You may not have cooked with kangaroo meat and if you have you will know how easy and tasty the mince is to use, my family love it. The lean kangaroo meat packs the dish with protein and valuable minerals such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12. If you are not a kangaroo lover then you can substitute with other meat you may enjoy.
The lentils I snuck into this lasagna, boost the nutritional value with their fibre, protein, carbohydrate and minerals. Australian's don't eat enough legumes according to the Australian dietary Survey. Legumes are linked to longevity, so have a try, you wont even notice they are there! A perfect family evening meal, lunch time feed or post training snack. It has a great balance of protein, carbohydrates, vegetables and healthy fats. You can serve with side greens or salad drizzled with extra virgin olive oil to boost the vegetable and healthy fats even more.
Ingredients
500g kangaroo mince
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ box (375g box) dried lasagna sheets
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 x cans crushed tomatoes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
6 button mushrooms diced
½ cup dried or canned brown lentils
2 cups fresh spinach leaves or 1 packet frozen spinach
500ml beef stock, extra water if desired
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
Handful freshbasil
500g fresh ricotta
1/4 cup cows milk
½ cup tasty or Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Add the extra virgin olive oil into a pan and saute the onion and garlic.
Add the kangaroo mince and break up cooking until browned
Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and beef stock
Simmer for a few minutes.
Add in the lentils and simmer for 5 minutes
Add in all other vegetables, basil, vinegar, sugar and black pepper and cook on a slow heat for an hour or so if you have the time to give a flavoursome sauce, if not until vegetables and lentils are cooked through.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Mix the ricotta cheese with 1/4 cup milk to make it into a spreadable consistency
Place a thin layer of the sauce on a lasagna dish
add a sheet of lasagna sheets
Add a thin layer of the ricotta cheese mix
Add meat sauce again and then pasta layers. Continue until sauce is completed, finishing with a sheet of lasagna topped with the ricotta mix
Sprinkle the Parmesan or tasty cheese on top of the last ricotta cheese layer.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is starting to go golden on top. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving with a green salad or sauteed green vegetables. Broccolini and green beans accompany this dish well.
Whatever your energy needs you can enjoy this dish. Increase the serving size for hungry, growing bodies and those wanting to gain weight or recover from intense exercise and reduce for when needing less and bulk up with more side vegetables. It freezes well and warms the tummy in winter!
#homecooking #lasagna #heartymeals #sportsnutrition #legumes #moreveg #kangaroomeat #loveyourlegumes
