Workouts

Food Rules

“When dining out, I ask for a to-go box when the food gets to the table. I put half in the box before I start eating. Restaurant portions are ridiculously large.”

“Treat meals must be planned—no treating on a whim. Sub-rule: it’s a ‘treat,’ not a ‘cheat’—language is important. ‘Cheating’ implies doing something wrong, while ‘treating’ implies an enjoyable exception.”

“I never drink my calories. It’s water, plain coffee, or green tea.”

“Log everything, whether it will push you over or not.”

“No diet soda. No fake butter.”

“Don’t eat on the run. Make every meal and snack an event. Then you will have less of them and your body remembers it better.”

“No donuts.”

“Always eat your veggies first!”

Fitness Rules

“Take the farthest parking spot from the building.”

“Start exercise early enough in the morning that by the time you wake up, it is too late to quit.”

“Tuesdays and Thursdays are run days. Always. Other days as I find time and energy, but no getting out of those two

“10,000 steps a day.”

Butternut squash is a powerhouse for vitamins A and C. You can pack butternut squash puree into your lasagna to give it a nutritious boost. Using no-boil noodles is another time saver, and they work best when the lasagna is saucy with plenty of moisture for the noodles to absorb. They appear puny in the pan when assembling, but they will plump up while cooking. To freeze servings for lunch, wrap portions airtight and place in plastic storage bags for 1–3 months.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients

2 (12-ounce) packages frozen butternut or winter squash puree (about 3 cups), thawed
2 cups (490 grams) part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup (185 grams) reduced-fat 2% milk
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (10-ounce or 285-gram) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups (170 grams) shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (55 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine squash, 1 cup ricotta cheese, milk, sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Combine spinach, remaining 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella, and 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese in another medium bowl.

Spread 1 1/2 cups squash mixture in bottom of baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce (noodles will appear small but will increase in size as they cook and absorb liquid). Top with 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat 2 more times with 1 1/4 cups squash mixture, 3 noodles, and 1 cup spinach mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheeses.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes or until lasagna is bubbly and cheese browns. Let coo1 5 minutes. Cut into 8 portions.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 8 | Serving Size: 1 slice (4.5 inch-by-3.25 inch or 228 grams)