#WWHD: Sweet Potato & Kale Lasagna

There's nothing better after a long day, than a nice, comforting, plate of homemade lasagna. Yes, lasagna. I said it. You might be thinking "Lasagna's hard! Why is she including it in #WWHD?" Well, because with my recipe, you make it once, and eat it 12 times (yes, TWELVE is the number of portions) -- making it ideal to pop in the oven and plan ahead for later (more stressful) times. Easy to freeze, this can be made on a weeknight or a weekend (up to you!) and easily heated-up when you're getting home from work and are just plain starving and tired. With the fresh ingredients and nutrients it provides you, you'll be jumping for joy. Get ready to bust out the wine, the Sinatra, and the latest episode of VH1's Mob Wives (ahem -- it's not like I've done this before.)

Servings: 12

What You'll Need:

• 1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles
• These are a life-saver, you can put them as is into the pan! Can you say hassle-free?
• 1 bottle marinara sauce
• Go for an organic brand, if you can (Giant has "Nature's Promise" for $1.99)
• If you can't go organic, try reading the ingredients on the side of the bottles available -- if you don't recognize something, don't buy it! You want your ingredients to be wholesome!
• 1 bag chopped kale
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (or 2 cans sweet potato puree)
• 8 slices of cheddar cheese (I used Sargento Sharp Cheddar cheese -- the sharper, the more flavor!)
• 1 small tub ricotta cheese (find one that's "low-fat" or "part-skim")
• Should be by the cream cheese in the supermarket
• Oven/13x9 pan (a brownie pan)
• OPTIONAL: 1 package silken tofu
• A great way to sneak in some protein to build strong muscles, especially if you're exercising!
• OPTIONAL: 1-2 fresh tomatoes

The Step-by-Step:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. If using fresh sweet potatoes, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes. When time's up, take out of the oven, and put the potatoes in the fridge to cool down a little bit (about 20 min, be careful!)
3. If you are using fresh tomatoes, chop them up and heat them in a pan with the marinara for about 10 minutes. (This is totally optional -- just a great way to get in more veggies!)
4. When the sweet potatoes have cooled, remove the skins and throw away. Mash the sweet potato in a bowl. Set aside.
5. If you are using the tofu, put in a blender with half of the ricotta. Blend, and set aside in a separate bowl.
6. Take your pan, and spread a thin layer of your marinara mixture onto the bottom of the pan.
7. Cover the marinara layer with a layer of noodles.
8. Take 1/2 of the sweet potato mash and spread it over the noodles (it's okay if it's not perfect!)
9. Spread 1/2 the kale over the sweet potato, and top with another layer of noodles.
10. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then top with some tomato sauce, then more noodles.
11. Repeat this pattern -- you should be towards the top of the pan by now.
12. Lay the cheddar slices on the top, then spread the last of the tomato sauce mixture on top.
13. Bake for 40 minutes, then take out of the oven to cool for about 20 minutes.
14. Enjoy!

xoxo n

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a note on kale

Kale is QUEEN of winter greens, which is why I chose it for this mid-February post. It is loaded with incredible nutrients like fiber, manganese and Vitamin K, A, B6, and C, which all help you stay strong throughout your day. Not to mention, a cup of kale has only 36 calories, which to me -- screams bang for your buck. You really can't go wrong. Try it, eat it, love it! 

For more info about the #WWHD feature, please see the below post, or head on over to The Gym Bag Diaries!

Clarendon Blvd. Tofu Tikka Masala

Well, I just moved into my new apartment in Arlington!
I'm so excited!!!!!

Not only is it AMAZING, but it has a rooftop pool, sundeck, and a gym (not to mention an adjacent Starbucks -- so dangerous!) Another thing -- for the first time in my DC-area life -- a Trader Joe's is in walking distance! Which makes it so much easier for me to make more spontaneous meals that are healthy, delicious, and not to mention -- adventurous in ingredients. This morning, I woke up and walked to TJ's to get some groceries. Craving some Chicken Tikka Masala (an amazingly yummy Indian dish, if you have yet to try it,) I decided to pick up some tofu knowing I had some Tikka Masala sauce already in my pantry. I sautéed it with some TJ's country potatoes (feel free to leave this out if you don't have.) Well, when I reached for the Tikka Masala sauce (keep in mind, it's 9 PM and I'm super comfy in my pajamas at this point....) I saw that the package had a 7.27.2013 "best by"date -- yes, a whopping 7+ months ago. Not gonna happen. So -- I was almost tempted to sub in tomato sauce instead, but I knew I had to give the Tikka Masala a go. I got suited up (puffy coat and all) and got even more exercise by trekking it down Clarendon Blvd. to Whole Foods (also in walking distance -- I'm amazed.)

I hope you enjoy.

Servings: 4
Calories: 513 (with all brand ingredients below; per MyFitnessPal... also see note below.)

What You'll Need:

• 1 package Trader Joe's "Country Potatoes with Wild Mushrooms and Haricots Verts"
• 1 package Trader Joe's sprouted extra firm tofu 
• Tofu is an amazing and inexpensive source of protein, but feel free to use chicken or any other meat instead!
• 2 packages Saffron Road Tikka Masala simmer sauce 
• Works just as well with 1 package, but I like it runny =)
• 1 cup dry brown rice
• Stove/Pots

The Step-by-Step:

1. Place about 2 cups water in a pot, cover it, and let it heat on the stove until it's boiling (about 10 min.)
2. When the water is boiling, add in the brown rice. Stir and cover. Turn down the heat a little.
3. While the rice is cooking, take a separate pot and spray with some cooking spray. Add in the country potatoes and heat until cooked through.
4. Cut the tofu into cubes and stir it into the potatoes.
5. After about 5 min, add in the sauce.
6. Add a little salt and pepper, and stir.
7. Check the rice (it should take about 25 min to cook if you add it to boiling water, which we did.) If it's ready, serve 1/2 cup of cooked rice on the plate and top it with the Tikka Masala mixture.
8. Optional: I cut up some strips of kale and used it as a garnish -- feel free to do the same!

xoxo n

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A Note on Calories

This is the first recipe I've posted with specific calorie amounts, because this is the first post with I've written with specific brand-name ingredients. I did so because its what I had on hand, and plus, quite honestly, every once in a while its easier to use something that's premade if you trust the ingredients on the package. I definitely read the ingredients of the simmer sauce and the country potatoes and I approve of them. And honestly, I have no idea how to make Tikka Masala sauce from scratch (right now; give me a week or so to research!) Anyways -- my point is -- premade ingredients or "shortcuts" are good every once in a while, as long as you enjoy them in moderation. When I plugged in these specific ingredients into my calorie counter app, My Fitness Pal, it said there was 513 calories per serving. Obviously, you can change the calorie amount  if you do any of the below:

Change the ingredients (if you use chicken instead of tofu, or 1 package of sauce instead of 2)
Change the portions (if you divide the food into 5 portions instead of 4, the calories per meal will go down. The opposite happens if you make this only 3 meals compared to 4.)

I hope this meal turns out as yummy and as satisfying for you as it did for me!

Enjoy the nutrients, and enjoy the calories =)