4.5 77 Published Feb 23, 2017, Updated Jan 21, 2024 Megan and I both graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and have a similar approach to health and wellness. Megan focuses on detoxing, but not in the traditional way most people think of detoxing. Rather than asking you to follow a strict diet for 30 days or less, she’s promoting the idea of enjoying delicious meals made from whole foods all year long. This approach is about lifestyle changes that help to optimize digestion, gently remove toxins and promote effortless weight loss and lasting health. <– LOVE! With this new cookbook, Megan is addressing the five most common excuses people give when it comes to not eating well consistently:
Not enough time It’s too expensive Picky eaters in the family Always on the go Too many cravings
She provides helpful advice for all five issues and presents a collection of 100 satisfying, family-friendly recipes developed with speed, convenience and optimum digestion in mind. All the meals are quick to prepare, affordable and delicious! The cookbook is filled with the recipes and gorgeous photos but also includes:
3 complete weekly meal plans with shoppings lists a breakdown of cost per serving for each recipe <– So helpful for those of us on a budget! notes for 15 and 30 minute recipes notes for kid-friendly and freezer friendly recipes
After flipping through the cookbook I immediately bookmarked a handful of recipes I want to make soon, but ultimately decided to make the cauliflower baked ziti first.
Low Carb Baked Ziti With Cauliflower
I’m so glad I did because it’s absolutely delicious. If you’ve never had baked ziti before, it’s basically like lasagna but without all the work of layering ingredients. I’m all about short-cut recipes with minimal ingredients so this baked cauliflower ziti is right up my alley. I added ground turkey for some additional protein, but otherwise followed Megan’s recipe exactly. The recipe makes a lot (about six servings) so Isaac and I ate the ziti over the course of a few days and it never got old! I already want to make another batch.
Tips and Suggestions
I used store-bought pizza sauce instead of making my own just to keep things simple, but feel free to get ambitious make a homemade version. There’s a recipe in Megan’s cookbook (page 186) or you can use my homemade pizza sauce recipe. The recipe calls for shredded goat cheddar cheese. I had a hard time finding this at our local Whole Foods so I went with a similar goat cheese. If you have a hard time finding goat cheddar, feel free to sub regular cheddar cheese or shredded mozzarella.
Megan mentions in the cookbook that all of her taste-testers, even self-proclaimed cauliflower-haters loved this cauliflower baked ziti recipe and I can see why. It’s sooo good. I hope you like it as much as we do!
How to Meal Prep or Make-Ahead
You can prepare this dish as a freezer meal by beating together the pizza sauce, eggs, cheese, and salt in a large bowl, then stirring in the raw cauliflower and spinach. Spread the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch oven-safe dish and top with the shredded cheese, then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. To heat, thaw in the fridge overnight, then place the dish in a cold oven. (You don’t want to risk a glass dish shattering from a drastic temperature change.) Turn on the oven to 350°F and bake uncovered until the cheese on top is golden and the eggs in the center of the dish are cooked thoroughly, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
More Cozy Bakes and Casseroles
Spaghetti Squash Taco Bake Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Casserole Confetti Chicken Casserole Healthy Chicken Enchiladas Mexican Quinoa Casserole Easy Baked Ziti Cheesy Eggplant Casserole with Turkey
Be sure to check out all of the ground turkey recipes here on EBF. If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out Megan’s new cookbook No Excuses Detox!
