Spinach Week: Spinach & Portobello Lasagna

Someday I’d like to host the “Great Minnesota Lasagna Competition” at the state fair. It’s a dish we all know and love. It’s one of the few leftover dishes I’ll eat.  And we all have our own go-to recipe for the World’s Best Lasagna. Seriously. A Great Minnesota Lasagna Competition is the answer to all the planet’s troubles.

If I could enter my own Minnesota Lasagna Competition, today’s Spinach Week recipe would be my blue-ribbon winner. I start with a simple ricotta and parmesan filling and my homemade tomato sauce. Add in a box of Dakota Grower’s lasagna noodles, cooked until just al dente.  Then hit it with my favorite, thick layers of fresh green spinach and rich, earthy portobello. mushrooms. If there was a dating website for lasagna ingredients, spinach and portabellas would be the couple living happily ever after on the billboard. They’re the best hook-up any lasagna dish could ask for.

Oh, before I run off for the day…have to give you my dirt on spinach:

• Most experts consider spinach to be a superfood. It’s dark green leaves are high in Vitamins A, C, and fiber. They’re also packed full of phytochemicals (a fancy word for foods that kick butt in the good-for-you department).
• The USDA nutritional info for spinach indicates that a serving of boiled spinach has more iron than a hamburger patty. But Popeye and his big muscles already taught you that, didn’t he?
• Freezing spring spinach is a cinch. Wash throughly and remove any tough stems. Blanch for 2 minutes, cool in ice water for 2 minutes, dry thoroughly and place in a freezer-safe container.

Spinach and Portobello Lasagna

Ingredients 

1 box of lasagna noodles, prepared to package directions
1 pound of spinach leaves, washed and stems removed
24 oz. of your favorite tomato pasta sauce

For the Filling
1 pound portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced
24 oz. low-fat skim ricotta
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. shredded parmesan cheese
1 egg

Instructions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Drain lasagna noodles and wash spinach. Set aside while heating pasta sauce on stove until just warm.
3. Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl until just combined.
4. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of the dish and spread evenly with a spoon.
5. Begin the layers in this way: A layer of lasagna noodles 3-4 across the bottom of the dish, topped with spinach leaves 1-2 leaves thick. Evenly spread 1/4 of the cheese filling over the spinach leaves (easiest to do with the back of a spoon). Top with 1/4 of the sauce.
6. Repeat the layers 4 more times until all noodles have been used. End with sauce. You may also sprinkle shredded parmesan and mozzarella over top for added cheesy goodness.
7. Bake for 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve warm and then enjoy the leftovers from the refrigerator!