Almost Vegetarian Lasagna

99% of the time my fiance goes along with whatever I want to make for dinner. However, when I mentioned the idea of roasted vegetable lasagna I was greeted by a not so pleasant response. Well, it wasn't so much a verbal response as much as it was a non-compliant facial expression. Seeing as we are about to be married in about 9 months, I decided that compromise was the answer, so I let him add a link of Italian turkey sausage to the tomato sauce for good measure. But feel free to leave this part out if you want to go full vegetarian on me. My favorite flavor from this dish is hands down the roasted poblano peppers. Not only do they smell absolutely sinful when you roast them, but they pack a unique flavor all on their own. And you see how much kale is in there? This is a healthy dinner for sure (that's what I have to tell myself to negate the noodles and cheese). Pair this with a nice glass of wine for an added touch.

Almost Vegetarian Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked according to boxed directions
• 2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 1/2 cup cooked turkey sausage (optional)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped**
• 2 roasted poblano peppers, chopped**
• 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded gouda

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and garlic, saute for 2 minutes before adding the chopped kale. Cook, stirring often, until the kale wilts, about 5 minutes. If the mixture seems a bit dry, add a bit of water to help steam the kale. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mix together the marinara sauce and the sausage (if using). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., while you prep the lasagna.

Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and place 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the pan to keep the noodles from sticking.

Lay down 3 noodles in the bottom of the pan, covering the whole surface. Top with 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of the sauteed kale, 1/3 of the chopped peppers, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/3 of the gouda. Repeat these layers 2 more times, having 3 layers of noodles, sauce, veggies, and cheese when you are done.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes, remove the foil and finish baking uncovered for the last 5 minutes.

Allow the lasagna to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

** To roast the peppers, heat grill to high, or oven to  450 degrees. Cook the peppers, tossing occasionally until all of the skin has been charred black. Remove from the heat and place into a seal-able zip lock bag. Let them rest in the bag for 20 minutes to steam. Remove them from the bag and peel off the charred skin. This will leave you with beautifully roasted veggies.