Vegetarian Lasagna with Kale and Mushroom-Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped small
• 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 oz. brown mushrooms, chopped small
• 1 tsp. ground fennel
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 2 1/2 cups vegetarian marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 cups finely chopped fresh kale, blanched 3 minutes in boiling salted water
• 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 cups low-fat Mozzarella or other low-fat white cheese

Directions

1. Set the oven to 375F/190C. Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, then stir in the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, ground fennel, and dried basil, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes more, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the pan looks dry again. Stir in the vegetarian marinara sauce and water, using the water to rinse the sauce container, then lower the heat and let the sauce gently simmer for 15 minutes.
2. As the sauce cooks, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil for the kale. Chop the kale and rinse it if needed. If you are working with large kale leaves from the store, remove the tough center ribs, stack the leaves, slice them thinly in one direction, then turn the cutting board and cut across them the other way.
3. Drop the chopped kale into the boiling salted water and cook for 3 minutes. Drain it in a colander set in the sink, then leave it there to cool and drain thoroughly for at least 5 minutes.
4. While the kale cools, stir together the cottage cheese, beaten eggs, and finely grated Parmesan. Add the cooled kale and mix until everything is evenly combined.
5. Coat a 9 inch X 12 inch lasagna dish with nonstick spray.
6. Arrange 3 uncooked lasagna noodles across the bottom of the dish. Spoon on 1/2 the mushroom tomato sauce and spread it over the noodles so they are fully covered. Add 1/2 the cottage cheese and kale mixture, smoothing it with a rubber scraper, then scatter 1 cup of the grated low-fat Mozzarella over the top.
7. Build a second layer the same way with lasagna noodles, tomato-mushroom sauce, the cottage cheese and kale mixture, and cheese.
8. Wrap the dish tightly with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes, keeping the foil in place the whole time. Remove the dish from the oven and take off the foil. You can use a toothpick to see whether the noodles are fairly tender at this stage; if they are not, return the foil and bake a few more minutes.
9. Return the lasagna to the oven without the foil and bake for 25-30 minutes more, until the noodles are tender, the filling is bubbling, and the top is lightly browned.
10. Allow the lasagna to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing, then cut it into pieces and serve hot.