We try to make vegetarian dinners at least twice a week for health, cost, and environmental reasons--not to mention because I am a total freak about creating a pleasing balance of international cuisines, proteins, and side dishes for each week's meals. (When it comes to meal planning, I'll cop to being slighty OCD.) Unfortunately, our standard repertoire of veggie dishes has been strangely uninspiring of late. Every time I stand in front of the fridge looking at our meal list, it seems like there is a problem with all of the vegetarian choices. Namely, they contain no meat.
Still, I persevere. I continue to program the meals and make every attempt to actually cook them within the week. Today I hit on a winner and thought I'd share in what I hope will become a semi-regular feature, Favorite Food Fridays.
Vegetarian Lasagna Rolls
1 box lasagna noodles (the kind with the curly edges)
2 c. ricotta cheese
1 10-oz. package frozen spinach
1 1/2 c. shredded Italian cheese (I used a six-cheese blend that had mozzarella, parmesan, etc.)
Fresh basil, to taste
1 jar marinara sauce (I like Barilla brand green olive)
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions, being careful not to overcook. While the lasagna is cooking, thaw the spinach and squeeze out the excess water. Put into food processor with the ricotta, half the shredded cheese, and the basil. Process until smooth. When lasagna noodles are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water.
In a greased baking dish, coat the bottom with marinara sauce and set aside. Spread each noodle with the cheese filling and roll up, placing in the baking dish seam side down. When all the rolls are in the dish, cover with the rest of the sauce and cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with steamed veg and/or salad.