Hearty Lasagna

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

3/4 pound ground round

Vegetable cooking spray

1 cup onion chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped & divided

28 ounces whole tomatoes canned

14 1/2 ounces stewed tomatoes Italian-style

8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce 1 can

6 ounces tomato paste 1 can

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups nonfat cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 ounce, fresh

15 ounces nonfat ricotta cheese

1 egg white lightly beaten

8 ounces lasagna noodles 12, cooked

8 ounces Sargento Light Mexican Shredded Cheese *2 cups

Fresh oregano sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Cook meat in a large saucepan over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble; drain and set aside. Wipe pan with a paper towel. Coat pan with cooking spray; add the onion and garlic, and saute 5 minutes. Return meat to pan. Add 2 tablespoons parsley and next 7 ingredients (tomatoes should be undrained & chopped. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover; simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, cottage cheese, and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; stir well, and set aside.

Spread 3/4 cup tomato mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over tomato mixture; top with half of cottage cheese mixture, 2-1/4 cups tomato mixture, and 2/3 cup Sargento Light cheese. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread the remaining tomato mixture over noodles.

Cover; bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Sprinkle with remaining provolone; bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Garnish with oregano, if desired.

Yield: 9 servings.

*Original recipe used Italian Provolone instead of Sargento Light.

NOTES :Extremely tasty. The texture is not quite the same as full fat lasagna, butit's better than most. The Cheese doesn't really melt as well.