Also known as: Delicious
Likes: Big family tables
Dislikes: Being in the diet dog house
Hobbies: Bringing people together
Find him: Gracing tables large and small from restaurants to backyard patios
Lasagna wants you back. He understands the pressures you’ve been under to give up the carbs, cut back on calories, and limit fat. He knows that he may not always fit into your healthy diet when he’s all cheese and pasta and meat, but he’s changing. Lasagna is reinventing himself in the name of your health, and he just wants a chance to prove how deliciously good he can be for you and your diet.
The first sightings of this gooey delight on tables were in Italy and Greece thousands of years ago, when he was more on the slim side. He traveled to the New World like so many other favorite foods, picked up a lot more ingredients, and is now so loved that we even celebrate him on National Lasagna Day each year! These days, Lasagna is embracing lighter and fresher ingredients, like these, in the hopes that you’ll take him back:
- Veggies – Layers of spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, fresh or cooked tomatoes, bell peppers, and more have been invited to the Lasagna party to add a depth of flavor plus fiber, along with too many vitamins and minerals to even mention. Look for Lasagna that even swaps the signature flat ribbons of pasta for thinly-sliced and garden-fresh zucchini.
- Lean proteins – Did you know that some of the first mentions of Lasagna in cookbooks referred to fish as an ingredient? You may not be ready for anything that wild, but there are plenty of other lean proteins showing up in those tasty layers, such as ground turkey and chicken. These swaps provide all the meaty flavor and healthy protein – and less saturated fat.
- Whole grains – Yes, Lasagna is even experimenting with whole grain pasta! These fiber-rich noodles add a slightly nutty flavor to the beloved dish and provide a steady stream of energy to you as they’re digested. No after dinner nap needed. Even if you still prefer good old white noodles, one plus when it comes to whole grain pasta is that with all the good layered ingredients, herbs, spices, and even some cheese, you may not even be able to tell the difference. An easy swap for your health!
Don’t make him beg. Run right out and find Lasagna at a participating Healthy Dining restaurant near you, or invite him home tonight with one of these flavorful and healthy Lasagna recipes.