Lighter, Quicker Vegetable Lasagna

Since we don't have a grill (someday we'll manage that!), we enjoy our outdoor summer meals on the back deck by preparing them in advance to reduce the time in the kitchen right before guests arrive.  The layering of lasagna means that for us, at least, it's always time consuming enough to make it a special treat.  But even as a special treat, I find most lasagna recipes ridiculously heavy!  This recipe satisfies even my pickiest acquaintance, a regular crusader against low fat products of any kind.  

To speed it up, the recipe calls for frozen veggies and no-cook noodles; you can speed it up even further by replacing the first five ingredients in the vegetable sauce with a jar of your favorite marinara.  

To lighten it even further, you can use non-fat ricotta and mozzarella, then spray each layer with olive oil.  However, you'll find that the nutritional profile here is quite balanced as-is, even for folks on special diets.

Ingredients

Cheese filling 1 12 oz pkg silken tofu 1 1/2 cup low fat ricotta 3 Tbsp pesto 1 clove garlic 1/2 tsp salt pepper 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or Italian 4 cheese blend) 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan Vegetable sauce 3 Tbs olive oil 2 med onions, chopped 2-5 garlic cloves, minced (depending on taste!)

1 can (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste 1 zucchini, cut in 1/2" slices 3/4 cups diced celery (frozen is fine) 1 1/2 cups diced carrots (frozen is fine) 1/4 cup cooking wine or dry wine 1 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts 4 bay leaves 3 Tbsp pesto 2 tsp dried oregano 1 pinch thyme 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) pepper to taste 1 package no cook lasagna noodles

Procedure 1	Spray bottom of 9x13 pan with spray canola oil or olive oil.
2	Preheat oven to 350.
3	Heat oil in saucepan (use a nonreactive saucepan). Saute onions for five minutes. Add garlic and zucchini; saute for another ten minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and wine. Simmer for 10 minutes, until carrots are softened. Remove bay leaves. Stir in pesto, oregano, and thyme. If using a jar marinara instead, mix all the ingredients at once and saute for about 10-15 minutes until carrots are softened; keep an eye on it and add some water if it gets to thick for your taste.
4	(To save time, do this while sauce is simmering!) Add tofu, ricotta cheese, pesto, and garlic to a bowl. Combine with a fork until well blended. Add half of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and stir until spices are evenly distributed.
5	Spread 1 cup of tomato vegetable sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan. Spread a single layer of raw lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread on half of cheese mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 each of remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat layers of tomato sauce, noodles, cheese mix, and grated cheeses. Spread the artichoke hearts over this layer. Add a final layer of noodles, remaining tomato sauce, and cheese.
6	Cover tightly with aluminum foil. At this point you can store the lasagna in the fridge overnight if you prefer. If stored for over four hours, bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and brown for ten. If stored for less time, bake for 45 minutes or until noodles are soft when poked with a toothpick, then remove foil and brown for ten. Lasagna should always rest 10 minutes before serving.

Servings: 12

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1/12 of a recipe (10.5 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.

Amount Per Serving Calories 355 Calories From Fat (31%) 107 % Daily Value Total Fat 12g 19% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Cholesterol 18mg 6% Sodium 620mg 26% Potassium 755mg 22% Total Carbohydrates 47g 16% Fiber 6g 24% Sugar 4g Protein 16g 32% Vitamin A 3733IU 75% Vitamin B12 0.23mcg 4% Vitamin B6 0.34mg 17% Vitamin C 19.44mg 32% Vitamin E 1.33mg 13% Vitamin K 10.99mcg 14%