♥ Recipe ♥

Who needs meat in their lasagna? This deliciously healthy butternut squash and spinach lasagna can rival anyone's standard beef lasagna!

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Winter Vegetable Lasagna
6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sage, chopped
12 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion, sliced
2 tablespoons water
8-ounces baby spinach
5 cups milk
1 bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups Fontina cheese, shredded
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon whole nutmeg, grated
1 9-ounce package no-boil lasagna noodles

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.On a sheet tray toss to combine squash, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, sage, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool and then peel garlic. Mash garlic and squash together with a fork.
3.Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes until translucent, reduce heat to low and continue cooking until onions caramelize, about 20 minutes.
4.Heat 2 tablespoons water in a pan and cook spinach until wilted. Drain and squeeze out any excess water. Combine spinach with onions and reserve.
5.In a pot bring milk, flour, bay leaf and thyme to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened. Season with cayenne pepper, grated nutmeg and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Once the sauce has thickened remove the bay leaf and thyme and whisk in 1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese until smooth.
6.Ladle 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles over the top. Add half of the squash and garlic mixture and half of the wilted spinach. Ladle over more cheese sauce and then repeat layers ending with noodles. Top with remaining sauce and cook lasagna in oven for 30 minutes.
7.Remove the lasagna from the oven and turn on the broiler. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of Fontina cheese. Place under the broiler and cook until the cheese is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.