Pesto Skillet Lasagna

Pesto Skillet Lasagna
30 Minutes to the Table
We've been hooked on skillet lasagnas ever since we got turned onto them by
culinary gurus at America's Test Kitchen. It has all the flavors of a lasagna in an easy
30-minute dinner. What's not to love? This week we're making a basil pesto version
with fresh egg noodles, mushrooms and artichokes. It's simply delicious.
1 Whisk
Getting Organized
20 Minutes Hands On
Super Easy
Read Before You Begin
EQUIPMENT
Large Skillet
• We’re putting the skillet into the oven on this recipe. If you don’t have an oven-safe
skillet, you can transfer the lasagna to a casserole dish for the final bake.
FROM YOUR PANTRY
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Flour
Milk
• There’s a little cutting tonight. We’re using fresh lasagna sheets in this recipe, and
they would get sticky if we cut them up for you. Slice them into strips about ½” wide
and 2 to 4” long. Don’t worry about being too fussy. This dish should feel rustic.
6 MEEZ CONTAINERS
Artichokes
Basil Pesto
Cheese Mix
Egg Lasagna
Mushrooms
Onion & Garlic
INGREDIENTS: Egg Lasagna, Mushrooms, Artichokes, Onion, Basil, Mozzarella Cheese,
Breadcrumbs, White Wine, Parmesan Cheese, Peanuts, Lemon, Olive Oil, Garlic,
Spices
Getting Started – This dinner is easy and made for multi-tasking. It’s something you can cook up while helping the kids
with homework, folding laundry or, our favorite, taking a little Zen time for yourself!
Pesto Skillet Lasagna
1. Preheat your broiler.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion & garlic and cook for 5 to 6
minutes, or until they are a little browned. Then add the mushrooms and artichokes cook for 5 to 7
minutes, until the mushrooms are slightly browned. (Resist the temptation to add salt until after the
mushrooms are cooked. Salt too early makes them soggy.) While everything’s cooking, cut the lasagna
noodles into strips about 1” wide and 2 to 4” long.
3. Add 1 Tbsp flour to the veggies and cook for a minute, mixing well. Then add 1 cup of milk and half of the
pesto, as well as the lasagna noodles. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken and the lasagna strips are
warm. (This may take 5 to 10 minutes.)
4. Sprinkle the cheese mix over top, then put into the oven to 4 inches from the broiler and cook until
golden brown, about 5 minutes. (Keep an eye on it, though, as ovens do vary.)
5. Serve topped with as much of the remaining pesto as you’d like (let each diner add it to taste) and enjoy!
Instructions for two servings. Cook by March 17.
Meez Meals * 5343 North Paulina Street * Chicago * Illinois
Roasted Red Pepper Panzanella
40 Minutes to the Table
It's no wonder members love our panzanellas. The Italian bread salads are hands
free, hearty and the perfect canvas for whatever Chef Max can dream up. This time
it's a creamy roasted red pepper sauce with carrots, parsnips, almonds and red
kidney beans. It's hands-free heaven.
1 Whisk
Getting Organized
EQUIPMENT
2 Rimmed Baking Sheets
Large Mixing Bowl
FROM YOUR PANTRY
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Super Easy
Read Before You Begin
• As soon as you think about dinner – Preheat your oven to 400.
•
Panzanellas have been eaten in Italy for centuries. Most folks believe they
were developed out of the custom of soaking stale bread in water and
serving with vegetables. We think Chef Max’s red pepper sauce is a lot
tastier than those original roots!
5 MEEZ CONTAINERS
Almonds
Baguette
Carrots & Parsnips
Kidney Beans
Red Pepper Sauce
INGREDIENTS: Carrots, Baguette, Parsnips, Kidney Beans, Roasted Red Peppers, Cream,
Parmesan, Almonds, Sherry Vinegar, Garlic
5 Minutes Hands On
Getting Started – This dinner is hands free. Get everything into the oven, set a timer and relax.
Roasted Red Pepper Panzanella
1. Preheat your oven to 400.
2. Put the carrots and parsnips onto a rimmed baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper or a
silpat mat, and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until fork tender with lightly
browned sides. Add the beans and the almonds to the baking sheet and stir well, then bake until the
beans are hot to touch, about 7 minutes.
3. While the beans are cooking, put the bread into the large serving bowl and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt
and pepper and toss well. Put onto a second baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 to 7
minutes.
4. Put 1/3 of the red pepper sauce into your mixing bowl, add the vegetables, bread and another 1/3 of the
sauce. Mix well, then add more sauce if you’d like.
That‘s it. Enjoy! Instructions for two servings. Cook by March 17.
Meez Meals * 5343 North Paulina Street * Chicago * Illinois
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Sriracha Sauce
30 Minutes to the Table
Back by popular demand! Think brussels sprouts are just Northern European and
American fare? Think again. Our sweet sriracha sauce takes brussels sprouts from
delicious to divine. We're roasting them up this week and tossing them with crushed
peanuts and tofu, then serving it all over udon noodles. Yum!
