What’s for dinner?
Tonight I decided to make a recipe I haven’t made in awhile. Italian Vegetable Casserole. Don’t let the ingredients scare you. This unseemly combination really has a surprising flavor much like lasagna without the gluten or noodles.
Italian Vegetable Casserole
Ingredients:
4 cups white beans, already cooked and drained or 2 cans of white beans (drained)
1 – 8 oz. bag of washed fresh spinach (3 cups) or 1 bag 20 oz. frozen spinach
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion chopped
3 carrots shredded
2 cups of spaghetti sauce (or 1 cup sauce and 1 cup paste plus 3/4 tsp. oregano, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper )
3 cups shredded jack cheese or mozzarella cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
Parmesan Cheese (approximately 1/2 cup) and some additional to sprinkle on at the table.
Preheat your oven to 375°. Saute garlic, onion, in 2 tsp. oil. Add carrots, and spinach, and cook 3-4 minutes. Stir in sauce. Spread 1/2 beans in 9 X 13 casserole. Layer 1/2 cottage cheese, 1 cup cheese, and 1/2 vegetable mixture. Repeat, and end with the last cup of cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. To make and freeze for later. Cover with heavy foil and freeze. To eat now bake uncovered at 375° for 1 hour or until done. Let set a few minutes when it comes from the oven to set. Serves 6-8.
I used dry beans I had cooked in my crock pot. I forgot to drain my beans so my casserole was a bit soupy. I did serve it over some leftover rice. The flavor was wonderful.
Hints: I used my Ninja food chopper to chop the onions and carrots.