Deconstructed skillet lasagna

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles, broken in 3-4 pieces each
• 2 Tbsp (30mL) olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 lb/454 g extra lean ground beef 
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil
• 2 2/3 cup (680 mL) canned, crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup (60 mL) water
• 4 Tbsp (60 mL) parmesan cheese
• 4 cups (1L) fresh baby spinach
• 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise with a vegetable peeler (about 2 cups)
• 4 Tbsp (60 mL) low fat ricotta cheese

Instructions

1. Heat a pot of water over medium-high heat; add 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil and the broken lasagna noodles. Cook the noodles according to package instructions or until al dente (see tip). Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet on medium heat; add remaining oil, onion, garlic and ground beef. Cook 6-8 minutes, or until browned; spooning off any additional fat from the ground beef. Add the Italian seasoning and tomatoes, using ¼ cup (60 mL) water to rinse the inside of the jar and add to the pan. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in cooked noodles and parmesan cheese, spinach and thinly sliced zucchini. Cook 3-4 minutes until spinach wilts and zucchini softens.   
4. Portion recipe into 4 equal servings and top with ricotta cheese to serve. 

• Reduce waste: Since ricotta cheese comes in a 1 cup package and you are only using ¼ cup, use the remaining ricotta spread on toast and topped with tomatoe for a high protein breakfast or stir it into your favourite pasta recipes to bump up protein and calcium.
• Budget friendly: Ricotta cheese can be pricey, if you have cottage cheese on hand, you can substitute for the ricotta. Simply blend the cottage cheese until smooth and top as directed.
• Nutrition know-how: Did you know that cooking pasta ‘al dente’ or still slightly firm when bitten can reduce the glycemic response after a meal meaning a lower impact on blood sugar. Simply cut 1-2 minutes off the cook time listed on the pasta package depending on your texture preference.
• Substitution: If you garden and have fresh basil or parsley, you can substitute ¼ cup fresh herbs for the dried Italian seasoning in the recipe.