Supercharged Lasagne

My mantra for this year is...

‘It’s the small changes you make every day that count’

Making a concerted effort to eat more vegetables and less processed food will have an ah-mazing effect on your body. Even if you feel the irresistible lure of comfort food, including a couple of healthy swap outs, like using zucchini in place of pasta and adding yoghurt instead of white sauce you can still enjoy a wonderfully healthy and filling meal such as this scrumptious Supercharged Lasagne.

I think small changes everyday work. When you think about it, that extra-large slice of cake or chocolate square is ok, on occasion, because if we go cold turkey and become too strict on ourselves then we end up craving a sweet treat even more.   Then what can happen is that you starve yourself of the occasional treat and then when you do relent you gorge out on the whole cake, which can leave you feeling guilty and mad at yourself.

Adding this dish to your meal repertoire will ensure you are eating healthily and obtaining nutrients your body needs to function. Eating the supercharged way means you have the vitality to tackle those annoying work emails, and constant requests on your time, allowing more valuable time to be spent with your family and friends, instead of on the couch, unmotivated with no energy.

I've used zucchini and sheep's milk yoghurt in this recipe and here's why...

Zucchini has a myriad of uses – pickled, baked, stir fried, mashed, stewed and frittered.  It can be included in a range of dishes from savoury appetisers to nutritious breads and fragrantly light cakes and desserts. Speaking of breads have you tried the Almond & Zucchini Bread yet?   The heavenly garden fresh flowers can also be eaten and stuffed with delicious fillings I used them in this Exquisite Pesto Filled Zucchini Flowers recipe.

A supercharged food, zucchinis are fibre and vitamin rich and an excellent source of vitamin A, C, K, beta-carotene, manganese, folate, potassium and copper.  They have a high water content (naturally) being part of the cucurbit family, a close relative of cucumbers, watermelons and gherkins (aka pickles).  

Sheep’s milk cheese is widely eaten in Europe (think feta, ricotta and Roquefort) and surprisingly has more protein and twice the calcium than cow’s milk. Sheep produce thicker milk, making its yoghurt quite rich and smooth. People with lactose intolerance may be able to consume sheep’s milk yoghurt because during the yoghurt process making the lactose is converted to lactic acid and once your body has healed it's a good ingredient to add to your cooking.

Something you may not know is that  sheep’s milk is actually superior to goat’s and cow’s milk! The reason for this is that it is higher in vitamins A, B C, D and E and has higher levels of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, with less sodium. 

Try this supercharged lasagne and let me know what you think!

Supercharged Lasagne

Ingredients

• 3 small zucchinis, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3 TBS EV Olive Oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 500 gms ground beef
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato passata
• 2 TBS sugar free tomato paste
• 1 ½ tsp fresh or dried herbs, oregano, sage, basil and thyme
• freshly cracked black pepper
• ¾ cup Sheep’s yoghurt no sugar or additives (You can also use plain Greek yoghurt)
• 2 TBS yeast flakes for topping

Method:

• In a large fry pan fry zucchini in 2 TBS Olive Oil on both sides until golden and set aside

• Place onions and garlic into the pan to brown
• Add meat and cook until tender then add tomatoes, paste, herbs and reduce heat to simmer for 15 mins and season to taste

• In a baking dish arrange a layer of the meat mixture followed by zucchini and then a layer of yoghurt

• Top with a layer of yoghurt and then sprinkle with nutritional yeast

• Bake uncovered at 200 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes.

• Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving

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