Meatless Monday Crock Pot Recipe: Zucchini Ziti

Back on the menu planning bandwagon… this week is presented with a request for attention to healthier recipes. Now, I will be honest, I gave this entirely too much thought. DO NOT fall into that trap. I don’t know about you when the time I give something too much thought is exactly the time it just doesn’t get done. So, I have been wanting to try this recipe for weeks now… try it with me! Just don’t overthink this menu planning thing… as they say “Just DO it!” With school underway and holidays around the corner, we better get this habit started. Yes, I am talking to myself too!

Monday:

Zucchini Ziti Recipe

Ingredients:
1 Jar marinara sauce (HC: Ragu Lite or any brand; organic,no sugar added is best)
3 cups Penne pasta (HC: whole grain)
2 cups Cottage Cheese (HC: Fat Free)
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (HC: Skim)
1 large Zucchini sliced thin
1 TBSP fresh, finely chopped oregano
1 TBSP fresh, finely chopped basil
Dash of black pepper

We are gonna to make this ziti in two or three layers in the crock pot. First, cover the bottom of the crock pot with marina sauce. Then mix cheeses and spices together in large bowl and put a layer of that over the sauce. Follow that with a layer of pasta, trying to keep pasta away from sides of the crock pot. I add the marina sauce around the edges first to help with this. Then pour the marinara sauce until the pasta is lightly covered and repeat the layers until the ingredients are used and the crock pot is full. End the layers with the cheese on the top layer. I actually reserved enough mozzarella cheese to top it off. This needs to be cooked in the crock pot on low for 2 to 3 hours.