Use part-skim mozzarella and low-fat cottage cheese in this lasagna. You won’t be able to tell the difference.
1 (3- to 4-pound) whole chicken
¾ pound lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Nonstick cooking spray
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (6-ounce) can Italian tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can of whole tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon pepper
Water
16 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (15- to 16-ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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Advance preparation: simmer chicken in a pot of water. Remove skin and bones from meat and dice.
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Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water with 1 teaspoon of olive oil as directed on package. Drain and separate noodles on a tray or cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
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Saute onions and garlic in the remaining olive oil. Add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, sugar and pepper. Mix well and simmer for 15 minutes. Add water to make 4 cups of sauce.
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Cream cottage cheese in a blender. Mix with mozzarella.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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In a 9 X 11-inch baking pan, layer sauce, noodles, chicken and cheese. The final layer is noodles, sauce and Parmesan cheese.
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“Flavor seal”*: Seal with plastic wrap and cover aluminum foil. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional five minutes.
Yield: 8 servings
Per serving: 574 calories
*Flavor seal: To enhance the flavor and maintain a moist food when baking, try the “flavor seal.” Seal with plastic wrap and cover with aluminum foil. By the way, not all plastic wraps are alike. Look for thicker plastic wrap, around 18.5 m2. It will say it on the label underneath the square feet information.
Reprinted from the cookbook Food Fabulous Food by the Women’s Board to Cooper University Hospital.