Easy Vegetarian Lasanga

Lasagna is family comfort food at its finest! A great way to get vegetables in a larger amount is with a vegetarian dish - as you are 'encouraged' to use more vegetables then normal in replacement for meat. This vegetarian lasagna is a favourite in our house, nice and soft for little mouths with enticing bubbling cheese on top!

Ingredients:

500 grams pumpkin

1 and 1/2 cups of spinach (fresh or frozen)

2 x 400g tins of tomatoes

200g of cottage cheese

200g of ricotta cheese

1 Tb Italian or mixed herbs

4 large pasta sheets

Edan cheese (approx 1 cup grated)

1 Tb Olive oil

Just a Note - check what size lasagna dish you have at home and also how you like this layered (see directions). You may like to buy an extra tin of tomatoes and more ricotta and cottage cheese to make more layers.

Gluten-Free Option - You can either use gluten-free pasta or use eggplant in place of the pasta.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place a pot on the stove to bring water to the boil.

2.Cut the pumpkin into cubes and place pumpkin in boiling water and cook for five minutes. Meanwhile heat a large fry-pan and add oil, then once pumpkin is done, drain and place in pan, cooking lightly until slightly golden (this will give a roasted pumpkin flavour).



3.Remove the pumpkin and add spinach and cook for a couple more minutes. During this time, mix the ricotta and cottage cheese together.



4. You are now ready to assemble the lasagna. The order for the layers is tomato, pasta, ricotta and cottage cheese mixture, pumpkin/spinach and repeat. Our lasagna (above) is quite shallow so this is how I do the layers - start with 1 can of tomato, slightly drain some of the juice and place in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle some herbs over (my helper was quite over zealous here!).



5.Continue to place 2 pasta sheets on top, followed by half of the ricotta/cottage cheese and then add all of the pumpkin and spinach and repeat with the tomato, pasta and ricotta mixture. Grate a generous amount of Edam cheese and sprinkle on top.



6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until top is golden and bubbling. Leave to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!



More pure and simple recipes just like this one, from my family to yours in my cook book Healthy Easy Dinners for Busy Mums,

xxx Dr Julie Bhosale