Beef, Vegetable And Cheese Casserole

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 12 ounces raw lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup canned tomato sauce
• 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese (or any low fat cheese of your choice)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 500ºf.
• 2 coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread tomatoes and zucchini over sheet. roast vegetables for 10 to 12 minutes.
• 3 meanhwile, in a large, nonstick skillet, sauté beef, onion and garlic until beef is browned.
• 4 stir in tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
• 5 spread beef mixture in a 9x9 baking dish and top with roasted vegetables.
• 6 reduce oven temperature to 350ºf.
• 7 whisk together cottage cheese, egg yolk, cheddar cheese, herbs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
• 8 spoon over roasted vegetables and smooth with a rubber spatula.
• 9 bake until very hot and bubbling around edges, about 35 minutes.
• 10 cut into six equal pieces and serve.
• 11 (note: if preparing casserole in advance and freezing it, make sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator before baking it. increase the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.).
• 12 flavor booster: to give this dish an italian accent, substitute fat-free ricotta cheese for cottage cheese and use 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese in place of the cheddar. sprinkle with 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil just before serving.