Delicious Winning Recipes!

This month’s recipe contest was a yummy success! Thanks to all who participated, and shared their delicious home-cooked meals with us. It was a good reminder that a healthy diet isn’t about what you can’t have, it’s about what you can have! Denise Bennett took first prize with her Zucchini-Spinach Lasagna, and went home with $100 gift card to HEB. Beverly Jordan’s Shepherd Pie took second and a $50 gift card, and Irma Findley’s Nopalitos took third place and a $25 gift card. Our dietitians judged each dish based on their protein and net carbs. Try these recipes for yourself, and enjoy the tasty results!

First Place

Zucchini-Spinach Lasagna

Recipe by Denise Bennett

Ingredients:

12 oz. lean ground beef
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 lb. mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ medium onion, chopped
4 plum tomatoes chopped or 1 can diced, low salt tomatoes
3 medium zucchinis
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil or 5-6- leaves fresh basil
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Use a mandolin or cheese cutter to thinly slice zucchini lengthwise into 1/8 flat lasagna-like pieces. Set aside.

2. Chop onions, garlic mushrooms, and tomatoes and set aside.

3. Combine 1 cup ricotta cheese with 1 egg. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Thaw frozen spinach in the microwave. Drain and squeeze out as much water as you can. Set aside.

5. Spray frying pan with cooking spray and brown ground beef in a pan. Add onion, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until onions and mushrooms are tender. Add chopped tomatoes or canned tomatoes to the meat mixture.

6. In a 9×9 in square baking dish, layer as follows:

– Strips of zucchini (as if they were lasagna noodles)
– Half the meat mixture
– Half the spinach
– Half the ricotta mixture
– Half the mozzarella cheese

7. Repeat with the second half of your spinach, meat and cheese mixtures. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve with a tossed salad.

Nutritional information:

Protein: 29g
Net carbs: 10g

Second Place

Shepherd’s Pie Casserole

Recipe by Beverly Jordan

Ingredients:

20 oz (1 ¼ lbs) ground beef or turkey
¼-½ cup finely chopped onion
1 clove grated garlic
½-1 teaspoon ground pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoon garlic salt or more to taste
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
¼-½ cup of milk or Mootopia
1 ¾ to 2 cups cooked green beans (season to taste)
20 oz of frozen cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons milk/Mootopia
½ shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. Brown meat, onion and garlic until done. Add pepper and salt to taste. Stir in cream of mushroom soup. Heat thoroughly. Add ¼ to ½ cup milk to thin meat and soup mixture. Place in a deep dish and set aside.

2. Cook green beans in a microwave as directed. Drain and season to taste. Layer on top of the meat mixture.

3. Cook cauliflower in a microwaveable bowl for 8-10 minutes on high, until tender. Do not add water. Once cooked drain any liquid. Use hand blender to emulsify cauliflower with butter until it resembles a mashed potato mixture. Add milk to reach desired consistency (begin with 2 tbsp). Spread cauliflower mixture on top of green beans.

4. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the cauliflower layer. Add a cover to melt cheese, then top with bacon. Serves six.

 

Nutritional Information:

Protein: 23g
Net carbs: 9g

Third Place

Nopalitos and Chicken

Recipe by Irma Findley

Ingredients:

1 jar cactus, drained and cubed
1 tomato, chopped
½ onion, chopped
½ bushel cilantro, chopped
1 can tuna or chicken
½ tsp Knorr beef flavored bullion

Directions:

1. Sautee cactus with olive oil. Add tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and meat of your choice.

2. Add 1 cup water with Knorr and simmer for about 5 minutes

3. Enjoy either hot or cold!

Nutritional Information:

Protein: 25g
Net carbs: 8g

For more healthy recipes, and to learn more about Be Well 365’s Weight Loss Clinic, click below.

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