Zucchini Lasagna (S)

When I read about this dish on pinterest I knew I had to make it so I set about converting my egg noodle lasagna to zucchini and it was pretty much love at first bite, especially for my husband who loves my lasagna anyway but likes this one better!

Take a couple of medium or one really large zucchini and slice thinly, then sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Meanwhile take a quart sized jar of your favorite low carb spaghetti sauce.  I like the marinara type sauces without lots of extra flavorings, but  honestly the only problem that you'll run into with this dish is if you get the sauce too juicy and/or don't get the zucchini dry enough.  Which brings me to the next photo;

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Brown a couple of pounds of hamburger or italian sausage and drain, then add your sauce and simmer.  Meanwhile spray a skillet lightly, I like to use my griddle so it all fits at once normally, I  just did it this way for the picture.

So let the strips cook and dry out and turn them till they look done; then drain them on paper towels.  Continue to stir and simmer the sauce.

Take a cup of low fat cottage cheese and/or ricotta and mix it together with some shredded parmesan, 1/4 cup or so.  Note:  If you use ricotta it will  be thicker and you might need to thin it with a very small amount of water to get it to spread later.

Now you're ready to assemble.

 

Using a slotted spoon lift the meat sauce out of the skillet and let it drain a little then put it into the bottom of a 13x9 dish.  Just cover the bottom.

Cover with zucchini slices.

Using a tablespoon just drop the cottage cheese mixture around over the top of the zucchini and cover carefully. Remember note from above if you use ricotta.

Spoon the rest of the sauce over the cheese mixture, draining as you go if necessary.  

Top with 8 to 12 oz. of lowfat monzarella cheese and sprinkle with a little parmesan, if desired.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.