GRILLED VEGETABLE LASAGNA ~ UPDATED WITH RECIPE

Today I noticed that the eggplant was looking a bit shriveled up.  I also had a lot of zucchini I needed to use and soon.  As I pondered and searched on the internet I just could not decide what I wanted to make.  Well, my normal go-to for summertime veggie dish is a nice vegetarian lasagna.  Yeah, it is hot outside but this still is a refreshing dish.  Ya just have to let it rest a bit before eating.  

I will not put this together yet due to the fact it makes a ton of food and since Scott is still out of town.  There is just no way I could eat it all.  Normally in late July I make several up and freeze them for winter time meals.  

While looking at those poor pitiful vegetables I decided to go ahead and grill up my veggies so I can put this together at the end of the week.  

Here is a sneak preview of my eggplant and my zucchini.  It is really rather simple, I just spritz with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and Italian seasonings.  Pop them on the grill and cook them up.  

...Eggplant

...Zucchini

..sweet grilled onion

After the grilling is done I put a plate down and a paper plate on it and add the zucchini and eggplant.  This helps to drain and absorb the extra liquid they produce.

I just rotate them out in a stack.

Of course, I will use my homemade marinara sauce that I can each summer.  Goodness gracious, I am down to only 4 jars of marinara too!!  Come on tomatoes please do well this summer.  We planted late so I am expecting tomatoes in late July.  Which is just fine with me.  By planting late it gave me more time with other stuff.  Strawberries have come and gone.  Blueberries are coming in late and just starting. Normally I am picking blueberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash all at the same time.  

I make my cheese mixture.  

Mix it together

Then I start with marinara and lasagna noodles on the bottom.

Layer it with veggies

Add more pasta and sauce

I layer until it is done.  I split the cheese mixture in half and apply between each veggie layer. So I have pasta with eggplant on top, cheese mixture layer, rest of whatever veggies, normally squash, zucchini, onions, peppers and garlic as a layer then another cheese layer.  Between each layer, I have sauce and pasta.  


Grilled Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients 

• 2 eggplants sliced and grilled
• 2 to 3 large zucchini grilled (can also use 2 summer squash)
• 2 grilled onions
• 1/2 green bell pepper and 1/2 red bell pepper grilled or sauteed
• olive oil - enough to coat veggies 
• 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon divided on grilled veggies another tablespoon for ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt divided on veggies
• 1 box of oven-ready lasagna pasta
• 4 roasted garlic cloves
• 1 quart of tomatoes
• 1 16 oz marinara
• 1 16 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella 
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 

Step One

Slice your vegetables and coat with olive oil, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning.  Grill until done

Step Two

In a saucepan add tomatoes and marinara.  Bring to boil then simmer and reduce.

Step Three

Make your cheese filling mix.  Combine ricotta, parmesan, roasted garlic, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 egg.  

Step Four

Combine zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, and onion in a bowl.

Step Five

Preheat oven to 350

Step Six

Take a 9X12 casserole dish and spray olive oil to coat, and add tomato sauce on bottom, arrange 3 noodles on top of sauce, layer zucchini on top of noodles and add more sauce, arrange 3 noodles on top (layering) and add 1/2 of cheese mixture, add 3 noodles on top and add squash/zucchini/pepper and onion mixture and some more sauce.  Arrange 3 more noodles on top and use the rest of the cheese mixture.  Add 3 more lasagna noodles and top with the last of the tomato sauce.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Cook about 45 minutes to an hour.  

Step Seven

Add Mozzarella cheese to the top and allow to cool before serving.

I use all types of vegetables depending on what is on hand.  I have always used eggplant as a layer but my next veggie later I normally have tons of garlic, onion, peppers, mushrooms, yellow squash and zucchini.  You can even later tomatoes in there.  As always this recipe is about like any other I post about, use your imagination when making something and always make it your taste.  

During the summertime, this dish is wonderful at room temperature.  Of course, you can enjoy it warm as well.