zucchini lasagna

i've just started teaching cooking classes once a month, and i am loving it! for my first class, i made this zucchini lasagna. for all those italian lovers, it's a great way to get your italian fix but to reduce calories and increase vegetable intake. why not have your cake and eat it too!?

anywho, i thought i would share the recipe here. hope you enjoy!

zucchini lasagna

serves: 8

ingredients:

• 6 medium zucchini
• 1 - 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper

preheat the oven to 375 F. slice zucchini 1/8" thick, vertically. sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. this step is very important as the salt pulls out the excess water in the zucchini. once the water rises to the top, blot dry. spay a pan with cooking spray and cook each "noodle" on medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side.

combine the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, and parmesan cheese in a bowl. add the dijon, egg, salt and pepper and mix. in a pan, cook the onion, pepper, and garlic until golden brown. add the spinach and cook until water is cooked out. remove from the stove top and place in a mixing bowl. 

spray a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. layer the bottom of the top with crushed tomatoes, cheese sauce, and the veggie mixture. top with zucchini slices until the bottom of the pan is covered. continue this layering process until you run out of ingredients, ending with zucchini noodles on top. sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top layer of zucchini and cover with foil. bake at 375 F for 45 minutes. remove the foil and broil the dish for 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

remove from the oven and let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.