Butternut Squash Lasagna

This is one of my favorite things to eat! You save on some of the carbs with the butternut squash instead of lasagna noodles, and if you wanted to make this paleo, you could add some layers of other veggies, like zuchinni, cauliflower and broccoli. We have been eating pretty low carb, but we still eat cheese and dairy. The kids, even Zooey, LOVE this recipe! I love this recipe so much that I kind of hoard the leftovers for myself, so I can enjoy it for a couple days after I make it. :)

 

Ingredients:
Coconut oil spray
1/2 butternut squash, sliced thin (I used my veggie spiralizer to save time)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 lb. lean ground turkey
salt and pepper
1 container vodka sauce (I like the Classico brand)
1 egg, beaten
small container ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (small bag)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided in two

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Sautee onion, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, baby spinach over medium heat until carrots are crisp tender.
3. Remove veggies from pan and set aside. Brown turkey; season with salt and pepper, if desired.
4. Meanwhile, combine beaten egg, ricotta cheese, and 1/8 c. parmesan cheese.
5. Once meat is browned, add veggies back in and stir to combine. Stir in sauce, then simmer.
6. Place a small layer of meat mixture on bottom of pan, then layer ingredients in pan: butternut squash slices, cheese mixture, meat mixture, half mozzarella. Repeat.
7. Baked covered for 45 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to bake 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

I've been slacking on my blogging...

We will see how long this post is, as I think Zooey's in the process of dropping a nap and I may have to go get her very shortly. Life with a baby = little time to blog. There is so much that's been happening on all the fronts of my happy little blog.

On the "oh my gosh does she really think we care" front, we made the decision this week to eat less meat and try (insert overexaggerated drumroll) tofu! For those that know Ryan, this is a BIG deal. And get this - much of it was his idea! So far, we've tried a lovely little tofu stirfry that I threw together for lunch: tofu cubes sauteed in olive oil and garlic then stir fry in the brocolli, purple onion and red bell pepper seasoned with soy sauce and hot sauce; serve over hot brown rice. Delicious! I also made tofu spaghetti, which tasted like spaghetti sauce. I was in a hurry, but I'll let you know how it goes when I decide to actually make my own sauce. I'm excited about this change and hope it will last, as I know it is much healthier for us. We aren't foregoing meat completely, we just won't be eating it as much as we were. If you have any good bean or tofu recipes (or cookbook referrals), please let me know! My husband will not eat a dish with only veggies - there has to be some source of protein. I promise to share any good recipes I come across, too.

Growing in the importance scale here, Zooey is finally on a four hour routine. For those who follow Baby Wise or the Baby Whisperer type of routine, you know that it is nice to have blocks of 2+ hours when you don't have to be home, so "baby can nap." Plus, with all the nap problems we were having, I'm happy to report that the extended schedule actually helped her daytime sleep (I was sooo scared it would hinder it), and she's getting the rest she needs. She's also extra super happy, even with an impending leap on the way, and I promise to post some uber cute 8 month pic's in :sniff, sniff: a week.

It has been so nice to get out and about this summer. So far we've been to the zoo twice, the aquarium and the botanical gardens. I was thinking this morning how this time of year used to be so exciting, because it meant Ryan & I would be heading on our "anniversary vacation." This year, I'm just excited that Zooey's growing and can do more. Along with her physical growth, her sense of wonder grows by the minute, and it's so fun to watch her get interested in things and figure out the way the world works.

My mom finished her chemo and radiation this week. I know I've been somewhat silent on this topic on my blog, but that is because I had so many raw personal emotions about the subject that I decided to journal elsewhere rather than make it so public. It's been a trying experience for our family to watch her go through this. This past week has been extra hard on her, and she's having a very rough weekend. The sensation of not being able to get comfortable no matter what she tries is driving her crazy. The dr. gave her some med's to help her relax, and we're all praying that they will work quickly. In the midst of this whole thing, God continues to answer our prayers. She hasn't thrown up, not once. She had insurance and financial worries answered this week in a positive way. God has shown us all verses and sent us people to encourage us. My faith has grown and once again I have learned how dependent I must be on Christ and how He is in control - not me. I know some of you read this to learn how she is doing, and I wanted to tell you that her treatment has ended. Please continue to pray for quick recovery and that the treatment got rid of all cancer cells with no return.

And...I'm done with the post and it looks like I may even have time to prepare dinner before she wakes up. So nice!

Inspired by "Julie & Julia"

I saw the movie Julie & Julia when I was up visiting Jenni, and I feel somewhat inspired. I'm not going to set a deadline and be all "I'm going to cook every recipe in this book - one a day" or anything like that; however, I have realized that my dinner routines have become rather blah lately, and I want to change it up. I am a big fan of the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook. The recipes almost always taste good (I say almost, because there are things I don't like or Ryan doesn't like - the recipes containing those things are obviously not a hit), the directions are pretty clear-cut and they're pretty easy. The other morning I decided to try making new recipes once or twice a week. At first I almost went back on my decision, because some of the recipes looked kinda' tricky. But I persevered and started with some easy ones.

First, I made "Ham Balls in Barbecue Sauce" on page 353. I bought a smoked ham from the meat department and ground it in my food processor (which on a side note has become my favorite appliance for cooking!). I made my own bread crumbs. True to the book, the prep only took me 20 minutes and really wasn't that hard - even with making the sauce, bread crumbs and grinding the ham. Because of the high altitude and a faulty meat thermometer, the recipe did take longer than 35 minutes; it was closer to 55 minutes, but I think if we had a good thermometer, it would've been more like 45. These meatballs were delicious! Everyone loved them. We will definitely be making these again. The meatballs are about 1/3 cup mixture each, and I think if I made them smaller and made a bit more sauce that this would also be a great potluck recipe. Overall, a 5.

Second, I made "Artichoke-Turkey Casserole" on page 434. The recipe was also pretty easy, and the preptime was accurate at 20 minutes. I substituted canned artichoke for frozen, because I couldn't find it. I steamed a turkey breast for the meat. I forgot the bacon, which may've made this recipe better. The recipe called for 1/2 tsp. thyme; Ryan and I both felt the thyme was overpowering. I will probably try this recipe again and only use 1/8-1/4 tsp. thyme and definitely use the bacon. Overall, a 2.