Michelle intended to do a pseudo Italian menu for this South Arm Older Adults Cooking Club kitchen.

The main course for this kitchen was Spinach Lasagna Rolls. We like the idea that it is in single portion size that can be easily divided.

A little note from Michelle:

Is spinach more nutritious raw or cooked? The answer is cooked. Cooking can actually boost the antioxidant content. Heating vegetables releases antioxidants by breaking down cell walls. Studies have found that eating cooked spinach and carrots versus raw results in much higher blood level of beta-carotene, an antioxidant thought to guard against heart diseases and lung cancer. From Leslie Beck, Globe and Mail

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach
• 15 oz low fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 32 oz tomato sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 9 tablespoons (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Source: this recipe is adapted from Skinnytaste.com

Makes 9

Instructions

Cooked lasagna noodles in boiling water as per instructions on the package.

Cooked spinach in the microwave as per instruction on the box. Squeeze out excess liquid.

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish.

Place lasagna noodles on a cookie sheet or on a piece of wax paper on the counter for easy cleaning. Make sure the lasagna noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta cheese mixture and place it on one end of the noodle. You may spread the mixture evenly over the noodle. Roll carefully into a bundle.

Place the roll seam side down onto the baking dish with the tomato sauce spread at the bottom. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle remaining sauce over the noodles in the baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese if desired. Cover baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts.