Veggie Lasagna

Michael and I are trying to eat better and get back into shape. So far I have lost about 15 pounds and I've discovered the treadmill. This afternoon we searched for recipes that one or both of us will eat. The problem with me is that I am a vegetarian who won't eat most vegetables. I know, I know! You'd think that after 13 years I would have expanded my food choices a bit, but no such luck. We found a great lasagna on a blog called Lauren's Kitchen. Her version has meat, but we chose to use Morningstar Veggie Crumbles instead. It's pretty tasty!

Lighthouse Lasagna

adapted from Potluck at Midnight Farm

• 1 pound Morningstar Farms Veggie Crumbles
  
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Coarse salt
• 12 ounces egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream
• 5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sauté the crumbles until lightly browned in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, and sugar and a little salt. Fill the tomato paste can with water and stir it in. Simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes (since we used fake meat you don't need to simmer that long).

Fill a large pot with water, salt it, and bring it to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook them until tender. Drain the noodles, then return them to the pot. Stir in the butter.

Mix the sour cream, cream cheese, and scallions in a small ­bowl. Make two layers of the ingredients in a large casserole dish, as follows: Spread a little sauce over the bottom of the dish, top with a layer of noodles, then spread half of the sour cream mixture and half of the meat sauce. Repeat these steps. Top the lasagna with the sliced cheddar.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the lasagna mixture is bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned.