These individual vegetarian lasagnas are great for a special occasion. Preparing lasagna in single servings allows you to use more nutrient-rich sauce and less high-calorie cheese. The spinach increases vegetable intake, and the black beans make it a hearty meal while adding protein and extra fiber.

Yield: 2 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 ¾ cups low-sodium tomato sauce (about a 15 oz. can)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ¾ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp balsamic vinegar
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 to ¼ tsp fine ground sea salt
• 3 sheets dry, oven ready, lasagna noodles (7 x 3.25 inch sheets)
• 1 cup no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two single serve ramekins or casserole dishes (about 4 x 5 inches in size) with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the spinach, and cook 1 more minute.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato sauce. Stir in the basil, oregano, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat. Taste the sauce, and add the salt a little at time until it reaches your taste preferences.
4. To make a lasagna, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the sauce into one of the baking dishes. You will need 3 noodles for each lasagna, so break the 3 sheets into 6 pieces that will fit into your baking dishes. Top the sauce with a piece of noodle.
5. Spoon 3 tablespoons of sauce over the noodle, and top with ¼ cup of black beans. Place another noodle piece on top of the beans, and add 3 more tablespoons of sauce. Next, layer on another ¼ cup of beans. Add the final noodle, and finish with 3 more tablespoons of sauce. Sprinkle with half of the cheese.
6. Repeat the same process for the second lasagna.
7. Loosely cover each dish with aluminum foil, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake covered for 30 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Remove the foil, and bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.