KetoFLEX 12/3 Kitchen: Cozy Casserole Season

It’s fall ya’ll! Time for bundling up and enjoying some delightful forest bathing surrounded by a spectacular explosion of fall colors. What’s better than coming home to the smell of a cozy casserole in the oven? Our Quick and Easy Lasagna recipe (see below) and the recipes for Classic Italian Salad and KetoFLEX 12/3 Breadsticks available to members of our PreCODE and ReCODE Programs are not only KetoFLEX 12/3-compliant but nutritious and delicious comfort food as well.

Quick and Easy Lasagna

Yes, you can enjoy Italian food while living the KetoFLEX 12/3 lifestyle! In fact, you may enjoy our lasagna even more than your traditional recipe. Our version includes lots of delicious vegetables — onion, pepper, mushroom, eggplant — combined with the protein of your choice, creating a meal that is both nutritious and delicious. This recipe makes eight servings, so plan on freezing some for those nights when cooking is not in the cards.

Yield: Eight Servings

● If you are using Palmini Lasagna Sheets, drain, rinse, and pat them dry before adding them to the baking dish.

● Another option to try is Force of Nature’s Ground Bison Ancestral Blend, which includes organ meats for extra nutrition. The strong flavor of the lasagna is great at camouflaging the liver taste that some folks don’t care for.

● This recipe is flexible. You can omit the eggplant if you can’t find any good ones at the market. You can also substitute zucchini, but you will not need to add as much broth. Just watch your pan and add a little bit of broth at a time to keep the mixture from sticking.

Ingredients:

● 1 lb pastured ground beef or bison
● 5 tbsp high polyphenol extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
● 3 cloves garlic, minced
● 1 onion, chopped
● 1 red pepper, USDA organic, sliced
● 8 oz portobello or white button mushrooms, sliced
● 2 medium eggplants, peeled and chopped into 1-inch squares
● ¾ cup pastured chicken bone broth or chicken broth. Add more as needed
● 1 can of Palmini Lasagna Sheets or 1 package of Capello’s Lasagna Sheets
● 1 jar Primal Kitchen Vodka Sauce
● 1 package of Kite Hill ricotta cheese
● 2 pastured eggs
● 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
● 5 hands full of fresh spinach, USDA organic, chopped
● ¼ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano or manchego cheese (optional)
● Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add 2 tbsp of EVOO to a large pot or skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the meat and garlic and cook until the protein is browned. Drain off excess fat if desired and remove from the pan.

2. Add another 3 tbsp of EVOO to the pan. Add the onion and red pepper and sauté for 4-6 minutes.

3. Add the diced eggplant and ¼ cup of pastured chicken bone broth or chicken broth. Continue cooking uncovered for about 25 to 30 minutes, adding an extra ¼ cup of broth as needed until the eggplant is soft.

4. Add the sliced mushrooms about five minutes before the eggplant is finished cooking. The mixture should be fairly dry when it is ready. The eggplant will soak up the broth.

5. Add the protein mixture back into the pan and pour in the jar of vodka sauce. Let simmer for 20 minutes.

6. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, two eggs, 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and 2 tbsp parsley until well combined.

7. Preheat oven to 350º.

8. Lightly grease a large baking dish. Then, assemble the lasagna: Layer one-half of the lasagna noodles at the bottom of the baking dish.

9. Next, spread half of the meat mixture on top of the noodles, being careful not to disrupt the noodles. Layer one half of the spinach next, then spoon half of the ricotta cheese mixture on top and evenly distribute.

10. Repeat, ending with the remaining ricotta mixture. Top the lasagna with Parmigiano-Reggiano or manchego cheese, if desired.

11. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is hot and bubbly. Cool for at least ten minutes before cutting.