Luscious Lasagna
Jan 31, 2009 04:00PM ● By Super Admin
This delightful recipe will not weigh you down, and is very low in calories, fat and sodium. With 10 grams of protein and five grams of fiber it is a “heart healthy” dinner to serve your favorite Valentine. Pair with a tossed salad, a hearty grain bread, and top your meal off with a good red wine and dark chocolate-covered strawberries.
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Prepare
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds. Lightly coat a large shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Wrap garlic in foil, sealing tightly and place in corner of pan along with tomato halves. Lightly coat another large baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer and roast in lower third of oven, about 15 minutes, while you roast the garlic and tomatoes in the upper third of oven for 30 minutes. When golden brown, transfer the mushrooms to a pan to cool.
When garlic is done, unwrap, peel and then transfer to a food processor along with roasted tomatoes and two teaspoons of rosemary; pulse until chopped. Transfer to a large saucepan and stir in crushed tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler and arrange rack six inches from the heat. Lightly coat a large shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant slices in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then broil turning once until golden about six minutes. Repeat until all eggplant slices have been broiled.
Stir together Ricotta, egg whites and remaining rosemary in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and arrange a rack in the center. Lightly coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with cooking spray. Evenly spread one and one-half cups of sauce in the bottom of dish and cover with four lasagna sheets, overlapping slightly if necessary. Evenly spread ricotta over lasagna and cover with half of the mushrooms. Cover with half of eggplant, spread with one and one-half cups of the sauce. Continue layering with four lasagna sheets, one and one-half cups of sauce, remaining mushrooms and eggplant, and a layer of spinach. Cover with remaining lasagna sheets and top with remaining sauce, spreading evenly. Arrange zucchini slices in a single layer over top.
Cover with non-stick foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano; season with pepper. Bake uncovered until zucchini is golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Prepare
Place 2 cups of good semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave bowl. Heat on medium power for 30 seconds. Stir chips. Take note that the chocolate chips retain their shape even though they are melted, so only heat for 30-second intervals, until smooth and completely melted, being careful not to burn them.
Dip a ripe strawberry in chocolate and set on wax or parchment paper to cool. Keep cool until you eat them, preferably the same day.
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Cooking spray for pans and baking dish
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 cans (15 ounce) crushed tomatoes in puree
3 (8-ounce) baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
3 small-medium zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch thick (lengthwise) slices
1 small package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess water
1 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese
2 large egg whites
12 (7-ounce) oven-ready, no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 cans (15 ounce) crushed tomatoes in puree
3 (8-ounce) baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
3 small-medium zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch thick (lengthwise) slices
1 small package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess water
1 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese
2 large egg whites
12 (7-ounce) oven-ready, no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Prepare
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds. Lightly coat a large shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Wrap garlic in foil, sealing tightly and place in corner of pan along with tomato halves. Lightly coat another large baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer and roast in lower third of oven, about 15 minutes, while you roast the garlic and tomatoes in the upper third of oven for 30 minutes. When golden brown, transfer the mushrooms to a pan to cool.
When garlic is done, unwrap, peel and then transfer to a food processor along with roasted tomatoes and two teaspoons of rosemary; pulse until chopped. Transfer to a large saucepan and stir in crushed tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler and arrange rack six inches from the heat. Lightly coat a large shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant slices in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then broil turning once until golden about six minutes. Repeat until all eggplant slices have been broiled.
Stir together Ricotta, egg whites and remaining rosemary in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and arrange a rack in the center. Lightly coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with cooking spray. Evenly spread one and one-half cups of sauce in the bottom of dish and cover with four lasagna sheets, overlapping slightly if necessary. Evenly spread ricotta over lasagna and cover with half of the mushrooms. Cover with half of eggplant, spread with one and one-half cups of the sauce. Continue layering with four lasagna sheets, one and one-half cups of sauce, remaining mushrooms and eggplant, and a layer of spinach. Cover with remaining lasagna sheets and top with remaining sauce, spreading evenly. Arrange zucchini slices in a single layer over top.
Cover with non-stick foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano; season with pepper. Bake uncovered until zucchini is golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
2 cups good semi sweet chocolate chips
2 small baskets of fresh strawberries
2 small baskets of fresh strawberries
Prepare
Place 2 cups of good semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave bowl. Heat on medium power for 30 seconds. Stir chips. Take note that the chocolate chips retain their shape even though they are melted, so only heat for 30-second intervals, until smooth and completely melted, being careful not to burn them.
Dip a ripe strawberry in chocolate and set on wax or parchment paper to cool. Keep cool until you eat them, preferably the same day.