Vegetable Lasagna

Jane Brody

• 1 ½ cups chopped onion (1 ½ large)
• 2 large cloves , finely minced (2 teaspoons)
• 6 oz. mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 3 T. sherry
• 1 T. butter or margarine
• 2 large stalks broccoli chopped (about 4 cups)
• ½ lb. spinach, washed well and chopped (about 2 cups)
• ½ t. low salt alternative
• 16 oz. (2 cups) low-fat cottage cheese
• 4 oz. part-skim mozzarella, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 3 T. grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 T. dried
• 2 eggs
• ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ t. salt, if desired
• 3 cups tomato sauce (homemade or canned)
• 8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

In a large skillet, sauté the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in sherry and butter until the vegetables are soft.

Add the chopped broccoli, spinach, and salt.  Stir to combine the ingredients, reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender-crisp.

In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, eggs, pepper, and salt.

In a baking pan approximately 13 x 9 x 2 inches, spread ½ cup of tomato sauce on bottom.  Layer the lasagna ingredients as follows: Arrange three strips of lasagna noodles on the bottom.  Spread half of the cheese mixture on noodles, then half of the vegetable mixture, and 1 cup of the tomato sauce.  Repeat, starting from the noodles.  End with a layer of noodles topped with the remaining ½ cup of tomato sauce.  Sprinkle the top of the lasagna with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Bake the lasagna at 375 for 25 minutes.  Let it stand for about 10 minutes before serving it.