Quick Spinach Roll-Ups

These tempting little packets of spinach and cheese rolled in a lasagna noodle are just the thing for a spring supper. Add a loaf of crusty whole-grain bread and a crisp salad and you have a nourishing and healthful meal: these Quick Spinach Roll-Ups are rich in eye-helping lutein and they’re low in fat!

INGREDIENTS

8 lasagna noodles
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 15-ounce container reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bunch baby spinach leaves, chopped
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
1 1/2 cups reduced-fat spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the egg whites, ricotta, Parmesan and salt. Set cheese mixture aside.

3. Lightly spray an unheated large skillet with olive oil no-stick spray. Add spinach and chives. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add spinach mixture to cheese mixture, stirring until combined.

4. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 12-inch by 71/2-inch by 2-inch baking dish.

5. To assemble, place one noodle on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper. Place 1/4 cup of spinach mixture in a mound 1/4-inch from the short end. Roll noodle around the spinach mixture. Carefully remove bundle from parchment and place it, seam side down, in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles and spinach mixture.

6. Pour remaining sauce over the roll-ups in the baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella and cover with foil/ Bake 35 to 45 minutes until bubbly.

Serves 4.

Read more: Food, All recipes, Entrees, , cheese, lasagna noodle, lutein, spinach roll-ups

Adapted from Healthy Homestyle Cooking, by Evelyn Tribole (Rodale Press, 1994). Copyright (c) 1994 by Evelyn Tribole. Reprinted by permission of Rodale Press.
Adapted from Healthy Homestyle Cooking, by Evelyn Tribole (Rodale Press, 1994).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Michele W.

8:42AM PDT on Mar 27, 2012

Thank you

send a green star

Micheal M.

9:19AM PST on Feb 2, 2012

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates
we must light up the darkness for knowledge is not power its empowering lets all be empowered to change. life has value beyond measure
Peace and Love

Cheryl B.

3:20PM PST on Jan 17, 2012

sounds great

May H.

5:41PM PDT on Sep 26, 2011

Charles B.

7:13PM PDT on Jun 18, 2011

Looks really good!, Thanks Annie

KS G.

4:32AM PST on Nov 10, 2010

Thanks for the article.

Past Member .

2:05PM PDT on May 7, 2010

Yummy, a new spinach recipe to try.

Donna H.

8:47AM PDT on Apr 29, 2007

i've been using regular dry lasagna noodles this way for years...except i use half the noodle to roll...i've also done this with the thinly sliced eggplant mentioned by amelia-yummy...and...i never use eggs when i mix the cheeses, wasn't taught that way, and the cheese mixture holds together quite nicely without! btw, i don't use cannelloni or shells because it's less messy for me to roll the lasagna noodle.

Anna M.

8:44AM PDT on Apr 27, 2007

Who makes frozen lasagna sheets? I can't find them in my local stores. Perhaps the manufacturer would be able to help. I'm going to try this with all the variation mentioned above. It sounds wonderful with eggplant or canelloni or manicotti or ...

Amelia C.

6:30AM PDT on Apr 27, 2007

Using the shells will work fine in place of the lasagna. I'm going to try this recipe using eggplant roll ups. I peel and thinly slice the eggplant the long way. Brush with olive oil and roast in the oven until just soft. Then place the filling as with the lasagna, roll and place in the baking pan. About 20 mins will warmn everything though. The eggplant adds more vegetables vs the pasta.