Florentine Lasagna Roll-Ups

From EatingWell: January/February 1998 — Subscribe Now!

Think portion control with these individual lasagna roll-ups. Leftovers are great for lunch the next day.

8 servings, 2 rolls each

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

16 lasagna noodles, preferably whole-wheat
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 16-ounce container low-fat cottage cheese
1 16-ounce package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Put a pot of salted water on to boil. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook half the lasagna noodles in boiling water until tender, about 8 minutes. With tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Drain and arrange the noodles in a single layer on clean kitchen towels. Cover with plastic wrap to keep from drying out. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside 1/4 cup of the onion mixture. Add flour to the onion mixture remaining in saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and return to a simmer; cook, whisking, until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce into bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
Process cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add the reserved 1/4 cup onion mixture, spinach and mozzarella; pulse until finely chopped. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add egg and pulse until blended.
Spread about 3 tablespoons spinach mixture over 1 noodle. Roll up firmly and place seam-down in the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining noodles and spinach mixture. Spoon the remaining sauce evenly over roll-ups and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake roll-ups, uncovered, until bubbling and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5. The roll-ups will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Per serving: 329 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 38 mg cholesterol; 46 g carbohydrates; 23 g protein; 9 g fiber; 424 mg sodium; 500 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (138% daily value), Calcium (28% dv), Vitamin C (26% dv), Folate (21% dv), Selenium (18% dv), Iron (17% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat