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Lasagna is a great choice for entertaining guests. It can be prepared in advance, and simply popped in the oven, so that when company comes you can spend your time mingling instead of standing over the stove! Experiment with this recipe by varying the vegetables used, adding cooked lean ground beef or chicken, changing the spices – the options are endless! This also makes a great dish to bring to parties and potlucks. And, as always, this revamped recipe has just a fraction of the calories and fat of traditional lasagna. The tomato sauce recipe used in this dish is an excellent source of lycopene and antioxidants. Studies suggest that these compounds reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. They are also thought to slow the body’s aging process. If you are in a rush to get this dinner on the table, feel free to use store bought sauce instead. Just be sure to use one with no added salt or sugar.

Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

9 lasagna noodles – about 8 ounces (again – if you are in a hurry, substitute the “no-boil” lasagna noodles)

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1/3 cup carrot, finely chopped or grated

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 cups fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped (if using canned, 1 large can drained and rinsed)

3 cups broccoli (including stems), coarsely chopped

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 container (15 ounces) nonfat ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced (or 1/2 tablespoon dried)

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Tomato Sauce

2 cans (16 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes, undrained

2 cans (6 ounces each) no salt added tomato paste

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1/4 red wine

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/2 tablespoon italian seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil; Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. While sauce cooks, begin preparing lasagna.

to prepare the Lasagna:

Cook lasagna noodles according to the package directions (but omit the salt called for). Drain noodles and rinse well under cold water. Place in a single layer on aluminum foil. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add carrot and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes. Reduce the heat, add the broccoli, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and stir in spinach.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine ricotta, parsley, oregano, cornstarch, and black pepper in a small bowl. fold in 1 1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese.

Lightly spray a 13 by 9 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce and spread with 1/2 the cheese mixture, followed by 1/2 the vegetable mixture. Pour about 1/3 of the remaining tomato sauce over vegetables. Repeat layers, ending with last 3 noodles on top. Pour the remainder of the tomato sauce over noodles; Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake for 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings. per serving: 263 calories, 7 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 27 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 0 added sugar, 9 mg cholesterol, 21 g protein, 240 mg sodium, 409 mg calcium.