Light and Delicious Lasagna

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com.  I love that it includes spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, and lower-fat turkey rather than beef.  We had it tonight, and it is really yummy!  My only critique is that it had a lot of liquid. I think next time I make it I will drain the diced tomatoes before adding them.  All in all, I think this is a great way to make lasagna a bit more nutritious.  I loved the fact that I could prepare it in the morning when my daughter was in school. That way when the crazy "bewitching hour" of 4pm hit all I had to do was slide this into the oven and spend that time focusing on my kids.  It take a bit of prep time, but it was worth it.

 Before baking

After baking

• 2 1/3 Tablespoons Olive oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 4 tsp dried basil
• 4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 6 cups fresh spinach
• 2 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 8 to 10 no-boil lasagna noodles (I used regular lasagna noodles and boiled them first)
• 3 cups zucchini, sliced
• 2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with one teaspoon of olive oil.

2.  Heat remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about five minutes. Mix in turkey, mushrooms, basil, oregano, and black pepper. Cook and stir until turkey is no longer pink and the mushrooms have released their liquid, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and spinach. Cook, stirring often, until spinach leaves are wilted, about five minutes; turn off burner.

3.  Mix cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, and parmesan cheese in a bowl until combined. Set aside.

4.  Place 4 or 5 lasagna noodles into the prepared baking dish, overlapping if necessary, and pour half of the turkey mixture over the noodles. Spread half of the zucchini slices over the meat sauce, and top with half of the cottage cheese mixture. Spread half of the mozzarella cheese over the cottage cheese layer.  Repeat layers, starting with four or five more noodles, the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, cottage cheese mixture, and remaining mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and browned, 45 minutes to one hour.