Garden Fresh Lasagna

 (I used a home canned tomato sauce for this recipe, but you can use store bought)

• This is the 2nd recipe for the week that will include Zucchini.  I have them multiplying faster that I can cook with them!  But, I am determined to venture out and try them in a few different ways.  Don't forget, if you don't have time to cook with them, at least take the time to peel and finely shred them.  They freeze fabulously and you can pull it out later and make something.

• Submitted by Lisa

• Source:  inspired by a dish I saw on www.health.com titled Garden Lasagna
•  (the original dish has no meat and uses a white sauce)
• 
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups (1 pound) chopped zucchini
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2/3 cup chopped carrot
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil (I omitted because my sauce was seasoned already)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2 quarts of home canned tomatoes or store bought 
• 1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 lb. hamburger browned
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
• Cooking spray
• 9 (about 5 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles (such as Barilla)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, onion, and carrot; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; stir in corn, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

3. In small mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and the egg.  Mix until combined.

4.  Mix the browned beef and the vegetable mixture together.

5. Spread 1/2 cup tomatoes in bottom of an 11- x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with half the vegetable mixture (about 2 cups) and one-third of the cottage cheese mixture, and spread a layer of tomato sauce/chunks over that.

6. Sprinkle some of the mozzerella cheese on and repeat until gone.  Your top layer should remain the vegie mixture with sauce and a final sprinkle of the mozzerella cheese.  

7. Cover with foil and bake at 400° for about 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes.

**tip** I put my dish on a cookie sheet with sides in case it bubbles over.  

Zucchini Fries

Posted by Lisa

Zucchini.  The ever abundant garden vegetable.  I have my 1st of the season right here.  Although I have my favorite zucchini recipes, I felt that I needed to add a few more to my choices if I want the kids and hubby to   continue to eat it all summer!  I found this recipe online at www.health.com  and made it to go with grilled steaks and baked potatoes.  It was a great addition and since it is baked, no added fat!

What do you do with it!?  ....try this recipe!

• Ingredients:
• 2 zucchini
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• Vegetable cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. 

 Peel the zucchini. 

Remove the center with the seeds and discard.

Cut zucchini into 1/2-inch sticks. 

Whisk an egg white in a small bowl, and add milk. Combine Parmesan and seasoned breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Dip zucchini sticks into egg mixture, and then roll in breadcrumb mixture. 

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, and place zucchini on sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

  

****Tip**** If you have extra zucchini...DON'T THROW IT AWAY.  Take the left over and shred it and either make zucchini brownies or shred and freeze for making the brownies at another time!