Combine fluctuating energy levels with the wintery mix of rain and darkness that’s descended upon the Pacific Northwest, and there’s only one option for dinner: comfort food.

And when it comes to this category, I’d argue that there’s not much that can compare to lasagna. It’s a one-dish meal that’s not only filling, but also extremely leftover-friendly.

This version also happens to be pretty pregnancy-friendly, as well. A solid square serves up an impressive amount of vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and folate, all of which help with the growth and health of cells and tissues in the body (i.e. baby development!).

So whether you’re building a human this season or simply in search of a more nutrient-packed twist on the traditional family favorite, this recipe is well worth a try.

Butternut Ragu Lasagna

(recipe adapted from Full Belly: Good Eats for a Healthy Pregnancy)

Ingredients: 

For the Ragu:

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 oz ground turkey (I used 1 lb)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (I used garlic paste)
• 1 small bunch Swiss chard, cut into 1/-2-in pieces (I used 1 bag cut kale)
• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-in cubes (I used 2 lb squash already peeled and cut)
• 4 large fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped (from about 4 sprigs)
• 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper (about 20 grinds)

For the Lasagna:

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 16 oz ricotta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used a Parmesan/Romano blend)
• 1.5 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided (I used 2 cups)
• 4 large fresh sage leaves, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1/8 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• 12 oz no-boil lasagna noodles (I used 8 oz; this may vary according to pan size)

Directions: 

1. For the ragu, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepot over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break it up, until it’s no longer pink and just beginning to brown.
2. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Drizzle 1/4 cup water into pan and scrape any brown bits from bottom. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Add chard and squash, stirring to incorporate all of the ingredients. Cover pot partially and let cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring once, or until chard wilts to half of it’s original volume and squash starts to soften slightly.
4. Add the sage, thyme, tomatoes, salt and pepper, stir well, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer ragu uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Once the ragu is done, you’re ready to work on the lasagna! Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine egg, ricotta, Parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella, sage, thyme and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
6. Put one heaping scoop of ragu at the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish. Set a single layer of noodles in the saucy bottom the pan. Drop several dollops of the ricotta mixture over the noodles (don’t worry about spreading; it’ll melt). Pour a heaping scoop of ragu over this layer and use back of ladle to spread it around.
7. Repeat the layers — noodles, ricotta, ragu — until you reach nearly the top of the dish, ending with noodles. Top the last layer of noodles with the remaining ragu (no ricotta mixture) and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
8. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 40-50 minutes or until noodles are tender. If you’d like the top layer of cheese to be a bit browned, remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
9. Let the lasagna sit for about 10 minutes before cutting into pieces and serving.

What’s your favorite cold-weather comfort food?