Healthy Turkey Spinach Lasagna

Went back to my Italian roots for my mom's birthday dinner. A healthy twist on the traditional, but she gave it a thumb's up and asked for the recipe - success!

A couple of the swaps: I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, low-fat cottage cheese instead of ricotta (cottage cheese has less fat and calories and more protein), and whole wheat lasagna instead of regular lasagna.

Healthy Turkey Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb ground turkey (I used 93% for more flavor)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 (10 oz) bags fresh spinach
1 egg white
1 container (4 cups) 2% cottage cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 cooked lasagna noodles
oregano
fresh basil
salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat the oil in a large pot over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the turkey and cook until browned. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, and salt. Simmer 20 minutes. Add fresh basil at the end.

2. Meanwhile, rinse the spinach (do not dry) and transfer to a large non-stick pan. Cover and steam until wilted (about 3-4 minutes).

4. Mix together the cottage cheese and egg white.

5. Once the sauce is done, spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a lasagna tray. Lay down 3 noodles. Add 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of the cottage cheese, 1/3 of the spinach, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Continue two more times, then top with the remaining lasagna noodles and 1/4 cup of mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Quinoa Bake

I was craving something cheesy, and got creative with some leftover quinoa. You NEED to make this!! It's only a few ingredients, and super easy to make. Plus, quinoa has an amazing nutrition profile. It is one of the only whole grains that can serve as a complete protein source (it is technically a seed, but it's lumped into the grain category because it cooks like one). This means it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids that must be obtained from food (since the body cannot make them itself). Quinoa is also a great source of fiber and antioxidants, and is particularly high in magnesium, with 1 cup having about 30% of the RDA.

Fun Fact: Quinoa is pronounced keen-wa, not kwin-o-a

I haven't eaten this hot, but sliced it and ate it cold- it tastes like pizza!

Cheesy Quinoa Bake

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 garlic glove, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups frozen spinach
3/4 cup Trader Joe's Lite Mozzarella Cheese (it's the only Lite brand I recommend- it melts and tastes the best!)
4 ounces fat free cream cheese
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
Oregano

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 

2. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray and the 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Add the garlic and saute until soft.

3. Meanwhile, put the spinach on a plate and cook in the microwave (about 4 minutes). Add to the pan and saute for a minute or two. Add the quinoa, cream cheese, and spices. Cook until the cream cheese starts to melt (I mash mine a little with a spatula). Stir in half of the mozzarella cheese.

4. Spray a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Add the quinoa mixture and spread evenly in the dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden!

Serves 4

Nutrition Information: 280 Calories,  8 grams Fat, 33 grams Carbs, 19 grams Protein

Pumpkin Mozzarella Turkey Burgers

This are great for a healthy, quick, delicious meal. I used pumpkin to make the turkey burgers more moist, and used oatmeal as a healthy replacement for breadcrumb. I love mixing my cheese in with the other ingredients. It ensures that each bite is full of cheesy goodness. If you are dairy-free, my favorite vegan cheese is Daiya Mozzarella. It melts really well and tastes delicious! These are great served alongside some sweet potato fries!

Pumpkin Mozzarella Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lbs lean ground turkey breast (I used 99%, but 93% is fine too)
3 tablespoon egg whites (or one egg)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in one large bowl. Mix together well.
2. Preheat grill (I use my George Foreman). Form into 6 equal size patties (or 4 if you want a larger burger).
3. Grill until no longer pink (mine took about 7-8 minutes).
4. Eat!