Lighter Vegetable Lasagna

This is a great summer fresh vegetable lasagna. It's so delicious and smells amazing while cooking! Serve with a yummy salad and crusty bread!

Lighter Lasagna Ingredients

2 c Zucchini; cubed
2 c Cottage cheese; lowfat
1 c Cubed bell peppers
1 c Mozzarella cheese; part skim
1 c Chopped tomatoes
4 c Sliced mushrooms
1/4 c Grated parmesan cheese
1/4 ts Salt
1/3 c Dry red wine
3 1/2 c Tomato sauce; prepared
3 tb Chopped fresh basil
1 lb Uncooked lasagne noodles
10 oz Fresh spinach; rinsed


Preheat the oven to 350F.
Combine the zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, salt, and wine in a saucepan, bring to a boil, cover, and then simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender and juicy. Stir in the basil and set aside.

Cover and cook the spinach on high heat in just the water clinging to the leaves for 3 minutes, until wilted but still bright green. Drain and chop coarsely.

Combine with the cottage cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan and set aside.

Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a 3-inch-deep nonreactive 8x12-inch baking dish. Layer with 5 or 6 noodles, 1 generous cup of undrained vegetables, and 1 cup of the spinach-cheese mixture. Cover with a second layer of noodles, 1 cup of sauce, 1 heaping cup of vegetables, 1 cup of the spinach-cheese mixture, and a third layer of noodles. Finally, add the rest of the vegetables, the remaining spinach-cheese mixture, a fourth layer of noodles, and the rest of the sauce. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the noodles are tender, about 60 minutes. Let sit at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Recipe by: Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Tonight for dinner is spaghetti and meatballs - Biggest Loser style! The "muscling up" meatballs are really yummy and good for you. Save leftovers for meatball subs! Put 3 meatballs in a hot dog bun, top with your fav spaghetti sauce and top with mozzarella cheese! Super yummy use for leftovers!

Lori's Baked Ziti

This recipe comes from my sister, Lori, in NY! It's so easy and soooo yummy! Enjoy!!

Saute in olive oil until crisp-tender: 1 small to medium yellow onion, chopped; 3-4 full-size (or more if using baby carrots) carrots, chopped; 1 green pepper, chopped; 1 red pepper, chopped; 3-4 cloves crushed garlic and 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning ( I usually add mushrooms if I am making a vegetarian version of this). To this, add a BIG jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I usually add the tomato & basil version) and warm. I usually add A LOT of sauce b/c I find that ziti has a tendency to dry out, so don't skimp on this step!! If I was adding hamburger, I would fry it separately and add it with the sauce.

Meanwhile, cook and drain a box of Ziti and pour into a large casserole dish. Pour the sauce mixture on the ziti and mix together. Using a large bag of shredded mozarella cheese, mix it with the sauce and sprinkle the rest on top. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese to the top and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned (approximately 30 -45 minutes).

Stroganoff - 4 points

MMM!! One of my favorite meals on a cold day. It really warms you up with some creamy comfort food! Add a great side salad and you've got a complete meal. Next time I make this, I'll omit the mustard.. I don't like mustard but threw it in to try the first time.

Hamburger Stroganoff:

9 oz extra lean ground beef
1 c chopped onion
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 & 1/4 t dried thyme leaves
2 c reduced sodium beef broth
1 sweet red pepper
1 t dijon mustard **** IF YOU DON"T LIKE MUSTARD: either omit or only put in 1/8 t
2 t prepared horseradish
1/4 t pepper1/4 salt
1 c nonfat sour cream
3 c hot cooked rice

Coat a large frying pan w/ no-stick spray. Crumble the beef into pan. Cook over medium high heat, breaking up the meat w/ a wooden spoon, fro 5 min or until lightly browned.

Line a platter w/ paper towels. Transfer the beef to the platter and drain well.

Wipe out the pan w/ a paper towel. Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 min, or until the onions soften.

Add the broth, red peppers, mustard, horseradish, pepper, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 min or until the sauce thickens slightly.

Reduce the heat and add the sour cream & beef. Heat for 2 min. Serve over rice.

WW Points: 4 pts

Makes 4 servings: approx 1 c rice each & 1 c stroganoff

Rigatoni Bake

A very quick, yummy, and aromatic recipe!

2 c uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 lb lean ground beef**
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
28-oz can of crushed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp dried dill weed (optional)
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese**

heat oven to 375. spray casserole dish w/non-stick cooking spray. in a large saucepan, cook rigatoni to desired doneness. Drain; return to saucepan.

In large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic until beef is browned and thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.

Add ground beef mixture, tomatoes, and dill to cooked rigatoni; mix well. Pour into sprayed casserole dishh. Cover

Bake at 375 for 30 min. Uncover; sprinkle w/cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 5 min or until cheese is melted.

Serving size: 1 & 1/2 cup

** to make this recipe lower in fat/caloris substitute lean 99% fat free turkey for ground beef and part-skim low fat mozzerella cheese for the regular cheese.