Lust Over This One!

It’s that time again…meal prepping! This is one of my absolute favorite recipes to make when I need a ton of food to last for the week. For the earlier part of 2016, Sean and I signed up for Hello Fresh and out of all of their recipes, this one stuck with me! It’s a very simple take on a traditional meal that’s packed with nutrition! For a healthier option, you may choose to substitute regular pasta for gluten free pasta. Try it out and let me know how it goes! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Tools

Knife
Strainer
Bowl
Pot
Pan
Baking Dish

Ingredients

8 oz. Ground Beef (you may use ground turkey meat as well)
6 oz. Penne
1 Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
4 oz. Kale
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/4 Cup of Panko Breadcrumbs
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
1 tsp. Chili Flakes
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
2 tsp. Olive Oil*

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring a pot of salted water to a boil. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook for 9 minutes, until just before al dente.
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Remove the stems from the kale by cutting along the sides and discard. Coarsely chop the kale leaves.
Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and when hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes (or leave out if you don’t like the heat). Add the beef and garlic to the pan and season with oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the pieces until they are no longer pink.
When the pasta is ready, strain and transfer to a bowl. Add the meat, diced tomatoes, kale, and half of the mozzarella cheese and toss.
Transfer mixture to a baking dish (9×13) or ovenproof pan. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and panko and put in the middle self of the oven. Bake until cheese melts and panko starts to brown, about 12-15 minutes.