Monday, March 30, 2009

Zucchini Lasagna

Hey all. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Oh, I forgot to mention that Friday was my One Year Blogiversary! I had no idea when I started this blog how many friends I would make but not actually meet. On those days when I feel like I am missing something I come here & feel complete. So, thank you!  One favorite blogger of mine is having me guest post at her Circus so go on over & check it out. Should be up at midnight.

So, the weekend was great, had some sushi & martinis, tennis with my best friend on Saturday morning, Monsters vs. Aliens with the little guy & this Zucchini Lasagna on Sunday night.

I found this in my Clean Eating magazine so you know it's healthy plus we all really enjoyed it!!!!!! 


1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz jar low fat low sodium tomato sauce
1 lb extra lean ground chicken or turkey
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
1 egg
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 tsp whole wheat flour
1/2 cup skim mozzarella cheese, shredded & divided
2 1/2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350. In a large nonstick pan, saute onions & garlic over medium heat until tender. Add tomato sauce & ground meat & cook for about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, slightly beat the egg. Stir in cottage cheese, flour & 1/4 cup of the mozzarella. Pour 1/2 of the meat tomato sauce into a 1 1/2 quart roasting pan. Top with half of the zucchini slices & then all of the cottage cheese. Cover with remaining meat tomato sauce & zucchini. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese & bake 10 minutes longer.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


{My Thoughts}

Recipe called for 2 garlic cloves but I always double it. The casserole dish I used was 2 quarts & was perfect. The standard 9 x 13 x 2 casserole dish would be a bit big so find the baking dish that works for you before you start. As for the zucchini, the recipe called for 2 medium zucchini but I found I used a little more. I also cut the zucchini to fit the pan just right.

The recipe did not specify whether the sauce should be a standard tomato sauce that you find with the diced tomatoes or the tomato sauce that's in with the spaghetti sauce so I opted for Classico Cabernet Marinara. It had the lowest amount of sodium of most of the others & was low in fat.

My only complaint here is that the lasagna was very watery as I pulled out the first few pieces. I needed a slotted spatula & had to serve it in bowls. However, the next few pieces were much better as you can see from the pics. I recommend you slice the zucchini, salt it generously & let it sit for 1/2 hour to draw out the moisture. Pat dry & then proceed. 


{Click Here to Print Recipe}


Visit Lisa at Blessed with Grace for more Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays! And I am hoping to have a couple of different bits of good news to share  in the next day or two, so stay tuned.

56 comments:

Jen said...

This looks so good. I am going to add this to my recipe list now.

Carrie said...

Congratulations!! Happy Blogiversary!

Zucchini tends to let off a lot of water when cooked. Could've been that too.

It sounds delicious and I will hopefully have LOTS of zukes from my garden later this year! Yum!!

Christy said...

Looks delicious! Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

That does look good.. I love zucchini

brionyskerjance said...

i love zucchini...and i love that i have something new to do with it :) looks delicious!

Rebecca said...

That looks AMAZING! I love lasagna and I love zucchini!

Oh.. I moved my blogs all to one spot (finally!)

http://beckiyagh.com

Deanna said...

Let stand? Let stand? How can you possibly do that when that yummy goodness is calling your name.

Amanda said...

umm I love zucchini!! LOVE it!

I am soooo going to make this!

Anonymous said...

Ooh, this looks really good! Since I haven't made my grocery list for the week yet, I am definitely adding this to the menu!

Jaysi said...

i love zucchini! that looks amazing!

Kristina P. said...

What a great, easy way to use zucchini!

mommy4life said...

We've been cutting back on carbs and I've really missed my Italian food and pasta. I will definitely have to give this a try!

starnes family said...

Looks divine!

Selba said...

This looks so wonderful!

3 Bay B Chicks said...

Great post! Tempting, as always.

Did you notice that something has been missing from your blog? It might have appeared around the time I stopped commenting? I’m sorry about all that. I took a little hiatus from the blogosphere, but I couldn’t stay away too long. After a break, I had to come by again and see what you’ve been up to.

Glad that I did.

-Francesca

PS: Thanks for the birthday love!

scrappysue said...

yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!!! we are a lasagne-loving family! congrats on being the FB @ SITS

Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet said...

Yummy! This looks absolutely delish! :D

April said...

I enjoyed your post over at Angie's! That recipe look divine!

Amy said...

What a great post you did for Angie. Sound like you had a wonderful weekend.

sassy stephanie said...

I make mine with cut zucchini, but have never thought to use it in place of pasta. Interesting! I am going to try this!

Lula! said...

This will be so fab when I have a bounty of zucchini this summer!

Erin said...

Print! This is on my try list!

Samantha said...

This recipe is definitely a keeper for me, will try soon, I cant wait. Looks delicious, thanks so much for sharing !

