Name: Healthier Meat Lasagna Recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 6 whole-wheat lasagna noodles; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium onion; 1 small eggplant; 2 clove garlic; coarse salt and ground pepper; ½ lb ground sirloin; 1 can tomato puree; 1 pt cottage cheese; ¼ cup parmesan; ½ cup part-skim mozzarella

How To Make Healthier Meat Lasagna

You can still enjoy a hearty, meaty lasagna in a healthier way with this recipe. It uses whole wheat pasta, lean meat, and low-fat cheese.

Preparation: 40 minutes

Cooking: 40 minutes

Total: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients

6whole-wheat lasagna noodles,(about 4 ounces total)
1tbspolive oil
1mediumonion
1smalleggplant
2clovegarlic
coarse salt and ground pepper
½lbground sirloin
1cantomato puree
1ptcottage cheese,(2 cups)
¼cupparmesan,(plus 2 tbsp, 1½ oz), grated
½cuppart-skim mozzarella,(2 oz), shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place noodles in an 8×8-inch baking dish, and cover with hot tap water; set aside to soften.
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, eggplant, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender.
Add sirloin, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink. Add tomato puree, and cook until thickened. Season meat sauce with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Remove noodles from baking dish, discarding water.
Spread about ¼ cup meat sauce in bottom of dish, and top with 4 noodle halves. Layer with ⅓ cheese mixture, then ⅓ sauce.
Repeat twice with remaining noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lasagna is bubbling and cheese topping is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.