"Hidden Delights" Lasagna
- Minutes to Prepare:
- Minutes to Cook:
- Number of Servings: 12
Ingredients
Meat sauce:1 pound 93% lean ground beef1 medium onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, minced2 cups cubed zucchini or summer squashsaltItalian Seasoning (or basil, oregano and dried parsley)2 15oz cans whole or diced tomatoes1 6oz can tomato pasteCheese filling:2-12.3 oz cartons of Mori-Nu silken tofu "firm"2 eggs 4 cups fresh spinach 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, part skim9 lasagna noodles
Saute the onion, garlic and summer squash until slightly softened. You may use some non-stick spray if necessary but I've found that the moisture from the onions keeps them from sticking.
Add the ground beef and brown. For variety you can replace 1/4 of the ground beef with ground sausage but the calories will be higher. Drain the meat if necessary then add the tomatoes and tomato paste. If using whole tomatoes, be sure to break them up as they cook. Also add italian seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. (You can also substitute your favorite pasta sauce). Simmer for at least 20 minutes. You want a sauce that isn't too runny so cook it down if necessary. Hopefully you will end up with about 5 to 6 cups of sauce. For best results you may want to divide the sauce into two portions so that both pans of lasagna will get the right amount.
Meanwhile, break the 9 lasagna noodles in half carefully and boil them according to the package directions. Drain but then put them back in the pan and leave them in cold water so that they don't dry out or stick together. They will fit 3 halves across in the 8x8 pans and 3 layers deep.
Prepare the cheese filling:
(You may choose as I did to make one pan's filling at a time so that you don't have to worry about running out when filling the 2nd pan. )
For one pan.... Take 2 well packed cups of spinach and chop it. Then microwave it for about 2 minutes. It will wilt and shrink up. Once it has cooled enough squeeze out as much liquid as you can and put it in the mixing bowl. You can substitute frozen spinach but make sure it is well drained and you will want about 1/4 cup. Remove the silken tofu from its aseptic box by cutting the box open as per the box instructions. Do this over the sink and pour off the extra liquid before putting it into the mixing bowl. Mash the tofu up (I used my hands!) until it is in tiny pieces. Only use one box per pan of lasagna. Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. You will use 4 oz of mozzarella for each pan. Decide how much you want to go on top... I've found that 1 oz is enough... and the rest will go into the mixing bowl. Stir to combine all ingredients and add salt, italian seasonings and possible garlic powder until the taste suits you. Then crack 1 egg and mix it in completely.
Now you are ready to combine your lasagna. Put a small amount of sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Then layer 3 half-noodles across. On top of the noodles put more sauce and half of the cheese/tofu mixture. Repeat layers (noodles, sauce, cheese/tofu). Finish with a final layer of noodles and a small amount of sauce.
Repeat above instructions with the 2nd pan. When ready, cover them with foil and cook in a 375F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cover with the remaining cheese and cook for about 10 more minutes until cheese is melted and starting to brown.
Cut each pan into 6 slices. (3 down, 2 across)
Yeild 12 servings
Number of Servings: 12
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user WAGYSGIRL.
Add the ground beef and brown. For variety you can replace 1/4 of the ground beef with ground sausage but the calories will be higher. Drain the meat if necessary then add the tomatoes and tomato paste. If using whole tomatoes, be sure to break them up as they cook. Also add italian seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. (You can also substitute your favorite pasta sauce). Simmer for at least 20 minutes. You want a sauce that isn't too runny so cook it down if necessary. Hopefully you will end up with about 5 to 6 cups of sauce. For best results you may want to divide the sauce into two portions so that both pans of lasagna will get the right amount.
Meanwhile, break the 9 lasagna noodles in half carefully and boil them according to the package directions. Drain but then put them back in the pan and leave them in cold water so that they don't dry out or stick together. They will fit 3 halves across in the 8x8 pans and 3 layers deep.
Prepare the cheese filling:
(You may choose as I did to make one pan's filling at a time so that you don't have to worry about running out when filling the 2nd pan. )
For one pan.... Take 2 well packed cups of spinach and chop it. Then microwave it for about 2 minutes. It will wilt and shrink up. Once it has cooled enough squeeze out as much liquid as you can and put it in the mixing bowl. You can substitute frozen spinach but make sure it is well drained and you will want about 1/4 cup. Remove the silken tofu from its aseptic box by cutting the box open as per the box instructions. Do this over the sink and pour off the extra liquid before putting it into the mixing bowl. Mash the tofu up (I used my hands!) until it is in tiny pieces. Only use one box per pan of lasagna. Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. You will use 4 oz of mozzarella for each pan. Decide how much you want to go on top... I've found that 1 oz is enough... and the rest will go into the mixing bowl. Stir to combine all ingredients and add salt, italian seasonings and possible garlic powder until the taste suits you. Then crack 1 egg and mix it in completely.
Now you are ready to combine your lasagna. Put a small amount of sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Then layer 3 half-noodles across. On top of the noodles put more sauce and half of the cheese/tofu mixture. Repeat layers (noodles, sauce, cheese/tofu). Finish with a final layer of noodles and a small amount of sauce.
Repeat above instructions with the 2nd pan. When ready, cover them with foil and cook in a 375F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cover with the remaining cheese and cook for about 10 more minutes until cheese is melted and starting to brown.
Cut each pan into 6 slices. (3 down, 2 across)
Yeild 12 servings
Number of Servings: 12
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user WAGYSGIRL.
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 256.2
- Total Fat: 9.2 g
- Cholesterol: 65.9 mg
- Sodium: 639.4 mg
- Total Carbs: 22.3 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 21.1 g
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