Thursday, June 28, 2018

Seafood Lasagna with a Veggie Twist


This is a new take on the Mushroom and Crab Casserole that Marg, my good friend in Powell River, makes.

Wayne and I are working on getting healthier and trying to lose some weight. This recipe replaces some of the pasta with a very versatile vegetable, spaghetti squash.


SEAFOOD SPAGHETTI SQUASH LASAGNA

Ingredients:

Bake spaghetti squash.
1 spaghetti squash

Seafood Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion chopped
1/2 red sweet pepper chopped
1/2 bell pepper diced
2 stalks celery with leaves diced
2 cups white mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon chicken bullion crystals
1/2 teaspoon salt
Shred the squash.
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
sprinkle of cayenne pepper
sprinkle of ground pepper
sprinkle of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dill
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons spreadable cream cheese
2 cups imitation crab (or the real deal)
2 cups medium shrimp whole

Mix the filling.
Filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Pasta:
4 lasagna noodles
2 quarts boiling water
1 tablespoon oil (optional)
1 teaspoons salt

Saute the sauce ingredients.
Topping:
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese grated
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Place upside down in 1/2 inch of water is a large baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is fork tender. Remove and cool. Shred the squash until it looks like spaghetti (hence the name).

Cook the noodles.
Saute onion, garlic, peppers, celery, and mushrooms with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan until tender and the liquid is evaporated. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, basil, and dill to release flavours.

Add wine. Simmer about 1 minute more until liquid is almost evaporated. Measure flour into small bowl. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Add to vegetable mixture, stirring constantly until boiling and thickened.

Stir in cream cheese until melted.

Add seafood to the sauce.
Cook pasta in boiling water, oil and salt in a large uncovered pot until pliable but slightly firm. Drain.

Prepare a baking dish with cooking spray. Put enough of the sauce mixture to cover the bottom of the dish. Lay the lasagna noodles on top, overlapping the edges.

Add shrimp and crab to the remaining sauce mixture.  Put about one third on top of the lasagna noodles. Mix ricotta and Parmesan cheese with garlic powder and basil.

Layer the ingredients.
Spread the cheese mixture over the top of seafood sauce mixture. Then make a layer of the shredded spaghetti squash.

Put a small portion of the seafood sauce on top of the squash and mix it in to moisten and flavour it.

Top with the remaining seafood sauce. Cover and bake at 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top and return to the oven uncovered.

Bake until golden brown.
Bake until the cheese melts and gets golden brown.

Okay, I know the seafood sauce and cheese aren't low calorie, but at least the spaghetti squash allows us to eat a normal portion with a little less guilt.

Have you altered any recipes to make them healthier?  I'd love to hear about them. -- Margy

20 comments :

  1. That looks a lovely dish, thanks for sharing the recipe.

    This is also a nice one, Porcini and green lentil Bolognese with courgetti
    https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/2016/01/porcini-and-green-lentil-bolognese-with.html

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks for the recipe link. Looks like you have some other great ones as well. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. - Margy

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  2. That does look and sound delicious if a little complicated. We do like to make a soup with squash. It's very good in our British winter.

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    1. I like squash in so many ways, but I haven't tried it in soup. Maybe next winter I'll give it a go. - Margy

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  3. Replies
    1. I've made it with the squash and just with the pasta, both are great tasting. - Margy

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  4. This looks like quite a commitment but that imitation crab tastes great on a pizza so why not. I bet it was fannn tastic.

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  5. ...seafood would be a new twist for me.

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    1. We live in a place with lots of seafood but it hardly ever gets to our markets. It is almost all going out for export. The only way to get local is catch it for ourselves. - Margy

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  6. That looks delicious and sounds great.

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    1. It is. My friend Marg makes two batches, one for the freezer. - Margy

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  7. The name itself makes me want to try it.

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    1. I love seafood, especially shrimp or prawns. - Margy

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  8. This looks super yummy I think I should give this a try...

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    1. I find that the white wine gives it a special flavour. - Margy

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  9. Replies
    1. I always enjoy it and it makes a great casserole for company. - Margy

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  10. Looks delicious! And I'm a vegetarian who is always on the lookout for a good meatless lasagne!

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    1. With the seafood it isn't exactly vegetarian, but I bet you could work the recipe to make it so. - Margy

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Thanks for stopping by. Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome. - Margy