Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/crockpot_lasagna.html

From EatingWell:  November/December 2011

Sure, the slow cooker’s great for stews and soups, but it also happens to make a mean lasagna! In this ingenious slow-cooker recipe, all you have to do is chop your veggies, then layer the ingredients (raw) into the crockpot. Serve with: Garlic bread and a green salad.

8 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours on High or 4 hours on Low

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 15- to 16-ounce container part-skim ricotta
  • 1 5-ounce package baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 3 large or 4 small portobello mushroom caps, gills removed (see Tip), halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
  • 15 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces), uncooked
  • 3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided

Preparation

  1. Combine egg, ricotta, spinach, mushrooms and zucchini in a large bowl.
  2. Combine crushed and diced tomatoes and their juice, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) in a medium bowl.
  3. Generously coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the tomato mixture in the slow cooker. Arrange 5 noodles over the sauce, overlapping them slightly and breaking into pieces to cover as much of the sauce as possible. Spread half of the ricotta-vegetable mixture over the noodles and firmly pat down, then spoon on 1 1/2 cups sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat the layering one more time, starting with noodles. Top with a third layer of noodles. Evenly spread the remaining tomato sauce over the noodles. Set aside the remaining 1 cup mozzarella in the refrigerator.
  4. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on High for 2 hours or on Low for 4 hours. Turn off the slow cooker, sprinkle the reserved mozzarella on the lasagna, cover and let stand for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

Nutrition

Per serving : 414 Calories; 14 g Fat; 8 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 63 mg Cholesterol; 48 g Carbohydrates; 28 g Protein; 7 g Fiber; 641 mg Sodium; 829 mg Potassium

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 1/2 medium-fat meat

Tips & Notes

  • Make Ahead Tip: Equipment: 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker
  • Tip: The dark gills found on the underside of a portobello mushroom cap are edible, but can turn a dish an unappealing gray color. If you like, gently scrape the gills off with a spoon.
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