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| Mushroom, Eggplant, Kale Lasagna |
We were fortunate to have my mom in town for the first few
days when I went back to work in May. It was a treat for all of us—Brecken got
spoiled with grandma love and affection (and a few new outfits!) and I got
spoiled with a calming presence for those first harried days and much needed
help around the house! There’s nothing better than having an extra set of hands
available to hold a baby, wash a few dishes, or tag-team the making of this
lasagna!
My mom and I prepped this the night before we ate it, taking
turns slicing eggplant or sautéing mushrooms or assembling the layers
(confession: she did most of it!). The next night we threw together a salad,
sliced some Asiago cheese bread, and threw this in the oven. I’m as big a fan
of meaty, cheesy lasagna as the next, but I liked this meatless,
vegetable-heavy take on the traditional dish. My only change would be to use
more sauce, which I’ve reflected in the recipe below. Even if you don’t have
extra help prepping this, you’ll find it comes together pretty quickly and
since leftovers reheat well, you’re best off doubling and enjoying for a few
days!
One Year Ago: Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Two Years Ago: Oatmeal Pancakes and Sourdough Bread Bouquet
Three Years Ago: Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Bars and Cheddar, Bacon, and Chive Savory Cheesecake
Four Years Ago: Cowboy Caviar and Marinated Cheese
Mushroom, Eggplant, Kale Lasagna
adapted from Runner's World Magazine
Ingredients:
-1 large eggplant, trimmed and sliced into rounds 1/3-inch thick
-1 large bunch kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
-1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-pinch red pepper flakes
-1 (15 oz) container part-skim ricotta
-2 eggs
-4 cups marinara sauce
-9 whole wheat no-boil lasagna noodles
-1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler. Coat eggplant slices with olive oil spray, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and broil for 4 minutes. Flip and broil the opposite side for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook mushrooms over medium-high heat until liquid has evaporated (about 6 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic, red pepper flakes, and kale. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ricotta and eggs.
4. Spread a thin layer of marinara over the bottom of a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Add noodles to fit the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with half the ricotta, followed by half of the eggplant, half of the kale / mushroom mixture, and a 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layers. Finish with 1 cup of marinara, a third layer of noodles, and the remaining marinara and 1/2 cup mozzarella.
5. Cover pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly. Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
-1 large bunch kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
-1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-pinch red pepper flakes
-1 (15 oz) container part-skim ricotta
-2 eggs
-4 cups marinara sauce
-9 whole wheat no-boil lasagna noodles
-1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler. Coat eggplant slices with olive oil spray, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and broil for 4 minutes. Flip and broil the opposite side for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook mushrooms over medium-high heat until liquid has evaporated (about 6 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic, red pepper flakes, and kale. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ricotta and eggs.
4. Spread a thin layer of marinara over the bottom of a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Add noodles to fit the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with half the ricotta, followed by half of the eggplant, half of the kale / mushroom mixture, and a 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layers. Finish with 1 cup of marinara, a third layer of noodles, and the remaining marinara and 1/2 cup mozzarella.
5. Cover pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly. Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
