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Two years ago I was very uncomfortable with my physical appearance because I had let myself become overweight. I made a commitment to begin exercising on a regular basis and to eat better. I lost about 35 pounds in five months and was feeling much better. However, my mind and body had reached a plateau and I was quickly becoming bored and frustrated. I was seeking new ideas, new challenges and new advice to motivate myself. I was also looking to improve muscle tone and definition. That is what brought me to Fit 4 Life. After just a few weeks of slow strength training and following their diet advice, I began to see amazing results. Not only did I lose body fat and increase muscle tone, I felt energized and excited. The entire staff is extremely knowledgeable and supportive. I am grateful for Fit 4 Life because now I am certain that I will continue to be motivated and see results.
- Jill Wood
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Almost Cheeseless Pasta Casserole
 Everyone loves pasta, but your waistline doesn't thank you for the mounds of cheese and refined carbohydrates that normally come with it. This week's recipe is a pasta dish with some simple substitutions that can cut the calories in half. Enjoy this filling dish the next time you're in the mood for Italian. (I'd add some grilled chicken to get some more protein!)
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Ingredients
- Zest of one large lemon
- 8 oz. dried whole wheat pasta (penne or something comparable in size)
- 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into quarter sized pieces
- 3 handfuls kale, chard and/or spinach, loosely chopped
- 2 cups plain 2% Greek yogurt
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and torn into pieces
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
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Method
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with a rack in the middle.
- Butter or oil an 8x12 baking dish, or two smaller gratin dishes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the pasta until al dente. Just 10 seconds before you are done cooking the pasta, stir in the butternut squash and kale. Quickly drain.
- Run cold water over the pasta, squash and kale (just enough to stop it from cooking). Shake off any extra water and set aside.
- While waiting for the water to boil, whisk together yogurt, eggs, garlic and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until the pasta is boiled.
- When the pasta is ready add the pasta-squash-kale mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir in half of the almonds.
- Scoop everything into the baking dish(es) and sprinkle with olives and feta cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve sprinkled with a bit of the chopped fresh mint and remaining almonds.
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