We love béchamel pasta bakes in my family *and* we also love feeling good in our bodies and eating to support our health/weight loss or maintenance goals 80-90% of the time!
It’s not that I can’t eat the real deal every single day, it’s that I genuinely don’t want to because I like the way vegetables, protein, and practical portions of carbs and fat makes me feel. The good news is, I know balanced food can also taste so freaking good. This recipe being the perfect example of that.
Makes 5 servings | 366 calories per serving | 26g protein | 3g fiber
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Healthier Bechamel Bake | gluten free, high protein, lower carb, veggie filled!
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
1 large zucchini, sliced into 1 inch rounds
2-3 small-medium yellow potatoes, sliced into 1 inch rounds
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground beef (93/7 or 99/1)
1/2 can diced tomatoes
2/3 cup broth
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Allspice to taste
Bechamel Sauce:
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 tbsp flour of choice (I used gluten free)
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
Salt and pepper to taste
A dash of nutmeg
1/4 cup parmesan, shredded
2/3 cup mozzarella, shredded (cheese clips didn’t record but it is in there)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400. Line sliced zucchini onto a deep baking dish. Line potatoes and cauliflower onto a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil and salt. Bake until everything is fork tender.
- While vegetables are baking, dice onion and garlic. Cook on medium heat with olive oil until fragrant. Add ground beef, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper, and all spice. Cook until beef is cooked through.
- When the vegetables are done, layer the zucchini with baked potatoes and cauliflower. Top with ground beef.
- Back to the pan the beef cooked in, make béchamel sauce by melting butter. Add flour and stir until and thick paste forms. Add milk one cup at a time and continue stirring until well incorporated. Season to taste. Add parm and mozzarella and stir on low heat until cheese is melted and fully combined
- Pour finished sauce over the ground beef layer and bake for ~15 minutes at 400 or until it starts to brown. Remove from oven and serve!
