Easy Lasagna Roll-Ups and They Are Diabetic Friendly

For something a little different try this easy recipe for tasty Lasagna Roll-ups. It's quick and easy and combines many healthy items into one dish. The lasagna provides grain (even a better grain value if you use whole-wheat lasagna), the ground beef provides the meat, spinach adds a healthy vegetable, of course the tomatoes in the sauce are well known to be excellent in reducing one's cancer risk, and three kinds of cheeses add dairy to the mix. This would make a great addition to your recipe file.

LASAGNA ROLL-UPS
4 lasagna noodles
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
8 oz reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp low-fat milk
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt, optional
2 cups sugar-free spaghetti sauce without meat, divided
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions; rinse and drain. In a medium non-stick skillet, cook ground beef and onion until beef is no longer pink. Drain in a colander and rinse with hot water to remove excess fat. Rinse pan and wipe with a paper towel. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, milk, thyme and salt, if using, to the ground beef. Mix up well and divide evenly, spreading over the lasagna noodles. Pour 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce over the meat mixture of each noodle. Carefully roll up jelly-roll style and place seam side down in an 8-inch square baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Pour the remaining cup of spaghetti sauce over the noodles. Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes until heated through. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

4 servings: Each contains approximately 350 calories, 33 g carbs and 23 g protein

Note: You can use lean ground turkey instead of the beef, if you prefer poultry over red meat.

Crab Lasagna - A Delectable Twist to an Italian Classic

Most everyone remembers spending some time at a family member's house eating a big meal with the whole clan. For me, it was always a wonderful time to catch up and eat to my hearts content. Grammy would have something good going on the stove, and I always found myself smiling with a full stomach afterward. Every once in a while though I would be surprised to see a different set of hands preparing the meal. Grandpa liked to mix it up and don the apron at times - making Grammy's night relaxed and filling ours with new and different delights. One of his calling cards was taking an entree we all enjoyed and adding something unexpected. I can't remember a time it didn't turn out well. This is one of my favorite examples of his handiwork.

Two things that are great apart, and fantastic together. Crab Lasagna.

INGREDIENT LIST

(2) 12 oz packages of lasagna

1 lb of King Crab, Flaked

(1) 4oz can of dried or diced mushrooms, drained

2 tbs butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 minced garlic clove

4 cans tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

1 tsp minced parsley (double if fresh)

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp basil

1 large tub sour cream

1 ball mozzarella cheese, grated

1lb Sharp cheddar, grated

salt

olive oil

grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

Saute onion, garlic, & mushrooms in the butter until golden brown. Stir in tomato sauce and paste. Add spices, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Now add crab and simmer for another 15 minutes until sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, cook the lasagna at a gentle boil (adding 2tbs olive oil and 1 tbsp salt as desired) for about 15 minutes. Test for readiness by poking a suspended noodle with a fork. If it goes through easily, they are likely done.

Remove the noodles from the heat and wash thoroughly under cold water. Layer the bottom of a pan (9x13 is a good size) with enough sauce to wet it down, then lay the lasagna length-wise to cover the bottom completely. Cover the noodles with sauce. Next, sprinkle them with each cheese and shake on the Parmesan. Then spot on the sour cream and smooth out the whole layer. Place the next layer of noodles perpendicular to the first and repeat the process until you run out of pan or material. Make sure to sprinkle the last layer with Parmesan.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let stand after cooking for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve!