Lasagna Roll Ups

Lasagna roll ups are made with the same ingredients as traditional lasagna, only the assembly is a little different. I think they're a fun way to change up a dish, without going through the labor pains of experimenting with something that is not broken to begin with. I will caution you that these are a little bit more messy than traditional lasagna, but are worth a try if you want to pep up an old recipe!

I made this particular dish with broccoli and olives--not typically what you'd find in lasagna, but still pretty tasty! I recommend using fresh spinach, sauteed with a little garlic, and mushrooms for a first try. The broccoli's odd shape made these roll ups even more messy (and frustrating for Tony), but the combination of broccoli and olives was delicious!

Lasagna Roll Ups

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 large crown of broccoli, cut up into bite sized florets

1 small can of sliced black olives

3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1 cup marinara sauce (your favorite kind)

Procedure:

0. Preheat oven to 350 F.

1. Boil lasagna noodles until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then coat with a little olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another.

2. While the noodles are boiling, steam the broccoli in a steamer basket until bright green and slightly tender. Drain and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine olives, broccoli, cottage cheese and parmesan. *If you would like, you can also add 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce to this mixture*

4. Lay out a lasagna in the palm of your hand. Fill the middle with a heaping spoonful of the mixture, then form into a roll, and put the seam side down in a greased 8"x8" glass baking dish.

5. Add any of the leftover filling mixture to the top of the rolls. Cover evenly with the marinara sauce, and top with extra cottage or parmesan cheese as desired.

6. Bake at 350F for about 25-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.