Ingredients:

  • I box medium pasta shells (or penne or whatever your favorite pasta is)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 T minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
  • 1 lb ground lean turkey
  • 2 cups uncooked fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tsp. salt &  1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 jar marinara sauce
  • 1 small can of diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 (8 oz.) bag of shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1 – Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 – Cook pasta according to box. Meanwhile, heat oil in pan and cook onion for about 3 min. and then add garlic for 1 min. more on med heat

3 – Add ground turkey and cook until done (about 6-8 min.)

4 – Add spinach and stir for about 2 min. more. Sprinkle s & p., stir in marinara sauce and bring to a low bubble/boil for just 1 – 2 min. and remove from heat. Add basil and stir to combine (save a little basil to sprinkle on top of dish at end)

5 – Mix together pasta and meat/marinara mixture into a greased 13×9 baking dish. Top with mozzarella and bake in preheated oven for about 10 min until cheese is melted . Remove from oven and sprinkle on remaining basil.

For a LOW CARB alternative, simply skip the pasta and instead, coarsely chop about half a head of green cabbage and put that down first in greased baking dish and then top with meat sauce mixture and then mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 – 25 min. or until cabbage is tender (cooking time depends on how much cabbage you add). I actually like this dish better with the cabbage.  It’s a one-dish meal that’s as satisfying as it is healthy!  Enjoy…