Quick and easy with frozen vegetables, not much chopping is required!
Seven years ago, I made my first lasagna and I went for a vegetarian lasagna recipe at that time. Oh what a disaster that was! It took me over 6 hours to prepare and slide it into the oven. Partly it was that my sons were only 1 and 3 and Bobbie, my youngest, was clingy (and lovely) and I had to look after them while I was preparing it. Chopping the vegetables was a real challenge as I could not chop for more that 30 seconds without being interrupted. For a vegetarian lasagna you need to chop lots of veggies: onions, aubergines, bell peppers, mushrooms and so on. It was a total disaster also because it was my first time when I used lasagna sheets and I prepared them according to package directions (boiled them all together) and guess what? My lasagna sheets stuck together. It was a while until I discovered the precooked ones that helped me master my technique of making this delicious Garfield dish.
Lasagna soon become one of my favourites dishes to make, especially when it’s one of those dishes that you make for dinner and then you can easily have it for lunch the next two days.
After Keto came into my life, I though it will no longer be an option but I tried a few alternatives and it’s possible. There are actually a few options to replace the lasagna sheets and I honestly don’t miss them.
Ingredients
Total calories: 383 Serving size: 1 square
Total fat: 29g, Net carbs: 2g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 28g.
- 120 g Frozen or Fresh Bell Peppers
- 81 g Chopped Frozen or Fresh Spinach
- 200 g Frozen or Fresh broccoli florets
- 25 g chopped Onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Fine Himalayan Pink Salt
- 500 gram minced beef (or minced pork)
- 240 g Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Sauce (1 can)
- 1 tsp dried basil (or oregano)
- Pepper and Grill herbs for seasoning
- 400 g Edam Cheese Slices
- 500 g Grated Cheddar & Red Leicester
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 220 degrees.
Spray your lasagna baking tray with olive oil.
In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil oven medium high heat and then add the chopped onion and the minced beef. Add salt, pepper, grill herbs and the minced garlic. Bring to simmer and cook stirring occasionally until the minced beef is cooked.
Add the frozen broccoli florets, the chopped spinach, the red peppers and combine them into the beef mixture. Cover the pan and cook it for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and one teaspoon of dried basil. Simmer again and cook stirring occasionally until the mixture has slightly reduced its volume.
Lay the Edam cheese slices in the oil sprayed lasagna baking tray. Spread the beef and vegetables mixture on the Edam cheese layer and then spread 1/4 of the grated cheddar on top of the minced beef mixture.
Add another layer of Edam cheese, beef mixture and cheddar and finish with an additional Edam cheese layer.
Last Layer of beef Spread the layer of edam cheese Spread the second layer of cheese
Slide the lasagna tray into the oven and let it bake at medium heat until the top becomes golden brown. Let it stand 10 minutes before cutting into 12 squares.
Serve it with a 1/2 of sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of Olive oil and Pink salt.
Avocado side Double serving with Avocado 1 serving 1 serving with Avocado Double serving Double serving with Avocado
A single serving of this lasagna has 383 calories. 1/2 avocado with 5 cherry tomatoes and 1 tsp of olive oil will add 217 calories to this recipe. For a lighter side, you can use any green mixed salad leaves and you will have a great lunch or dinner under 400 calories.
