Have you ever cooked up something and you were like, “Oh my god, that was so amazing. I’m never making it again.” That’s how I feel about this delicious gluten-free Greek lasagna that seriously took me HOURS to make while I kept telling my family dinner was almost ready. Yes, I lied.

I picked up this magazine called, “Light and Healthy” because you know, we’re trying to eat light and healthy between my forays into deep-frying and sugar loading. I mistakenly believed that light and healthy also meant super easy. But there’s a “light and healthy” bechamel sauce in here, gang! This is where I give you another tip: Always read the recipe in its entirety before deciding you can whip up something in half-a-Wilco-album time.

Seriously, I’m pretty sure this recipe was more difficult than childbirth, if I’d actually experienced child-birth. Which is way TMI for this gluten-free food blog. That’s why I took a picture with the goods, coming out of my oven.

I would not be surprised, however, if you found this recipe to be much more simple than I did. Perhaps, I too could have had an easier time had I not; a) Started dinner at 6pm in hopes of having it on the table by 6:30pm, and b) Not had to throw Tupperware at my children’s heads to distract them from their requests to “help” with all the chopping and sautéing. So perhaps it will only take you like, two hours to complete instead of my 27,000. Good luck with that.

Here’s how you can make a light and healthy Greek lasagna gluten-free.

Gluten-Free Greek Lasagna

adapted from Light and Healthy

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

1 onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound lean, ground turkey
1/3 cup red wine
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

Pasta and Bechamel Sauce

8 ounces gluten-free macaroni
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk
1 (12-ounce) can low-fat evaporated milk
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 1/2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/3 cup 2 percent Greek yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven, for pasta.

2. Combine onion, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium, and stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and cinnamon. Cook until tomato paste begins to darken, about 1 -2 minutes.

3. Stir in turkey, breaking up meat, cooking until no longer pink. Stir in wine, and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Add tomato sauce, bring to simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes.

4. After pasta has cooked for 6 – 8 minutes (without overcooking), empty Dutch Oven and add olive oil to medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 2 cups of milk and evaporated milk and bring to simmer, stirring often.

5. Whisk cornstarch into remaining 1/2 cup milk, then whisk into pot. Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Off heat, stir in 3/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Stir 1 1/2 cups bechamel sauce into pasta until combined. Whisk yogurt into remaining bechamel. Transfer sauced pasta to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Spread meat sauce over pasta and top with remaining bechamel. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes: 12 servings