Sweeper or Keeper: Lasagna Rolls

Well, I finally did it!!!! I managed to fix a healthy and nutrious meal (and stick to my meal plan!!!)!  Whoo Hoo!  However, the fate of this recipe still rests in the tastebuds of my family.  Keep in mind, this is a family that has been raised for the past almost 11 years on deep-fried dreams, butter and cream, and all things yummy inbetween!  Afterall, I am a born and raised southern girl, and follow suit after the "queen" - good ol' Miss Paula Dean! (WOW!  I'm on a rhyming thing today!) LOL!  I got this recipe off the Today show and decided to jazz it up a bit to pump up the healthy potential --- I guess I was feeling like an over-achiever today!  Ha!  I've included the recipe with a few pictures here. 

Because the entire family has not had a chance to eat yet... during the school-year we rarely have a chance for family dinners because of all of our evening activites... I can't give you the official "verdict", but the girls and I all cleaned our plates without ANY "negotiating" and/or "bite counting" (i.e. "How many MORE bites do I have to eat???) and in our house that is grounds for a definite KEEPER!!! 

So, here is my jazzed up version of "Lasagna Rolls" with Roasted Broccoli

Lasagna Rolls

 Ingredients:

1 box whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 container soft herbed cheese (such as Boursin or Alouette)
1 12 oz. container small-curd cottage cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce ( I was actually able to use some fresh tomato sauce I made with the tomatoes & herbs from our garden. YUM!!!)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375º F. Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine herbed cheese, cottage cheese, and mozzarella. Mix well.
Arrange lasagna noodles on a flat surface.

Spoon a thin layer (about 1/4-inch thick) of cheese mixture onto each noodle.

Starting from the shorter side, roll up noodles.  Place rolls side-by-side in prepared pan.

Pour over tomato sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Bake about 20 minutes, until cheese filling melts and top is golden brown.

 Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:

Broccoli

Fresh garlic, chopped finely

Olive oil

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Preparation:

Cut stems off broccoli and break into florets.  Spread broccoli florets out onto a cookie sheet with sides.  Drizzle broccoli with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped garlic.  Toss to coat.  Roast in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

However, because the lasagna rolls cook at 375, you might as well let them cook together for the 20 minutes.  The results are the same.... YUMMY!!! 

I paired these two dishes with a side of applesauce and VOILA... healthy dinner!!!  The best part was the clean up was SUPER easy too!!! Bonus!  You can prepare the lasagna rolls ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you're ready to cook it, and I think I even remember them saying you could freeze this dish too!  Needless to say, this recipe is being safely stored away in the keeper section!  It's a great "go to" for busy nights full of soccer, gymnastics, boy scouts, church activites, etc. 

Enjoy!