Lasagna is one of my favourite foods. Pasta, ooey-gooey melted cheese, tomatoes, fresh herbs all packed together! Yum! However, it would certainly not make it onto any list of "healthy" foods; UNTIL now. Here is my pseudo-healthy version of lasagna. Its still not as healthy as say a salad, but there is no reason you can't enjoy some comfort food once in a while. This recipe contains lower fat cheeses, and organic healthy meat, along with lots of vegetables.
I also have to give credit where credit is due. This recipe is an adaptation from dear family friends D&H. Thanks for the lasagna love!
Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
• One onion, chopped fine
• 2-3 cloves of garlic minced (or more if you are a garlic lover like me!)
• 5-6 large mushrooms chopped fine
• A large bell pepper (red and/or green) chopped fine
• Tomatoes (you can use a couple of cans of tomatoes chopped up, but I like fresh garden tomatoes when possible, with the skins removed, probably about a dozen large tomatoes).
• 1 tin tomato paste
• ½ - ¾ lb lean ground pork
• ½ - ¾ lb extra lean ground beef
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil (or 3-4 fresh leaves minced)
• 1 tsp dried tarragon
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ salt
• ½ nutmeg
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1-2 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tsp chili powder
Tomato Sauce Directions
Saute onion, garlic, mushrooms and peppers in olive oil 4-5 minutes or until onions are soft
• Add meat and stir in and cook until browned
• Add the diced/crushed tomatoes, and spices,…simmer on low for 30 - 40 mins, in covered pan.
Cheese Sauce Ingredients:
• 1 container of low fat ricotta cheese (you can also use low fat cottage cheese, but be sure to drain it through a cheese cloth first)
• 10 oz- 3/4 lb or so of skim Mozzarella grated
• 4-5 oz other low fat cheese (I did provolone & sharp cheddar this time)
• Couple of tablespoons of fresh basil finely chopped.
• 1 cup of skim milk
Cheese Sauce Directions:
In a saucepan, heat the milk on low heat, careful not to scald it
• When milk is hot, add the cheese, slowly folding it in and stirring
• Allow to cook (not boil!) until all the cheese is melted and you have a more or less smooth looking sauce
• Stir in the chopped basil
Other Ingredients:
• Spinach
• Lasagna noodles - you are best off to use the "precooked" noodles (otherwise it ends up too runny because of the cheese sauce). These are the kind that require no pre-cooking. I usually use the whole wheat kind.
Grand Assembly
• Put in a thin layer of the meat/tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the pan
• On top of this put a layer of the noodles
• Add another layer of the meat sauce; then a layer of the cheese sauce, followed by a layer of the spinach
• Add another layer of noodles, and repeat meat sauce, cheese, spinach
• The final layer on top should be some of the meat sauce so that the noodles are covered
• Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and bake at about 325 degrees for about an hour.
• Remove tinfoil and sprinkle on top grated parmesan, provolone, mozzarella or asiago cheese (or, really any kind of cheese) and cook at 325 until the top starts to brown and bubble.
Above all, layer your lasagna with amore and imagination!
I also have to give credit where credit is due. This recipe is an adaptation from dear family friends D&H. Thanks for the lasagna love!
Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
• One onion, chopped fine
• 2-3 cloves of garlic minced (or more if you are a garlic lover like me!)
• 5-6 large mushrooms chopped fine
• A large bell pepper (red and/or green) chopped fine
• Tomatoes (you can use a couple of cans of tomatoes chopped up, but I like fresh garden tomatoes when possible, with the skins removed, probably about a dozen large tomatoes).
• 1 tin tomato paste
• ½ - ¾ lb lean ground pork
• ½ - ¾ lb extra lean ground beef
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil (or 3-4 fresh leaves minced)
• 1 tsp dried tarragon
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ salt
• ½ nutmeg
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1-2 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tsp chili powder
Tomato Sauce Directions
Saute onion, garlic, mushrooms and peppers in olive oil 4-5 minutes or until onions are soft
• Add meat and stir in and cook until browned
• Add the diced/crushed tomatoes, and spices,…simmer on low for 30 - 40 mins, in covered pan.
Cheese Sauce Ingredients:
• 1 container of low fat ricotta cheese (you can also use low fat cottage cheese, but be sure to drain it through a cheese cloth first)
• 10 oz- 3/4 lb or so of skim Mozzarella grated
• 4-5 oz other low fat cheese (I did provolone & sharp cheddar this time)
• Couple of tablespoons of fresh basil finely chopped.
• 1 cup of skim milk
Cheese Sauce Directions:
In a saucepan, heat the milk on low heat, careful not to scald it
• When milk is hot, add the cheese, slowly folding it in and stirring
• Allow to cook (not boil!) until all the cheese is melted and you have a more or less smooth looking sauce
• Stir in the chopped basil
Other Ingredients:
• Spinach
• Lasagna noodles - you are best off to use the "precooked" noodles (otherwise it ends up too runny because of the cheese sauce). These are the kind that require no pre-cooking. I usually use the whole wheat kind.
Grand Assembly
• Put in a thin layer of the meat/tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the pan
• On top of this put a layer of the noodles
• Add another layer of the meat sauce; then a layer of the cheese sauce, followed by a layer of the spinach
• Add another layer of noodles, and repeat meat sauce, cheese, spinach
• The final layer on top should be some of the meat sauce so that the noodles are covered
• Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and bake at about 325 degrees for about an hour.
• Remove tinfoil and sprinkle on top grated parmesan, provolone, mozzarella or asiago cheese (or, really any kind of cheese) and cook at 325 until the top starts to brown and bubble.
Above all, layer your lasagna with amore and imagination!
All fresh food is healthy in moderation, dontcha think?
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