Sunday dinner was a veggie lasagna. Most people have their own lasagna recipes so I wont bore you with all the deets – just a few specifics.

First and foremost we use whole wheat noodles. For the veggies tonight we used cremini mushrooms (sliced and sautéed), spinach, onion, green pepper, zucchini (sliced and sautéed) and carrots.

The reason we sautéed the mushrooms and zucchini first is because they retain so much water…you want to extract that first so you don’t end up with an inch of water at the bottom of your dish.

I cook my lasagna noodles al dente before putting the dish together.  Put a thin layer of sauce at the bottom of your pan before you put your first layer of noodles down.  Then put more sauce on top, veggies, cheese, noodles, sauce, veggies, cheese, etc.  I put spinach on every layer and then trade off with the other veggies. Make sure you cover the entire top layer of noodles with sauce so they don’t burn and turn hard when cooking. If you like cheese, put some mozzerella and parmesan cheese in each layer (on top of the veggies) and make sure you put some on top of the sauce after the lasagna is completed.

Cook your lasagna (cover it with foil) for 40-45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.  Take the foil off and cook for an addition 5-10 minutes to brown the cheese.  Allow your lasagna to cool for 15 minutes before cutting into it.  It helps the lasagna set itself and it won’t burn your mouth to bits when you eat it.

For an added burst of freshness and flavor, put a fresh basil leaf on top of each piece after it’s been plated.  It will turn an already delicious meal into a mouth party!