The Low GI Handbook Recipe Series: Part 7

Vegetable lasagne

Vegetable lasagne

Soft layers of spinach, cheese and lasagne noodles with a luscious vegetable
sauce – this is a fabulous all-in-one pan meal that’s perfect for a cool evening.
Dipping the lasagne sheets briefly in hot water before use helps to soften them
prior to cooking.

PREPARATION TIME: 35 minutes COOKING TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes
SERVES 4–6

• 1 bunch spinach, washed and stalks removed
  
• 200 g instant lasagne sheets
  
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese or low fat cheddar cheese
  

Vegetable Sauce

• 2 teaspoons oil
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  
• 250 g mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1 small green capsicum, chopped
  
• 140 g can/tub tomato paste
  
• 400 g can beans, any variety, rinsed and drained
  
• 400 g can tomatoes, undrained and mashed
  
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
  

Cheese Sauce

• 1 tablespoon poly- or monounsaturated margarine
  
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
  
• 1.5 cups low fat milk
  
• half cup grated low fat cheese
  
• pinch ground nutmeg
  
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  

• 1. Blanch or lightly steam the spinach until
  just wilted; drain well.
  
  
• 2. For the vegetable sauce, heat the oil in a
  nonstick frying pan. Add the onions and
  garlic and cook for about 5 minutes or
  until soft. Add the mushrooms and
  capsicum and cook for a further 3
  minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the
  tomato paste, beans, tomatoes and
  herbs. Bring to the boil and simmer partly
  covered for 15 to 20 minutes.
  
  
• 3. Meanwhile, for the cheese sauce, melt
  the margarine in a saucepan or a
  microwave bowl. Stir in the flour and
  cook 1 minute, stirring (for 30 seconds
  on high, in microwave).
  
  
• 4. Remove from the heat. Gradually add the
  milk, stirring until smooth. Stir over
  medium heat until the sauce boils and
  thickens, or in microwave on high until
  boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove
  from the heat, stir in the cheese, nutmeg
  and pepper.
  
  
• 5. To assemble, pour half the vegetable
  sauce over the base of a lasagne pan
  (about 16x28 cm). Cover with a layer of
  lasagne sheets, then half the spinach.
  Spread a thin layer of cheese sauce over
  the spinach. Top with the remaining
  vegetable sauce and remaining spinach.
  Place over a layer of lasagne sheets and
  finish with the remaining cheese sauce.
  Sprinkle with Parmesan or cheddar
  cheese.
  
  
• 6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a
  moderate oven (180C) for 40 minutes.
  Remove foil and bake for a further 30
  minutes or until the top is beginning to
  brown.
  

Low GI Per serving (for 6):
kJ 1430 Carb 44 g Fat 10 g Fibre 9 g