This one is for my pasta lovers who want the feeling and flavour of traditional lasagna but without the starches. When your goal is to keep blood sugar managed, bones healthy and tummy happy, sticking with non-starchy veg and lean protein is always a good option.
Traditional lasagna is made by layering flat pasta sheets with a combination of ingredients such as ground meat, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and tomato sauce. The layers are typically repeated several times, and the dish is then baked in the oven until the pasta is cooked and the cheese is melted and bubbly. It’s a hearty and delicious dish perfect for feeding a family for days. Lasagna has been a staple in my meal prep rotation for years but, now that I am more sensitive to starches being in menopause, I’ve had to come up with an alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste.
Start by cutting your zucchini in 1/4 inch lengthwise strips. Season with salt and a drizzle of olive oil, then lay them on a baking sheet. Bake them at 400F for 20 minutes.
While the zucchini is cooking, start your bolognese sauce. I like to use lean ground turkey, mushrooms, onion and lots of garlic. Cook together and add a jar of marinara sauce, or make your own with strained tomatoes and seasoning.
For the cheese filling, combine ricotta, chopped spinach, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
When zucchini and sauce are ready, start building your lasagna. Begin with a layer of plain marinara at the bottom of your baking dish, a layer of zucchini, cheese mixture, and bolognese sauce. Repeat! Top it all with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and fresh basil when it comes out of the oven and cools a bit.
This low-carb zucchini lasagna recipe ranks high on the menopause nutrition plan because of these qualities:
A low-carb, nutritious lasagna made with zucchini noodles and hearty sauce instead of starchy noodles.
