Yumm

So, it’s time to focus..on more than writing. Yep, I’m turning 40 soon, and I’ve let another year go by without putting much effort into getting healthy. Sure I tried, but I didn’t keep trying, and thats the key, isn’t it? When you have 100 pounds to lose, it’s not good to stop trying after only losing 5. Sort of like getting published. If you want it, you don’t give up after one rejection.

So, I’m back to trying real hard, and I’m happy to say that after one week, I’ve lost 2 pounds. And you know what? I even had bad days in the past week. I mean, Halloween is coming and there are all these bite sized chocolate bars around, and we had a family dinner for my brothers birthday where there was all sorts of deep fried yuminess. Despite falling off my health wagon a couple of times, I still lost weight. Why? Because I jumped right back on. I’ve been making a serious effort to change my eating, and one of the things is less bread.

Seeing as I work at a place that makes the best pizza in the world, it’s not easy. But here’s one recipe I found that helps me stay on track. Check it out.

From NEVER SAY DIET
You’ll never miss the pasta in this scrumptious, cheesy Italian favorite. Wrap and freeze any extra servings individually to thaw and warm for lunch in a hurry.

Ingredients:
2 large zucchini (about 1pound), ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 links (about 4 ounces each) lean turkey Italian sausage
1 red bell pepper or roasted red bell pepper, diced
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup low-fat marinara sauce
2 egg whites
1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2⁄3 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat an 8” × 8” baking pan with olive oil cooking spray. Set aside.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray them lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Broil (or grill) the zucchini for about 8 minutes, or until tender and very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the meat sauce, cook the sausage in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to break up any clumps. Add the bell pepper,
onion, and garlic, and cook for about 4 minutes longer, until the meat is no longer pink. The juices should be cooked dry. Stir in the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce will be very thick. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, ricotta, Italian seasoning, and black pepper until well combined.

To assemble the lasagna, spread half of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer on half of the zucchini slices, followed by half of the ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Per serving: 210 calories, 18 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 45 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 340 mg sodium

Reprinted from: The Biggest Loser Simple Swaps © 2009 by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. The Biggest Loser (TM) and NBC Studios, Inc. and Reveille LLC. Courtesy of Rodale, Inc.