Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe

Tofu is a well-kept secret in this delicious pasta bake.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

You Will Need
6 lasagne noodles (5 1/2 ounces total)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound silken tofu
1/2 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 can (8 ounces) no-salt-added tomato sauce
4 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
1 egg
2 egg whites

What to Do
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the lasagne noodles according to package directions until firm-tender. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4 minutes or until they begin to give up their juices. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until no liquid remains. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the lemon zest, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Toss well.

3. In a food processor, combine the tofu, cottage cheese, ricotta, 6 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the tomato sauce, tomato paste, whole egg, egg whites, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and process to a smooth purée.

4. Spray a 7 x 11-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with 2 of the lasagne noodles. Spoon half of the spinach mixture and one-third of the tofu mixture over the noodles. Make another layer of noodles, the remaining spinach mixture, and another one-third of the tofu mixture. Top with the remaining lasagne noodles and the remaining tofu mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot.

Serves: 6

Per serving: Calories 321; Fiber 5 g; Protein 24 g; Total Fat 9 g; Saturated Fat 3 g; Cholesterol 48 mg; Sodium 977 mg