Polenta Lasagna

Don't judge this recipe yet just by the name! On Sunday night my husband was frying up some Pheasant he had recently hunted so I decided to try this new recipe I found in Oxygen magazine for Polenta Lasagna. I had a bad experience with polenta in the past but I decided to give it another try.  It turned out beyond delicious, super cheesy and even my husband asked me to save him some for his lunch tomorrow.

The polenta (a gluten free grain) is a super easy substitute for pasta and the taste is extremely similar. You can't taste the tofu in the recipe it just adds to the creaminess of the ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Plus its only 221 calories for a big serving but you leave the table not feeling bloated or stuffed like you usually would after a huge lasagna meal. Also a great recipe for lent as its a meatless option.

This recipe is ready in 45 minutes and makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
15oz low fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fresh grated parm cheese
1 package firm tofu, drained and mashed
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and dry
1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and copped
1 jar marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce (i used tomato basil)
18oz tube of pre-cooked polenta, sliced into 18 rounds
sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix together ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Set aside 2 tablespoons. Add tofu, spinach and peppers and gently mix together. (*I mixed the tofu and the cheese first before tossing in the veggies)
2. Layer 1/2 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 11x7 inch glass baking dish. Place six polenta rounds over sauce.
3. Top with half of the cheese mixture. Pour 3/4 cup of sauce over cheese. Repeat layering polenta rounds, cheese mixture and sauce.
4. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 mins. Remove the foil and set the oven to broil. Cook 4 more mins or until the cheese starts to turn golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrients per serving: Cal 221, fat 8g, carb 22g, dietary fiber 2g, protein 14g, sugars 6g