As a diabetic, life member Alphacene Toussaint knows the importance of eating properly. “I use a lot of fresh herbs and love to create unique dishes,” she says. She learned scratch cooking from her mother, and she hopes this lasagna inspires fellow members to cook with fresh ingredients.
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, sliced (4 cups)
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms
1 medium zucchini, sliced (2 cups)
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 1/2 lb. tomatoes, unpeeled, coarsely chopped (4 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (8-oz.) pkg. low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Cook eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, 2 1/2 teaspoons of the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper 10 to 12 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Cook tomatoes 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water, bell pepper, basil and remaining garlic, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low to medium-low; simmer 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cool running water to cool; drain.
4. Combine ricotta, cream cheese and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan in medium bowl. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles in bottom of baking dish. Top with one-third of the vegetable mixture, one-third of the ricotta mixture, one-third of the sauce and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella. Repeat layers twice, ending with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until deep golden brown and bubbly, covering with foil during last 10 minutes if browning too quickly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
12 servings
PER SERVING: 255 calories, 13.5 g total fat (6.5 g saturated fat), 14.5 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 30 mg cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 4 g fiber