Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic and red pepper flakes for a few minutes. Add the ground chicken. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the ground chicken into smaller pieces as it cooks. Sauté for about five minutes.

Puree the canned diced tomatoes. Add to pot along with the tomato paste, tomato sauce, mushrooms, water, spinach and balsamic vinegar. Season with parsley, black pepper and pesto. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes on low.

In a food processor, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, rosemary, thyme and nutmeg and process until smooth.

Grate the mozzarella cheese and set aside.

To assemble, spoon 1 ½ cups (375 mL) of the meat mixture onto the bottom of an oiled baking pan or slow cooker. Top with 5-6 noodles, breaking to fit and overlapping as necessary. Top noodles with 1 ½ cups (375 mL) of the cottage cheese mixture and 1 Tbsp (30 mL) Romano cheese, then a layer of red peppers and basil leaves. Save half the peppers and basil leaves for the next layer. Repeat with another layer of sauce, noodles and cottage cheese mixture ending with roasted red peppers and basil leaves and until all the ingredients are used. Finish with grated mozzarella cheese and any remaining Romano. Sprinkle with dried basil. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes or until noodles are tender and the top is slightly browned.