Remember how I told you I’m in NC for the week cooking hanging with my bros? And remember how I said these boys can EAT? Well, turns out that I have become so accustomed to cooking for Stephen and me that my portion sizing is all off.
Basically, I need to make at least twice the normal amount and then maybe there will be enough. I mean it’s getting ridiculous over here. To keep my hungry brothers full, and my sanity in check, I’ve been devising easy meals that produce a large quantity of food. First on the list? Lasagna.
But, as per usual, I decided to put my own “healthy” twist on the original meat version ( I promise my brothers didn’t even notice the difference).
To save time, I skipped making my own pasta sauce and used an incredibly delicious Butternut Squash version by Dave’s Gourmet. Then, layered green zucchini, more sauce, mozzarella cheese, eggplant, lemon infused ricotta, yellow squash, more sauce, and a final layer of cheese. This stuff is just full of deliciousness.
And it is the perfect weeknight meal as it requires very little prep and has a 25 minute cook-time. That means you get to give your family a delicious meal (check), packed with veggies and nutrients (double check) and still have extra for the next day (jackpot).
When you have two teenage boys downing the stuff in 5 minutes flat, you know you have a winner. Bonus points if you serve this with a cheesy garlic pull-apart bread!
- 1 container of your favorite pasta sauce ( I use Butternut Squash)
- 1 green zucchini (thinly slice lengthwise)
- 1 yellow zucchini(thinly slice lengthwise)
- 1 eggplant(thinly slice lengthwise)
- 4 cups Mozzarella
- 2 cups Ricotta
- Juice of 1 lemon
- A pinch of salt
- 1 loaf of garlic bread
- Preheat the oven to 350. In a casserole dish, add a layer of pasta sauce. Top with the thinly sliced green zucchini, add another layer of sauce, then a thin layer of cheese.
- Next, in a small bowl combine the lemon juice, salt and ricotta and mix well.
- Layer the sliced eggplant then top with the ricotta. Top with the remainder of the sauce and cheese. Bake for 25 minutes (or until the top is golden brown).
- Serve immediately with sliced garlic bread!
Yum! Perfect comfort food and ricotta has been my favourite cheese since I was really young! A+ for the quick week night meal as well, I struggle with thinking of things to make after work.
Thanks, Jess! I do too, something about coming home after work makes creating an elaborate meal impossible. Let me know if you try it out!
OMG!!! This lasagna is making my mouth water like no other!! So creamy and delicious!!
I’m so glad you approve! Let me know if you try it for yourself!