$5 Veggie Pasta Pie

I saw this recipe on Dr. Oz and knew I had to try it. It is both inexpensive and extremely healthy. It was so yummy! It tasted like a cross between veggie lasagna and an omelet. This is a must for your recipe collection. *Note make sure you have enough egg to hold your "pancakes" together.

Ingredients
Serves 4 (I doubled the recipe)

3 oz whole-wheat macaroni
6 large eggs
2-3 carrots, finely grated
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 14.5-oz can low-salt diced tomatoes
10 oz frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 oz reduced fat cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl and add 1/3 of the grated carrot and 1/3 of the cooked macaroni. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a non-stick skillet, add the egg mixture and cook over medium low heat until the eggs are set but not dry. Slide this noodle “pancake” onto a greased cookie sheet and keep warm. Repeat this process two more times to create a total of 3 noodle layers.

Add 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet and sauté 1 clove garlic until soft. Add the canned tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook until the juice has evaporated and the tomatoes are almost dry. Set aside and repeat the process with an additional teaspoon of oil, the remaining clove of garlic and the spinach.

Add the first noodle pancake, browned side down, to a greased pie plate. Top with the cooked spinach and add 1 ounce of the shredded cheese. Add a second noodle pancake and top with the tomatoes and 1 ounce shredded cheese. Top with the final noodle pancake, browned side up, and remaining shredded cheese.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve hot or cold.