In this recipe, zucchini slices act as lasagna sheets, so you only use half the amount of actual pasta. Brilliant! P.S. Don’t miss the Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash here.
¼th of lasagna: 318 calories, 10g total fat (5g sat fat), 790mg sodium, 28g carbs, 5g fiber, 10g sugars, 30.5g protein
You’ll Need: baking sheet, 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan, nonstick spray, large skillet, medium bowl, foil
Prep: 25 minutes • Cook: 1 hour and 10 minutes •
Cool: 10 minutes
1¼ pounds (2 to 3 medium) zucchini
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
8 ounces raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup Clean & Hungry Marinara Sauce (recipe and store-bought alternatives here)
1 cup light/low-fat ricotta cheese
¼ cup egg whites (about 2 large eggs’ worth)
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 whole-grain oven-ready lasagna sheets
½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet and an 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Slice off and discard zucchini ends. Cut zucchini in half widthwise, and cut each half lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick strips.
3. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, and ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
4. Evenly lay zucchini on the baking sheet, overlapping if needed. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add beef, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, remaining ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and remaining ¼ teaspoon onion powder. Cook and crumble for about 5 minutes, until fully cooked.
6. Remove skillet from heat. Add marinara sauce, and mix well.
7. Flip zucchini. Bake until softened, about 10 more minutes.
8. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg whites, chopped garlic, nutmeg, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and uniform.
9. Remove sheet from oven, but leave oven on. Thoroughly blot zucchini dry.
10. If needed, break lasagna sheets to fit the baking pan.
11. Evenly layer the following in the baking pan: ⅓rd of the zucchini, half (about ½ cup) of the seasoned ricotta, 2 lasagna sheets, and ⅓rd (about ½ cup) of the meat sauce.
12. Repeat layering process. Evenly top with remaining zucchini and meat sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parm.
13. Cover pan with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
14. Uncover and bake until lasagna sheets are cooked through and cheese has lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
15. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Chew on This …
Humans aren’t the only ones infatuated with lasagna. Garfield creator Jim Davis jokingly gave his fictional cat a lasagna obsession but claims people constantly tell him their cats love the saucy pasta dish!