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Janette's Healthy TV Dinners

This recipe guides you in preparing healthy, portion-controlled 'TV dinners' featuring homemade lasagna roll-ups filled with ricotta and spinach, savory meatless meatballs made with Portobello ragout, seasoned peas, and granola-topped peaches. It's a comprehensive meal prep solution, emphasizing nutritious ingredients and balanced flavors.
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Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: lunch/dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 4211.6
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • Janette's Lasagna Roll-Ups recipe follows
  • Janette's Meatless Meatballs recipe follows
  • 1 10-ounce box frozen peas
  • Butter-flavor cooking spray for seasoning peas
  • 8 canned peach halves drained
  • 1/4 cup lowfat granola
  • Ground cloves for sprinkling over peaches
  • Ground cinnamon for sprinkling over peaches
  • 8 whole wheat lasagna noodles or regular
  • 2 cups fat-free pasta sauce
  • 1 cup lowfat ricotta
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan plus 5 teaspoons
  • 1 cup Portobello Ragu recipe follows
  • 1 10-ounce box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
  • Olive oil flavored cooking spray
  • 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups Portobello Ragout recipe follows
  • 2 tablespoons ground toasted almonds
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • Olive oil flavored cooking spray
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large onions chopped
  • 3 large cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 pounds portobello mushrooms chopped and stems removed (about 8 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons dry nonfat milk
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stockpot For boiling lasagna noodles.
  • 1 Large Skillet or Dutch Oven For preparing Portobello Ragout.
  • 2 Mixing Bowls For ricotta filling and meatball mixture.
  • 1 Baking Sheet For baking meatless meatballs.
  • 4 Individual Oven-Safe Meal Prep Containers For assembling and storing the 'TV dinners'.

Method
 

  1. Prepare Portobello Ragout: Heat olive oil spray, sauté chopped onions and garlic until softened. Add chopped portobello mushrooms and 1 tbsp kosher salt; cook until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated. Stir in 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons dry nonfat milk, and 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves. Set aside.
  2. Cook Lasagna Noodles: Boil 8 whole wheat lasagna noodles in salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water to prevent sticking, and lay flat on a clean surface.
  3. Make Ricotta Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup lowfat ricotta, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, and 1 (10-ounce) box chopped defrosted and thoroughly drained spinach. Mix well.
  4. Assemble Lasagna Roll-Ups: Spread a thin layer of Portobello Ragout over each cooked lasagna noodle. Top with an even layer of the ricotta-spinach mixture. Carefully roll up each noodle tightly.
  5. Prepare Meatless Meatball Mixture: In another mixing bowl, combine 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 cups Portobello Ragout, 2 tablespoons ground toasted almonds, 1 egg white, and 1 teaspoon garlic salt. Mix until just combined.
  6. Form and Bake Meatless Meatballs: Shape the mixture into approximately 16 small meatballs. Place them on a nonstick cooking-sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm.
  7. Prepare Peas: Cook 1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas according to package directions. Season lightly with butter-flavor cooking spray.
  8. Prepare Peaches: Arrange 8 drained canned peach halves in individual containers. Sprinkle each with lowfat granola, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon.
  9. Assemble Healthy TV Dinners: In each of four individual oven-safe containers, place 2 lasagna roll-ups and a portion of the meatless meatballs. Top the lasagna roll-ups with a generous amount of fat-free pasta sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 5 teaspoons of grated Parmesan. Add a serving of seasoned peas and a prepared peach half to each container.
  10. Serve or Store: Heat assembled dinners in the oven or microwave until warmed through, or cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

1. Ensure spinach is thoroughly defrosted and squeezed dry to prevent a watery ricotta filling. Excess moisture can make the roll-ups soggy.2. For the Portobello Ragout, caramelizing the onions and mushrooms deeply will build a richer umami base. Don't rush this step.3. When forming meatballs, chill the mixture slightly if it's too sticky. An egg white acts as a binder; don't overmix.4. The recipe scales well for batch cooking; ensure adequate seasoning for each component. Taste and adjust before assembly.5. Consider a quick broil at the end for the lasagna roll-ups to achieve a golden, bubbly top on the sauce and Parmesan, enhancing visual appeal and texture.