Recipes: Easy Vegetarian Lasagna

the recipes

october 98

Easy Vegetarian Lasagna

(makes 6 servings)

	olive oil cooking spray
3	cloves garlic, minced
1	small onion, 4 ounces (120 g), chopped
1	28-ounce (793 g) crushed tomatoes
1 1/2	teaspoons (7.5ml) dried basil
1	teaspoon (5 ml ) fennel, crushed
1	teaspoon (5 ml ) dried orange rind*
1/8	teaspoon (0.6 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
1	15-ounce (425 g) container low fat ricotta cheese
1/2	pound zucchini (240 g), grated and squeezed of excess liquid
2	small carrots, 4 ounces (120 g ), grated
1/2	cup (120 ml) egg substitute
1	cup (120 g) shredded skim milk mozzarella cheese, plus 1/4 cup (30 g) for garnish (optional)
2	tablespoons (15 g) grated Romano cheese, plus 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) for garnish (optional)
6	oven-ready lasagna noodles

*available in the spice section of most supermarkets

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), Gas Mark 4.

Spray a non-stick covered pot with cooking spray. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, fennel, orange rind, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a slow simmer, cover and cook while you ready the rest of the ingredients.

Place the ricotta in a large bowl. Fold in the grated zucchini and carrots. Stir in the egg substitute, grated mozzarella and finally the Romano cheese. Set aside.

Prepare an 8-inch (20 cm) oven-proof square pan by spreading 3 to 4 tablespoons of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Place 2 lasagna noodles on the bottom. Spread with 1/3 of the cheese and vegetable mixture and top with 1/3 of tomato sauce. Repeat making 3 layers, ending with tomato sauce. Top with reserved mozzarella and Romano.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil which you tent a bit to make sure it does not touch the cheese on top. Make sure to crimp around the edges of the pan. Bake for 1 hour, uncovering the last 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Per serving:	260 calories (26% calories from fat), 19 g protein, 7 g total fat (4.2 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 30 mg cholesterol, 426 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges:	2 lean protein (meat), 2 vegetable

Tossed Salad with Home Made Croutons

(Makes 6 servings)

2	cups, 4 ounces ( 120 g) country-style day old bread cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes
	olive oil cooking spray
1/2	teaspoon ( 2.5 ml ) fines herbes
5	cups (336 g) crisp salad greens
1	cup (56 g) arugula leaves
1	6-ounce (180 g) red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1	large red pearl onion, 2 ounces (60 g), thinly sliced
Dressing:
2	tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
2	tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
2	tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1/8	teaspoon (0.6 ml) garlic powder
1	teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried basil
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml ) salt (optional)
	freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C), Gas Mark 4. Pace the bread cubes in a single layer and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with herbes, spray lightly again, and bake until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside
Place the salad greens and arugula in a salad bowl. Top with red pepper slices, onion rings and croutons.
Place the dressing ingredients in a covered jar. Shake vigorously until well combine. Drizzle enough dressing over the salad to just coat. Toss and serve immediately.

Per serving:	117 calories (40% calories from fat), 3 g protein, 5 g total fat (0.8 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 117 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges:	1 carbohydrate (1/2 bread/starch, 1 vegetable), 1 fat

Frozen Gelatin Mousse

(makes 4 servings)

1	0.3-ounce package (8.5 g) sugar-free strawberry flavored gelatin
3/4	cup (180 ml) boiling water
3/4	cup ice cubes, 10 to 15
3/4	cup(180 ml) fat-free, sugar-free vanilla ice cream
4	perfect strawberries with stems

Place gelatin in bowl of electric mixer and add the boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Add the ice cubes and stir until the gelatin begins to set. Remove any small bits of ice that do not melt.
Begin to beat the gelatin slowly and add the ice cream 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time. When all the ice cream has been added, beat another 30 seconds. Place in the freezer for up to 1 hour.
To serve, divide between 4 dessert glasses and top each with a strawberry.

Per serving:	52 calories (2% calories from fat), 3 g protein, <1 g total fat (0.1 saturated fat), 10 g carbohydrate, <1 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 73 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges:	1 carbohydrate (bread/starch)

Legal

Recipes/Articles

All recipes and articles on this site are protected by United States Copyright Laws. This means that you may make a copy of any recipe and/or article for personal, non-commercial use only, provided our copyright notice is prominently displayed on your copy. HOWEVER, you may not download the recipes and/or articles to distribute, republish, post, or transmit for your own commercial purposes without prior written consent by Diabetic-Lifestyle.