Getting back on the bike...

My downfall in the past has been to strictly adhere to a something new for awhile, make a mistake or two and leave said new thing in the dust...this has happened with diets, projects, you name it...I am an out of sight out of mind, in the moment sort of girl. Sometimes this is a great thing. Not so much when trying to change something big. 

I haven't beat myself up about getting off the bike this time...on a recent school trip to Providence, I ate a few things that were on my verbotten list (note the "my")...some rice at the Thai place, and in the dolmas at a pizza place (which did have a very nice hummus, babaganosh salad plate!) a small gluten free pizza at another place that ONLY served pizza, some corn chips with my salad at the Mexican place...but it wasn't a problem to get back on the bike this time...in fact, I was excited to get home to my juicer and my ability to prepare my own meals again. 

I haven't quite figured out what is different this time, but here are a few small things: my ultimate goal is not weight loss, it is to extend and improve the quality of my life. Also, after watching a few very good films I feel more inclined to say "HELL NO" to the hundreds of thousands of processed, "food" products that some corporation or other are trying to tell me that I want, need, deserve. Every time we watch TV (or in my case, hulu), read a magazine, listen to the radio, walk through the grocery store we are bombarded with images, copy, sound effects (cue to crunchy sounds)... I won't turn this entry into a political diatribe, but I invite you to comment. What do yo think about manipulative marketing, pink slime, gushers, frozen dinners, cereal in a box and a pill for everything that ails you?

Getting back to getting back on the bike...when I did ride a bike, it was a mountain bike with a Grannie gear. I could ride up or down almost anything. Matt taught me to stay centered on the bike, to look ahead, anticipate the tricky spots and have a strategy. It's the same thing now as it was then: I need to look ahead and make sure that I am stocked with vegetables, fruits and sources of clean healthy protein, I need to make sure that there is something wonderful to nosh on instead of the biscotti that are calling my name. I need to keep doing research, finding incredible recipes, talking to anybody who is interested and to be supportive of others who find themselves on this rocky, twisty, steep, rewarding path. And when I fall off, all I really have to do is to hop back on that trusty bike, shift into my Grannie gear, and keep riding...

Zucchini Lasagna (no pasta!)

3 large zucchini (5 small)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound ground turkey (insert protein of choice)

1 diced pepper,

3 onion, sliced and caramelized

As much garlic as you generally like (I like a lot!)

1 jar favorite tomato sauce (thinned with 1/2 c of water)

1/4 cup red wine

Fresh basil, parsley and oregano

6 to 10 oz fresh goat cheese

I bunch lacinita kale

1 pound fresh brown mushrooms, sliced

Shredded cheese of choice for the top (I use a small amount of goat cheddar)

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a deep 9x13 pan.

Slice zucchini with a mandoline or vegetable peeler lengthwise into very thin slices, set aside.

Caramelize onions.

Saute garlic and turkey burger, season to taste and set aside.

Slice peppers and mushrooms thinly.

Wash and remove stems from kale. Cut each leaf in half so it is about the size of a Lasagna noodle.

Mix sauce, wine and herbs together in a bowl.

 

To assemble lasagna: spread ¼ tomato sauce into the bottom of pan. Then layer some of the caramelized onions, zucchini slices, 1/3 of the soft goat cheese (crumbled), some kale, some of the meat, and peppers and mushrooms. Top with more sauce and repeat until the pan is filled…top with shredded cheese.  (If there are ingredients leftover, make another small lasagna in a small baking dish)

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes (or until a knife can be inserted easily into the lasagna). I don’t use foil, but you can bake this covered this with foil.

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.