Give a cheer for the slow cooker! This recipe is great for those hectic days when you are driving one child to hockey practice and the other to a music lesson. Leftovers are fabulous the next day; it’s a great big pot of love. This recipe by Linda Reasbeck, PHEc and other fabulous vegetarian dishes can be found in the new Vegetarian’s Complete Quinoa Cookbook (Whitecap Books).
NOTE: Catelli’s Healthy Harvest line features whole-grain lasagna noodles. Be sure to choose a pasta sauce that lists tomatoes as the first ingredient.
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) mixed beans, well rinsed and drained
2 2/3 cups (650 mL) pasta sauce
2/3 cup (160 mL) canned diced tomatoes
3/4 cup (185 mL) quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tsp (10 mL) Italian seasoning
1 tsp (5mL) dried oregano leaves
8 uncooked lasagna noodles, preferably 100% whole grain
1 cup (250 mL) sliced white or cremini mushrooms
2 cups (500 mL) cooked chopped spinach leaves, well drained (or 10 oz/300 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained)
2 cups (500 mL) fat-free cottage cheese
2 cups (500 mL) grated mozzarella cheese
Method:
Grease a 6quart (6 L) slow cooker with canola oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the mixed beans, pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, quinoa (yes, it’s uncooked!), Italian seasoning and oregano. Mix well and set aside.
Place one layer of noodles on the bottom of the slow cooker, breaking to fit.
Top with half of the bean–pasta sauce–quinoa mixture.
Top with half of the mushrooms, and half of the spinach.
Top with half of the cottage cheese.
Repeat the layers: noodles, bean–pasta sauce–quinoa mixture, mushrooms and spinach, cottage cheese.
Top with all of the mozzarella cheese.
Cover and cook on Low for 5 hours. (See photo 6.)
To serve:
Let sit for 5 minutes, then scoop out servings. Serve with a mixed green salad.
Makes 10 servings
One serving = 1/10 of the lasagna
Nutrition per serving
322 calories, 17 mg cholesterol, 7 g fibre, 3 g saturated fat, 47 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein, 6 g total fat, 579 mg sodium, 7 g sugars
Excellent source of folate, vitamin D and iron.