Turkey Spinach Lasagna

I have had a go-to lasagna recipe for years, and can honestly say that I have never tried another recipe. However, as we approach the holidays I get more and more experimental with my cooking. In this experimental state is where I decided to try a different twist on my original lasagna recipe. I swapped out my usual 2:1 ratio of ground beef and spicy sausage for ground turkey, and added fresh spinach and basil to the mix. The secret ingredient here is the addition of goat cheese to the traditional Italian cheese mixture. It gives it a great kick, and let's be honest, I would eat goat cheese in about ANYTHING. I have had goat cheese ice cream, goat cheese cheesecake, and goat cheese guacamole....I could go on and on. But this is about lasagna. So put that old lasagna recipe back in the cookbook and try something new for a change.

Turkey Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 10 oz. lean ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil
• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
• 1 10-oz. package frozen spinach, cooked a drained
• 1/2 lb. pre-cooked lasagna noodles, 
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley plus 2 tbsp., chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 15 oz. reduced fat ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 4 oz. goat cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozarella

Preheat the oven to 440 degrees F.

Preheat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the ground turkey and cook for 8-10 minutes, until no longer pink. 

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/4 cup parsely, basil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened. 

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, paremsan, goat cheese, drained spinach, egg, 2 tbsp. parsley, 1/2 tsp. salt, and fresh pepper. Mix well until combined. 

In a large baking dish ladle some of the sauce mixture into the dish to cover the bottom. Layer 1/3 of the noodles, followed by 1/3 of the spinach/cheese mixture, followed by 1/3 of the turkey sauce mixture. Repeat this two more times, until you have used all of your noodles, cheese, and sauce.

Sprinkle the mozarella on top and bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce and cheese are bubbling.