SASSY NURSEY: eat your veggies : Vegan lasagna and a kitchen dance recital

#veganlasagna, #tomatoweek

Jeff and I are moving to Boston at the end of the month and I've been trying to clean out the pantry. Trader Joe's no boil lasagna noodles+pinterest vegan lasagna+a bunch of kids=good times.

Image from http://wellandawake.com/vegan-vegetarian-lasagne-without-tofu-gluten-free/#more-2795

This is a super healthy dairy free recipe. No tofu so it's soy free and just a teeny bit of olive oil to make it very low fat. There are so many variations to fit your needs, i.e.:

whole wheat noodles to make it even healthier
use thin sliced eggplant for gluten free
shredded parm cheese instead of vegan cheese to keeps it real

Because it's tomato week we pregamed with heirloom tomato bruschetta. Bomb.com and super easy.

Tomato Bruschetta: to make this look all fancy grab different shapes/sizes/colors of heirloom tomatoes. Should make about 4 servings

1 loaf italian crusty bread or french baguette
3 medium heirloom tomatoes room temp
2 cloves garlic
a few leaves fresh basil, chopped chiffonade style to impress your friends
S&P
evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

Chop the tomatoes, place in a bowl. Add one garlic clove through a press (or mince). Add 1 tbsp evoo, some sea salt, and let the tomatoes sit until your toast is ready. It should start to smell ridic already.

Slice bread into serving sizes. Slice one garlic clove in half and rub it on the bread. Drizzle some evoo on the bread and toast in the oven (don't burn!!) for a couple minutes.

When your toast is ready spoon on the tomatoes/fresh black pepper/fresh basil. BAM! Option: grate some parm on top. OOC delish and quick/easy appie to supply your guests with because you didn't realize the lasagna was going to take forever!

On to the main course!

Vegan Lasagna, recipe adapted from Well and Awake food blog

1 package no boil noodles

1 package Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
1/2 cup whole grain dried bread crumbs (optional)

Vegetable Sauce

1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 tbsp olive oil
8 – 10 large crimini mushrooms (or baby bella or white), washed & sliced
1 medium zucchini – washed & sliced
1 medium yellow summer squash – washed & sliced
1 bunch swiss chard (or spinach or kale), washed & chopped
1 28-ounce can organic crushed tomatoes
dried basil, oregano, thyme, sea salt & pepper (to taste)

Pesto layer:
4 cups whole basil leaves – loosely packed
1 cup walnuts (or pine nuts or macadamia or whatever's cheaper)
1/4 cup nutriitional yeast (I find this at my hippie grocery store, just ask. Sub with parm cheese if you want)
2 cloves garlic – peeled
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup water (more as needed)

2 tablespoons evoo (optional and delicious)

1. Start with your sauce. Cook onion and garlic in evoo, then add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add zucchini and squash, cook until soft. Add swiss chard, cook until wilted. Season veggies with S&P. Add crushed tomatoes and spices, simmer for 10 minutes and done!

Rainbow swiss chard is amaze balls!

2. Set the oven to 350 and make your pesto. Instead of ricotta cheese you will use a vegan pesto made in the blender so it is nice and fluffy. In a high power blender toss all ingredients (including basil stems) and blend until whipped (adding water to make it spin). I added a couple tablespoon of evoo here. Done!

3. Assemble. In a big glass pan (13x9??) spoon a ladle of sauce down first, then your no boil noodle layer #1. Then sauce. Then noodles #2. Then pesto. Then noodles #3. Then sauce. You can freestyle these steps, I think I ended up doing 2 layers of pesto. Whatever you do finish with sauce and then your vegan mozz cheese or the real deal. DO YOU. I definitely added shredded parm to Jeff's side :) Finish with breadcrumbs.

The final layer. Cover with foil and pop this sucker into the oven for 45 min. Uncover and cook 15 more min until it looks phenom and your cheese is melty (this is where your bruschetta comes in handy!). Let it rest for 5 minute before serving.