Healthy Comfort Food?! Count me in!

A few weeks ago I was in need of some comfort food big time, but I did not want a meal (or a whole week of meals) to throw me off track and sabotage all my hard work.  I went in search of some healthy comfort food, and let me tell you, it is not so easy to find.  I found a fairly clean recipe and made some healthy modifications!  :)

Here you have it, my healthy but comforting Turkey Pasta Bake!

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground turkey

4 c elbow pasta (cooked)

1 c shredded zucchini 

1/2 c diced green pepper

1/2 c diced onion

1T minced garlic

2 c tomato/spaghetti sauce

3/4 c shredded cheese

1/3c cottage cheese

2/3 c greek yogurt

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Spices: garlic salt/powder, salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Brown the ground turkey and set aside.  

2. Cook the pasta (I used the Dream Field elbow noodles) and measure out 4 cups of cooked pasta; set aside.

3. Dice the peppers and onions.  Put peppers, onions, and garlic in fry pan with minimal amount of olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute over medium heat until onions are translucent. 

4. Shred the zucchini and put aside. 

5.  While you are cooking everything else (haha) put your cottage cheese, greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese into a food processor or blender with a little garlic powder (just shake some in!).  Blend until smooth.

6.  In a big bowl mix the cottage cheese/greek yogurt/ parmesean cheese mixture with the noodles you already cooked.

7.  Then in a big frying pan or pot, mix the cooked ground turkey, and cooked peppers/onions.  Add the 2 c tomato sauce (I used Classico Roasted Garlic) and the shredded zucchini.  Let this simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

8.  Grab a 9x13 glass baking dish.  Spread a layer of the noodle mixture on the bottom, using half the mixture.  Then spread a layer of the meat mixture, using half the mixture.  You should make 2 layers (noodle, meat, noodle, meat) and use the full mixture.  

9.  When your layers are complete, sprinkle the top with shredded cheese.  Then put in the oven at 350* for about 20 minutes (or until the cheese is nicely melted).

10.  Remove and let cool, then divide into 4 servings!  Yep, it's a lot of food!!  

11.  EAT IT!!  Or freeze some of it for eating later. 

For you 21 Day Fixers, a serving (1/4 of the pan) is 2 red, 2 yellow, 1 green, and 1 blue!