the girl who likes to eat: I heart cheese.

It’s no secret that the older I get, the more sensitive my stomach gets. The more I eat my favorite foods the less my stomach likes me, my days of having the “stomach of steel” are sadly over. One of my favorite things to eat is cheese. I heart cheese. I think people who say they don't like cheese are lying. I love warm cheesy dips, slices of cheese on a cracker, cheese pizza, cheese cake (is anyone else’s mouth watering?)….the list can go on and on and on. It’s one ingredient that when added to a dish it always makes it better. I challenge you to find the dish that this rule doesn’t apply to. I don’t know if I was born this way, or if I was infected with the cheese loving disease when I was going to college in Wisconsin.

One thing I don’t love about cheese is how I feel after I eat it. The stomach ache caused by my indulgence almost isn’t worth the joy of eating it…I think we all know that’s a lie. I have learned ways around this roadblock. I don’t love low-fat cheese…there is just something too artificial and plastic-y about it. However I’m not above using it.

One thing that goes hand and hand with cheese is pasta. Who doesn’t love a warm piece of cheese filled lasagna! Lasagna is a heavy dish, yet so delicious, about a year ago I stumbled upon a recipe for a lasagna rolls in Cooking Light and had to try it. It was amazing and didn’t leave you with that - I’m so full I can’t move feeling. Even better than that, it’s so easy to make and easier to customize. The recipe below is for a serving for 4, 2 rolls per person. If you are serving a salad or a side, 1 roll would be enough. It also calls for just mushrooms, onions and spinach; I omitted the spinach because I’m not a big fan of cooked spinach. I’d be willing to bet that you can add other veggies to the mix as well – just make sure to chop them pretty small or they won’t stay in the roll very well.

Lasagna Rolls
Adapted from Cooking Light

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 rolls)

Ingredients
8 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil (the recipe used 4 – I got away with 1)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms (I used about 4 Onces and it was plenty)
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese (I used low fat Italian blend cheese – it takes a little longer to melt, but the saved calories are worth it!)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 Jar pasta sauce
Fresh basil to sprinkle over the top

Preparation

To prepare lasagna, cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, Add onion, mushrooms, spinach, and 3 garlic cloves; sauté 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cheeses. It helps to have someone else chop the veggies for you, like i had here. Katie is a great mushroom & onion chopper.

I used Classico tomato & basil sauce to pour over the top. Then I sprinkled a little Italian blend cheese and chopped fresh basil over the top. I heated it up in the oven at 350, just long enough for the cheese to melt.