Zucchini Eggplant (Aubergine) Low-Carb Lasagna

Submitted by MsMcGivee

"A friend brought this to a pot-luck. No noodles, so lower carb. All the veggies make this recipe pretty healthy, and you can use whatever types of dairy you prefer--whole fat, low fat, it always seems to come out great. I'm going to try a version with soft tofu instead of ricotta."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 45mins
• Ingredients: 20
• Yields: 1 9X13 pan
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 6 sweet Italian turkey sausage links, about 1 1/4 lbs, chopped (optional)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 28 ounces pasta sauce, any style
• 1 (15 ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces low fat cottage cheese
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups low fat mozzarella
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 dash ground nutmeg
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil flavored cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

directions

1. Peel eggplant. Slice eggplant and zucchini lengthwise into thin strips (about 1/4 inch). Place on baking sheet, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil these, turning and re-spraying with oil once, until lightly browned on both sides. These are your "noodles". It's time-consuming, but it's SO worth it!
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil. Saute onion and garlic until just beginning to brown. Add chopped turkey sausage, if using. Cook about 10 minutes. Add red pepper and mushrooms, stirring gently. Cook 5 minutes. Add jarred pasta sauce and thawed spinach (squeeze out most of the liquid). Simmer about 10 more minutes.
3. Combine ricotta, cottage cheese, eggs, scallions and nutmeg. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F.
5. Layer 1/3 of sauce in 9x13 baking dish. Layer 1/2 eggplant and zucchini slices. Top with 1/2 ricotta mixture, 1/3 mozzarella, and 1/3 parmesan.
6. Repeat.
7. Top with final 1/3 sauce, then mozzarella and parmesan. Cover with foil and bake one hour. Remove foil for last 5-10 minutes.

Reviews

[birdsarewild]

This is EXCELLENT.

 

[Chef Robert in Tularosa NM]

very good, but I used a home made pasta sauce, as I dislike store bought sauces as they are very acid and sweet tasting. Then I found that the amount of nutmeg had to be increased. I grind my own nutmeg which has a better added flavor from ground stuff from the store. Who know how long the stuff set on the shelf. One thing that I did, I sliced the Italian sausage and brown it first and drained the excess grease. In the same pan I cooked the veggies and then added the sausage back. Taste good.

 

[ThinOne]

I make this recipe all the time for family and work and it is devine. I use full fat products as low fat products usually contain modified food starch (carbs)in place of the fat. Fat burns fat, if you believe the low carb theories. That aside, this is wonderful and most people don't associate it with low carb per se.