Healthy Recipe: ‘Pantastic’ Lasagna

By Megan Smith, Sargent Choice Ambassador

Every Wednesday Karen Jacobs EdD, OTR/L, CPE, FAOTA hosts the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen in StuVi 2 Apt. 2302 from 8-11pm. She kindly welcomes the BU community to make and test new Sargent Choice recipes while we eat, talk and play games like Apples to Apples or Bananagrams.

Pantastic (fantastic) Loaf Pan Lasagna was our recipe a few weeks back. Although different from what one may think of as “typical” or “regular” lasagna, this dish was definitely a crowd pleaser. Students loved the lasagna and also appreciated that it was more unique and flavorful than typical meat and cheese lasagna. Another wonderful recipe from Meal Makeover Moms, this lasagna could easily become a Sargent Choice Test Kitchen all-time favorite!

Everyone had fun preparing this dish since there was something for everyone to do, from chopping and sautéing to taking turns layering the lasagna noodles in the pan with cheese and sauce.

This may be something you want to get ingredients for before  another snowstorm hits. Nothing like healthy comfort food (that you can feel good about eating, too!) to help warm your cold days and give you something to do.

Invite friends over this weekend for lasagna night – or make it alone so you get to keep the leftovers!
And don’t forget to come check out the test kitchen; even bring a friend along!

Loaf Pan Lasagna
Recipe from Meal Makeover Mom’s cookbook, No Whine with Dinner

Yields 6 Servings

Ingredients
–       1 Tablespoon Olive oil
–       One 10-oz package sliced mushrooms, coarsely chopped
–       One 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
–       1 large carrot, peeled and shredded (or 2 medium carrots)
–       1 Tablespoon basil pesto (can make or purchase pre-made)
–       One 26-oz jar pasta sauce (look for lower sodium choices)
–       8 whole wheat lasagna noodles
–       6-oz part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded (about 1½cups)
–       ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1)   Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2)   Cook Lasagna noodles according to package directions – do not overcook!

3)   Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms give off liquid and the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Stir in the pesto until well combined.

4)   To assemble, spread ¼ cup pasta sauce on the bottom of each of two 8½ x 5-in loaf pans. Add lasagna noodle to each followed by ½ cup vegetable mixture, a scant ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, ½ Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, and ¼ cup pasta sauce. Top with more noodles in each loaf pan followed by the remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

5)   Cover loosely with foil and bake 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese melts and the lasagnas are bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition information
1 Slice