Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne

A couple of weeks ago, a friend asked me if I wanted to get together and make this lasagne with her. I thought that cooking together sounded like a blast, so I quickly agreed to come over later that week with all my supplies to put this lasagne together. I usually avoid recipes that have tons of cheese and milk, since we have some lactose intolerance issues with certain members of my family, but not this time. My friend had tried this recipe before and loved it. She said that lots of the comments on epicurious said it took forever to put together, but we didn't think it was so bad. I prepped my squash, herbs, nuts, cheese, etc., before I went to her house, so we just cooked the squash, made the sauce and then assembled the lasagne.

It was so nice to have this made and waiting in the fridge, so that when dinner time rolled around, all I had to do was put it in the oven. This made a ton of lasagne! I know the recipe said that it serves 6, but in order for that to happen, someone would have to eat a ton of this. We did even eat half of it that night. The butternut squash, sage and hazelnuts go perfectly with the cheese and sauce. All we had on the side was a huge salad of mixed baby greens and it was a filling meal. I ended up freezing the leftovers, so we could enjoy them later.

Here is the recipe for Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne

Vegetarian Lasagna

Because we went to DisneyWorld for Christmas, we had a family dinner with my husband's family the week before we left, to celebrate the holiday.
We decided on an Italian theme and I brought this lasagna.

This recipe is the lasagna that we ate growing up at my house and it is requested by one of my brothers every year for his birthday dinner.
It is really simple and loaded with vegetables. Even my meat loving husband really loves this lasagna.
The recipe calls for mushrooms, but this last time I made it, I forgot to buy mushrooms, so I just shredded a zucchini that I had in my fridge and sauteed that along with the veggies.
You could probably substitute whatever vegetables you wanted to, just saute them along with the onion.
It is healthier than normal lasagna because it has lots of veggies, but also because the filling is made with cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese and there are less layers of noodles.

It was a big hit at our family dinner and is definitely a family favorite of ours.

This recipe can also be prepped in the pan and frozen for a later date. Just add a few minutes on the cooking time to make sure that it cooks and warms through.

Vegetarian Lasagna adapted from Managing your Meals by Winnifred Jardine
6 oz lasagne noodles, (6 noodles)
1 pd fresh spinach
1 Tbls olive oil
1 cup grated carrot (about 1 carrot)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 pd sliced fresh mushrooms or 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1- 15 oz can tomato sauce
1-6 oz can tomato paste
1-2 1/4 oz can sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 tsp crushed dried basil
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook lasagne noodles according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, rinse spinach and place in saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until steam forms, then reduce heat and cook for a few minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, heat oil and saute carrots, onion, and mushrooms, until tender but not brown. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, oregano and basil. set aside. Combine cottage cheese and egg.

In a 9 by 13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray, layer half each of noodles, spinach, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and shredded mozzerella. Repeat layers ending with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Barefoot Bloggers- Herb Roasted Onions and Craving Ellie in my Belly- Portobello Lasagna Roll-ups

I know what you must be thinking. Did I really need to join another group? Probably not, but I loved Elllie Krieger's Book The Food You Crave when I borrowed it from the library this summer, so when I saw a group dedicated to the recipes in that book- Craving Ellie in My Belly- I went ahead and joined up. I just waited until this week to start. So for my first week we made Portobello Lasagna Roll-ups. This recipe was picked by Marthe of Culinary Delights- go to her blog for the recipe. I halved the recipe because I had exactly 6 whole wheat lasagna noodles left in a box and it was really yummy! Besides, now I have a great excuse to make calzones, since I have half of the ricotta mixture leftover.

The Barefoot Bloggers recipe this week was Herb Roasted Onions and it was chosen by Kelly of Baking with the Boys. Now this really got the whole house smelling good. I had really potent onions, they made me cry lots of tears. The dressing was delicious and I love fresh thyme, so I didn't chop mine up, I left it whole. I liked this, but next time I think I will add other veggies as well.
Go check out what everyone else thought of these 2 recipes!

Herb Roasted Onions from The Barefoot Contessa

2 red onions

1 yellow onion

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup good olive oil

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature

You do not want to miss tomorrow's post- Vanilla-Nutella Swirl Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream!

Slider Caesar Salad and Veggie Manicotti

Sliders are just too popular around here. My kids love them and they make a great, little lunch-I often sneak the leftovers into the lunchbox, if there are any leftovers.
We had a Rachael Ray night, combining two of her 30-minute meals. The salad was delicious- I swapped out the ground beef for lean ground turkey and used fat free mayo in the dressing. The kids were loving their little sliders on a stick. The veggie manicotti was a quick dish to throw together and these 2 dishes went really great together. As she would say, Yum-O!


Slider Caesar Salad From Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine
2 kaiser rolls, cut into cubes
4 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup fat free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
20 oz. lean ground turkey, 93% lean

One 12-ounce package romaine hearts, torn into small pieces

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the bread with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toast for 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons parmesan, mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

3. Crumble the ground turkey into a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper and combine. Divide into 12 equal portions and roll into balls. Thread 3 meatballs onto each of 4 wooden skewers, leaving a 1/2-inch space between each; pat each meatball into a 2-inch patty.

4. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush the patties with olive oil and grill, turning once, about 6 minutes total for medium.

5. Meanwhile, add the lettuce and croutons to the dressing and toss. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Top with the skewers.

Veggie Manicotti from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine
Eight 6-inch-long lasagna noodles (I used whole wheat)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 pint cottage cheese, drained in a strainer

One 16-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and 1/3 cup finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves, plus 8 leaves, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

1 tomato, chopped

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles, stirring often, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

3. Using a food processor, puree the drained cheese until smooth; add to the zucchini along with the chopped roasted peppers and chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper. Rinse the food processor bowl.

4. Lay the noodles flat on a work surface. Place an equal amount of the zucchini mixture at the end of each noodle, then roll up. Divide the rolls among 4 dinner plates.

5. Using the food processor, puree the remaining roasted peppers with the tomato until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the rolls. Top with the sliced basil.

Trisha Yearwoods Chicken Spinach Lasagna Casserole

I saw this in a magazine recently and thought it looked like a quick and easy twist on lasagna. I changed the recipe quite a bit to make it healthier. I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream, queso fresco cheese in place of cheddar, fat free mayo, healthy request cream of mushroom soup, fresh mushrooms instead of canned, and added an extra layer of fresh spinach. I also reduced the amount of pecans and parmesan cheese by half.
This was a delicious, comforting dinner and really easy to throw together. A winning combination in my book! Chicken Spinach Lasagna Casserole by Trisha Yearwood, featured in Redbook Magazine
1 10-oz pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

8 oz queso fresco cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbls soy sauce

1- 10-oz can healthy request cream of mushroom soup

1 cup greek yogurt

3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used portobellos)

1/3 cup fat free mayo

3 oz fresh baby spinach

9 lasagna noodles, cooked

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

In a large bowl, combine frozen spinach, chicken,queso fresco, onion, cornstarch, salt, pepper, soy sauce, soup, greek yogurt, mushrooms, and mayo. Put a layer of noodles in the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch lasagna pan. Spread half the cheese/chicken mixture over the noodles. Layer half of the fresh spinach on top of the cheese/chicken mixture Place another layer of noodles on top and cover with the remaining chicken/cheese mixture. Layer remaining fresh spinach on top and finish with another layer of noodles. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese , then pecans on top and bake for 1 hour.

Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna

We have been eating a ton of eggplant and zucchini this week, but it has been delicious! This lasagna is very flavorful and since I had just a tad of ricotta and a tad of cottage cheese, I combined them together and they worked really well. We had some garlic bread on the side and had a great meal!
Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna adapted from Cooking Light
1 large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 Tbls olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
Cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese



1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, oregano, red pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Combine basil, ricotta, cottage cheese, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over tomato mixture; top with half of eggplant and half of zucchini. Spread ricotta mixture over vegetables; cover with 4 noodles. Spread 1 cup tomato mixture over noodles; layer with remaining eggplant and zucchini slices. Arrange remaining 4 noodles over vegetables, and spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles. Top evenly with mozzarella. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until browned. Cool for 5 minutes.

Lasagna Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, 2 ways

So, I had some leftover cooked lasagna noodles in the fridge and decided to make these roll-ups. I have made them before and was going to feed a crowd, so I cooked up some whole wheat rotini and elbow macaroni, and doubled the filling and sauce. I made the rolls as directed and then stirred the cooked pasta into the leftover filling and poured the sauce on top. It was great both ways!
Lasagna Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce- 2 ways, adapted from Cooking Light

Lasagna:

8 uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles

4 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms

1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh basil, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Sauce:

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, undrained

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

To prepare lasagna, cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, spinach, and 3 garlic cloves; sauté 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cheeses, 2 tablespoons basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
To prepare sauce, place vinegar and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.
Place cooked noodles on flat surface; spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture over each noodle. Roll up noodles, jelly-roll fashion, starting with short side. Place the rolls, seam sides down, in a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish. Pour 1/4 cup sauce over each roll, and cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap. Microwave at high 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons basil

Vegetarian Lasagna

(photo updated dec 2009)
This is my go-to lasagna recipe. It is so easy and chock full of veggies. It is also versatile, you can used canned mushrooms instead of fresh, frozen spinach instead of fresh, canned pasta sauce, etc. It is good!


Vegetarian Lasagne adapted from Managing your Meals by Winnifred Jardine
6 oz whole wheat lasagne noodles, (6 noodles)
1 pd fresh spinach
1 Tbls butter
1 cup grated carrot (about 1 carrot)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 pd sliced fresh mushrooms
1- 15 oz can tomato sauce
1-6 oz can tomato paste
1-2 1/4 oz can sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 tsp crushed dried basil
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook lasagne noodles according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, rinse spinach and place in saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until steam forms, then reduce heat and cook for a few minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter and saute carrots, onion, and mushrooms, until tender but not brown. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, oregano and basil. set aside. Combine cottage cheese and egg.

In a 9 by 13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray, layer half each of noodles, spinach, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and shredded mozzerella. Repeat layers ending with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.