Zucchini Lasagna

This layered dream is composed of thinly sliced zucchini, your favorite sauce and ground beef or turkey, spinach and mushrooms, & mozzarella and ricotta mixture - voila! Here's the details on this yummy number: 

Ingredients:

• RICOTTA MIXTURE:
• 8 ounces part skim ricotta
• 3 tbsp parmesan cheese 
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• black pepper to taste 

• OTHER:
• 2 large zucchini cut into slices 
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 package spinach
• minced garlic
• salt and pepper 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix Ricotta filling: add all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until you're ready to layer. 
2. Brown ground beef or turkey over medium-high heat. Add sauce and simmer. 
3. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and brown, adding spinach and garlic until cooked.
4. While everything is simmering, slice zucchini for your noodles. Thickness of the zucchini will depend on how many layers you'd like. Thinner noodles = more layers. Thicker noodles = less layers and more time in the oven. 
5. Layering: Spray a 9 x 11 pan with cooking spray. Spread sauce and meat mixture on the bottom of the pan, then add noodles, spinach/mushroom mixture, more sauce, 1/2 ricotta mixture topped with mozzarella in the middle. Continue with one more layer of sauce, noodles, spinach/mushrooms and ricotta mixture on top. Top with mozzarella cheese! 
6. Bake uncovered in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.