Inside-Out Lasagna

From EatingWell: January/February 2010

Here we take basic lasagna ingredients—ricotta cheese, pasta and tomatoes—and skip the layering and long baking time to make a super-quick and satisfying meal for the whole family. To cut down on prep time, look for presliced mushrooms. For meat lovers, brown some crumbled turkey sausage along with the onions and garlic. Serve with: Steamed broccoli and whole-grain baguette.

4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat rotini or fusilli
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves cloves garlic, sliced
• 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

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Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms release their liquid, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, spinach and crushed red pepper (if using). Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring once halfway through, until the spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes.
4. Toss the sauce with the pasta and divide among 4 bowls. Dollop each serving with 3 tablespoons of ricotta.

Nutrition

Per serving: 364 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 14 mg cholesterol; 16 g protein; 7 g fiber; 588 mg sodium; 786 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (90% daily value), Vitamin C (50% dv), Folate (25% dv), Potassium (22% dv), Calcium (21% dv), Iron (20% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 starch, 2 vegetables, 1 lean meat, 1 fat

Healthified Green Bean Casserole

6 servings, about 3/4 cup each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 medium sweet onion, (half diced, half thinly sliced), divided
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry, (see Ingredient Note)
• 1 pound frozen French-cut green beans, (about 4 cups)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk powder, (see Ingredient Note)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

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Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the mushroom juices are almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add milk and sherry and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir in green beans and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in sour cream and buttermilk powder. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
3. Whisk the remaining 1/3 cup flour, paprika, garlic powder and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Add sliced onion; toss to coat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion along with any remaining flour mixture and cook, turning once or twice, until golden and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread the onion topping over the casserole.
4. Bake the casserole until bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

• Ingredient notes:
• Don't use the high-sodium “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets. Instead, purchase dry sherry sold with other fortified wines.
• Look for buttermilk powder, such as Saco Buttermilk Blend, in the baking section or with the powdered milk in most supermarkets.

Our modification since we couldn't find the buttermilk powder: 3/4 c buttermilk, 1/4 c. reconstituted non-fat dry milk, 2 tbsp non-fat dry milk powder (for consistency)

Nutrition

Per serving: 212 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 10 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 533 mg sodium; 259 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium (16% daily value).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 fat