Here's to a classic: Veggie Lasagna! Lasagna can be very tricky to make; under/overcooked noodles, not enough/too much cheese... it doesn't take much for a lasagna to take a turn for the worse! This is an easy recipe with a couple of short-cuts to make sure it turns out perfect every time.  Plus, substituting veggies for the usual beef or sausage makes  it easier on your pocketbook (and your arteries!).

What you will need:

3 cups chopped veggies of your choice (my favorites are red bell pepper, mushrooms, and zucchini)

1/2 chopped onion (red or white; use red if you like a slightly more pungent onion flavor!)

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup low-fat Ricotta cheese (low-fat makes it healthier and tastes EXACTLY the same as regular)

1 egg

2 cups fresh spinach (I like to remove the stems, but this is optional)

2 cups marinara sauce (Store brand will do, since the veggies should be the star here, not the sauce)

12 uncooked oven-ready whole grain lasagna noodles (Oven-ready is important! Much easier!!)

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 

1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

What to do:

-Preheat oven to 375 F.

-Roughly chop the veggies (chop the mushrooms slightly larger than other veggies so they won't get mushy)

-Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until the onions start to sweat

-Add the other veggies and saute until they are tender; set aside

-In a separate bowl, whisk the egg into the Ricotta and stir in the spinach 

-Into a 9x13 pan or glass dish, spoon in a small amount of sauce--enough to cover the bottom

-Top with 4 lasagna noodles (using oven-ready noodles is a great easy alternative to regular noodles!)

-Top noodles with 1/2 Ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the veggies, and about 3/4 cup sauce

-Repeat layers

-Top off with last 4 noodles, remaining sauce, and the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses

-Bake COVERED at 375 degrees for 40 minutes (covering helps prevent the noodles from drying out)

-Remove cover, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly

This recipe is fantastically easy and even more delicious! The cheeses provide enough protein to fill you up, and the veggies offer a savory blend of textures that is sure to please everybody.  Serve this with a simple side salad of romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and your favorite Italian dressing; and now you have your whole meal! If you are cooking for one or two and don't want to make a whole 9x13, half all of the ingredients except for the Ricotta cheese and spinach and use an 8x8 pan. The spinach cooks down so it doesn't add too much volume, and as far as I'm concerned, the more Ricotta the merrier! 

I hope someone else can pick up this recipe and enjoy making it as much as I have.  Happy cooking!