Recipe: Very Veggie Lasagna
Ingredients
1 lb brown rice lasagna pasta
1 (10 oz) package frozen, chopped spinach
1 (16 oz) container 4% milkfat cottage cheese
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese (non fat or whole milk)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 green zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bell pepper (any color)
25 oz whole white mushrooms, sliced
1 32 oz jar your favorite tomato sauce
Kosher salt & pepper
1 chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
2 cups shredded mozzarela and cheddar cheese
Directions
Cook pasta to package directions. Drain then rinse in cold water.
Thaw the spinach in the microwave. Squeeze out excess water and place in a large bowl. Mix with the ricotta and cottage cheese. Season with some salt and pepper.
Add olive oil to a large skillet. Sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, cook for 5 minutes or until the veggies soften. Mix the veggies as they cook. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Stir the tomato sauce into the skillet and 1/4 cup parsley. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375˚ Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle.
Start with a thin layer of sauce in a 9X13 inch casserole baking dish. Add a layer of cooked lasagna noodles. On top of the pasta add a layer of the ricotta/cottage cheese mixture, then a layer of sauce and the noodles again. Continue layering finishing with a layer of the pasta then finally the sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the sauce.
Bake the lasagna for 35 minutes then broil on low for 5 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown. Top with 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Serve while hot.
~ Marla Meridith
