Vegetable Lasagna

This summer I had zucchini in abundance.  I stumbled across this recipe for lasagna when I was looking for a way to use up some of it.   It was great, and the kids did not even protest eating it.  I wish I had taken a picture of finished product because it made an attractive dish.

Mushroom, Zucchini & Spinach Vegetable Lasagna

For Sauce:
2 cans (6 oz.) tomato paste
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. garlic poweder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 c. water
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

For Filling:
3 portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 T. butter
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frzn. spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
1 zucchini, cut into long thin strips
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
6 whole wheat lasagna noodles (The original recipe called for no cook lasagna noodles.  The regular noodles work fine without cooking them ahead of time since there is plenty of liquid in the recipe for the noodles to absorb and cook in.)

Directions:
1.  Combine sauce ingredients and allow to simmer for at least 30 min.
2.  Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in butter for about 5 minutes, until they have given off their liquid.  Let cool.
3.  Place zucchini slices on a foil lined pan, sprinkle a little salt on the, and broil for about 3-4 minutes, until they have given off their liquid.  Let cool. (I skipped this step the 2nd and 3rd time I made it, and it still turned out good.)

To assemble:
1.  Put a scoop of sauce on the bottom of your 9x13 pan.  This helps keep the noodles from sticking.
2.  Start out with a layer of lasagna noodles.
3.  Put approximately 1/3 of sauce and cheese; 1/2 the mushrooms and spinach down.
4.  Put your layer of zucchini down as noodles.
5.  Repeat. step 3.  (You should only have sauce and cheese left after this step.)
6.  Put layer of noodles down.
7.  Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.
8.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 min.
9.  Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes.
10.  Let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Note:  I added an additional layer of zucchini noodles to my lasagna because I had so much.  It was yummy!