Since it's summertime, I've been trying to buy more seasonal, local produce to include in my lunch and dinner.
Yellow summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes are the the cheapest (and local!) this time of year, so one rainy day I decided to make a healthier version of a comforting classic... lasagna!
Sometimes when people think of a "healthier" dish they think that means you can eat as much of it as you want. That's really not the case (ever! unless you're eating leaves of lettuce...), BUT it usually means that you will get more nutrients, and a better balance of veggies, complex carbs, and protein.
In this turkey veggie lasagna, I used zucchini and eggplant instead of noodles, but I have also made the same dish with whole wheat noodles and it turned out nicely as well.
HEALTHIER TURKEY VEGGIE LASAGNA
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
MEAT & TOMATO SAUCE
- 1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
- 12 oz marinara sauce (or tomato sauce, and add your own Italian seasoning)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped finelly
- 1 cup frozen spinach, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
RICOTTA MIXTURE
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (full fat or skim)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
VEGGIE "NOODLES"
- 1 zucchini, sliced thinly
- 1 eggplant, sliced into thin medallions
- 1 tbsp salt
*can substitute lasagna noodles for 2-3 "layers" of veggies
TOPPING
- 8 oz Mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350F
VEGGIE NOODLES
- place eggplant on a baking sheet and salt evenly
- let eggplant sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature, or until little bubbles form
- roast eggplant for 15-20 minutes
- meanwhile, prepare meat & tomato sauce, and ricotta mixture
MEAT & TOMATO SAUCE
- heat olive oil in skillet, and add garlic, onion, and turkey
- cook until turkey has browned, then add spinach and marinara sauce
- simmer on low, while preparing next steps
RICOTTA MIXTURE
- combine ricotta cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
COMBINATION OF LAYERS
- place layer of eggplant on bottom of a casserole dish
- layer meat & tomato sauce evenly on top
- then layer ricotta mixture
- place layer of zucchini or eggplant
- meat & tomato sauce
- finish with mozzarella on top
If you have more ingredients left over, add more layers!
Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until cheese has browned and melted on top. Let cool and slice!
If you try this, let me know how you like it in the comments below!
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