Artichoke & Spinach Penne Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked whole wheat penne (cook to al dente)
• 6 cups (loosely packed) baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara, no sugar added
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
• 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 cup part-skim, shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup ricotta, low-fat
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher or sea salt to taste
• 1/4 cup parmesan

Directions

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  Chop or tear spinach leaves into small pieces. Add olive oil to a large skillet, heat to medium-low, add spinach and cook just until wilted, about 3-4 minutes.

  In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked penne, marinara, wilted spinach and artichokes, toss to combine.

  In another large mixing bowl, combine cheeses, egg white, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes and salt.

  In a 9" x 13" casserole dish, add 1/2 of penne mixture, top with 1/2 of cheese mixture and continue layering until all ingredients have been used. The cheese mixture should go on last. Sprinkle parmesan over pasta and additional freshly ground black pepper if desired. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.