Skinny Four-Cheese Meat Lasagna
Author: 
Recipe type: Healthy Casseroles and Bakes
 
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup organic nonfat cottage cheese
  • ⅔ cup Parmesan, grated
  • 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 6 whole wheat lasagna noodles
  • 1 pound 100% grass-fed (or 100% pasture-raised) ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons organic honey
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 16 ounces strained tomatoes (or tomato purée)
  • 2 cups Provolone cheese, grated
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. To a mixing bowl, add the cottage cheese, ⅓ cup of parmesan, and 1 teaspoon thyme.
  2. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until well combined, and set aside.
  3. Boil a large pot of water. Salt the water, and add lasagna noodles. Add a bit of oil to keep the noodles from sticking together. Cook the noodles until they're almost al dente (they will finish cooking in the oven), and drain.
  4. Meanwhile, add the ground beef to a large skillet and adjust heat to medium-high. Break up the meat using a wooden spoon, and immediately add the minced garlic, diced onion, and diced bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until the meat is browned and the veggies are softened. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms, tomato paste, honey, oregano, and 1 tablespoon thyme. Stir to combine. Add the red wine and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to cook and reduce for about 2-4 minutes. Add the strained tomatoes, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Preheat the oven to 385 degrees F.
  6. Spread a very thin layer of the meat sauce across the bottom of a large casserole dish (suggested size: 9X13)
  7. Arrange three lasagna noodles over the meat, so that they cover the length of the pan.
  8. Spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles so that it's evenly distributed.
  9. Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce mixture over the cottage cheese.
  10. Sprinkle half of the provolone and half of the remaining parmesan all over the meat sauce.
  11. Repeat, adding another layer of noodles, then cottage cheese mixture, then meat sauce, and finally the remaining provolone and parmesan.
  12. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and lightly bubbling.
  13. Allow the lasagna to cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Serve.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 8 Calories: 392 Fat: 15.5g Saturated fat: 8.7g Trans fat: 0g Carbohydrates: 23.8g Sugar: 8.7g Sodium: 592g Fiber: 4.1g Protein: 35.7g Cholesterol: 83mg
Recipe by Jen Elizabeth's Journals at https://jenelizabethsjournals.com/2014/03/21/skinny-three-cheese-meat-lasagna/