Lasagna dinner!

This lasagna was the bomb.com and healthy too! My boys gobbled it up and there was plenty for left overs which is a win in my book!

Heres the recipe:

Melissa Lasagna

1 box of ready to bake whole grain lasagna

1 pound of lean ground beef, turkey or chicken

1 package of chopped frozen spinach

1 pound of low fat mozzarella (I used half provolone half mozzarella and used the slices from the deli)

1 1/2 jars of organic low sugar tomato sauce

low fat ricotta cheese

1 egg

parmesan cheese

garlic

italian seasoning 

1.Brown the meat in a pan and season with garlic powder and Italian seasonings.

2. Mix ricotta cheese with 1 tablespoon of italian seasoning, some garlic powder and an egg. Also add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.

3. Add frozen spinach (drained) and tomato sauce to meat.

4.Layer lasagna in the following order- sauce, noodles, meat, ricotta, noodle and repeat.

5. Bake covered at 375 for 1 hour and then let it brown for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Put a spicy twist on butternut squash soup. A little bit of crushed red pepper gives it just enough kick to wake up your taste buds without setting them on fire. This recipe makes enough for a family dinner or a week of meal prep, and it’s a great way to warm up on a chilly day!

Total Time: 1 hr.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 45 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
5½ cups low-sodium, organic vegetable broth
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed and chopped, stem discarded, divided use
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
6 tsp. nonfat plain yogurt

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until translucent.
2. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, or until tender.
3. Add squash, broth, and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; gently boil, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until squash is soft. Remove from heat.
4. Place soup in a blender or food processor, in 4 or more batches, if necessary; cover with lid and kitchen towel. Blend until smooth.
5. Return soup to sauce pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. thyme; cook, stirring constantly, until soup is hot.
6. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
7. Ladle soup into 6 serving bowls. Garnish each with 1 tsp. yogurt, and sprinkle all with remaining 2 tsp. thyme.