Vegetable Lasagna with Broccoli and Spinach

I experimented and came up with a vegetable lasagna recipe using spinach, broccoli, mushrooms and whole wheat lasagna noodles (sheets).   I purchased the fresh lasagna sheets from my local supermarket.  The pasta sheets made the process much simpler given the shorter cooking time (4 minutes) and that I needed fewer noodles than what I would have with conventional oval shaped pasta.  As prepared, this lasagna has approximately 230 calories per slice and the recipe yields 10 servings. 

Vegetable Lasagna

1-2 Garlic cloves
1 TBS. olive oil
3/4 cups chopped onions
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. salt
28 oz. can tomatoes with garlic and basil
1- 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. olive oil
16 oz. chopped broccoli
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
8 oz. fresh spinach
15 oz. fat free or lowfat ricotta
8 oz. part skim mozzarella
2 TBS. fresh parsley
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
Whole wheat lasagna noodles enough for 2 layers (6 sheets or 6-8 conventional lasagna noodles)

Saute the onion in 1 TBS. olive oil with the garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent.

Add tomatoes and their liquid , tomato paste, and tomato sauce stirring to break up the tomatoes.  Add the bay leaves, sugar and salt.  Bring to a slow boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  Discard the bay leaves and remove from heat.

When the sauce is almost done, start the preparations for the vegetables. In a saucepan heat up 2 tsp. of olive oil.  Add the broccoli cuts and the sliced mushrooms.  Saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the fresh spinach and saute until just wilted, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain the excess liquid from the vegetable mixture.

Combine the mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and 1 egg in a bowl and mix until combined.  I used my mini chopper to grind the fresh parsley.

Boil and cook the lasagna noodles as the package directs.

Drain the noodles and wait until they are cool enough to handle. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a 13x9x2 pan, add 1/2 cup of the prepared sauce at the bottom of the pan.  Add the first layer of noodles. Add 1/2 of the tomato sauce.  Spread 1/2 of the vegetable mixture on the noodles.  Then add 1/2 of the cheese mixture.  Then repeat with the second layer of noodles.  Reserve enough sauce to cover the final cheese layer. Then repeat with the vegetables and cheese mixture.

Spread enough sauce on the top to cover the vegetables and cheese. Add some grated parmesan on top.  Before placing the lasagna in the oven, cover with a sheet of foil.  Bake for about 30 minutes and remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking.  Cook for a total of about 45 minutes or until heated through.

Let cool for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.  Yields 10 servings at approximately 230 calories/slice.