RECIPE: Golden Gate Bridge Lasagna

I've had my share of tasty veggie lasagnas over the years, from my mom's butternut squash lasagna with a delicate cream sauce to a friend's gourmet vegetable lasagna. They're all worthy variations, and I'll post some in the future. However, I wanted to start out with a basic recipe that my husband and I created a few weeks ago. I'm sure that there are tons of similar recipes out there, but this one can be whipped up in a flash and contains a scant 280 calories per large piece (!!!). Keeping the red pepper raw before baking adds a nice texture and keeps it from becoming mushy.

The title of the lasagna comes from the day we made it. My husband and I were getting ready to make the chilly, foggy, 8-mile round-trip from our apartment across the Golden Gate Bridge and back, but we also wanted to cook something that we could eat throughout the week. So, we assembled the lasagna before our walk and popped it into the over when we got home. It was the perfect thing to scarf down after returning home!

Golden Gate Bridge Lasagna
Serves 12 (or 6 really hungry people)

Ingredients
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (we like Trader Joe's)
2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce (we like Trader Joe's Arrabiata Sauce for a little spice)
1 15 oz. tub fat-free or low-fat ricotta cheese
2 c. shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. + 2 T. shredded parmesan/asiago blend
1 heaping t. nutmeg
16 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3 c. chopped mushrooms, your favorite variety
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 T. olive oil

Directions
1. Combine ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/2c. of the parmesan/asiago in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, cook on medium heat 3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms, and cook until mushrooms are light golden brown and have just started to shrink. Remove from heat and place into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Spray the bottom of a lasagna pan with no-stick spray, and spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom. Place a layer of lasagna noodles, breaking pieces if necessary to completely cover the layer. Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the noodles, then 1/3 of the vegetable mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle pieces of the raw red pepper over the cooked vegetable mixture.
4. Continue the sauce-noodles-cheese-veggies-red pepper layers until you run out, finishing with a layer of noodles with sauce on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 T. parmesan/asiago blend.
5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and sides are bubbly. Let cool 15 minutes, serve, and enjoy!