Zucchini and Spinach Stuffed Lasagna Rolls

Made this tonight.  Nom.

For years my husband's favorite dinner has been a lasagna recipe that his mom has made since his childhood.  It has been the token birthday/anniversary/pat-on-the-back/i-love-you dinner for the 6 1/2 years we have been together.  We recently have been scaling back the fat content in our diet and I have been cooking all kinds of different things....and have realized that we are actually enjoying the healthy lean dinners way more than the fatty ones I had been making - and we walk away feeling better too, not to mention the scale crying a little more softly when we step on it.  On the first bite of this dish, he decided it could definitely replace his old favorite beef lasagna as a new healthier alternative.

Ok, let's get to it.  These amounts are approximated because I just threw it all into the bowl, but I honestly think you could change things around according to your taste or what you have in your fridge and it'd still end up great.

Zucchini and Spinach Stuffed Lasagna Rolls
serves 8

8 lasagna noodles
1 24 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce (my jar actually only had about 19 or so ounces left in it and was plenty)
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach (thank you, food processor)
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided in half
2/3 cup low or fat free mozzerella cheese, divided in half
1/2 of a finely chopped medium zucchini
1/2 cup of mixed chopped fresh red and green bell peppers
1 chopped green onion


Boil the lasagna noodles per the package's instructions.  While noodles boil, chop your veggies put in a medium sized bowl.  Reserving (for topping) half the mozzerella and parmesan cheese, and then enough for a tablespoon of sauce on top of each piece of lasagna (just eyeball it), add all other ingredients to the bowl.  It's so pretty!!!

Until you mix it together...then...not so much.  But we will make it pretty again.

Lay out a dried off (important for rolling bliss) lasagna noodle and spoon on some mixture over it.

Roll it up loosely, and place in a pam sprayed deep baking dish with the end of the roll facing down to keep it in place.

Spoon the remaining sauce over the top of the rolls, and top it off with remaining mozzerella and parmesan.

Bake covered with alluminum foil at 350 for a half hour.  Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. (If using fat-free cheese, remember it doesn't get bubbly and melty like regular cheese).

That's it!

Pasta and Surprise Meatballs

Pasta sauce:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves fresh minced garlic

1/2 cup minced onion

2-6 oz. cans tomato paste

1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp basil

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp majoram

1 Tbsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Over medium heat, put olive oil, onion and garlic into a large saucepan and sautee for 2-3 minutes. Stir in water, followed by the remaining ingredients. Heat to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover.

Start workin on the balls!

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef

2 eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped mushrooms

2 Tbsp minced onion

2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

......and the surprise?

4 slices provolone cheese

Beat 2 eggs into medium mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients except provolone cheese. Blend ingredients thoroughly.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in another skillet on medium/low. Form meat balls of desired size, adding a bit of provolone cheese to the center of each, and drop into skillet. Turn carefully and frequently with love until lightly brown on all sides. Put meatballs into sauce and continue to simmer for up to an hour. (I did more like a half hour, it smelled too good to wait!)

Serve over favorite pasta.