Lasagna

 Lasagna with Italian Herb Ground Turkey 

Lasagna is one of those feel good flavorful dishes that is always a crowd pleaser. FYI this is not the healthiest dish nor is it the healthiest lasagna recipe you'll ever read but it is delicious and that's all I really had in mind when preparing this dish :D. I did sub the ground beef for ground turkey to make it a little lighter, I also really enjoy the ground turkey flavor in this dish, I feel that it flatters the herbs and spices more than ground beef does, but either way would work.

I used fresh mozzarella which is a lighter-ish cheese than others, along with part skim ricotta cheese, and a shredded cheese blend as well. The marinara sauce is made with spinach, olive oil, basil, oregano, and garlic, and the pasta sheets I used are barilla flat lasagna sheets.

Nutrition for one serving: 

450 Calories 

20g Fat

300mg Sodium

32g Protein 

27g Carbohydrates

Ingredients: 

1 Box Flat Lasagna Sheets (Barilla brand is my favorite)

16 oz Ground Turkey 

15 oz Ricotta Cheese 

1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese 

1/2 cup Shredded Cheese blend 

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 Egg

4 Garlic Cloves (chopped) (half for ground turkey and half for sauce)

1/2 Onion (chopped)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Italian Herb Seasoning 

1 cup Spinach 

How To Make It: 

1. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees 

2. Prepare the ground turkey: In a skillet cook the chopped onion and garlic on medium heat with oil, add the ground turkey, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and cook until the meat is fully cooked, around 15 minutes. Set aside when done. 

3. Prepare the cheese blend: combine 15 oz ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheese blend and 1 egg, season with salt and pepper and set aside once combined evenly. 

4. Prepare the sauce: in a sauce pan heat up the remaining ground garlic with some oil and the spinach. Add 24 oz of marinara sauce and some Italian seasoning if needed, bring to a simmer and set aside. (you may want to add some water to help make your sauce easier to assemble the lasagna. 

5. In a baking dish spray the bottom with non-stick cooking spray. 

6. Add 1 cup of marina sauce on the bottom of the dish, then add 3 sheets of the lasagna and another cup of marinara sauce. 

7. Add 3 heaping spoonful of the ricotta cheese mixture (about 1/2 cup) and then add the mozzarella

8. Add 2/3 cup of the ground meat. 

9. Repeat this 3 more times in the same order, pasta sheets, sauce, ricotta mixture, meat. 

10. On the last layer add the remaining sauce all over and the remaining cheese on top, top with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup shredded cheese blend, and 1/4 cup of fresh mozzarella. I also topped it with lots of ground black pepper and Italian seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil. 

11. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy :) 

Molokhia - Syrian style w/ Chicken

Syrian Style Molokhia w/ Chicken Breast, Topped w/ Pickled Onion

Molokhia is a traditional Arabic dish that is made throughout the Middle East. Each country has its own spin on it but the main differences I have seen are some countries blend or chop the leaves up finely and make it into more of a soup, while others will keep the leaves whole and make it more like a stew. I made this version Syrian style since that is the way I grew up eating it, so the leaves are left whole and you top it with lots of fresh lemon juice and quick pickled onion. It is served over white rice and is one of those dishes that hits home and is ultra comforting. 

Molokhia is also extremely nutritious it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant components, high in vitamin K, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A (beta-carotene antioxidant). It is served up in a stew with chicken breast, whole garlic cloves, and fresh cilantro and is served over rice, making it a balanced nutritious meal with lean protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates. 

Ingredients: 

1 bag of frozen Molokhia leaves (Jews Mallow) 

2 Chicken Breasts

Seasoning for Chicken: Granulated Garlic, Lemon Pepper, Black Pepper, Salt, Paprika. 

1 head of garlic peeled with cloves kept intact 

1/2 white onion 

1/2 cup red wine vinegar 

2 Tablespoons Grapeseed Oil 

1 1/2- 2  Cups Chicken Broth 

1/2 cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro

Red Chili Flakes to taste 

Lemon Juice to taste 

How To Make Easy Quick Pickled Onion: 
Place finely chopped white onion in a bowl with 1/2 cup red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a cool area until ready to serve (try to marinate it for at least 1 hour). 

