Healthy Recipe: Lean Lasagna

This homemade, lean lasagna fills you up without filling you out, but it takes an hour to make. Freeze the leftovers for quick meals that are more healthful than most of the ones you find in the freezer section of the supermarket.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp each dried basil, parsley, and oregano)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 6 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 2 cups fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 package whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 8 oz, or 9 noodles)
• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a medium-sized nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Sauté onion for 2 minutes, then add turkey and cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, all seasonings and mushrooms and simmer 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. In a bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, and nutmeg. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water.

For assembly

Coat a 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 lasagna noodles (3 noodles) on the bottom of the pan. Spread a layer of ricotta mixture, then turkey mixture, then 1/3 mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella. Bake 20ozzarella. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Cool at least 5 minutes before cutting.

The skinny

310 calories per serving, 6 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 31 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 33 g protein