Pasta is low in fat and high in hunger-appeasing complex carbohydrates.

And it comes in countless varieties so you can enjoy a different pasta every night while staying committed to healthy eating.

It's not the pasta that is the villain, it's the fatty sauce.

The main culprit in many sauces is oil.

Even olive oil, which contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, is still 100 percent fat and quickly piles on the fat calories.

Other fatty additions, such as cheese, excess butter, sausage and pine nuts contribute their unfair share of fat to the equation. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the fat in delicious sauces without sacrificing their unique flavor.

This tasty Leaner Lasagna has a two-for-one advantage: It is easy to assemble and a whole lot leaner than its traditional counterpart.

By replacing the fatty sausage with chopped vegetables, using olive oil nostick spray instead of olive oil to saute the vegetables, using egg whites instead of whole eggs, reduced-fat mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, you will reduce your calories by 265, fat gram by 24 and cholesterol by 31 mg. per serving.

Leaner Lasagna

1/2 c. chopped onions

1/2 c. coarsely chopped carrots

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 c. reduced-fat spaghetti sauce

1 (8 oz) can stewed tomatoes, with juices

1/2 tsp. dried basil 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 6 lasagna noodles

2 egg whites

1 (15 oz) container reduced fat (not fat-free) ricotta cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 c. (8 oz) finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Lightly spray an unheated large skillet or saucepan with olive oil nostick spray. Add the onions, carrots, red peppers and garlic.

Cook and stir over medium heat for five minutes.

Stir in the spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes (with juices), basil and oregano. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, cook the lasagna noodles according to the directions on the package.

Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the egg whites, ricotta cheese and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

To assemble, spread a thin layer of the spaghetti sauce mixture in the bottom of a 12"x7-1/2"x2" baking dish.

Place three of the noodles in a single layer in the dish. Spread with half of the cheese mixture.

Top with half of the remaining sauce.

Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 1/ 4 cup Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes six servings.