Amanda's Awesome Turkey and Roasted Veggie Lasagna

Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Organic Lasanga noodles with ground flax

for sauce:
Jar of marinara
Bunch of fresh basil, chopped
Med. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb ground turkey, 93% lean
2 T olive oil

for cheese mixture:
12 oz part skim (light) ricotta cheese (do not use fat free - yuck!)
1 egg
3/4 c shredded romano cheese
2 T of fresh parsley, chopped

3/4 cup part skim mozzarella (don't mix in)

for roasted veggies:
2 T olive oil
3 zucchini
8 oz package sliced mushrooms
2 lg carrots, thinly sliced
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Optional: Italian seasoning to taste

for topping:
1/4 cup romano cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Use whole wheat or whole wheat with flax lasagna noodles - 8 oz box. First thing, put hot water in a big pot and carefully put the noodles in. You don't have to boil them, you're going to leave them sit in the hot water while you prep everything else. They will soften sufficiently.

Chop up veggies and toss them in olive oil, fresh ground pepper, Italian seasoning - roast them in 400 degree oven till they're soft. Maybe 25 minutes. Take them out and let them cool a little.

Meanwhile, use a large skillet with high sides to cook the onion in 2 T olive oil over med-low heat about 5 min till translucent

Add diced garlic cloves and cook an additional minute, then add the ground turkey.

Cook the turkey until no longer pink, then add your sauce right into the turkey.

Use a basic marinara, low cal, and add your own fresh herbs (I like basil) and maybe a little olive oil. Throw in your fresh basil, Italian seasoning, whatever your preference, and let it simmer 15 to 20 min to thicken and blend flavors.

Combine ricotta and 3/4 of the romano with an egg, add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste, 2 or 3 T fresh chopped parsley, mix it well.

When everything's ready to go, spread a little sauce in the bottom of your lasagna pan. I use the biggest one I have for this recipe. Gently place a row of lasagna noodles over the sauce. The order is sauce, noodles, veggies, cheese (I do the ricotta mixture first, then put 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella on top. Repeat this sequence once. Then, on top, either place another layer of noodles if you have them left, and then sauce - or just the rest of the sauce. Add the last 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella and top with the last 1/3 of shredded romano, grind some more pepper on top.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or so, until hot and bubbly and cheese on top is melted/browned to your liking.

Makes 12 servings.

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user **MANDERS**.