Vegetarian (or not) Vegetable Lasagna
Ingredients
(This makes 4 Large Pans, plus one 'casserole):
Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
6 Zucchini, Shredded
6-8 Carrots, Shredded
1 Eggplant, diced
1 each, Red, Yellow & Orange Bell Peppers, Diced and Sauteed
8 Oz diced & Sauteed Mushrooms
1-2 large Onions
1-2 Heads of Roasted Garlic
8-10 Quarts of Marinara Sauce
32 oz bags of shredded Mozerella
2 - 32 Oz Tubs of Ricotta Cheese
3 -24 Oz Tubs of Low/Nonfate Cottage Cheese
1 Tbsp Parsley
1 Tsp Each: Basil & Oregano
Optional Protein Choices:
TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
Chopped Tempeh
Ground Lean Turkey
We made 5 Pans, 1 Tempeh, 1 TVP, 2 Lean Ground Turkey & 1 Vegetables only.
I always make half of the meat pans with extra mushrooms & green peppers and mark the side of the pan with a Sharpie. I freeze all but two pans for later use when we're in a hurry and still want a hot homecooked meal. Hopefully I can make these last and have one each week for the rest of the month.
I always make half of the meat pans with extra mushrooms & green peppers and mark the side of the pan with a Sharpie. I freeze all but two pans for later use when we're in a hurry and still want a hot homecooked meal. Hopefully I can make these last and have one each week for the rest of the month.
:
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| Directions: Boil water and start cooking lasagna noodles until fairly tender (but not finished). While that's cooking... Mix up your cottage & ricotta cheeses Add Basil, Oregano & Parsley Add Shredded Carrots, Zucchini & Eggplant set aside for layering. Start Layering... Sauce first Top with preferred Protein Source. Then Layer with cooked pasta Add layer of the Cheese & Veggie Mixture Another layer of noodles Another layer of Cheese mixture More noodles Top with the rest of the marinara sauce & more protein if you like... |
Cover with Foil & Bake at 375 for 45 minutes
Uncover, top with Mozerella Cheese & bake uncovered for 15 more minutes.
What I did with the extras:
I ran out of noodles, but had a bit of the veggie/cheese mixture left, so I cooked up two boxes of Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta and tossed it together with the remainder of the sauce and cheeses. I added some TVP for extra protein and Viola! Lasagna Casserole:)
What I'd Do Differently Next Time: I'd sautee the eggplant before putting it in the lasagna. My husband loved it, but I didn't care for the texture of it. Oh, and I'd bake more than one pan. I baked one pan last night and there was one small serving this morning. *sigh*
