Vegetable Lasagna

The weather is getting colder so I'm ready for some comfort food ~ yep, lasagna!  When I make lasagna, I like to make my own sauce... it just doesn't seem homemade using spaghetti sauce. This sauce is super easy to prepare too ~ just throw the ingredients in a large saucepan and let it cook while you work on the rest of the recipe. You love mushrooms and sweet peppers on your mozzarella pizza, right ~ so you're sure to like them in your vegetarian lasagna... enjoy!

Serves 6

Tomato Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 28-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can no-salt tomato paste 
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Lasagna Ingredients:

• 3/4 package (1 pound size) lasagna noodles
• 16-ounce package frozen cut green beans (or fresh)
• 2 cups red, yellow and/or orange sweet peppers, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 15-ounce carton reduced fat ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Sauce: Add all sauce ingredients to large saucepan over medium-high heat; stir to mix. Bring to boiling; reduce heat; simmer 1 - 1 1/2  hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Cook lasagna as label directs. Drain; rinse in cold water. Set aside.
3. Clean and cut vegetables. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg and parsley flakes until well combined.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. lightly spray 13-by-9 inch baking dish with cooking oil.
6. In prepared baking dish, spread 3/4 cup of sauce. Layer half the noodles, ricotta mixture, green beans,  sweet peppers, mushrooms, sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake uncovered in preheated oven 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly around edges. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.