I love a lasagne. I'd go as far as to say it's one of my top 3 favourite meals.

So imagine my dismay at the realisation that because of the gestational diabetes I can't eat the pasta or the white sauce. It just wasn't going to do to be honest so I set about making a lasagne that I actually CAN eat.

Instead of pasta sheets I used butternut squash lasagne sheets, I made my own cheese sauce with just cream and cheese - no flour needed and it's packed full of vegetables. If you wanted you could omit the meat and have a lovely vegetarian lasagne but it's up to your personal preference.

Ha GD! I've won this time.

Ingredients

400ml double cream

50g creme fraiche

Tin of chopped tomatoes

220g cheddar cheese

250g ricotta

500g beef mince

2 cloves of garlic

150g mushrooms

1 teaspoon nutmeg

150g spinach

1 red onion

300g butternut lasagne sheets

95g pesto

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C.

Pour the cream and creme fraiche into a saucepan, gently heating. Add the cheddar cheese and cook through until melted. Remove from the heat once smooth and whisk in the ricotta before seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

In a separate saucepan fry the garlic, onion and mushroom until soft before adding the mince and cooking until brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced.

In a large baking dish assemble the lasagne. Start with a layer of mince, then add the butternut squash sheets and spread a layer of pesto. Top with spinach and cheese sauce. Top with another layer of mince followed by butternut sheets, pesto, spinach and cheese sauce and then repeat the layers once more. Add a final layer of butternut sheets and then spread over the remainder of the cheese sauce. Top with some more grated cheese for good measure.

Bake for 45 minutes until bubbling, brown and crisp on top. Serve and enjoy.

Cara x

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