I am going to San Diego tomorrow for a mini getaway with my friend. Jenny, who lives in Tacoma, and I have lived in separate states, and at times countries, for most of the time we’ve been friends. Somehow, we’ve managed to maintain a friendship that’s going into its 15th year. We try to see each other a couple of times every year. These little getaways are the perfect opportunity to reminisce about the old times and catch up on our new lives.

Before I can leave though, I need to make sure there’s enough food in the fridge to last Nick through the weekend.  Sure I can just stock the fridge with frozen pizzas and burritos. But the ingredients of foods from the frozen aisle always scare me. Instead, I like to make dishes like this lasagna and this soup that I can make ahead of time and freeze. Most importantly, these dishes can be reheated in one simple step, namely the push of a microwave button.

This is a healthy twist of the kind of broccoli and noodle casserole your grandmother used to make with Campbell’s canned soup that’s ladened with fat and salt. In this casserole, the butter is replaced by heart-healthy olive oil, part of the cheese is replaced with part-skim ricotta and the whole wheat noodles provide more fiber than its regular counterpart.

Just because this casserole got a healthy makeover, it doesn’t mean the taste has been compromised. The egg noodles are tender and plump after absorbing all the thick and creamy cheese sauce. My favorite part is the crispy and salty crust made out of breadcrumb and bubbly cheese.

As for my weekend, I can’t guarantee that it will be filled with healthy meals. I anticipate a couple of fruity girlie drinks and some decadent desserts. There will also be shopping, a trip to a spa and most importantly, a lot of laughter with an old friend.