Caring Well News – March 2024
This March we will be featuring a recipe from the American Institute for Cancer Research (February 25, 2020). This recipe is reprinted with permission from the American Institute for Cancer Research (http://www.aicr.org/)
Easy Summer Lasagna
This hearty summer lasagna packs delicious roasted eggplant, zucchini and lycopene-rich tomatoes. Whole-wheat noodles contain cancer-fighting fiber and natural plant compounds, called phytochemicals, which protect cells from damage that may lead to cancer. This recipe serves 12, making it a good choice for pleasing a crowd or batch cooking.
Ingredients
2 eggplants (about 3 lbs.), quartered lengthwise
6 medium zucchini (about 3 lbs.)
Canola oil cooking spray
15 oz. low-fat ricotta or low-fat cottage cheese (or a combination of both)
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 cups low-sodium tomato sauce
1 lb. whole-wheat, no-boil lasagna noodles
3 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese
Makes 12 servings.
Per serving: 360 calories, 11 g total fat (5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 65 mg cholesterol, 44 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 9 g dietary fiber, 400 mg sodium, 12 g sugar, 0 g added sugar.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, set aside.
2. Slice the eggplant and zucchini in ½ -inch slices. Layer on two baking sheets and coat both sides of the vegetables with cooking spray. Roast for about 40 minutes.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and/or cottage cheeses, eggs, Parmesan, nutmeg and garlic powder.
5. To assemble: spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover with a layer of pasta. Spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture on top of pasta. Sprinkle ¼ of the mozzarella over the ricotta. Spoon ⅓ of the roasted vegetables on top. Top with ½ cup of tomato sauce and continue the assembly as directed until you have 4 layers of pasta and 3 layers of filling. Spread the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
6. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
