Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook

134 Part II: Now You’re Cooking! Healthy and Hearty Dishes

T Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetables don’t have to be boring or unsatisfying. This layered masterpiece of fresh

cut veggies with layers of cheese makes a perfect meal for those with the heartiest of

appetites. Even though it’s called summer squash, it is available year round. Look for

squash that is firm and with a shiny skin, which means it’s young and more flavorful.

This yummy lasagna freezes well, and the longer it sits, the better it gets.

Stage: Soft foods

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 8 servings (1 cup each)

2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2 large, fresh yellow summer squash,

sliced into^1 ⁄ 4 -inch rounds

2 large, fresh zucchini, sliced into^1 ⁄ 2 -inch rounds

4 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed

3 cups cheese sauce (see the following recipe)

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using nonstick cooking spray, grease a 9-x-13 baking

dish.

Keeping cool

If you’re making your lunch or brunch ahead of

time, make sure to get it into the fridge and keep

it cold until it’s time to cook it or pack it. Nobody

wants to get sick from improperly handled food.

To keep bacteria from multiplying, refrigerated

food must be kept below 40 degrees.

When you leave the house, insulated, soft-sided

lunch bags or boxers are best for keeping foods

cold. Remember to put in a frozen gel pack to

keep food cold until you’re ready to eat. You

can also freeze an uncarbonated beverage in

a plastic bottle (just don’t fill it all the way to

the top) and use that in your lunch bag to keep

your food cold.