How To Make It: 

1. In a medium sized pot add 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil and all of the seasoning for chicken (approximately 2 teaspoon each seasoning) 

2. Coat the chicken breasts in the seasoning and cook on medium to high heat to get a nice color on the chicken. 

3. Remove chicken from pot and place on a cutting board to the side once it is cooked (approximately 10 minutes) 

4. Save the remaining oil from the chicken and cook the garlic cloves and add one bag of Molokhia leaves to the pot and cook on medium heat. 

5. Add 1 and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, 1/2 cup water, and juice of half of a lemon to the pot. Add one teaspoon of salt and black pepper and simmer on low to medium heat. Slice the chicken into about 1/2 inch pieces and place back into the pot to stew for about 40 minutes checking on it regularly you may need to add more chicken broth or water if it starts to dry out. 

6. The final product should be a tender leaf that is a viscous or slippery-like texture (I mean that in the most appetizing way possible). Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro and stir in. 

7. Plate the dish with 1/2 cup white rice, a couple ladles of molokhia stew, a couple teaspoons of the pickled onion, a sprinkle of red chili flakes for a kick, and fresh lemon juice on top. 

enjoy :]

Spicy Shrimp & Sauteed Green Beans Salad

Spicy Shrimp with Sautéed Green Beans and a Mixed Greens Salad 

Healthy and hearty shrimp salad! This recipe came out light, but very satisfying, especially for a salad. The shrimp are super seasoned with cayenne pepper and ground paprika for a little kick and the green beans came out crunchy and packed with flavor. I love to pair seafood with lots of citrus, so I used lemon juice in the preparation of the shrimp along with in the dressing. 

Nutrition (for one portion): 

300 calories 

16g fat

2g saturated fat 

800mg sodium

22g carbohydrate

7g fiber

8g sugar

21 g protein

170% vitamin A

140% vitamin C

15% Iron

20% Calcium

Ingredients (for two portions): 

12 deveined and peeled shrimp

1 cup fresh green beans

1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 cloves of chopped garlic

1 lemon (juice and zest)

3 cups arugula, kale, spinach mix

1 chopped tomato

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 Tablespoons olive oil

How To Make It: 

1. In a skillet heat up the grapeseed oil and add the fresh green beans, cook for 5 minutes, then add the shrimp, chopped garlic, lemon zest, and the paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. 

2. Cook the shrimp for 4 minutes flipping once halfway through cooking. Next, Add 1/4 c chicken broth and juice of half of a lemon to deglaze the pan. Take the pan off of the heat and set aside. 

3. In a bowl/plate add the mixed greens, tomatoes, and carefully add the shrimp and green beans. 

4. Dressing: Combine juice of the other half of lemon and olive oil and black pepper. Whisk together and add to the salad. 

Enjoy :) 

Salmon w/ Broccoli & Artichoke Heart Lemon Wine Sauce

Oven Baked Salmon with Crispy Broccoli and an Artichoke Hearts, Lemon, White Wine Sauce 

Quick and easy healthy dinner recipe! Made this for myself the other night when I was craving something healthy, satisfying, and tasty :) The sauce is super tangy from the lemon with a little sweetness from the white wine. The Artichoke hearts add a great bad-a-bing of flavor and elevate the overall dish. Hope you guys enjoy :D 

Nutrition: 

550 calories 

30g Fat 

5g Saturated Fat

320mg Sodium

22g Carbohydrate

4g Fiber

6g Sugar

37g Protein 

80% Vitamin A 

70% Vitamin C

10% Calcium 

20% Iron 

Ingredients: 

1 portion of salmon (6 oz) 

1 cup broccoli 

1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts

1 green onion (chopped) 

1 garlic clove (chopped)

1/4 cup white wine 

1 lemon (zest and juice)

Salt & pepper, paprika, oregano 

1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil 

How to Make It: 

1. Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees

2. In an oven safe baking sheet/tray add salmon portion and broccoli, add 1/2 tablespoon oil along with salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano on the salmon. 

3. Bake salmon for 15-20 minutes just until salmon is cooked and has a slight pink center, do not overcook! (dry salmon is a no no). 

4. While salmon is in the oven, make the yummy sauce! In a small pan add 1/2 tablespoon oil, artichoke hearts, garlic, green onion, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat, next deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of white wine and juice of 1 lemon (I like everything extra lemony so adjust to your liking!)

5. Plate the salmon and veggies and add the sauce over the whole thing! Enjoy :)