Slow Cooker Lasagna (Non-HCG recipe)

Thank Betty Crocker for this one! Though hubby hasn't had any yet, it smells wonderful!  It's still bubbling away in my crock pot....

1lb Italian Sausage
1 28oz can of tomato puree + 1 can water
1 28oz can of crushed of chopped tomato +1 can water
1-2 tsp grated garlic
1-2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1-2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
1 medium onion chopped
1 large container small curd fat free cottage cheese
1 large or 2 16oz containers part skim ricotta cheese
1 container grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 package flat lasagna noodles

In a large skillet or stock put sweat the chopped onion with 1 tbsp olive oil.  When onions are translucent, add the Italian sausage (taken out of casing).  Brown until cooked through then drain the fat from the sausage.  Add the tomato puree, crushed tomato, and 2 cans water.  Add the seasonings and balsamic.  Simmer sauce while preparing other ingredients.

In a bowl mix the ricotta, cottage cheese, and Parmesan.

In the slow cooker begin by adding the sauce to the bottom of the pot. Then add a layer of noodles (do not cook them first).  Next add a layer of the cheese mixture.  Follow this by a layer of sauce and repeat.  Cook for 4 hours. Add the mozzarella in the last 5 minutes of cooking to the top.  Not all of the two cups needs to be used unless you like it really, really cheesy!!!!

Butternut Squash Mash

Though I love sweet potatoes. Sadly, these are not a HCG friendly food.  Butternut squash is a low glycemic food approved for the modified OWL diet. 
I have been playing around with the texture of this food and found it to be a good substitute for a potato.
Our local Walmart Neighborhood store carries fresh, steam in a bag, cubed butternut squash.  Otherwise, have fun chopping and peeling and cubing it yourself :)

1 bag of the cubed steam in bag butternut squash
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon splenda
4-8 sprays of non-calorie spray butter (I Cannot Believe It's Not Butter or equivalent)
 
Microwave the squash for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add squash to skillet and mix in cinnamon, splenda, and spray butter.  Cook with 1/4 cup water to further soften.  Mash with a potato masher or add directly to food processor and blend until smooth.  Soooo good!

Week 12 Re-Cap! Also end of round #2!

I have successfully completed two 43 day rounds on the HCG diet.  Today is day #87.  Thus far have lost 44lbs and 61.25inches.  I made up for the stall last week and then some! I lost 4.5inches this week alone.  Exciting stuff to still see the scale move and the measuring tape get smaller.

The count down to Memphis is on as tomorrow is the 30 day mark! I am really looking forward to seeing family and friends.  I still another 16lbs to go.  I am participating in a breast cancer 5k in October and looking forward to breaking in my Vibram Sprint barefoot shoes that I got for a steal on Amazon for only 44 dollars and some change with shipping! They will be here Tuesday!

Other than that, the next big deal is confirming my measurements for my custom costume I have already ordered.  I have another 2 inches to lose to be in the size I want.  So I am hoping to see those last 2 inches leave this week in preparation for the final "weigh-in" prior to ordering!

Here goes nothing.....