Raised as a second generation American on one side of my family, I grew up around a lot of ethnic foods --- particularly Greek food given that my family's roots stem from Albania and Romania where the cultures are very similar (as I've been told --- I haven't had to opportunity to visit any of these countries yet sadly). I love to try some lightened up versions of these very hearty dishes that I grew up with.
Enter the "
Skinnyfabulous Moussaka Casserole", compliments of
Skinny Kitchen. Moussaka is traditionally made with ground beef and lamb, eggplant and potatoes, and is topped with a creamy sauce. Clearly not a heart (or waistline) healthy dish, though it's super yummy! I was skeptical trying this recipe since it only calls for ground beef (I love lamb). Could this possibly be delicious?
I'll be honest... if you have a Moussaka recipe of your own that you adore, this won't be the same, but it's actually pretty good when you consider that it's lightened up quite a bit. The substitutions: extra lean ground beef (or turkey --- but I used beef), light alfredo sauce, and fat free feta cheese. Now I will be perfectly honest, the thought of fat free cheese of any kind grosses me out, so I opt for reduced fat cheese. Obviously it will slightly increase the calorie count per serving which is 218 for this recipe, but to cut back on the artificial stuff that it put into anything that's made fat free is well worth it in my eyes.
Tip number one when you attempt this recipe: you need a very large pan. Personally, I think it might best if you have one of those large electric frying pans to use it since it will help keep all of the ingredients in the pan while you stir it. This recipe is pretty easy once all the prep work is done. I love this casserole because it does make dinner easy to have prepped in one dish. It reheats great too!
Are you ready to try this yummy skinny Greek recipe? :)
~ Aly
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