Oh my goodness. I found a new recipe to love using butternut squash. The flavors of cream, nutmeg and a little heat mixed with the sweetness of butternut squash, sage, and garlic in a lasagna is pure heaven!
On Sunday when Rose was visiting and we were making Challah bread, I also made lasagna. Lasagna happens to be Grumpy's very favorite casserole dish but I rarely make it. I'm not a fan of the meaty dish much. Oh, I can eat it and I don't think it's horrible, but I don't love it. Never have. But, I am a fan of butternut squash. So when I came across a recipe for a lasagna with a bechamel type sauce that also incorporated a ton of flavor using sage, garlic, cayenne and nutmeg, well, I knew it was going to be my dinner! I promptly decided to make ½ a recipe of regular meaty lasagna for Grumpy and ½ a recipe of this to die for Butternut Squash lasagna.
You gotta love Rose (can I adopt her please? or maybe introduce her to Chris? ha ha). She is such a happy young lady with great values and morals. I have to commend her parents for raising such a beautiful young lady. When I asked her which one she liked best her comment was the regular lasagna called out to the meat eater in her while she loved the vegetarian one also. 🙂 I promptly sent her home with a piece of each when it was time for her to leave!
No doubt for me however. This butternut squash recipe has now become my favorite and I will make it again! It is also diet friendly 🙂 Yay! I am trying really hard to lose the 12 pounds I've gained over this year. It really stinks getting old and having everything slow down. The only thing that doesn't seem to slow down is my life. Per Dr. Guptil's instructions, I am bringing exercise back into my life, eating less, and eating healthier. I hope when I go back in 4 months I can have lost at least half of what I gained this year!
When I made both lasagna recipes I used the Dreamfield lasagna noodles. These noodles supposedly are a lower carb version of pasta. I hope so anyway 🙂 BTW, one serving is only 6 WW Points Plus!
- 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 6 large garlic cloves,chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- cooking spray
- 1 medium onion, vertically sliced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 -9 oz package fresh spinach
- 2-½ cups almond milk
- 2 thyme sprig
- 2-½ tablespoons flour
- ½ cup almond milk
- ¾ cup montery jack cheese, shredded
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
- 5 lasagna noodles, cooked
- ¼ cup monterey jack cheese (for topping)
- Preheat oven to 425.Combine squash, ½ tablespoon oil, sage, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange squash mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Heat remaining oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue cooking for 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Place onion in a bowl.
- Steam spinach in microwave safe steamer for 3 minutes. Cool, squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Add to onions.
- Heat 2 ½ cups milk, and thyme in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Discard thyme. Return pan to medium heat. Combine remaining ½ cup milk and flour in a small bowl. Add to pan, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in teaspoon salt, cheese, cayenne, and nutmeg.
- Spread ½ cup milk mixture in bottom of a 8 x 8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange noodles to fit over milk mixture; top with half of squash mixture, half of spinach mixture, and ¾ cup milk mixture. Repeat layers. Spread remaining milk mixture over noodles. Top with ½ cup cheese. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes, and remove from oven. Let lasagna sit 10 minutes prior to serving.
Diane says
Why use Almond milk if you are going to use dairy cheese?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Diane, I use almond milk because I don't drink or like regular milk (pretty sad because I grew up on a farm!). It had nothing to do with the fact that it was dairy. You can use regular milk in this recipe if you wish. It won't affect the outcome. Thanks for stopping by!
Jersey Girl Cooks says
I love your version of lasagna. I get tired of eating the same meat kind. i like how you used almond milk too.