Old Storm Doris is making a bit of a fuss, isn’t she?!
I did have plans to pop to Waitrose this evening to raid the reduced aisle for goodies. I’m home alone whilst H is away on a trip, so little outings keep my cabin fever under control. (I work from home, so it’s easy to go stir-crazy pretty quick over here!)
But no way no how am I leaving this house, cabin fever or no.
It’s raining which I loathe, but the wind? Count me out. I’m sure it added an extra 5 minutes to my walk to the gym today.
You might think that I’m stuck for dinner options, and that maybe I’ll just have porridge or something. (never a bad thing. There’s no shame in breakfast for dinner).
BUT as luck would have it, I have several slices of this ooey-gooey, rich, meaty, cheesy, low-cal / low-carb Lasagne tucked away in the freezer! Just waiting for a rainy day like this one.
Now before you’re put off by the idea of a low-carb, pasta-less Lasagne – I have a secret ingredient which changes. the. game!
It isn’t courgette. I’ve nothing against courgettes, but they are not the right vegetable to take the place of a sheet of pasta. Too stringy, too watery.
Get yourself down to Sainsbury’s and grab yourself a pack of their Butternut Squash Lasagne slices.
They hold their shape, slice easily, and have a firm enough texture that this honestly works!
The Cheese Sauce doesn’t need cooking, so this is super simple to assemble. The easiest Lasagne I’ve ever made. Hands down!
Remember to drop us a comment if you try this – I know you are going to love this one!
Low-Carb Lasagne
Ingredients
Mince
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 500 g lean beef mince
- 1 beef stock pot
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp tomato puree
- 1/2 tsp basil dried
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1 tsp oregano dried
Cheese Sauce
- 150 g lightest cream cheese
- 50 g 0% fat Greek yogurt
- 30 g reduced fat cheddar, grated
- 20 ml almond milk (sub for milk of choice)
- pinch salt, pepper & garlic granules
Topping / Filling
- 300 g butternut squash slices (available in Sainsburys, or make your own by slicing butternut squash)
- 100 g light mozzarella, sliced
- 70 g reduced fat cheddar, grated
Instructions
Mince
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Over a low heat, heat the onions until softened, around 5 minutes, adding the garlic for the last minute.
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Add the mince, breaking up with a spoon as you go.
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Season well with salt & pepper, and stir in the beef stock pot until dissolved.
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Add the spices, chopped tomatoes and tomato puree to the pan, then stir until combined.
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Pop on the lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cheese Sauce
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Simply stir together all ingredients until combined.
To assemble:
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Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
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In a casserole dish, spread 1/2 the mince mixture in an even layer.
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Top with a layer of butternut squash, trimming if necessary so that the mince is covered.
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Next, spread 1/2 the cream cheese mixture on top of the butternut squash.
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Add another layer of butternut squash, then mince, butternut squash and the remainder of the cream cheese.
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Finally, top with the mozzarella followed by the grated cheddar.
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Bake for 35 minutes and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
You may need to add more milk to the cheese sauce depending on the thickness of the yogurt that you use. You want a spreadable but not running consistency.
You can make the mince in advance, or even assemble the whole thing in advance - just refrigerate it, and bring it to room temperature before baking! It's ready when the edges are bubbling nicely.
Nutritional Information per serving:
Calories: 254 / Protein: 30g / Carbohydrate: 11g / Fat: 10g / Fibre: 2g
If you would like this recipe or any of our other recipes incorporated into your diet then make sure you check out our personalised meal plans.
Well I’m no cook – but I just made this for the first time…and it turned out great! Thanks