By Kris Greener, BS CHES, Health Coach at ReforMedicine Medical Weight Loss
Patients are often looking for ways to adapt comfort foods or family favorites to a low carb option without losing the tastiness and heartiness of those recipes. New products are continually coming to market to make it easier than ever to substitute a natural, low-carb option, and experience a similar taste and texture to the original ingredients. This recipe is the perfect example of this! This easy version includes the basic ingredients of lasagna: noodles, ground beef, sauce, and cheese. Keep it low carb, but change it up with a different type of cheese, or using a different type of meat such as spicy Italian Sausage in place of the ground beef. Keep in mind that adding vegetables will add to your carb count, so do so carefully.
So, what are Palmini noodles?
Well, they are not noodles at all. Rather, they are plant material harvested from "Heart of Palm" and they are white colored and have a texture similar to that of pasta. The Heart of Palm is low in carbohydrates and makes an excellent substitute for traditional high-carb pasta in this dish. Palmini noodles are available in cans and in other packaging at most larger grocery stores or they can be ordered online. In addition to the lasagna noodle type, they are also available in other shapes and sizes for use in other recipes calling for pasta or rice. For this recipe I am suggesting boiling the Palmini "noodles" for 10 minutes and draining prior to layering in your casserole dish.
Choose Pasta Sauce WITH NO ADDED SUGAR
You'll notice that we have also chosen to use a prepared pasta sauce with no added sugar. This option is also commonly available at most grocery stores or can be ordered online, as well. Regular sauces are often a source of many carbs. Patients new to the low-carb lifestyle are usually surprised to learn how much sugar is added to their favorite sauces, dressings, and other condiments. Be sure to read your labels and choose the "no added sugar" option whenever possible.
For our video, we used a glass 2-quart baking dish. You may use any similar size pan. Be sure there is enough space from the top of your layers to the sides of the pan so that the juices do not run over. If you use a larger pan and make a thinner lasagna, you may need to reduce the cooking time slightly.
The carb count of the entire recipe is 44 net carbs. If you cut this into 4 servings it will amount to 11 net carbs per serving, and for 6 servings it will amount to about 7.5 net carbs per serving. If you add vegetables to the recipe be sure to note that they will affect the net carb amounts.
Enjoy!
Easy Low Carb / Keto Palmini Noodle Lasagna
Click here for printable recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups no sugar added prepared spaghetti sauce
1 ½ to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 14 oz. can Palmini lasagna noodles, drained
1 teaspoon Oregano, or more to taste
Preheat oven to 375° F.
- While the oven is heating, brown the ground beef and boil the palmini lasagna noodles for 10 minutes.
- Drain the palmini noodles and set aside.
- Add the 2 cups of spaghetti sauce to the browned ground beef and mix well. Add Oregano.
- Spray the bottom and sides of a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray of your choice.
- Place about 2 tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of the sprayed pan.
- Place a layer of noodles on top of the small amount of sauce, layer with the ground beef/sauce mixture, and a layer of shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Top the cheese with another layer of noodles and continue until the pan is filled and all ingredients are incorporated.
- Top with the remaining cheese
- Sprinkle additional Oregano on the top of the shredded cheese if desired
- Bake for 30 minutes at 375°
- Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
As Prepared:
1/4 of recipe contains 11 net carbs
1/6 of recipe contains 7.5 net carbs
Optional:
Add keto-approved vegetables to the layers such as zucchini, mushrooms, onion, peppers. Spinach, kale, cabbage, artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, or summer squash. Please note that adding vegetables will increase the net carb count of the recipe. Italian Sausage may be used instead of ground beef if you prefer. When substituting meats or cheeses, be sure to read labels to avoid adding unexpected carbs to the recipe.
The Medical Weight Loss Program at ReforMedicine is a medical treatment for those who are suffering from or at risk of obesity. Obesity is a multi-factorial chronic disease and it contributes to worsening many other chronic conditions, as well. Non-surgical medical treatments for obesity are safe and effective! Join us for an upcoming information session to learn more about the program and if the time is right to take control of your health with the help of ReforMedicine.
