Sausage and Herb Lasagna

Good for you and good for your heart--a low-in-fat sausage lasagna!

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No need to shy away from lasagna just because you’re eating heart-smart! This recipe has plenty of everything you love: layers of creamy cheese, chunks of sausage in a savory sauce, and oodles of noodles.

Prep time 30 min.
Cook time 1 hr. + standing
Serves 8

You Will Need
15 lasagna noodles (12 ounces)
1 container (15 ounces) 50%-less-fat ricotta cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces lean sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
3 medium onions, chopped
2 cans (14 ounces each) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (8 ounces) 50%-less-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

What to Do
1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, then cool in shallow pan of cold water for 5 minutes. Transfer noodles to wire rack set over paper towels. Blend ricotta, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, basil, egg substitute, and pepper in bowl.

2. Cook sausage and onions in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through, 7-10 minutes, breaking up sausage with spoon. Stir in 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce and the salt.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Layer lasagna: Set 3 noodles, side by side, in dish. Spread one-third ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with one-third sausage mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat layering twice. Weave remaining 6 noodles in lattice pattern on top, trimming them as necessary. Spread remaining tomato sauce over noodles, then top with remaining mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.

4. Loosely cover with foil. Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until mixture is bubbling around edges, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Cook's Clue
Don't waste time by cooking or boiling lasagna noodles before making your lasagna, and don't waste money buying "No Bake" noodles. Simply cover every inch of the noodles with sauce while layering. The sauce actually helps cook the noodles while the lasagna bakes.

Health Hint
Dairy products, including ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses, are high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium -- minerals that help regulate blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a risk factor for developing heart disease.

Per serving
381 calories / 23% from fat
5 g saturated fat, 10 g total fat
43 mg cholesterol
722 mg sodium
46 g total carbohydrate
4 g dietary fiber
29 g protein

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