Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Lasagna!

There's lasagna -- and then there's Hungry Girl's newest version. It's a white lasagna that uses one of my favorite cheeses, a Laughing Cow cheese wedge. I swear, when I am having a bad diet day, I reach for a few wedges of this cheese, spread it on some celery, and the combo is just enough to get me through until dinner.

Speaking of dinner, pass this lasagna! At 7 Weight Watchers PointsPlus per serving, it's just what the diet doctor ordered. Hungry Girl says it's white done right. I say anything with a white sauce that is not loaded with butter and high-fat cheese is something to smile about.
HG's Hungry Girlfredo White Lasagna3 medium zucchini, ends removed
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
2 large egg whites or 1/4 cup liquid egg whites
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
2 cups chopped spinach
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
4 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese
4 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping, divided
4 sheets oven-ready lasagna noodles (like the kind by Ronzoni)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Optional: additional salt and black pepper
Directions:
* Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
* Slice zucchini in half widthwise, and then slice each half lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick strips. Set aside.
* In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg whites, garlic, oregano, basil, 1/8 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. black pepper. Stir well and set aside.
* Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add mushrooms and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook until spinach has wilted and excess moisture has evaporated, about 2 more minutes.
* Remove skillet from heat and let cool. Blot away excess moisture from veggies, using paper towels. Transfer contents to the bowl of ricotta mixture and set aside.
* Re-spray skillet and return to medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook zucchini until softened, about 2 minutes per side; remove skillet from heat and re-spray between batches. Set zucchini aside.
* To make the sauce, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine sour cream with cheese wedges, breaking cheese wedges into pieces as you add them. Stir in 2 tablespoons Parm-style topping, remaining 1/8 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/8 tsp. black pepper. Microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, until very warm. Stir until smooth and set aside.
* Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Evenly place 1/3rd of the cooked zucchini strips on the bottom. With a spoon or spatula, spread half of the ricotta-veggie mixture on top. Evenly top with 2 lasagna sheets, followed by 1/3rd of the sauce.
* Repeat layering with the same amounts of zucchini, ricotta-veggie mixture, lasagna sheets, and sauce. Evenly top with remaining zucchini, followed by remaining sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining 2 tablspoons Parm-style grated topping.
* Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese starts to brown.
* If you like, season to taste with additional salt and black pepper. Cut into four pieces.
* Makes 4 servings. Calories: 290; Fat: 6.5g; Sodium: 726mg; Carbs: 33g; Fiber: 3g; Sugars: 10g; Protein: 21.5g; PointsPlus: 7.

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