Foodstirs

Celebrate National Lasagna Day With Lasagna Cups!

If your children love lasagna as much as Garfield the Cat does, then you’ll definitely want to bake these Lasagna Cups! Whether you make them on National Lasagna Day, July 29, or any other day of the year, they are sure to be a hit.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• ½ chopped onion
• 1 pound ground turkey (you may omit this if vegetarian)
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp each dried basil, parsley, and oregano)
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup chopped mushrooms
• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 3 cups chopped fresh kale
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 cups ricotta (can be fat free or regular, whatever you prefer)
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 package wonton wrappers (at least 48) or one package ready-bake lasagna noodles
• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 2 muffin tins (24 cups total) with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Spray a medium-sized skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Sauté 3 cloves chopped garlic and ½ chopped onion for 2 minutes. Add 1 pound ground turkey and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add 3 cups tomato sauce, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ cup mushrooms, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
3. In a bowl, combine 3 cups chopped spinach, 3 cups chopped kale, 1 cup chopped basil, 2 cups ricotta and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Set aside.
4. For assembly, place one wonton wrapper into each muffin cup. If you’re using ready-bake lasagna noodles, simply break the noodles into a couple of pieces and place into each muffin cup. Top with a layer of ricotta mixture, turkey mixture, then a couple pinches of mozzarella. Repeat layers once more.
5. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Let rest on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before eating. (Otherwise you’ll burn yourself!)
6. Sprinkle or serve with parmesan cheese if desired.

~Jessica Luengo, Taking Pilates to a Whole New Level