Herbed Tofu Lasagna with Zucchini

I LOVE Vegetarian Times!! This recipe made me weak in the knees! I know that a lot of vegetarian lasagna recipes can be really boring or have the same old ingredients but when I saw this one, there was something right away that intrigued me. Normally when I see lasagna that doesn't include meat they substitute all of the meat with a lot of cheese, and that means a lot of calories!! This has a great fresh taste and that special something that you can't put your finger on. I served this to a few hungry college students and they couldn't get enough! A side note, this recipe does make a LOT of food so it is best for parties or if you want to have a lot of leftovers so be prepared! While yes this is a little high in calories, you still need to let yourself have some guilt-free days! And trust me....this lasagna is worth the few extra calories!

Ingredients:
Serves 10

2 14-oz. pkg. firm tofu, well drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3 cups)
5 cups marinara sauce
16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine tofu, basil, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and similar to ricotta in texture.
• Put oil and zucchini in large nonstick skillet. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, or until just tender.
• Spread 3 Tbs. marinara sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Cover with layer of noodles, overlapping slightly, half of tofu mixture and half of zucchini mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining tofu and zucchini, and 1/2 cup sauce. Finish with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce.
• Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving:
Calories 314, Protein 18g, Total fat 12g, Carbs 36g, Sodium 617mg, Fiber 6g, Sugars 10g

What is your favorite Italian recipe that you can't seem to get enough of? I love anything with noodles :)

Mouthwatering Noodle-Free Lasagna

Noodle-free lasagna?? I know what you're thinking and trust me it's not as weird as it sounds. In fact you won't even miss the noodles! With the cold weather I am always in the mood for something warm and filling. I love coming home to a nice hearty meal after making my way through the cold and windy streets of Boston. There is nothing better than walking in to a home that is warm with the smell of fresh cooked food. This lasagna will definitely hit the spot no matter what that weather is doing outside!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1 lb. (about 3 medium-sized) zucchini; ends removed and sliced lengthwise into wide, flat strips

1 large portabella mushroom; sliced into strips

1 large eggplant; ends removed and sliced lengthwise into wide, flat strips

15 oz. frozen chopped spinach; thawed, thoroughly drained and patted dry

16 oz. canned tomato sauce with garlic flavoring

1 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles

1 egg white

1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp. reduced-fat parmesan-style grated topping

1 tbsp. chopped basil

1/4 tsp. salt pinch nutmeg

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat soy crumbles in the microwave for 30 seconds, and set aside. Set out a row of several paper towels (as you cook the veggies, transfer them to the paper towels to drain excess moisture).
• Spritz a large pan evenly with nonstick spray, and bring to high heat. Once hot, lay as many zucchini and mushroom slices as you can fit flat in the pan, and cook for about 2 minutes per side. Continue until all slices are cooked, removing the pan from heat and re-spraying it between batches. Cook eggplant slices for about 3 minutes per side, continuing to work in batches (removing and re-spraying pan each time).
• In a large bowl, mix the spinach, egg white, ricotta cheese, basil, salt and nutmeg. Stir well and set aside.
• Spray a deep 8" X 8" pan with nonstick spray. Pour half (8 oz.) of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan. Then, layer half of the veggie slices on top in assorted order. Spread half of the spinach mixture on top.
• Sprinkle the soy crumbles evenly into the pan. Layer with remaining veggies, and then spread the rest of the spinach mixture on top. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce.
• Evenly top the lasagna with the mozzarella and grated cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes (or until the cheese on top starts to brown). Let cool, cut into 4 pieces, and serve

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe

Calories: 238 Fat: 2g Sodium: 1,218mg Carbs: 33g Fiber: 11g Sugars: 14g Protein: 25g

Without the noodles you can now use all those carbs you would have wasted on some warm fresh italian bread. There is no longer a reason to feel guilty about having that extra slice or even a little dessert afterward!