Simple Summer Supper

Who doesn't love lasagna? It's a great meal, but a heck of a lot of work. And who wants to turn on the oven in the middle of the summer? This recipe is the remedy to all of that. All the great flavors of a lasagna, but without the oven. The sauce is very refershing, and lighter than your typical lasagna sauce. But why limit yourself of a few months of the year? This recipe is good enough to make all year long.

Lasagna Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Recipe from Cooking Light
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves 4 (serving size: 2 rolls)

Ingredients:

Lasagna

• 8 uncooked lasagna noodles
  
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 1 (8-ounce) packed pre-sliced mushrooms
  
• 1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil, divided
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  
• 1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, undrained
  
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. To prepare lasagna, cook noodles according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water. Drain.
   
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, spinach, and 3 garlic cloves; sauté 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses, 2 tablespoons basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
   
3. To prepare sauce, place vinegar and the remaining sauce ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.
   
4. Place cooked noodles on a flat surface; spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture over each noodle. Roll up noodles, jelly-roll fashion, starting with short side. Place the rolls, seam sides down, in a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish. Pour 1/4 cup sauce over each roll, and cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil.

Note: I don't like mushrooms so I just omit them.