Serves: 8.
Hands-on time: 20 minutes.
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Enjoy a slice of this clean and hearty Italian favorite.
With extra fat and calories hidden between the cheesy layers of pasta and sauce, you might think it’s impossible to find a cleaner version of this traditional Italian dish. Relax, lasagna lovers – your favorite one-dish wonder gets a new life. With a medley of power-house vegetables, including spinach, mushrooms and leeks, boosting the fiber content of this hearty meal, you’ll stay satisfied longer. When it comes to the cheese, part-skim ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan enhance the flavor without adding extra fat to this family-friendly dinner.
INGREDIENTS:
9 uncooked whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 8 oz)
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
4 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped (2 tbsp)
Olive oil cooking spray
5 oz baby spinach leaves (4 cups)
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 8-oz pkg sliced button mushrooms (6 cups)
2 cups low-sodium marinara pasta sauce
4 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
INSTRUCTIONS:
ONE: Cook pasta according to package directions, using sea salt and omitting any butter or oil listed on package.
TWO: Preheat oven to 400°F.
THREE: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg whites, Parmesan and parsley, mixing well.
FOUR: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Mist with cooking spray and add spinach, leeks, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender, then drain. Add marinara and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring well. Mist a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup marinara mixture onto bottom. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce, touching side-by-side, and top with 1/2 cup ricotta mixture. Repeat layers of marinara mixture, noodles and ricotta mixture, ending with third set of noodles. Top with mozzarella.
FIVE: Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 15 more minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
