Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by
heliamphora, 10/14/06
Vegetable LasagnaIngredients (use vegan versions): 1 box instant lasagna sheets
1/2 packet large pasta shapes
Layer 1: 1-2 onions
3 coloured bell peppers
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon each basil, oregano, chili paste & tomato paste
Layer 2: 3 carrots
3 zucchini
a handful each pumpkin seeds & sesame seeds (optional)
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Layer 3: 500g/1lb butternut or sweet potato
400g can red kidney beans
400g can chickpeas
salt & pepper
Layer 4: a bunch of spinach (or equivalent frozen)
an onion
2 teaspoons arrowroot/cornstarch
½ cup raw cashews
½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt & pepper
soy/rice milk
Directions:Layer 1:Bake the peppers whole until soft and the skins begin to char. Allow to cool, then remove and discard the skins and seeds. Roughly chop. Meanwhile, finely slice the onion and gently fry it in a little oil in a heavy-based pan. Once soft and brownish, add the peppers, tomatoes, herbs, chili and tomato pastes. Simmer for about 15 minutes until slightly reduced. Set mixture aside.
Layer 2:Coarsely grate the carrots and gently fry in very little oil. Coarsely grate the courgettes and add to the pan. Stir in the coriander and seeds, and cook mixture until just soft. Set aside.
Layer 3:Peel, dice and steam the butternut / sweet potato until tender. Mash with the kidney beans. Stir in the chickpeas along with salt & pepper to taste.
Layer 4:Wash, de-stalk and chop the spinach. Squeeze out excess water. Put the cashews in a blender and cover with rice/soy milk. Blend until very smooth, and set aside. Finely slice the onion and garlic, and fry in two tablespoons of oil until soft. Stir in the starch and yeast flakes and cook mixture, stirring, until it begins to smell toasty. Pour in the cashew cream and about half a cup of rice/soy milk. Keep stirring until thickened, adding more milk when necessary to make a nice smooth sauce. Then stir in the spinach, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
Construction:Cook pasta shapes and rinse in cold water. Sprinkle half of them over the base of a large rectangular baking dish. Spread over the first layer. Cover with a layer of lasagna sheets. Repeat with the second and third layers. Spread the fourth layer, then sprinkle with the rest of the pasta shapes.
Bake at 180° C for about 40 minutes. Stab with a knife to ensure the lasagna sheets are cooked. Cool for at least ten minutes, then cut into pieces, serve and enjoy.
Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 2 hours
