Skinny zucchini baked ziti

Skinny zucchini baked ziti

This was originally a crockpot meal off of ziplist  http://get.ziplist.com/(an ap that you can make your grocery list on that is fabulous because my husband can add to the list from his ipad anytime), but I waited too long to make it so I decided to try and improvise a baked version. I am not the kind of cook that can invent new meals out of nothing so this was a big risk for me! The recipe makes enough for 8 so I divided it in half so I can freeze one. The things in blue I added or changed to suite my needs. The best part about this is I get my husband to eat a vegetable!

• posted from http://www.ziplist.com/recipes/344636-Skinny_Zucchini_Ziti?return_to=%2Frecipes%2Fsearch

  Ingredients 

  • 1 (1 lb. 7.8 oz.) jar marinara (no sugar added)
  • 3 cups penne shells (whole grain, dry)
  • 2 cups fat free cottage cheese
  • 2 cups skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 large zucchini (1/4” slices)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (finely chopped)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • * 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

• Instructions for the crockpot

  In a large mixing bowl combine cottage cheese, mozzarella, oregano, basil and black pepper. In the slow cooker, spoon 1/4 of marinara onto the bottom, add 1 cup penne shells, 1/3 of zucchini slices and top with 1 cup cheese mixture. Repeat until you have 3 layers. Top off with the remaining marinara and lastly, cheese.

  1. Note: Keep penne shells and cheese away from the edges by about 1"€. Pasta tends to get hard and cheese burns if allowed to touch the sides while cooking.
  2. Cover and cook on low for approximately 2 hours or until penne noodles are Al Dente (firm but not hard). Not all slow cookers cook the same so be sure that the penne is done before serving. The cook time is recommended based on the slow cooker used when preparing this recipe. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
  3. Tip: If you prefer your ziti a little more on the thick side, allow to cook an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  4. Tip: If you're on a tight budget try Ragu Lite (no sugar added) and if you're not, try Amy's Organic Marinara Pasta Sauce.
  5. Pair a serving of this with a chicken breast and a helping of veggies for a wonderfully balanced meal!
• See full instructions on www.skinnyms.com

Instructions to bake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Boil penne noodles until they are al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water (to stop the cooking process since you are going to bake it anyway and to prevent them from sticking together while you are trying to layer).

Cut the zucchini into thin slices (I did not cook them first) and make your cheese mixture.

Add your marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish, next add a layer of noodles, top it with your zucchini slices, followed by your cheese mix. Repeat this 3 times.

Cover the dish with tin foil for the first 15 minutes to prevent the cheese from burning and the noodles drying out. Cook for an additional 20 minutes and enjoy!