Chicken Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
• 1 cup (237 mL) onion(s), diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb (464 g.) lean ground chicken
• 1/2 cup (118 mL) carrot(s), grated
• 1/2 lb (227 g.) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green pepper(s), sliced
• 1/2 cup (118 mL) low-sodium tomato sauce
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup (118 mL) red wine
• or
• 1/2 cup (118 mL) chicken broth
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 mL) hot red chili pepper flakes
• 1 box whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 2 cups (473 mL) cottage cheese, 1% MF
• 2 egg(s), medium, beaten
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) nutmeg, ground
• 1/4 cup (59 mL) Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 cups (473 mL) part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pot over medium heat. Sauté diced onions, minced garlic and ground chicken, about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Use the back of a spoon to break up ground chicken into smaller pieces as it cooks.
2. Add the grated carrots, sliced mushrooms and diced green pepper. Sauté 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes to the pot with the tomato sauce and red wine. Season with Italian mixed herbs and black pepper. Add hot red pepper flakes if you like a spicier dish. Cover and bring to a boil then simmer 30 minutes over low heat. Don't cook on too high of heat or you will lose all the juice and you need it to cook the noodles in the slow cooker.
3. In a large bowl mix together the cottage cheese, beaten eggs and nutmeg.
4. Oil bottom of slow cooker.
5. To assemble, spoon 1½ cups (355 mL) of the meat mixture onto the bottom of slow cooker. Top with 4 noodles, breaking to fit and overlapping as necessary. Top noodles with 1½ cups (355 mL) of the cottage cheese mixture and 1 Tbsp (30 mL) Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese until all the ingredients are used. Top with the grated mozzarella cheese, any remaining Parmesan and a sprinkle of thyme or herb of your choice.
6. Cover and cook on low heat in slow cooker for 5-6 hours (this could be shorter or longer depending on your slow cooker). Remove cover; turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes until lasagna firms up before serving.