Healthy Beef Lasagne

Meat Sauce

• Spray oil
• 4 oz (about 600g) extra lean beef mince
  (or Quorn as a meat substitute)
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 350g (12oz. or medium-sized tub) mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped
• Small bag (200g) baby spinach
• 2 8oz (400g) cans plum tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tsp mixed dried herbs
• 1 tsp/2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp chilli
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to season

Cheese Sauce Filling

• A little bit of semi-skimmed milk, optional
• 250g Philadelphia light cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to season
• 12 whole-wheat lasagna sheets (12 oz/250g)
• 200g shredded low fat mozzarella or grated cheddar

Prepare meat sauce:

1. Lightly spray bottom of a large heavy pot with spray oil and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Add beef mince (or Quorn) and cook, breaking up clumps, until browned (3-5 minutes).
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and carrot and cook until softened (2-3 minutes)
4. Add mushrooms, spinach, garlic and chilli and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook, stirring frequently, until all liquid evaporates (4-6 minutes).
6. Stir in plum tomatoes and dried mixed herbs. Once the sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer and stir occasionally, for approx. 30-45 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken up. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To prepare filling and assemble lasagne:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Coat a 2ocm x 30cm baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat the Philadelphia light over low heat and season with salt and pepper. Use a little bit of semi-skimmed milk to “loosen” the mixture, if desired.
3. Line a baking tray with tinfoil. Lightly spray with spray oil. Start layering lasagna into the baking tray with a layer of lasagna sheets. Then add a layer of meat (or vegetables), followed by a layer of white sauce. Repeat once more, then finish with a layer of pasta sheets covered in white sauce. Sprinkle over some grated low-fat cheese.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes and Bob’s your uncle!
   (Ok Bob may not be your uncle but hopefully you know what we mean!)