Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups (Easy)

A low-fat, very delicious, and super easy to prepare dinner! I love the individualized portions as well. One entire lasagna roll-up along with a slice of garlic bread and a fresh salad on the side completes a meal for me. What I love about this meal is it is not an entire casserole of lasagna that can be messy to slice into and serve. One scoop up with a spatula for one entire roll-up and it neatly can be transferred quickly to your plate. I love it the next day as leftovers. It reheats wonderfully! It can be taken easily in a storage container to work as well for the next day for lunch. Oh you will be the envy of your co-workers when you bring this neat and tidy meal to reheat! They will wonder "where's their portion?"

Serves 4, if you eat 2 roll-ups each, with one leftover.

Ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
• 15 oz fat free ricotta cheese 
• 1/2 cup grated/shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 lb lean turkey sausage, casings removed, cooked and crumbled in skillet
• 1 egg
• salt and fresh pepper
• 32 oz tomato sauce
• 9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  
2. Combine spinach, cooked and crumbled turkey sausage, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. 
3. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. 
4. Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. 
5. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles. 
6. Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese.
7. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

Everything you need to make a great tasting roll-up!

Take a knife and carefully slice down one side of the sausage to split open the casing.

The casing easily pulls away. Discard casing.

Casings removed, time to cook up and crumble.

Fully cooked sausage crumbles. I do this while the lasagna noodles are boiling. Set aside and prepare the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Ricotta cheese, spinach mixture awaiting the cooked sausage crumbles.

Mixture is ready to be spread on cooked lasagna noodles.

Cooked al dente lasagna noodles, dried off and laying on a sheet of wax paper. The wax paper prevents them from sticking to the counter top.

Spinach, ricotta, sausage mixture laid out on top of each noodle. Next you will roll up from one side and place seam side down in baking dish.

Next line your baking dish with some tomato sauce.

Place your lasagna roll-ups seam side down on top of the sauce. The sauce prevents sticking and adds moisture.

9 roll-ups fit perfectly in a 9 x 13 baking dish!

Pour a little tomato sauce over the tops of each roll-up.

Sprinkle a tbsp amount of shredded mozzarella cheese over each one or if you like you can use a slice of mozzarella cheese over each roll-up. I have baked it both ways. Make sure you cover will foil before baking so you don't dry out the noodles.

Done baking! Perfectly portioned lasagna servings!

Such a beautiful single serve portion! YUM!

My plate! Dinner is served!

Low-Fat Broccoli Pizza (Easy)

This is a healthy pizza.  The crust is made of 1 cup whole wheat flower, 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, some baking soda and a 12 oz bottle of beer.  I prefer to use a flavored beer, in this recipe I found and used a pomegranate raspberry beer and it adds a nice flavor to the dough.  When I used to live in Washington State I found a raspberry wheat beer and it was strong, you could smell it baking throughout the apartment, it smelled wonderful and tasted even more wonderful.  There is no oil added to this crust and you don't miss it either. I baked it on my pampered chef large pizza stone and it came out beautifully.

This recipe comes from the book 500 Fat-Free Recipes - A Complete Guide to Reducing the Fat in Your Diet by Sarah Schlesinger p. 137.  It is called Broccoli Pizza with Quick and Easy Crust

Yields 8 slices

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 12 ounces beer

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used 2 tbsp dried)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp low-sodium tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional, I add those to my sauce, the recipe does not call for it at all)

Topping:

• 1 1/2 cup nonfat grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup nonfat grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup broccoli florets, steamed (I steamed mine in the microwave for about 3 minutes on high)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

1. For the sauce, heat water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add more liquid during this process if necessary.
2. Add the parsley, green pepper, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, marjoram, sugar, and black pepper.
3. Bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
5. For the dough, combine flours, baking soda, and beer in a large bowl.
6. Spread dough in a 9x13 inch pan. (I chose to use a large round pizza stone)
7. Spread sauce over the dough.
8. Top the sauce with the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan Cheese. Sprinkle the mushrooms over the pizza. Top with the steamed broccoli and the green onions. 
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is crispy and golden. Slice.

The cookbook I give credit to for this recipe.

Pomegranate Raspberry beer

The pizza dough is a bit sticky so when you roll it out flour your rolling pin and lightly sprinkle some over the dough.

I lightly floured my dough and rolled it out on my baking stone.

Water used for sauteing  instead of oil

Onion and garlic sauteing in water

Pizza sauce

Pizza sauce on unbaked pizza dough

I steam cooked my fresh broccoli in the microwave for 3 minutes.

The cheeses added.

Veggies added

Fully baked, ready to eat.

What a yummy slice!