Alfredo Squash & Zucchini No Noodle Lasagna

This delicious twist to a classic lasagna recipe will have your family and friends asking for more! It’s made with white Alfredo sauce, chicken, bacon, squash and zucchini slices. Layer it all together and bake for a creamy, cheesy and delicious low carb dinner.

Lasagna is one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s ideal for an easy homemade dinner since it uses simple ingredients (including store-bought Alfredo sauce), makes a lot, and is great for leftovers. This recipe is sure to be a favorite.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash (about 3 large)
• 1 (15 ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon truffle olive oil, optional
• ½ cup bacon, crumbles
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper 
• 1 cup shredded chicken

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease a deep 9×13 inch baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, Italian seasoning, bacon crumbles, salt/pepper and truffle olive oil until well combined.

To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the Alfredo  sauce into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Then layer 1/2 the squash &  zucchini slices, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, followed by 1/2 the mozzarella cheese and ¼ of the chicken. Repeat by layering the remaining Alfredo sauce, squash & zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, chicken and mozzarella. Spread Parmesan cheese evenly over the top; cover with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; raise oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake

This pasta bake recipe features the classic flavors of Spinach Artichoke Dip

Do you love Spinach and Artichoke Dip? I totally do! So I figured why not turn it into an easy pasta dish! It’s simple to make and delicious – just toss the pasta with the thick, creamy spinach & artichoke sauce and top with panko and Parmesan mixture. After 25 minutes of bake time, you’ll have a flavorful yummy dish that is sure to please your entire family!

Pasta bake recipes are perfect to make ahead! You can totally add some chicken to this bake to make this into a more filling meal, or leave it out. Completely your choice.

Looking to make this even easier? Just buy a container of Spinach Artichoke dip, stir in with the cooked pasta and bake.

INGREDIENTS 

• 8  ounces medium pasta shells

• 2  tablespoons olive oil

• 2  garlic cloves, minced 

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• ¼  teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• 10  ounces fresh baby spinach, or frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained

• 1  (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped

• 2  cups heavy cream (1 pint)

• 4  ounces grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)

•  Black pepper

• 4  ounces grated mozzarella (about 1 cup)

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup Panko

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , grated

• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Turn down to medium-high, and cook the pasta according to package instructions until 2 minutes short of al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach little by little until wilted, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped artichokes.

Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 

Stir in the Parmesan until melted. 

Remove from the heat then carefully stir in the cooked pasta, or transfer to a large bowl to mix together, if necessary. The liquid might appear wet and loose, but it will thicken up as it bakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a 2-quart casserole dish. 

In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the pasta dish.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and topping is lightly browned. 

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

KETO Taco Skillet

Perfect for Taco Tuesday!

This KETO Taco Skillet is everything you love about tacos but KETO friendly and cooked in one skillet!

I love creating recipes like this because there’s so many ways you can customize it to what you love. I used lean ground beef but you can use ground chicken or even turkey. For the veggies, you can easily switch any of them out like mushrooms instead of zucchini. The options are endless!

Ingredients 

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
• 2 large zucchini, chopped
• taco seasoning packet
• 1 ½ cup shredded cheddar and jack cheese
• Cilantro, to garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large pan, crumble and brown ground beef.

Drain excess fat, wipe skillet clean and set meat aside.

Add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. 

Add onions, garlic and peppers, and cook until through.

Add the taco seasoning, and stir in one tablespoon water to evenly coat mixture (the liquid from the tomatoes will help). 

Add the canned tomatoes with the juices and stir. 

Mix well.

Cover with shredded cheese and place in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling. 

Sprinkle with cilantro. 

Serve alone, over a bed of lettuce, rice, or in a taco or burrito.

Chicken Enchiladas

These easy chicken enchiladas are stuffed with shredded chicken and cheese, topped with homemade enchilada sauce, and CHEESE! They’re baked until the cheese is deliciously melted, the sauce bubbly and the tortillas are slightly crispy. 

I love transforming leftover rotisserie chicken into new recipes especially these enchiladas!  You can totally use chicken breast, but grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket will save you a lot of time. Ultimately, you won’t be able to tell the difference, thanks to the flavor and moisture you’ll add when you toss together the filling.

Seriously the homemade enchilada sauce really makes it outstanding, so don’t skip that step! 

You can assemble the enchiladas a day in advance or freeze for future baking — just be sure to bring it to room temperature before baking. You’ll know it’s done when the sauce is bubbling, the cheese is melted, and the ends of the tortillas are nice and crisp.

As for serving, sprinkle with sliced black olives, chopped  fresh cilantro and a dollop of sour cream are just about all this easy casserole needs.

INGREDIENTS 

Sauce 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons chili powder 
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups chicken stock

Enchiladas

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 rotisserie chicken or 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into small 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
• Salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• 8 large corn or flour tortillas
• 3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
• Optional Toppings: Black Olives, Chopped Cilantro and Sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  

Prepare your enchilada sauce.

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add flour and whisk together over the heat for one minute. 

Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). 

Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. 

Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.

Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Prepare the chicken.

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. 

Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Add diced chicken and green chiles, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.  Sauté the mixture for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through.

If using already cooked rotisserie chicken, cook until heated through and covered in spices. 

Remove pan from heat and set aside.

To assemble the enchiladas

Set up an assembly line including: tortillas, enchilada sauce, chicken mixture, and cheese. 

Lay out a tortilla, and spread two tablespoons of sauce over the surface of the tortilla.  

Add a generous spoonful of the chicken mixture in a line down the center of the tortilla, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. 

Roll up the tortilla and place in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Assemble the remaining enchiladas.  

Then spread any remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas, followed by any extra cheese.

Bake the enchiladas

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the enchiladas are cooked through and the tortillas are slightly crispy on the outside.  

Remove the pan from the oven and serve the enchiladas.