Zucchini Lasagna

This Zucchini Lasagna is gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly, but still has a meaty, cheesy lasagna flavor, just a little lighter and healthier. You can add Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, Eggplant, Spinach or Mushrooms to make it even healthier! To get the Zucchini sliced thin, you can use a mandoline, peeler or just a sharp knife- the thickness of the slices is up to you! To reduce the water that comes out of the Zucchini when baking, salt your zucchini and let it sit for 15 minutes on paper towels. Blot the salt away before adding to the casserole. You can also grill the Zucchini for 1-2 minutes on each side to reduce the moisture content before baking.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Large Zucchini

1 Lb Ground Beef ( 90% Lean is ideal)

12 oz Tomato Sauce ( Robby makes his own Bolognese from scratch but my favorite sauce brand is Monte Bene which can be found at Whole Foods or Fairway)

7 oz Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

1/2 cup Shredded or Grated Parmesan

3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/4 cup Shredded Basil & Parsley (optional)

2 Tbls Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into slices, as thin or thick as you'd like and set them on paper towels. Add salt or grill according to the directions above. In a large pan over medium high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it down into pieces and browning. Save 1/2 cup Tomato Sauce for the bottom layer of the dish, and pour the rest of the Tomato sauce on top of the ground beef. Stir together and then remove from heat. Combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper with the 2 tbls olive oil so that the mixture will spread more easily. Add the 1/2 cup of Tomato sauce to the bottom of your casserole dish. Add your zucchini slices on top of the Tomato sauce, overlapping each slice slightly. Add the bolognese sauce to the top of the Zucchini, and evenly spread 1/3 of the ricotta mix on top of that. Add 1/3 of the grated mozzarella on top of the ricotta, along with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and basil. Repeat these layers until you reach the top the of lasagna. Put the lasagna in the oven for 40-45 minutes, and then broil for a couple of minutes to crisp the top to your liking. Garnish with whole basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!