How To Make a Classic Healthy Lasagna
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Lasagna is a wide, flat-shaped pasta and one of the oldest types of pasta. It is composed of a sausage, ground beef and three types of cheese cooked into perfection. For some, this kind of food is not healthy, because its full of fat and calories not good for the body.
TIPS & NOTES:
What can be more satisfying feeling and affable than lasagna? You can eat it anytime and anywhere, because it's easy to make or even easier to buy because it is available in the market or in a fast food chain.
Be healthy and wise, that's the point I get from Eating Well. You can still eat your favorite lasagna but need to cut some of the ingredients that have a lot of FAT and CALORIES and by adding FIBER from lasagna without sacrificing its flavor.
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| (C) Sausage, Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna |
- Light Lasagna Pasta - use this to increase fiber
- Italian full-flavored Sausage - instead of pork sausage to cut saturated fats.
- Frozen spinach - to add more nutrients and add volume to a minimum amount of calories.
- Add more Mushrooms - this is to replace meaty sausages, mushrooms have a "meaty" taste and flavor as satisfying, but have less calories and fat.
- Shredded Part-skim cheese - instead of full fat cheese, this will reduce calories and saturated fat
INGREDIENTS
Meat Sauce
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces hot or sweet Italian turkey sausages, remove the casings
2 onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
12 ounces of mushrooms, clean and chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/8 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 28-ounce cans drained and chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes(not packed in oil), silvered
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, to taste
PASTA & CHEESE FILLING
8 Light Lasagna Pasta, 8 ounces
2 cups nonfat ricotta cheese
1/8 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Ground nutmeg, to taste
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
PREPARATION
- To prepare meat sauce: Heat oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and let it cook for 3-5 minutes, wait until browned. Then reduce the heat to medium add onions and carrot, cook to 2-3 minutes, by stirring frequently until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic, saute and season with salt and pepper. For 4-6 minutes cook and stir frequently, until mushrooms liquid evaporates.
- Stir in wine, plum tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, thyme and crushed red pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes. Leave it uncovered and cook for 30-45 minutes, by stirring frequently, until sauce is very thick. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- To prepare for the filling & assemble lasagna: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook noodles for about 10 minutes until just tender or according to package directions. Drain, then let it cool down by plunging noodles into a large bowl of ice cold water. Lay the noodles out on a kitchen towels.
- Season ricotta with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spread about 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in the prepared pan. Layer 3 noodles on top. Spread another 1 cup sauce over the noodles. And about 2/3 cup ricotta over the sauce, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella and 2 tbsps Parmesan. Continue layering the noodles, sauce and cheese, finishing with the sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. Sprinkle with parsley, cover with foil.
- Bake the lasagna for about 35-45 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Uncover the bake for 5-10 minutes, until golden. Let it cool down for another 10 minutes before cutting and serve.
Prepare through STEP 5. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before baking.
HEALTHY FACTS & NUTRITION
This lasagna recipe has lots of flavors but less fat and calories. As per serving: CALORIES: 357, FAT: 8 g or 3g sat, 2 g mono), CHOLESTEROL: 32 mg, CARBOHYDRATES: 46 g, PROTEIN: 22 g, FIBER: 9 g, SODIUM: 698 mg, POTASSIUM: 396 mg
It has a Nutritional Bonus of a FIBER(36% Daily Value), CALCIUM(30% dv)
CARBOHYDRATE SERVINGS: 2 1/2
source: EatingWell
I can't wait to give a try of your recipe. Thanks for sharing this. I'll definitely post my first attempt on my food blog soon. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ladiima.
DeleteI only cook so very often, perhaps I should try this next time. My son loves lasagna.
ReplyDeleteI love lasagna, will try to cooked it as healthy as your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete