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When you think of Lasagna, you think of Ricotta Cheese, yes? The trick to this recipe (along with not using any oil to have a super healthy lasagna) is the plant-based ricotta! How you ask? Watch and see! This is an easy recipe, focusing mostly on combining the elements.
Ingredients:
3 Cans tomato sauce with chunks of tomatoes
4-5 Heaping teaspoons of tomato paste
1 Medium yellow or white onion, sautéed in mushroom broth (or extra virgin olive oil in you prefer)
5 Cloves of garlic,
Fennel seeds, basil, oregano
1 Pound of Baby Bella Mushrooms
Large Bunch of Fresh spinach
1 Package/1 lb. of No boil lasagna
1.5-2 Cups pine nuts
1/4 Cup soy milk
1.5 Packages of Vegan Mozzarella Cheese (I usually use Miyokos or my boyfriend’s homemade version)
Small-Medium Bunch of Fresh basil
Salt/pepper
Directions:
Clean Mushroom and slice. For a no-oil lasagna, cover pan in thin layer of mushroom broth and simmer in mushroom broth until all broth is gone. Otherwise, use olive oil. Set aside.
Clean and de-stem spinach. Set aside.
Slice garlic and chop onion. Sauté in olive oil and then add tomato sauce and paste. For a no-oil version of lasagna, simmer together with tomato sauce and paste. Add salt, pepper, fennel seed, basil and oregano.* Set aside.
Put pine nuts and soy milk in a food processor and blend until a paste.
Slice or grate mozzarella.
In two 8.5” x 6.5” pan, layer in no-boil pasta.
Spread Pine Nuts/Soy Milk paste
Layer on cooked mushrooms
Layer on fresh spinach heavily so it overlaps.
Cover in layer of mozzarella
Cover in layer of seasoned tomato sauce and let fill the whole pan up to the current layer.
Put on new layer of pasta and repeat.
Put on final layer of pasta, pressing down. The pan should be almost to the top at this point. Cover in excess seasoned tomato sauce and a thin layer of mozarella
Cover in tin foil and put on bake sheet to avoid spillover.
Pre-heat oven to 375. Bake for 40 minutes.
Take out and let set for 10 with tinfoil off.
Layer on fresh basil.
Serve and enjoy. Anything you don’t eat, put in the fridge. Next-day leftovers are also great!
This dish freezes well for dinner parties and leftovers!
*If you want to make a “meatier” version, add your favorite plant-based meat (Beyond, Lifelight, etc) OR for the healthier version of a plant-based meat simmer crumbled up tempeh in a 1/4 cup of mushroom broth (or olive oil), a teaspoon of paprika, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and a 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, plus salt and pepper. When fully simmered, soaked in by tempeh, add to tomato sauce.
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