Black Bean Lasagna

Recipe Name: Black Bean Lasagna

Notes: This is a recipe that April B. shared with me one summer when I was home from college. A nice take on lasagna that is vegetarian but still has a good amount of protein. I often make this recipe using two loaf pans instead of one big lasagna pan, and bake one immediately and put the other in the freezer to be baked later.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• two 16 ounce cans of black beans, rinsed, drained, and slilghtly mashed
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 6 lasagna noodles
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack

Directions:
Stir beans, salsa, spaghetti sauce, garlic and cumin together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta, parmesan, egg white, and milk. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with vegetable oil. Spread one cup of the bean mixture in the bottom of the pan. Cover this first layer with a layer of uncooked noodles. Spread half of the remaining bean and sauce mixture over the noodle layer. Then spoon half of the ricotta mixture and half of the shredded cheeses on top. Cover this with another layer of noodles and continue layering the rest of the bean/sauce mixture and the rest of the cheeses. Sprinkle any remaining shredded cheese on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered with tinfoil, and then 10 minutes uncovered (I have found that it works better if I give it closer to 15 minutes uncovered). Let the finished lasagna stand for 5 minutes before serving.