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Healthy Lasagna

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Birthdays are always a very special time and I love being able to do even the smallest of things to make my loved ones smile.  Whether that’s making homemade birthday cake or making their favorite meal, it’s important to let them know it’s their day. Yesterday was Andrew’s birthday.  He did have to work, but I was able to meet him for lunch which was great, but later I was even more excited to be able to make him his favorite dinner, Lasagna…and of course I made him a chocolate cake! I decided to try to make a healthy lasagna.
You may be interested in our Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe here.

Mix together egg, ricotta cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon basil until combined. Place in fridge until ready to use.

Brown ground chicken until cooked throughout.

Combine sauce, cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon basil. Heat to boil then remove from heat.

Start layers in greased pan…
Sauce on bottom,

3 noodles

More sauce,

Half of ricotta mixture,

Mozzarella cheese (then repeat, 3 noodles,1 1/2 cups sauce mixture, remaining ricotta mixture, 3 noodles, remaining sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, then Parmesan cheese)

Then result already looks yummy.  Cover with sprayed foil and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove foil and cook until bubbly (about 10-15 more minutes).

Remove and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

It was so yummy!!

To end the birthday celebration, we had homemade chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and a glass of milk!

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Healthy Lasagna
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 9 lasagna noodles uncooked
  • 1 lb ground chicken ground turkey or beef would also work
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 jars 25oz spaghetti sauce (we prefer Prego)
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 15 oz reduced-fat part skim ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese reduced fat
  • 1/3 shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Cook and drain lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain and place in cold water.
  2. While you are cooking the noodles, spray a 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together egg, ricotta cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon basil until combined. Place in fridge until ready to use.
  3. In a skillet, cook ground meat and garlic on medium high until cooked throughout. Drain any excess juice from meat. Stir in the sauce, cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon basil. Heat until it starts to boil, then remove from heat.
  4. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Drain the noodles from the water.
  5. Spread 3/4 cup sauce mixture on the bottom of glass dish.
  6. Layer in the following way: 3 noodles, 1 1/2 cups sauce mixture, Half of the ricotta mixture, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 3 noodles, 1 1/2 cups sauce mixture, Remaining ricotta mixture, 3 noodles, Remaining sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese
  7. Pull a piece of foil out big enough to cover the dish and spray with cooking spray. Cover dish with foil, spray side down.
  8. Bake for 45 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly.
  10. Let stand 10-15 minutes before you serve.

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Quick Slow Cooker Lasagna

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*Disclosure: Affiliate links contained in this post.  You purchase like you would normally, but we receive a small commission. 
We eat pasta in this house at least once a week, if not more.  However, lasagna intimidates me.  Out of all of the amazing food Andrew’s mom makes, lasagna is his favorite, and let’s face it, no one can really compete with “mom’s food”. We have been together for 3 years and I’ve only made it once and it was “just okay”. Since then, I’ve just left it up to his mom to cook. But then I started this blog and decided that I would go for everything and just keep trying.
Additionally, I had ricotta cheese and tomato sauce sitting around in hopes of making lasagna that was about to expire so I just had to go for it.
I found this slow cooker lasagna recipe and was intrigued.  I love slow cookers, so I had to give it a try. Of course I added my own twist to it based on what I had at home.
First, start by chopping one lone medium size onion. Next, add the onions, ground turkey and sausage to a skillet on medium high.  Cook until meat is browned.

Transfer the cooked meat mixture to a large bowl and add the sauce and spices. Combine together very well.

Spray your slow cooker and add 1/4 of the meat mixture of the bottom.

Add 5 noodles on top to cover the pan, you will have to break up some of the pieces to cover the entire pot.

Add 1/2 of the cheese mixture. 
Repeat stacking process with with 1/4 sauce, 5 more noodles broken up, remaining cheese mixture. Then 1/4 more sauce 5 more noodles, and remaining sauce.  Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours. (Could do on low for 4-6 hours)
You will notice after awhile that the noodles will start to become tender and it smells amazing!!
During the last 10 minutes add the remaining cup of cheese (or more if you want really cheesy *wink wink*)
Turn off the slow cooker.  There is enough heat that it will melt great.
This slow cooker lasagna looked so good and was tasted even better!
I even used the remaining sausage from the package and cooked up two sausage patties that I will use for breakfast in the morning:)
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Quick Slow cooker Lasagna
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey
  • 1/2 lb ground sausage
  • 1 medium onion chopped (roughly an entire cup)
  • 56 oz of tomato sauce this was 7- 8oz cans for me--you could also using 2 1/2 jars of spaghetti sauce if you don't have tomato sauce laying around
  • 2 tsp dried basil leaves
  • 1 tsp Mrs Dash table blend
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 container 15 oz part skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 2/3 cup shredded Colby cheese divided
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 15 uncooked lasagna noddles
Instructions
  1. Chop one medium size onion. Add the sausage, ground turkey and onion to a skillet and cook over medium high heat until meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
  2. Drain meat if there is any excess juice.
  3. Transfer meat mixture to a large bowl and add tomato sauce, basil, Mrs Dash, sugar, salt, and pepper.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix together Ricotta, Parmesan, Mozzarella, and 2/3 cup of the Colby cheese. Refrigerate the remaining 1 cup of Colby cheese until the last 10 minutes of cooking.
  5. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
  6. Spoon 1/4 of the sauce mixture into your slow cooker. Place 5 noodles (broken to fit entire pot) on top. Spread half the cheese mixture on top of the noodles.
  7. Repeat with 1/4 sauce, 5 more noodles and remaining cheese mixture.
  8. Top off with last 5 noodles and remaining sauce mixture.
  9. Cover with lid and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours until noodles are very tender. (Could cook on low for 4-6 hours).
  10. For the last 10 minutes, sprinkle the remaining cup of Colby cup over the top.
  11. Cover and turn off the slow cooker until the cheese is melted.
  12. Cut & Serve.
This is more than enough for a family of 4.  When I make again for just us 2, I will definitely only do half of this in a smaller slow cooker. I hope you enjoy this!! 🙂
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