This past week Dave and I hiked the loveliest Ghost,

only a long, bumpy (and at times steep) 4 wheel bounce then

trekking 15 km from the trailhead to the south end of Lake Minnewanka (where we’d skated from the North end last winter)

Known as the glacial Lake of the Spirits, this beautiful place apparently has artifacts from over 14,000 years ago. Home of the Stoney Nakoda, the lake soon gave way to a resort that is now submerged. Scuba divers can brave the frigid glacial water to find evidence of what was once there, now out in the center of the lake.

There were no artefacts found on our adventure but beautiful tree stumps left behind when Transalta cleared the area.. and all kinds of stunning, scenic autumnal views all along the way. An embankment dam to divert the Cascade river was built in 1941 that raised the lake 30m, flooding the resort village of Minnewanka Landing but providing power to the Banff townsite. A small diversion of the Ghost river was also built to provide additional drainage to the lake, but this was rendered inoperable after our massive 2013 flood, with remediation of berms and dams ongoing since then.

We trekked over one dried lake bed and around two more lakes until we reached the southern shore of Lake Minnewanka.

♥

I wish I could say I made this for us when we got back home..

but I did discover that I hadn’t posted this recipe here and thought it was time I did as it would be perfect after any 15 km hike! This is a recipe by Cookie and Kate and only slightly modified by me.

♥

Love,

Smidge

Healthy Veg Lasagna

 

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Author: Barbara Barry

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup chopped carrots (about 3 large)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 medium chopped zucchini
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5-6 ounces baby spinach
• 2 cups prepared marinara sauce or
• 1 large 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil + extra for garnish
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic mined
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups ricotta divided
• 1/4 tsp salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 cups freshly grated part skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, onion and salt. Stir, cooking until the veggies are slightly golden, about 8 - 10 minutes.
4. Add handfuls of the spinach, stirring until wilted, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat
6. If not using two prepared cups of marinara sauce:
7. Pour the tomatoes into a fresh sieve and drain excess juice. Add to a food processor and pulse, adding the basil, olive oil, garlice, salt and red pepper flakes.
8. Pour this mixture into a bowl.
9. Add one cup ricotta to the cleaned food process and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
10. Transfer the veggies to the food processor. Pulse until just finely chopped not pureed. Scrape down sides as needed. Transfer to the bowl of ricotta.
11. Add the remaining cup of ricotta, add 1/4-1/2 tsp salt and ground pepper to taste. Stir to mix completely.
12. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce over bottom of 9'x9' baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles (snap to fit). Spread half the cottage cheese mixture over. Top with 3/4 cup tomato sauce, then 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
13. Top with 3 more noodles, then remaining cottage cheese (no tomato sauce), then 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
14. Finish with 3 more noodles, 3/4 cup tomato sauce, cover with 1 cup shredded mozarella.
15. Wrap foil over the lasagna,not touching the cheese.
16. Bake for 18 minutes covered.
17. Remove the foil, rotate by 180 and bake 10-12 more minutes until the top is slightly browned.
18. Remove from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes until set.
19. Sprinkle additional fresh basil over top, then slice to serve

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