Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Baked Manicotti Bundles with Tilapia & Light Ricotta Cheese


Ingredients:
•olive oil or cooking spray
•3 to 4 green onions
•10 lasagna noodles (whole wheat or gluten free)
•1 carrot peeled (can also use heirloom purple carrots)
•1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
•12 oz tilapia filets
•4 oz light cream cheese or light ricotta
•1/2 cup skim milk
•1/2 tsp to 2 tbsp dried dill
•1/2 tsp sea salt
•2 oz. reduced fat mozzarella
•fresh dill for garnish

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a glass pan with cooking spray and set aside;
2. Rinse onions well trim off white tops and discard. Carefully score the connected layers so that you have strands, set aside.
3. Prepare lasagna noodles according to instructions, rinse, set aside. During the last 90 seconds of cooking, add strands of onions to soften then set aside.
4. Grade carrot, set aside.
5. In a large non stick pan, over medium heat, add oil, heat and add tilapia. Shake pan so fish does not stick. Cover and cook for 3 minutes then flip and cook for a minute more or until fish is no longer opaque. Remove from heat.
6. Mix cream cheese (or ricotta) together with milk, dill and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk constantly until mixture is melted and creamy. Add half of mozzarella in. Stir in carrots and tilapia and remove from heat.
7. Lay lasagna noodles out on a counter top, place 2 tbsp of the mixture at the bottom of the noodle and roll away from you. Make a bundle that stays together without squeezing out the filling. Tie each bundle with an onion layer and place in the pan.
8. Place remaining mozzarella over bundles and top with dill and bake for 25 minutes. (you can broil these for a few more minutes to make the mozzarella golden brown).