Frozen family fun kid-friendly, make-ahead meals

As families look to incorporate more nutritious dishes into meals from morning to night, using kid-friendly recipes can help make the process easier and more fun.

To help make it easier for busy parents to plan and serve healthier meals, registered dietitian Melanie Marcus, Dole’s nutrition and health communications manager, created a series of enchanted frozen fruit- and vegetable-based dishes including main courses, smoothies, desserts, sides and more. Because these recipes can be made in advance and frozen for later use, they’re perfect for on-the-go families and busy lifestyles.

For example, these frozen sandwiches make for an easy grab-and-go breakfast while make-ahead lasagna simplifies busy evenings and banana split cups can appease those dessert cravings.

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Servings: 8

Royal Frozen Sweet Potato Lasagna

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium DOLE(r) White Onion, chopped

1 package (8 ounces) Dole Mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds 99% fat-free lean ground turkey

5 cups Dole Baby Spinach

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup marinara sauce

1 cup raw cashews

2 cups fat-free cottage cheese, strained

4 medium Dole Sweet Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise

1 cup low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F. Spray 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil; add onion and cook 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add turkey; cook 8 minutes, or until browned, breaking up turkey with side of wooden spoon. Add spinach, Italian seasoning and salt; cook 3 minutes, or until spinach wilts. Stir in marinara; cook 1 minute.

In food processor, pulse cashews 20 times, or until small crumbs form. In medium bowl, stir cottage cheese and cashews.

Shingle 1/3 of sweet potato slices in bottom of prepared dish; top with 1 cup cottage cheese mixture followed by 1 1/2 cups turkey mixture. Repeat layers twice; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and cover tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes; remove foil. Bake 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Tip: To freeze lasagna, wrap tightly once cooled with layer of plastic wrap then foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Remove plastic wrap; bake lasagna from frozen, covered with foil, at 375 F 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165 F.

Approximate nutritional information per serving (1 1/2 cups): 315 calories; 110 calories from fat; 12 g fat; 0 g trans fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 6 g monounsaturated fat; 45 mg cholesterol; 570 mg sodium; 661 mg potassium; 22 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 9 g sugars; 29 g protein; vitamin A 50%; vitamin C 10%; calcium 20%; iron 15%; vitamin E 10%; thiamin 8%; vitamin B6 15%; phosphorus 10%; magnesium 8%; manganese 20%