This vegetarian delight is stacked high with fresh veggies, herbs, 3 kinds of cheese, baby greens, and a delicious tomato-basil sauce. Pair it with an arugula salad and a simple olive oil and balsamic dressing. This lasagna is a no-brainer to put together – it only looks complicated! Impress your guests with this lasagna that they won’t soon forget!

Stacked Vegetarian Lasagna Pie

Serves 10

Ingredients

• 14 dried lasagna noodles
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrots (3 medium carrots)
• 2 cups finely chopped zucchini (1 medium zucchini)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (8 ounces)
• 2 6 ounce packages baby spinach
• 2 tbsp fresh basil (or dried)
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 15 ounce carton ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 26 ounce jar tomato-basil pasta sauce (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 cups shredded Italian Fontina or mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
• Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Cook your lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Drain once more and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in carrots, zucchini, and half of the garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until veggies are crisp and tender. Transfer the veggies to a bowl and add the remaining oil to the same skillet and heat again on medium-high heat. Add in mushrooms and remaining garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Gradually add in spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl. Stir in basil and set aside.
3. In a bowl, stir together the egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
4. Spread 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9×3 springform pan. Arrange 3-4 cooked noodles over the sauce to create 1 layer. Top the layer with half of the spinach-mushroom mixture. Add half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the spinach mixture. Add another layer of noodles. Spread over half of the remaining tomato sauce. Top with all of the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle half the Fontina cheese over the vegetable mixture. Add another layer of noodles. Layer the remaining spinach-mushroom mixture and remaining ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a layer of noodles and the rest of the sauce.
5. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. When the time is up, sprinkle with the remaining Fontina cheese and bake 15 minutes more. Take the pie out and cover and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the side of the pan and cut into wedges. Garnish with rosemary sprigs (optional).

Photo and recipe: BHG.

Backyard and balcony gardens are increasing in popularity, with many people choosing to grow their own vegetables and fruits, as an organic and money-saving option. If you thought that tending your own garden is hard work, think again! Having a small garden requires only frequent watering and fertilizing, and the fruits of your harvest make everything worth it! Why not give some of these unique and different veggies and fruits a try?

1. Silver Slicer Cucumber

This white cucumber has tender skin, a good crunch, and is sweet. Easy to grow and maintain, this vegetable requires full sun.

2. Goji Berries

Goji berries are said to contain more Vitamin C than oranges, and are relatively easy to grow once established. They can grow in poor soil, and expect it to yield berries 2 years after planting.

3. Pineberry

Pineberries are smaller than the average strawberry, and they taste like pineapples! They can be grown in pots, but make sure they have good drainage, as they can suffer from root rot.

4. Indigo Rose Tomato

The purple skin of this tomato contains anthocyanins, which help fight cancer and slow down ageing. It produces a heavy crop, and grows well in pots.

5. Malaysian Dark Red Eggplant

This slender eggplant is about a foot long, and is great for frying. They’re a little hard to find, but everyone agrees that it’s worth it because they’re so delicious!

6. Papaya

Surprisingly, papaya is really easy to grow, and it produces fruit all year round! They do well in a frost-free climate, lots of sunlight, and good soil. Papayas are fast growers, so expect to be picking your own fruit in only 10 months!

7. Watermelon Radish

These radishes may look white and boring on the outside, but on the inside, they’re bursting with color! They have a slightly sweet taste, and are best planted in the spring and summer.

8. Acai Berry

This plant grows well in pots, and is well-known for its high antioxidant properties. Acai berries grow in rainforests, so make sure you keep yours in a greenhouse or indoors.

9. Purple Passion Asparagus

This asparagus has a sweet, nutty flavor, and 20% more sugar than green asparagus. They’re cold hardy and very heat tolerant. You can harvest them from early April to mid May.

10. Purple Sweet Potato

These sweet potatoes are great for roasting and frying. They can be stored for months in a cool, dry place and are planted in early spring.

Photos: Flickr, Oregon Live, Ali Express, Grow Organic, Planet Natural, Green Value Nursery, Essential Living Foods, The Watermelon Radish, Mamashayna, Beautiful Now.