1. Add fibre to the overall dish by loading up with veggies, and,
2. Add split red lentils to not only boost protein but to also amp up my fibre intake

The result: an all-in-one dish that packs a ton of flavour, lasts for dayssss (*hello freezer*) and can be enjoyed by the entire family. The protein content in here is also one to be admired – cottage cheese is always such an underrated food. But in our house, I can eat a heaping bowl of it as a snack or as part of my breakfast. One cup of this stuff contains about 30 grams of protein. HOLY MOLY!

This is also the type of recipe you can adapt. For example, if mushrooms aren’t your jam then add in celery instead! Or if you’re craving more bell peppers because they’ll be in season soon, then add more! You can’t go wrong. Except…if you add zucchini, it will be very liquidy (that’s just the nature of zucchini). There is even flexibility in the type of protein you choose. I opted for some local Manitoba Chicken but you could use a lean ground pork or beef if you wanted. Even TVP would work well (although I haven’t tried that).

Let me tease you with one more photo before sharing the recipe…(and yes, that’s Bothwell Cheese for the win, duh).

5.0 from 1 reviews

Egg Noodle Bake

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 lb ground meat (lean beef, turkey or chicken)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups mushroom, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• ½ cup red split lentils
• 1 15oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1½ cup cottage cheese
• ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 packgage egg noodles (about 8oz)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Brown your selected meat in a large skillet. Drain fat and then set aside on a plate.
4. Heat 1 tbsp canola oil in the same skillet and sauté onions. Once onions are slightly translucent, add in mushrooms, red pepper and garlic. Continue to cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender.
5. Then add in meat, tomato sauce, broth and red split lentils. Add in your spices: salt, pepper, parsley and oregano. Feel free to add in any other spices you'd like such as red chilli flakes for some heat!
6. Let this mixture simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat, or until red lentils are cooked through.
7. Meanwhile, place your drained egg noodles into a large casserole dish. Mix in cottage cheese.
8. Top noodles with the meat and vegetable mixture and mix well to ensure the noodles are well coated.
9. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

3.5.3208

Food photography done by the talented Ceone Dyck. To learn more about Ceone click here or follow her on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Carrots and Cake on Instagram to see tiny square snap shots of my life.

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

What to buy?

When choosing pasta look for something that offers you at least 4 grams of fibre per serving. Next, check out the ingredient list. Go for a pasta that has the word whole grain written as the first ingredient. If you’re not quite ready for whole grain pasta (don’t worry, I get it) then I recommend starting slowly. Mix in half wholegrain with half regular pasta. Baby steps are all G around here. I tend to enjoy spaghettini as it’s slightly thinner.

So we’ve got the right pasta in the shopping cart. It’s also important to pay attention to how you dress your pasta. If you prefer to use a ready-made pasta sauce be weary of the sodium content. This marinara is stuffed full with yummy vegetables, flavourful spices and for protein I opted to use a lean protein – ground turkey. You could also use lean ground beef or soy protein.

Okay. Rant over. Recipe below!

Hearty Meat Marinara

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole yellow onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced (keep the skin on)
• Large handful mushrooms, diced
• ¾ - 1 lb ground meat (lean beef, turkey, chicken)
• 1 28oz can whole tomatoes
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup water or vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp parsley

Instructions

1. In a large pot add canola oil, onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add in green pepper, celery, zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for 5-8 minutes until softened over medium heat.
2. Place cooked veggies on a plate and set aside. In the same pot brown your meat with salt and pepper to taste, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour in whole tomatoes (mashing them each with your hands), crushed tomatoes, and water/broth.
4. Add salt, black pepper, sugar, basil, oregano and parsley. Add in plated veggies. Stir to combine and simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes.
5. If you would like, feel free to blend the sauce for a desired consistency using an emersion blender.
6. Voila!

3.5.3208

Food photography done by the talented Ceone Dyck. To learn more about Ceone click here or follow her on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Carrots and Cake on Instagram to see tiny square snap shots of my life.

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

J-j-juicy.

By now you’ve learned that I’m a sucker for easy, flexible and tasty recipes. Here’s one that can be adapted to your liking. Though the protein used in this recipe was ground turkey, you can also opt out for chicken which can be less expensive and more readily available in grocery stores or your local meat market. I often shape the meat into juicy meatballs and eat them over a bed of pasta or on a salad. But here’s a suggestion: given the warm summer temperatures in Winnipeg, it’s also nice to form the mixture into a patty and make a sophisticated “grown up” turkey burger! If you’re going this route, choose toppings like red onion, spinach and roma tomatoes.

Oh, and I’m proud to say that this recipe is freezer friendly.  Hells yeah!  #mealprepmoday anyone?

When it comes to sourcing pesto, most brands are quite comparable.  When I have extra time on my hands, I’ll even whip some pesto up myself (but honestly, that rarely happens). If you’re concerned you might not use that jar up right away and it will go waste just hold up!  Pesto is extremely versatile! You can use it instead of pizza sauce, add it into marinades and use it as the base of a dressing for this Confetti Quinoa Salad.

Okay, okay…on to important things. The recipe, below.

Pesto Turkey Meatballs

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1lb Ground turkey or chicken
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup Pesto
• 1 large egg
• ½ bread crumbs, or more depending on moistness of meat (for gluten free, use alternative)
• ¼ cup Feta
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients. It's okay for the mixture to be a bit "gooey"--poultry tends to be very moist.
3. Shape into 2" balls (or patties, you'll get about 5 or so).
4. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until ready.

3.2.1310

Enjoy!

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Always a crowd pleaser.

When the hubs tells me that the boys are coming over for dinner, I can always turn to this no-fail recipe! Stir up the dressing, throw in the chicken and let the slow cooker do its thing. Now that’s my kinda meal. But beyond the simplicity in preparing this dish, it’s actually insanely delicious. I was inspired by a recipe posted by fellow blogger, Foodie with Family. I adapted the recipe to suit our taste buds and we’ve never looked back.

Honey Ginger Chicken - Slow Cooker Friendly

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

4 hours

Total time

4 hours 20 mins

 

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 4lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (approx 16 – 18 thighs, trim the fat)
• Black pepper
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup sodium reduced soy sauce
• ½ cup minced onion
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. Very lightly season the chicken thighs with pepper and place them in the slow cooker.
2. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, sesame oil, ginger and pepper flakes together in a mixing bowl and pour over the chicken thighs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
3. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a rimmed plate or bowl and cover lightly with foil, leaving the pan juices in the slow cooker.
4. Stir the cornstarch into the water with a fork or small whisk until dissolved. Whisk the mixture into the pan juices in the slow cooker. Re-cover the slow-cooker and turn the heat to high. Let it cook and thicken for 15 minutes. (Note: This step is optional and most desired for a thicker sauce).
5. Carefully transfer the chicken back into the slow-cooker.
6. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve!

3.2.1310

Let me know how you’d change up the recipe, and don’t forget to leave a comment. Happy long weekend!

            – With Love, Carrots and Cake,