Vegetable Alfredo Lasagna

If you're like the majority of us, you have a soft spot for Alfredo sauce. I'd think it's safe to say that we all feel a bit guilty when we have it, but it's sooo worth it. Here's the best of both worlds -- a healthier version of my famous sauce with a boat load of vegetables. And the Parmesan cheese is at a minimal but you wouldn't even notice. Love it!

I had even bigger plans for this recipe of adding pesto, ricotta, onions, and garlic, but this is perfect just the way it is. Feel free to layer it as you wish, but I recommend using the swiss chard and tomatoes for the top two layers. The chard gets just a bit crispy and the tomatoes dehydrate slightly taking on a sun-dried tomato flavor. Mmmm. Please try this!

Recipe fits a 9x13-inch pan.

Alfredo Sauce:

3/4 C. butter

1 C. heavy cream

1 C. chicken broth

1 C. grated Parmesan cheese

nutmeg

salt and pepper

Lasagna:

1 lb. lasagna noodles

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 butternut squash, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise, seeded, and sliced again into 1/4-inch pieces

3-4 medium sized zucchini, sliced in half, then lengthwise

2 bunches swiss chard

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 bunch broccoli, diced

4 large tomatoes, sliced

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the cream and broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the cheese -- a little at a time -- until incorporated. Season with a dash of nutmeg and salt and pepper. Keep warm, but set aside.

Fill a large stock pot with water and add the olive oil. Place the noodles into the cold water and slowly heat. Once the water is hot, turn off the heat and carefully move the noodles around to make sure they are not sticking. Let sit and start assembling the lasagna.

Pour a small amount of the Alfredo sauce into the bottom of the 9x13-inch pan. Layer with the noodles, squash, carrots, broccoli, sauce, then swiss chard. Repeat until there are no more ingredients. Top with the sliced tomatoes and pour the remaining sauce over the top.

Bake at 300 degrees for an hour. Check on the dish, then increase heat to 350 degrees and cook another 30 minutes until bubbly.