Healthier Meat Lasagna

Healthier Meat Lasagna (Adapted from Everyday Food)

6 whole-wheat lasagna noodles, broken in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces ground sirloin
10.75 ounce can tomato puree
2 cups cottage cheese
1 1/2 ounces fresh grated Parmesan, divided
2 ounces shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Set the noodles in an 8" x 8" baking dish - cover with hot tap water and set aside to soften.

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Stir in onion, eggplant and garlic - season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add sirloin - cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in tomato puree - cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens, about 3 to 5 more minutes.

While waiting on the sauce, in a medium bowl, stir together cottage cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese - season with salt and pepper.

Carefully remove the softened noodles from the baking dish and pour out the water.

Scoop about a heaping 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the dish and spread to coat. Top with 4 noodle halves. Layer with 1/3 cheese mixture, then 1/3 sauce. Repeat twice with remaining noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Bake until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Makes about 4 servings.

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