Lean Lasagna & Marinara Sauce

(Originally posted by Christina)

Lean Lasagna

4 cups marinara sauce
spinach, zuchinni, or fresh vegetables of choice (i used spinach, zuchinni, shredded carrots, green bell pepper)
12oz container fat free cottage cheese, strained
8oz container fat free of low fat ricotta
4oz shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
oven ready lasagna noodles
reduced fat parmesan cheese to taste

1) Combine cottage cheese and ricotta and set aside.
2) Place a layer of marinara sauce in a 9×13 pan.
3) Layer uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/2 the cottage/ricotta mixture, 1/2 the vegetables.
4) Repeat step 2 and 3
5) Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
6) Top with mozzarella and bake uncovered until cheese is melted.
7) Let stand to cool about 15 minutes before cutting.

Makes 6 large servings.

NOTE: You can also add meat to this by adding 1lb extra lean ground beef, drained and rinsed to the marinara sauce.

Here’s a recipe to the marinara sauce that I got from my nutritionist. You can use this marinara for the Lean Lasagna recipe and also for the Texican Lasagna that I posted last week. By the way, I got the lasagna recipes from my nutritionist as well.

Marinara Sauce
2-48oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
1-15oz can diced tomatoes
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 cup red wine
1 package fresh pre-sliced mushrooms (i left these out because i don’t care for mushrooms)
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
(Use fresh herbs when available but double the amounts)

Place all ingredients in a crock-pot on low and simmer for 6-8 hours. If you need faster, put on high for 3 hours.

FYI: This marinara sauce recipe made a lot! I used the same batch for the Lean Lasagna and 2 recipes of the Texican Lasagna and I still have marinara sauce left over.