1 Whisk
Getting Organized
EQUIPMENT
Saucepan
Rimmed Baking Sheet
Mixing Bowl
FROM YOUR PANTRY
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Super Easy
Read Before You Begin
• As soon as you think about dinner – Preheat your oven to 450 and put a pot of
water on to boil
• Omnivore’s Option – Pork would be right at home in this dish. Cook it first and
toss it with the sprouts tofu.
• If you’re making the gluten-free version, we’ve sent you glass noodles instead.
Soak them in really hot water for 10 minutes, drain, and you’re ready to go.
6 MEEZ CONTAINERS
Brussels Sprouts
Peanuts
Sauce Mix
Sriracha
Tofu
Udon Noodles
INGREDIENTS: Brussels Sprouts, Tofu, Lime, Tamari, Brown Sugar, Sriracha, Peanuts
10 Minutes Hands On
Getting Started –Get the brussels sprouts roasting first, then take a 15 minute break.
( It’s enough time to pay some bills or fold the laundry, but we recommend opening a bottle of wine and reading that
book you never get to.) Wait to start the udon until you’re a few minutes away from eating.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Sriracha Sauce
1. Put the brussels sprouts onto a rimmed baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with
olive oil, salt and pepper and give it all a good toss, then arrange in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 25
minutes, until golden in places. (Jen likes hers on the crispy side, but the crispiness-level is up to you.)
2. When the sprouts have been cooking for 15 minutes, add the tofu to the baking sheet so it can heat up.
It’s also time to mix up the sauce. Put the sauce mix into a large mixing bowl along with 1 to 2 Tbsp olive
oil and sriracha to taste. Stir it all up, and then add the sprouts and tofu when they come out of the oven.
3. When you’re about 5 minutes away from eating, cook the udon. Salt your boiling water generously (our
chef says it should taste like salt water) and add the udon noodles. Cook until the udon is just soft, about
3 to 5 minutes.
4. Serve the udon topped with the sriracha-sauced sprouts, then finish with the peanuts.
That‘s it. Enjoy! Instructions for two servings. Cook by March 17.
Meez Meals * 5343 North Paulina Street * Chicago * Illinois
Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes, Kale & Cannellini Beans
Have you roasted grape tomatoes before? Their flavor intensifies and their flavor
literally bursts out of their skins. They're the star of this super simple, super delicious
dinner. We're pairing them with baked kale, cannellini beans and pearl couscous.
Feta and fresh basil give it a Mediterranean feel, and the result is a simple, homey
dish that we love.
Getting Organized
EQUIPMENT
Rimmed Baking Sheet
Saucepan
FROM YOUR PANTRY
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
5 MEEZ CONTAINERS
Bean Mix
Feta & Basil
Grape Tomatoes
Kale
Pearl Couscous
25 Minutes to the Table
5 Minutes Hands On
1 Whisk
Super Easy
Read Before You Begin
• As soon as you think about dinner – Preheat your oven to 375 and put a
saucepan of water on to boil.
• Omnivore’s Option – Baked chicken would be great in this dish. Just re-heat it
on the same pan with the beans.
• If you’re making the gluten-free version, we’ve given you quinoa instead of
couscous. Cooking it up is easy. Just bring 2.5 C of water to a boil, then add
the quinoa and a dash of salt. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for
12-15 minutes, until the grain looks spiraled and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Fluff it up and let it sit covered for 5 minutes more. (If you have leftover liquid,
simply drain it off.)
• If you’re making the vegan version, we’re skipping the feta.
INGREDIENTS: Grape Tomatoes, Couscous, Kale, White Beans, Feta Cheese, Garlic, Basil
Getting Started – Get the tomatoes and beans cooking first, then take a 10 minute break before adding the kale.
Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes
1. Preheat your oven to 375 and put a saucepan of water on to boil
2. Put the beans and tomatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper and a
silpat mat. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss well, then arrange in a single layer. Bake until
the tomatoes burst and the beans are toasty, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the kale with a generous
drizzle of olive oil, plus more salt and pepper, and bake until the kale just begins to crisp, another 5 to 10
minutes.
3. After you put the kale in, start your couscous. Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water (not as much as
you’d use with regular pasta) and add the couscous. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, then drain. (Just like pasta,
the tenderness is up to you. Test before draining. We like ours al dente. Others prefer it softer.)
4. Now you’re ready to plate. Serve the couscous topped with the roasted veggies and feta. Drizzle with
olive oil. (This is important for the flavor, so don’t be tempted to skip this step. It helps bring the whole dish
together.) You can toss everything together, or let each diner mix as they eat. Either way, it’ll be
delicious.
That‘s it. Enjoy! Instructions for two servings. Cook by March 17.
Meez Meals * 5343 North Paulina Street * Chicago * Illinois
Sweet Potato and Cranberry Chipotle Tacos
40 Minutes to the Table
Cranberries and chipotle go magically together. Something about the smoky
combined with the sweet-tart is just what the chef ordered. Tossed with oven roasted
sweet potatoes and black beans, they make a taco filling just right for the winter.
We're serving them with pecans in a crispy taco shell. Heaven.
2 Whisks
Getting Organized
EQUIPMENT
Saucepan
Skillet
Rimmed Baking Sheet
Easy
Read Before You Begin
• As soon as you think about dinner – Preheat your oven to 450.
• If you’re making the vegan version, skip the feta and add an extra pinch of
salt.
FROM YOUR PANTRY
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
• We like these tacos crispy, but it is a little more work. If you want to make
things easy, ignore the instructions and simply heat the tortillas before
assembling soft tortillas. If you’re on the fence though, make the tacos crispy.
They’re a lot more fun!
6 MEEZ CONTAINERS
Black Beans
Chipotles in Adobo
Corn Tortillas
Cranberry & Pecans
Feta Cheese
Sweet Potatoes
• The key to cooking these tacos is to make sure your oil is good and hot before
adding anything to the pan, and to use plenty of it. If you add ingredients too
early, they’ll just absorb all the oil and get soggy. And if you skimp on the oil,
you’ll actually end up eating more oil. (Crazy, right? It’s because the oil will
cool off if you don’t use enough of it, and then the food will absorb the oil
instead of just frying.)
INGREDIENTS: Sweet Potatoes, Black Beans, Corn Tortillas, Feta Cheese, Cranberries, Pecans,
Chipotles in Adobo, Brown Sugar
10 Minutes Hands On
Getting Started – Get the sweet potatoes into the oven first, then start the cranberries cooking.
Sweet Potato and Cranberry Chipotle Tacos
1. Preheat your oven to 450.
2. Put the sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil,
salt and pepper. Toss well, then arrange in a single layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender.
3. Once the sweet potatoes are in the oven, start the cranberries. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over
medium heat. Add the cranberry mix and as much chipotles in adobo as you like. (Pete uses most. Chef
Heringhausen uses half.) If it’s looking a little dry, add some water as well. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the
black beans and cook for 1 more minute, then set aside until the sweet potatoes are done. Once they’re
cooked, add them in and set aside.
4. Now it’s time for the fun part: making crispy tacos. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and heat your
tortillas one at a time until they soften. Set aside.
5. Add about ½” olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat to high. When it’s hot, fill a taco with the sweet
potatoes and bean mix. Fold the taco and squish the ingredients in so it stays together, then set into the
hot oil, one side down. Cook until the shell crisps (about 1 minute) then turn and cook the other side
another minute. Set onto a paper towel and do the same drill with the remaining tacos.
6. Serve topped with feta. Enjoy!
That‘s it. Enjoy! Instructions for two servings. Cook by March 17.
Meez Meals * 5343 North Paulina Street * Chicago * Illinois
Health Snapshot
Pesto Skillet
Lasagna
Red Pepper
Panzanella
Brussels Sprouts
with Sriracha
Couscous with
Cannellini Beans
Sweet Potato &
Cranberry Tacos
720 Calories
35 g Protein
30 g Fat
75 g Carbs.
15 g Dietary Fiber
1,060 mg Sodium
875 Calories
30 g Protein
35 g Fat
110 g Carbs.
25 g Dietary Fiber
1,380 mg Sodium
690 Calories
45 g Protein
20 g Fat
125 g Carbs.
15 g Dietary Fiber
2,100 mg Sodium
675 Calories
30 g Protein
10 g Fat
115 g Carbs.
15 g Dietary Fiber
765 mg Sodium
880 Calories
30 g Protein
30 g Fat
130 g Carbs
25 g Dietary Fiber
535 mg Sodium
18 WW+ Points
22 WW+ Points
22 WW+ Points
17 WW+ Points
23 WW+ Points
55% Vitamin A
50% Calcium
40% Iron
705% Vitamin A
90% Vitamin C
80% Calcium
420% Vitamin A
90% Folate
80% Vitamin C
330% Vitamin A
105% Vitamin C
50% Folate
605% Vitamin A
65% Folate
60% Vitamin C
Lighten Up Option
Many of our meals can be prepared without all of the calorie-dense ingredients and still keep their magic.
Lasagna
Panzanella
Brussels Sprouts
Couscous
Cranberry Tacos
1/3 of the cheese
and pasta
510 Calories
20 g Fat
1/3 sauce total, no
almonds
650 Calories
15 g Fat
No udon noodles
No Feta
405 Calories
20 g Fat
465 Calories
6 g Fat
No Cheese, Two
Tortillas per serving
705 Calories
20 g Fat
These are our best estimates for a single serving based on the recipes as written. The actual nutritional
information may vary a bit. And, of course, if you have leftovers, the actual numbers will be lower.