Healthy Spinach And Sausage Stuffed Manicotti

• 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes (drained)
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 3 hot Italian turkey sausage (removed from casing and crumbled)
• 2 cups fresh spinach (packed)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package manicotti (cooked)

1. Combine onion, green pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, thyme, basil, oregano, red pepper in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. When heated through reduce heat to low and cover. (simmer about 1 hour).
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Heat teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet and saute spinach until wilted. Set aside to cool. When cool chop the spinach.
4. Add sausage to skillet spinach was in and cook until browned. Drain.
5. In a bowl, combine spinach, cheeses, sausage.
6. Place a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9 pan.
7. Stuff noodles with cheese, spinach, and sausage and place in pan.
8. Top with the rest of the sauce.
9. Bake 350 for 30 to 45 minutes.

onion, green pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, tomatoes, thyme, basil, oregano, red pepper, turkey sausage, fresh spinach, olive oil, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/healthy-spinach-and-sausage-stuffed-manicotti-374668 (may not work)