Happy National Lasagna Day!!

HAPPY NATIONAL LASAGNA DAY!!!!

Oh my goodness! An entire day dedicated to LASAGNA?

You know what? If I had known long time ago that there was such a thing as National Lasagna Day, I would have done SO MUCH MORE to celebrate!!! The house would be decorated in Italian flags, I would whip up a few lasagnas to take to family and friends, I would probably found a cable station with nothing but Italian opera or a soccer match with Italy playing and enjoyed lasagna to my heart's content. (Yeah, it would have been that deep.)

Honestly, I believe that there is no more perfect food than lasagna. It has all of the requirements for a complete meal right in one sheet pan. You have your grains, your vegetables, your dairy, your meat, and your fat, layered together in beautiful harmony. The fragrance from the oven is so overwhelming that you cannot wait for it to cool a bit before tearing in. And the first bite....pure heaven. Plus, you have tons of leftovers that you can take to work for lunch or freeze for a later date - more joy - whoo-hoo!!

Now that I have adopted a healthier lifestyle, I love a good vegetable lasagna and a heart-healthy lasagna along with the version I grew up eating (the italian sausage and full fat cheeses). Speaking of which, it is so funny - I always grew up thinking my mama had been to Italy because her recipe was just the absolute BEST! I found out later in life that her recipe was the one from the back of the lasagna noodle box with added bulk Italian sausage. Oh well.... :)

To commemorate National Lasagna Day, I want to share a couple of recipes for lasagna with you. I pray that you enjoy this wonderful meal with me.

Vegetable Lasagna

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups zucchini, chopped in 1/2 inch dice
2 cups yellow squash, chopped in 1/2 inch dice
1 cup portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup carrots, julienned
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8 ounce) container part skim ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
1 package (5 ounces) shredded parmesan cheese
10 whole wheat noodles, cooked according to package directions
3 cups part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add all other vegetables and cook over medium heat until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and tomatoes and heat through. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg whites, and parmesan cheese. Line a 13"x 9" x 2" pan with foil. Spread 2 ladlefuls of sauce at bottom, then layer 3 noodles over sauce. Add 1/3 cheese mixture, 1/3 sauce mixture, and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce and reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, add remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake 15 minutes more until cheese is bubbly. Let cool before serving (if you can!). 16
servings.


Heart-Healthy Lasagna

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds ground turkey
2 jars marinara sauce
1 (8 ounce) container part skim ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
1 package (5 ounces) shredded parmesan cheese
1 package baby spinach leaves, washed, stems removed
10 whole wheat noodles, cooked according to package directions
3 cups part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add ground turkey and cook for about 10 - 12 minutes. Add marinara and stir to combine. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg whites, and parmesan cheese. Line a 13"x 9" x 2" pan with foil. Spread 2 ladlefuls of meat sauce across bottom of pan, then layer 3 noodles over sauce. Add 1/3 cheese mixture, layer of baby spinach leaves, 1/3 sauce mixture, and 1/3 mozzarella cheese, then cover with noodles. Repeat, ending with sauce and reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, add remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake 15 minutes more until cheese is bubbly. Let cool before serving (seriously, if you can!). 16 servings.


(p.s. If you REALLY want to do the regular version, go and pick up the Barilla Oven Ready [no boiling required] Lasagna Noodles and follow the directions on the box, adding 1/2 package of cooked Jimmy Dean Italian sausage to the meat sauce mixture. I know, sometimes you just need the full fat version of this amazing meal!)