Lunch: Healthier Baked Ziti

Recipe by Melissa Moreland This easy and comforting dish is made healthier with turkey sausage, lots of great veggies, and less cheese than traditional baked ziti.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Broccoli, Spinach

Health and fertility benefits of Healthier Baked Ziti

Broccoli is one of the non-starchy vegetables that has a very low glycemic index (GI), which is beneficial for reducing blood sugar levels. Broccoli is also a source of DIM (Diindolymethane). Diindolymethane is very effective in reducing the testosterone levels in the body, an action that would automatically curb male dominant features and regulate the estrogen levels in the system. Fresh spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, all of which have significant roles in reducing inflammation in the body, all of which help in the case of infertility.

Ingredients

1 pound ziti pasta
1 bunch fresh spinach, or more to taste
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 pound Italian turkey sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
6 ounces smoked fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook ziti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain and transfer pasta to a bowl and toss with spinach and sour cream.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir sausage, onion, carrots, and garlic until onion is translucent and sausage is no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce and broccoli to sausage mixture and simmer until sauce mixture is heated through, about 15 minutes.
Layer 1/2 of the ziti mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 of the fresh mozzarella cheese, 1/2 of the sauce mixture, the remaining ziti mixture, and fresh mozzarella cheese, respectively, into the baking dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheeses have melted, about 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and cook until top is lightly browned, about 10 minutes more.

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