Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb lean ground turkey or chicken
- 1 jar (24 oz) low-sodium marinara sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (blended for smoothness)
- 12 oz whole wheat or protein-fortified penne pasta
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, sliced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine the Base
Place the raw ground turkey or chicken into the bottom of the slow cooker. Break it up slightly with a wooden spoon. Pour the marinara sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder over the meat. Stir gently to ensure the seasonings are distributed. Do not add the pasta or spinach yet, as these require less time to cook. - Step 2: Slow Cook the Protein
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Set the temperature to High for 3 to 4 hours or Low for 6 hours. Halfway through the cooking time, stir the mixture once more to ensure the ground meat is fully incorporated into the sauce and cooking evenly. The sauce will thicken as the juices from the meat meld with the tomatoes. - Step 3: Add the Pasta and Greens
Approximately 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, stir in the dry pasta and the roasted red peppers. If the sauce looks too thick, add half a cup of water or broth. Cover and continue cooking on High until the pasta is tender. Once the pasta is cooked, stir in the blended cottage cheese and fresh spinach. The heat from the pasta will wilt the spinach in about 2 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese, let it melt, and serve warm.
- Cook Time: 4 hours 10 minutes