Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Spinach Lasagna $8.31

Heres a classic that I Never make. I grew up in a household where box noodles were unheard of, and I have lots of memories, great memories, of lasagna made with homemade noodles. I am not a paitient cook, or a cook with lots of time, so the idea of mixing the flour and egg to the right consistency, and then ofcourse rolling it out with the pasta maker, and hoping that the dough wouldn't stick....which it usually does, when you aren't a seasoned noodle maker, never appealled to me. So I just enjoyed eating my grandmothers, my moms, my aunts, my sister-in-laws homemade lasagna, and never ventured into the lasagna making arena. That changed today. I did my usual shopping at Aldi, but bought my noodles at the local big chain store because my Mom says Barilla is the best substitute for hers. Aldi does carry lasagna noodles as well, but I thought Mom might like it better if I used Barilla.

Ingredients - Lasagna for 8:


1 1/2 - 26 oz jars Good Quality Meatless pasta sauce (4 1/2 cups)(I love Aldi Marinara) $1.19


12 lasagna noodles (cook 14 in case they break)$1.99

1 lb cottage cheese $1.19
5 egg whites .40
1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning.15
1 1/2 tsp Fresh Basil leaves, chopped .30
1 1/2 tsp parsley .15
10 to 16 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained (even squeezed dry)$1.19
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese .30
2 tsp garlic powder .10
a few sprinkles of bread crumbs.05

1 cup mozzarella cheese$1.30

pour 1 1/2 cups Marinara sauce in bottom of sprayed 9 by 13 baking dish
Layer as follows:

  • 4 noodles
  • 1/3 of the cheese/spinach mix (then a dusting of bread crumbs)
  • 1/3 of the remaining sauce
  • 4 noodles
  • 1/2 of the remaining cheese/spinach mix (then a dusting of bread crumbs)
  • 1/2 of the remaining sauce
  • 4 noodles
  • remaining cheese/spinach mix (then a dusting of bread crumbs)
  • remaining marinara
Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove foil and spread one cup of mozzarella cheese on top of dish. Return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes to make cheese very melted.
LET COOL at LEAST 10 to 15 minutes (up to 25 minutes) to allow it to cool, thicken, and "set".

Serve with another family or plan for leftovers - this dish serves about eight people...and goes well with a salad.

Get ready folks. This amazing dish, made with 1% cottage cheese blended, spinach, only 12 lasagna noodles, and egg whites, not yolks - and no meat - packs the following:

1/8th of the 9x13 pan is...
336 calories, 48 carbs, 25 protein, and only 5 grams of fat - and five grams of fiber as well!. THAT'S FANTASTIC for a traditional food like this!

1 comment:

  1. FYI,for $8.31, this delicious and healthy lasagna yielded 8 filling servings. The truth is, homemade lasagna noodles are usually made with eggs, which really contributes to making the meal heavy. Box noodles are generally just flour and water. We loved lasagna and will probably make it again, possibly with zucchini, mushroom, or maybe a combo of veggies.

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