There are many ways to make lasagna, this just happens to be one of my favorites. No meat, just full of vegetables! This antioxidant-packed recipe is loaded with spinach, mushrooms, and red bell peppers. You can add other vegetables to your own heart's desire. I love this combination, but I think yellow squash and zucchini would be tasty too! Try this version first before you make any additions.
Here's your tiny nutritional tidbit for the day:
Wonderful green leafy vegetable spinach is recognized as one of the functional food for its nutritional, antioxidant qualities. Spinach contains many phyto-nutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention properties. Spinach is also inexpensive and always available.
*Very low in calories and fats (1 cup of raw leaves provide just 23 cal). It contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber (no wonder greeny spinach is one of the vegetable source recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs)!
*High in Vitamin A (healthy skin & vision), Vitamin K (strengthening bones), and iron (red blood cell production). These vitamins fight against free radicals that cause disease in your body.
And what about red bell peppers and mushrooms? Let's not leave them out. Red peppers contain Vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, Beta Carotene, Folic Acid, and Lycopen (all protecting against cancer and heart disease). Leave it tender-crisp so that the delicate phytonutrients aren't destroyed.
Mushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium, yet they provide important nutrients (including selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin D and more).
Now onto this nutrient-dense meal!
Start out by deciding what kind of lasagna noodles to use. This time I used no-boil noodles (I was in a hurry), but this recipe also tastes great with spinach, whole-wheat, or regular noodles. If you are boiling your noodles, boil til tender but firm.
In a large skillet heat 1 tsp. olive oil. Add 1 cup chopped onion, 1 regular sized package sliced mushrooms, and 4 cloves minced garlic. Stir in 2 fresh chopped red sweet peppers until tender but still crisp. Take off burner and set aside.
Pat 2 (10-oz.) boxes frozen thawed and drained spinach dry with paper towels. In a bowl, stir together spinach, 15-oz. part-skim ricotta, 1 cup grated mozzarella, and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Add 1 egg, 1 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp. oregano, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Now for the layering. Spread 1/2 cup vegetable marinara sauce evenly in a casserole dish. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce, Layer with half of vegetable mixture and half spinach mixture. Add 1 cup marinara sauce. Repeat layers, ending with noodles (total of 9). Spoon remaining spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle with small amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Bake covered for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until top is brown and crispy (how I like it).
Just 317 calories per serving! Pair with a fruit or vegetable as a side dish and you have yourself a meal!
2 comments:
In the printable recipe you list eggs in the instructions but not in the ingredients. Do you mix the basil, oregano, and pepper with eggs?
Hi Geri, I left out the eggs in the printable version but edited it so it should make sense now! Thanks for letting me know.
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