Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I've been trying to cook healthy and low calorie dinners since I got home from New Orleans. The food that I had in New Orleans was amazing, but I ate a lot of it and consumed way more calories than I usually do.

I've turned to the SkinnyTaste blog a lot recently to find delicious and good for you recipes. This recipe is directly from that blog and I am so happy that I chose to make it for dinner last night. 

The butternut squash sauce gives so much sweet flavor to these lasagna rolls and the spinach stuffed inside of the rolls adds to the nutrient value. I also love the fact that these are lasagna rolls instead of the traditional layered lasagna. It definitely makes it a lot easier to portion out your dinner more easily.

I am already planning to enjoy the leftover rolls again tonight. They are very flavorful and so filling. I was stuffed after two. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. You can also make a traditional lasagna recipe and bake it as rolls instead of in layers.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Rolls:
(original recipe from: http://www.skinnytaste.com)

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
9 lasagna noodles
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
15 ounces fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg
9 tablespoons shredded Italian blend cheese
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the butternut squash and cook until tender. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add some of the water you cooked the squash in to loosen the sauce if it is not pureeing easily.
3. To the same pot of boiling water add the lasagna noodles and cook according to package direction. Drain the noodles and lay them out on wax paper.
4. In a large bowl combine the spinach, ricotta, 1/2 cup of parmesan, egg, salt and pepper.
5. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Saute the shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the butternut squash puree, 2 tablespoons of parmesan, salt and pepper.
6. Spread some of the butternut squash sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Spread the ricotta filling over each of the lasagna pieces and roll up the lasagna noodles firmly. Place each roll in the baking dish and spread the rest of the sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle the Italian blend cheese over the rolls and cover the dish with tin foil.
7. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.