Slow-Cooker Lentil Lasagna

At the beginning of January, I heard about slow-cooker lasagna twice in the same week. Baader-Meinhoff phenomenon, a sign of the season, ooooooor do I just spend too much time on social media platforms?

@Fruits_Veggies A1 just made Lasagna in my slow cooker it was sooo good #SlowCookerCreations

— Rita (@TommiesMommy14) January 6, 2016

The idea simmered in my mind as I worked my way through two pans of disappointingly dry experimental manicotti, and came to a full boil this disruptively snowy day in February.

Piles of white dwindle in the kitchen as the white piles grow outside. #prepday #slowcookerlasagna #minnesnowta

A photo posted by Hannah J (@jastrd) on Feb 2, 2016 at 1:41pm PST

I found a recipe on Real Simple, and then modified it to include more veggies and one of my favorite legumes. "It's edible," my dad said, his standard line for any dish containing beans. Tastes better than my li'l Samsung camera phone makes it look. And is not at all dry.

A photo posted by Hannah J (@jastrd) on Feb 2, 2016 at 5:17pm PST

Slow-Cooker Lentil Lasagna

Ingredients. 

•  2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes, drained 
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1 tsp dry oregano and 1 tbsp dry basil, or whatever combo strikes your fancy
• salt and pepper 
• 1 15-oz container ricotta 
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 8 oz standard lasagna noodles (not no-boil) 
• 1 1/2 cups frozen spinach
• 4 small carrots, grated 
• some amount of cooked brown lentils*
• 8 ounces mozzarella, grated

* I cooked a pound, dolloped away, and froze the rest. You could also use red lentils.

Directions.

1. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In another medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, Parmesan or Romano, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In yet another medium bowl (sorry!), combine the spinach and carrots.
2. Spoon 1/3 cup of the tomato mixture into the bowl of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Top with a single layer of noodles, breaking them to fit as necessary. 
3. Add half the spinach/carrot mixture. Dollop with a third of the ricotta mixture, a third of the remaining tomato mixture, and some amount of lentils. Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella. 
4. Add another layer of noodles and the other half of the spinach/carrot mixture. Repeat the dolloping procedure with the other ingredients. 
5. Finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining ricotta mixture, tomato mixture, and mozzarella. Set the slow cooker to low and cook, covered, until the noodles are tender, about three hours. Let rest 10 minutes before serving to your parents and housemate.

Have you made slow-cooker lasagna?