of which add up to a meal loaded with fat and calories.
What if we could recreate a hearty lasagna that is still packed with flavor, but takes out all the bad stuff? What if we added in more vegetables, used lean meat, and cut out the fat? That wouldn’t be good, right? Wrong. Lasagna is the perfect dish to make healthier and I’m here to say that I absolutely love this recipe and it completely reminds me of home.
The biggest trick to lightening up this lasagna is to get rid of the pasta. Zucchini that is prepared correctly is a fantastic substitute and holds up well to tomato sauce and cheese. It adds the right texture without flavoring the dish in a bad way. Zucchini is also a powerhouse vegetable that we should be eating more of and using it in a healthy casserole, it’s very easy to eat.
HERE IS THE RECIPE