Lasagna with Spinach - Lora Lovin Osburn

Audra Elizabeth shared another recipe with me. She is following the Trim Healthy Mama plan and this recipe is from their cookbook. The Trim Healthy Mama’s call it Lazy Lasagna! Lasagna does not seem lazy to me… I made a few changes to the recipe, as noted by the asterisks.

FEEDS 6 TO 8 (HALVE INGREDIENTS IF YOUR FAMILY IS SMALLER)

2 pounds ground meat (beef and venison work well) *I used beef
2 (12-ounce) jars no-sugar-added pizza or spaghetti sauce (see Note)
1½ tablespoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon Mineral Salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 to 2 doonks Pure Stevia Extract (optional) *I did not use
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3 less fat cream cheese *Used regular cream cheese
1 (14-ounce) container 1% cottage cheese *Used 4%
2 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) piece part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling over top; green can is fine)

PEARL SAYS: I’ve made plenty of zucchini and eggplant lasagnas in the last few years, but they call for cutting the veggies into thin layers as faux noodles, and sometimes also require pre-cooking the veggies. I’m so over that. These days my life is way too busy for those extra steps; I need ultra-easy meals, so I thought about spinach. It’s super cheap when you buy it in frozen bricks, it doesn’t require cutting— hmmm—couldn’t that work as a lasagna noodle layer? My children are not the hugest spinach fans, but they scarf this down and tell me it is the best lasagna ever! This is my go-to lasagna now; I’ve ditched all the others.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brown the meat in a large skillet over high heat, then drain off any excess fat if necessary. Add the sauce and seasonings, and simmer over low heat for several minutes.
Put the spinach in a colander and squeeze and push to get all the liquid out.
Put the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and eggs in a food processor and process until smooth.
Layer half the meat sauce in the bottom of a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Top with half the cheese mixture, then layer on half the spinach. Follow with half the grated mozzarella. Repeat the layers, ending with the mozzarella. Top with a good sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly.