Lasagne - how to make it healthier?

SandC

I often use olive oil instead of butter with my flour, skimmed milk and a strong cheddar so I use less of it, mustard also great to add for some flavour.

Best thing to do on top of that is serve a smaller portion and bulk up with salad. Never eat garlic bread with pasta you don't need all those extra carbs.

bigsmoke

hi there - i use low fat cottage cheese mixed up with a beaten egg for the sauce, and then sprinkle a little strong cheese over the top to melt.

you can also use the cottage cheese/egg combo as a low fat quiche filling (slimming world uses it for pastry-less quiches, yummy with bacon and sausage in!).

i should warn you though: the cottage cheese will look absolutely revolting when you mix the beaten egg in. it tastes good though!

bs x

shogs

I use cottage cheese too. But on its own. This was done on something for the weekend on bbc2 and the recipe is on bbc food website - simon rimmer lasagne. It does look awful before you cook its really nice & much lighter. I now prefer it to the cheese sauce version and it freezes well.

fabulous_girl

I got three packets of gluten free lasagne sheets, it was £1 for three at www.approved-food.co.uk - which I happen to live near!
I am a bit confused about gluten, but all i know is my friend is allergic to it and is really slim (perhaps too slim!?) and I am not allergic to it, and am a bit porky!

Nicki

Cottage cheese would be my first thought for a low fat cheese sauce. If not, then some low fat creme fraiche with some mature cheddar cheese grated in (half the amount you would otherwise use). You can also make a virtually fat free white sauce by boiling skimmed milk with Carr's Sauce flour until it is thickened and flavouring as appropriate.

For the meat part, I would dry fry the mince and onion together, pour off any obvious fat, and blot the surface of the mixture with kitchen roll to get some more off. Bulk out with oats and veg.

Serving a small portion of lasagne with a large fresh salad, will also help to keep fat and cals low!

apardion

Hi, I also use low fat cottage cheese instead of white sauce layered with tomato and vegetable filling as we are vege. On the top layer we just use a sprinkling of parmesan cheese to give it that "cheesy" flavour. It is really lovely and is my DH's favourite dish.

This reheats well in the microwave for a quick lunch the next day too. The cottage cheese seems to help it keep its shape.

apardionx

Idiophreak

smartandshrewd wrote: »

I add a layer of spinach to it, really tasty!

Like this idea - it's important to remember you can make stuff more healthy by adding stuff in - not just taking stuff out.

wigglebeena

Buddingblonde wrote: »

Dont make as many layers so you are only using white/cheese sauce on the top

Make the white sauce with skim milk and cornflour

Buy the strongest cheese possible and use the smallest amount for flavour and add some mustard to the sauce to bring out the cheese flavour

I made my first ever home-made lasagne recently, it turned out fantastic and I did add half a teaspoon of very superstrong mustard to the cheese/egg sauce, unauthorised by the recipe. I go crazy in the kitchen, just operating on instinct!

I also used half quark instead of all ricotta, don't know if it's lower fat but it's slightly cheaper and was fine. Plus tomato puree in the pasta sauce to make it tomatoier.

wigglebeena

http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/lasagna.htm

This is what I used, with a lot of latitude and guesswork involved.

wigglebeena

Wonder_Girl wrote: »

I use quark with an egg, some herbs, a bit of mustard powder and some grated parmesan, it's scummy, I also make this and add a bit if chopped bacon and onion to stir into pasta, goes down a treat.

I'll bet money you meant scrummy!