True You (22 page)

Baked Ziti (Kid Friendly)

1 pound dry ziti pasta

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 pound ground turkey

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp pepper flakes

8 oz raw spinach

2 (26 oz) jars spaghetti sauce—low sodium

6 oz provolone cheese, sliced

1½ cups light sour cream

6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet with olive oil, brown onion and ground turkey over medium heat. Season with cumin, garlic, and pepper flakes; add spinach, cook for 5 minutes, then add spaghetti sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer as follows: half of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, half of the meat/sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, and remaining meat/sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

Serves 5–6

Healthy Meaty Meatballs (Kid Friendly)

1 lb ground turkey

1 lb ground turkey sausage (can be spicy for extra kick)

2 eggs

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup soft bread crumbs

2 tbsp milk

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, mix well. Shape into 16 balls of equal size.

Heat the oil in a skillet large enough to hold the meatballs in one layer without touching. Cook until nicely browned all over, at least 10 minutes.

Drain the meatballs and place them in a saucepan with marinara sauce. Simmer 25–30 minutes, depending on the amount and what marinara sauce you are using, stirring occasionally. If doing a homemade sauce, simmer 50–60 minutes.

About 10 minutes before the meatballs have finished cooking, cook spaghetti as directed on package. Drain well.

Serve the meatballs and sauce on the spaghetti, sprinkled with extra Parmesan cheese.

You can skip step 2 and place meatballs right into simmering marinara sauce, 45–50 minutes. Your meatballs won’t have a nice brown color but they will be just as tasty.

Serves 4 people, 4 meatballs each

2 tbsp olive oil

½ cup chopped sweet onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh oregano

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 5 breasts)

salt and pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, and garlic, cook for about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, oregano, and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. While this is simmering, season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm vegetable oil and sauté chicken. Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until meat is no longer pink inside. Transfer chicken to first skillet and add fresh basil. Cover chicken with broth mixture and serve.

Serves 4–6

Sloppy Joes (Kid Friendly)