Colorful Vegetable Lasagna (8.593 on a scale of 10)

Cooking Light – Oct. 2007, pg. 173

**Not typed exactly as the magazine

• Cooking spray
• 1 C chopped red bell pepper
  
• 1 C chopped yellow bell pepper
• 4 med. zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 (8 oz.) packages presliced cremini mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 C (8 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 C fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1/2 C (2 oz.) grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 lg. egg
• 5 C basic Marinara
• 12 precooked lasagna noodles

1. Preheat oven to 35o
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell peppers, onion, zucchini, and mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and mushroom liquid evaporates. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
   
3. Combine 1 1/2 C mozzarella, ricotta, 1/4 parm. and egg, stirring well.
4. Spread 1 C marinara over bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with 3 noodles. Spoon 1 C marinara evenly over noodles. Top evenly with one-third of ricotta mixture and one-third of vegetable mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with noodles. Top w/ remaining 1 C marinara. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 C mozzarella and remaining 1/4 parm. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 min. or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves 8.

I loved this recipe! I don’t like a lot of lasagnas because they are sooooo heavy and make you feel like a whale.

First of all, I make my own marinara and I’ll write that recipe out soon. Secondly, I don’t necessarily adhere to measurements, I’m much more of an eyeball measurer than someone who gets out all the various and sundry cups and spoons. Plus, there’s only Brendan (my squeeze) and me, so I’m not going to make lasagna for 8. If you really like leftovers, go for it. We’re not huge leftover fans, so I only make enough for one more meal.

Secondly, no mushrooms. Brendan doesn’t like them and I’m not a big fan of slimy canned mushrooms anyway. Also, I added garlic powder and frozen spinach to the egg-cheese mixture AND I used fresh lasagna noodles. If you can find them, I really recommend them because the regular ones are so rubbery and thick. Ugh. I bought mine at Central Market, but they might have them at Whole Foods. I only repeat the layers once because, in my humble carb-limiting opinion, repeating twice makes for alotta noodle. Too much noodle, really. I flavored the veggies with Cavender’s Greek Seasoning (no msg), garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper.

Then, I only baked it for 25 minutes uncovered because I made enough for 4 and I was under time constraints. I raised the temp to 375 halfway through baking.

Yes, Brendan asked for more. I had seconds myself and I NEVER have seconds. Unless you want to count the extra spoonfuls I sneak when putting the food away…