Butternut Squash Lasagne

It has high cancer-fighting antioxidants, is chock full of vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, E and B1, 3, 6 and 9... plus magnesium, potassium and manganese. Wow!

Lasagna is one of the great comfort foods of the Autumn/Winter season and you can simply make it healthier without losing any taste. Swap regular lasagna pasta sheets for thinly sliced butternut squash. It’ll have the same delicious cheesy sauce, but still be low carb and gluten free!

Here's my Butternut Squash Lasagne Recipe, I do hope you enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 300g Tomato sauce (if you want to make your own, check out the recipe below. For speed, you could opt for a herby passata, from supermarkets)

• 400g thinly sliced butternut squash (buy this ready-done from supermarkets or use a mandolin to slice your own)
• 1tbsp ghee or extra virgin olive oil
• 700g minced meat (beef or pork)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• A few generous grinds of black pepper
• 500g ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 230g grated mozzarella
• 45g grated parmesan

METHOD:

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

If you’re cutting the butternut squash yourself, use a mandolin to cut to about 1/4cm thick.

Put the oil  or ghee in a large non-stick pan and add the minced meat, cooking for 5-7 mins, stirring frequently.

Add half the tomato sauce (recipe below) and all of the dried oregano. Season with half the salt and pepper. 

Next make the cheesy ricotta layer by mixing the ricotta, eggs, and chopped fresh herbs. Season with the remaining salt and another grind of pepper. 

Spread the rest of the tomato sauce on the bottom of your dish (choose one about 26 x 7cms). Than add a layer of butternut squash (you’ll have three butternut squash layers in total). 

Take half of the mince mixture and spread on top, followed by half the ricotta mix on top of that. 

Add a second butternut squash layer followed by the remaining mince and the remaining ricotta mix.

Top with the last later of butternut squash then add the grated mozzarella followed by the parmesan cheese. 

Cover your dish with foil and bake in the oven for 45 mins. 

Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 mins until golden brown.

For The Tomato Sauce:

This sauce can be frozen if you make it in batches and keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. It’s a great base for sauces of all kinds.