Stayin' home and cooking this weekend? Here is a dish for a nutritious feast so satisfying and comforting. It just takes a few easy steps and you'll have enough for the whole family or store individual pieces in the freezer for an easy weeknight meal.
I have been trying basic #vegan and #vegetarianlasagna recipes for years now and thanks to this fantastic new #glutenfree noodle product and a mash up of some of the best recipes I've tried, here it is!
Gluten, dairy and sugar are all ingredients that can compromise the immune system. Gluten is difficult to digest, dairy encourages mucus production, and sugar creates inflammation, among other things. Swapping out these items doesn’t have to be difficult, it’s usually just a matter of finding mostly #wholefoodplantbased alternative ingredients and allowing your taste buds to adjust to these delicious new flavors. Try it out, you'll discover that nutrition tastes GOOD!
I used these #glutenfree lasagna noodles – great flavor and texture and no need to pre-cook! You can also use 8 large zucchini, sliced into thin ribbons (best done with a mandoline), which is a cheaper option.
VEGAN-VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
Sweet Potato Filling
Ingredients:
3 lb sweet potatoes (I prefer orange flesh variety here but white flesh good too)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp lime juice
1 TB dried thyme, crushed between fingers
1 container Kite Hill Almond Milk Ricotta, optional for added yumminess
2 flax eggs, (1 TB ground flax meal + 3 TB water, beaten and allowed to gel for 15 min) - can sub 2 beaten chicken eggs for vegetarian version
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub sweet potatoes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, or until you can pierce the flesh easily with a fork.
2) When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the potatoes, add to a bowl and, using a potato masher, mash along with remaining ingredients. (this step can also be done in a food processor if you don’t want the arm workout;). Set aside.
Cashew Cheese Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup cashews
2 TB lemon juice
2 TB nutritional yeast
½ tsp garlic powder
1 TB white (mellow) miso paste
¾ cup filtered water
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Easier option: Original Bitchin Cheese Sauce (available at Safeway)
Directions:
1) Soak Cashews in hot (not boiling) water for 20-30 minutes. Drain, rinse and combine in a blended with remaining ingredients. Remove from blender and set aside. Rinse blender and set aside.
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
1 24 ounce can organic whole tomatoes (diced and sauce works also)
2 TB organic tomato paste
1 small chopped red onion (about 1 cup)
1-2 Medjool dates, pitted, optional for added sweetness
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 TB dried oregano
Water as needed for consistency
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and mix until combined. Remove from blender and set aside.
Mushroom & Greens
Ingredients:
1 large leek, cleaned and chopped*
2 cloves garlic
16 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
8 cups chopped greens (Swiss chard or spinach works best)
Filtered water
Directions:
1) Heat a Dutch oven and add ¼ cup water or broth and leeks. Cook on medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until soft. Add mushrooms and continue to cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are soft. Add garlic and greens and cook, while stirring, until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Assembly
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2) Using a 13X9 inch baking pan, cover the bottom with 1 cup sauce. Top with two noodles, cut to fit and using enough to cover the bottom. Add ½ of the sweet potato filling and spread evenly. Add another layer of noodles, trimmed to fit (use the scraps too!). Spread the mushroom/greens over the noodles and pour some cashew sauce over the greens. Add another layer of noodles (you may want to use scraps for this layer and save the whole pieces for the last/top layer). Add the remaining sweet potato mixture and top with the remaining noodles. Top with enough tomato sauce to completely cover.
3) Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and serve topped with cashew sauce and freshly chopped basil.
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