Monday, January 16, 2012

Lasagna Muffins!

These little babies have to be one the most fun, easiest and healthiest mini meals I have ever made.
They take about fifteen to twenty minutes prep time and even shorter if you use ready made pasta sauce.

via

Heres the deal.

Sauce:
In a small saucepan heat 1 can of diced tomato's (Annalisa is always a winner) half a diced onion, some garlic and some salt and pepper to your taste.  Once simmering turn of heat and let sit.

Ricotta:
Mix one and a half cups of low fat ricotta and a handful of roughly chopped wilted spinach until its all combined.

Spray a six cup muffin tray with some canola spray and place a wonton wrapper sheet in the base pressing into the corners to make sure its flat.

Using half the ricotta mixture divide between the six cups and press flat. Add some sauce at this stage to coat the ricotta, and sprinkle a tablespoon of Mozarella cheese over the top. Repeat with another layer of wonton wrapper, ricotta, sauce and cheese and place a final wrapper to seal the mini lasagna and spread a thin layer of sauce over the top.

Thats it!







Thursday, January 5, 2012

Baked Eggplant Rolls Tomato Basil Sauce




This was great recipe that my lovely sister Mel suggested.



Ingredients

2 small fresh eggplant, trimmed, sliced lengthwise into 4   
1 tsp olive oil   
3 clove(s) fresh garlic, sliced   

800 g whole tomato canned in tomato juice, chopped   
2 Tbsp fresh basil, torn   

1 small zucchini, finely diced   
150 g reduced-fat ricotta cheese   
1/2 cup(s) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped   
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped   
3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese, chopped   

1 small egg(s), lightly beaten   

1/2 small onion, finely chopped   
1 x 3 second spray(s) oil spray

  • Preheat oven to 230C. Spray a baking tray with oil and set aside.

  • Lay eggplant in a single layer on prepared baking tray and spray with oil. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside. 


  • To make filling, spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and place over medium-high heat. Add onion and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, or until onion starts to soften. Add 1 clove garlic and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool. 


  • Meanwhile combine ricotta, parsley, basil and 2 tablespoons parmesan in a seperate bowl. Stir to combine. Add cooled onion mixture to ricotta mixture, then add egg and season well with salt and pepper.

  • To make sauce, place the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic and saute for 2 minutes, or until light brown. Add crushed tomatoes and stir to combine then reduce heat to low. Add basil and season well with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.

  • To make eggplant rolls, reduce oven temperature to 210C. Spoon 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce into the base of a 20cm square ceramic baking dish. On a clean chopping board place a slice of eggplant. Spoon 2 tablespoons of ricotta filling at narrow end and roll up. Place in prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices. 



Arrange rolls in a single layer in dish. Spoon over remaining 1/2 cup tomato sauce and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted.


YUM!