Rachael Schirano \\ Rachael Schirano Photography said...

happy blogaversary!

we adore pasta dishes in this house + i am always looking for new twists on old favorites. definitely adding this one to my list to try!

Janet said...

Yum! That sounds and looks delicious. Will definitely have to give it a try. Happy Blogiversary!

Kristen said...

This looks so pretty, tasty and healthy! Wonderful - thanks for sharing!

tiarastantrums said...

this looks so goo d- I wonder if my hubs would eat it? I LOVE veggies and actually prefer them to anything else!

akawest said...

I could make this for company. My husband won't eat Zucchini. It looks really yummy. I am so glad that I like all vegetables. I don't understand people who don't.

Clare said...

coming over from SITS. Congrats on your one year bloganniversary. That is marvelous. Hey, I adore your blog cos I love food. Just love it. This zucchini recipe has made me hungry at 10 in the morning. I am now a follower. Please come over and follow me. Clare

Darla said...

Happy Blogiversary!

Pam said...

Can I just say - YUM! Looks fantastic.

Happy blogiversary.

Pam said...

That looks so good. I know my daughter would love this.
Thanks for sharing!

Lisa@BlessedwithGrace said...

Happy Be-lated Blogaversary! I agree with you about the online friendships with blogging.
I love the idea of this recipe. I need to leave the pasta out, more often. Good idea!

Scary Mommy said...

Ohhhhh, I'm so excited to make this. I'm always looking for yummy bread free dinners. Mmmmmm. And Happy Blogiversary, woo-hooooo!!

FROGGITY! said...

I love zucchini! Looks yum.

HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY! :)

Unknown said...

This looks SCRUMPTIOUS! I loved your guest post. You are SO my favorite cooker girl! : ). Oh yes, you are.

Brenda said...

Looks great! I like your suggestions, zucchini does tend to be watery.

Michelle said...

My first thought when I saw this recipe was that I bet it was watery. I have that issue when using zucchini in pasta dishes. Great idea to draw the water out first!

Great post over at Angie's and Happy blogaversary!

Mary Beth said...

This looks great! I bought one issue of Clean Eating a while ago but haven't seen it on newsstands around here...must go on hunt now! Thanks for the inspiration.

Happy Belated Blogiversary!

The Nice One said...

My TWO favorites mixed into one?!?!?! Zucchini AND Lasagne!?!?!? MmmMMmmm cant wait to make for the family!

Angela said...

Yum! I'm still hungry from dinner and this is not helping, LOL! And HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY!

Reeni said...

This is healthy but decadent, just the way lasagna should be! And I love that you put extra garlic in it!

Pami said...

I am so trying this looks really good

Pumpkin said...

I love this! I've used zucchini sliced in super-thin ribbons as a pasta substitute before, so I don't know why I hadn't thought of making lasagna! I love zucchini- can't wait to try this!

Aunt Julie said...

Yum! I've been looking for something to cook for after church this Sunday. Looks like I've found the foundation for my menu!

Muthering Heights said...

That looks DELICIOUS!!!

Cheffie-Mom said...

Happy 1 Year of blogging! Woo hoo!
This recipe looks super yummy! I can't wait to try it! Thank you!

Jessica said...

This looks great! I'm always looking for a twist on regular lasagna. Mmm! Will definitely try this (and I'll salt the zucchini first, I hate a soggy lasagna). Thanks!!

Yellow Beads said...

YOU WON MY CONTEST, ya!

Ronda said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

Your zucchini dish looks amazing!
But right now, sushi and martini's sound great to me!!

XOXO

Anonymous said...

That looks so good! I just ate dinner and that made me hungry again!

Congrats on one year!

carrhop said...

This sounds so yummy. I'll have to check out Clean Eating--I've cooking out of my Eating For Life cookbook and would love to find some more recipes that sport good combos of carbs and proteins...

Love your new header, BTW! Tres chic!

Blessings!

Michelle said...

That reminds me of moussaka. In a way, it's a cross between lasagne and moussaka. It cracks me up though thinking of finding the low sodium tomato sauce and then salting the zucchini ;) Do you ever just make your own sauce? It's SO easy and fast!

Mo said...

Happy Blogiversay!

Sorry I have not been around much. I think of you and wonder what you've been up to and cooking but my work life right is super crazy so the extra time I usually have to trip the blog fantastic is down to almost nothing.

I have an Easter card to send but can't put my hot hands on your address. I think it is on my desk at home, which does me no good as I am in a hotel right now.

Will you please email your address again? texanatheartus@yahoo.com

Hope you and the fam are well.

Debbie said...

Sorry I am just now getting around to wishing you a happy blogiversary!

michelle matthews said...

Yummy!!!!! I love zuchini lasagna!