This recipe is essentially a healthier, plant-packed version of lasagna. Like lasagna, marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese are the core ingredients, but instead of using pasta to create the base, rows of colorful zucchini are used instead.
I am all about helping people to find creative ways to add more wholesome ingredients to their plate, and that means swapping out processed foods for whole foods whenever possible. While regular pasta can be a part of a balanced diet, unprocessed plant foods should be the core of your diet if you want to eat well and feel well.
Zucchini are naturally pretty bland, which is good because this allows them to take on the flavor of whatever seasoning you choose. They bake in a relatively short period of time and also make the meal look more visually appealing with their vibrant green and yellow colors.
This recipe does not use pre-made marinara sauce, but rather starts with whole, fresh tomatoes (although if you need to use pre-made sauce, that’s okay). It can be difficult to find marinara sauce at the store that does not have added sugar, so learning to make it at home can really help to reduce the amount of unnecessary added sugar that’s hidden in your diet.
Lastly, while I use real mozzarella cheese for this recipe, feel free to swap this out for a plant-based cheese of your liking.
Let’s take a moment to talk about why getting more zucchini into your diet can be beneficial.
Phytochemical Spotlight: Phenolic Acids
Zucchini are rich in phenolic acids, which are a class of compounds found in plants that are potent antioxidants. These substances have been shown to be antimicrobial, anti-mutagenic, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory. As an added bonus, they are highly bioavailable, which means that they are easily absorbed by our bodies.
Now on to the recipe!
This recipe yields about 8 servings.
Ingredients:
For the tomato sauce:
2 pounds of vine tomatoes
3 dashes of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon each of dried oregano, basil, and garlic
1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper
For everything else:
6 zucchini (3 green and 3 yellow), sliced ½ inch thick
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions:
Start by prepping the tomato sauce, as this needs to be simmered for ~ 30 minutes before it’s poured over the zucchini. Chop the tomatoes into ~ 1 inch cubes, and place them in a pot to simmer on medium-low heat. After about 20 minutes, add the oil and spices, mix well, and let the mixture continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 425F. Then, prepare the zucchini by slicing and stacking them upright in a large baking dish, alternating between yellow and green for a festive look.
Pour the tomato sauce over the zucchini, then cover everything with the mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes on 425F.
Cook time:
1 hour
Prep time:
20 minutes
Total time:
1 hour and 20 minutes
Enjoy today.
~Recipe by Michelle Adams @YellowCedarNutrition~
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