This recipe combines some of my all-time favourite winter foods - lasagna and squash! I don't know about you, but warm, comforting, and filling dishes are a must to get me through windy, snowy days like this one. Pairing butternut squash with whole wheat lasagna noodles makes for a meal that's high in fibre and will keep you feeling full. The squash also boasts a hefty serving of Vitamin A, which helps keep our eyes, skin, and immune system healthy.
Ingredients:
2 cups butternut squash, cooked & mashed
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon butter
2 cups plain, low-sodium tomato sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, if you like some heat!)
6 whole-wheat lasagna noodles, cooked
¼ cup walnuts
1 small log reduced-fat goat cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare 2 9x13 pans – 1 for the squash, and 1 for the completed lasagna. The pan for the lasagna needs to be sprayed with cooking spray, while the pan for the squash does not.
In the meantime, prep the squash for cooking. To bake, slice squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place halves skin-side down in a 9x13 baking and add a ½ inch of water around them. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until flesh is soft and easy to scoop.
While squash is baking, cook the lasagna noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and place noodles on a cookie sheet lined with a dish towel to cool. Set aside.
Gather 2 cups of cooked squash, and add brown sugar and butter. Mash together and set aside.
Mix the herbs & spices into the tomato sauce. Set aside.
Once the above ingredients are prepped, you can begin to assemble the lasagna.
Start by spreading approximately 2 tablespoons of goat cheese on each lasagna noodle.
Next, layer on a few tablespoons of mashed squash.
Once the cheese & squash are on each of the noodles, begin to firmly roll them up. Place the rolls seam-side down in the greased baking pan, ensuring they are grouped together (they will not take up the whole pan – that’s okay!)
Carefully pour the prepared tomato sauce over the lasagna rolls, ensuring there is no exposed noodle.
Top each roll with a dollop of goat cheese, and then sprinkle the walnuts all over the top.
Bake the lasagna rolls for 25-30 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and goat cheese is melted and browned.
Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD
