Disappearing Lasagna. {Chef AJ}

I don't care who you are... meat-eater or a plant-eater... this stuff is gooood! While we eat our plant-based dinners, my husband and I are always asking ourselves if this meal would satisfy a "normal" meat-eater. This is a for sure, a yes. It's from Chef AJ's book Unprocessed... and is the best nonmeat lasagna I've had. And I've made a lot. And it quite possibly could beat out my meat one. You for sure don't have the cheese and meat hangover with this one.

 

It is somewhat of a pain to make because of the long ingredient list and the different steps. BUT, I make double and freeze the other. It does awesome being baked right out of the freezer too.

2 boxes of no boil rice lasagna noodles (or whole wheat)

6 cups of your favorite marinara sauce

 

"ricotta"

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed OR 1 box extra firm water packed tofu (19 oz. each)

2 ounces of fresh basil

1 cup pine nuts, raw cashews or hemp seeds

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup low-sodium miso

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds frozen, chopped spinach  OR 1 pound frozen kale (defrosted, drained with all liquid squeezed out)

 

Mushroom Mixture "Meat"

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (love crimini here)

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari

1 large red onion, finely diced

 

1 4oz. can sliced olives, rinsed and drained

faux parmesan (optional)

 

To make the "ricotta" filling in a food processor fitted with the "S" blade add the beans, basil, garlic, lemon juics, miso and nutritional yeast, pine nuts and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth. Add drained spinach/kale and process again.

 

In a large non-stick saute pan, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons water until translucent; about 8 minutes. Add more water if necessary. Add 2 cloves of garlic, the mushrooms and tamari and saute until browned. Taste mixture and add more garlic or tamari according to your taste. Cook until mushrooms appear to be glazed and there is no or very little liquid in the pan.

 

Pour 3 cups of the marinara in a 9x13 pan. Place one layer of the noodles on top. Cover the noodles with half of the ricotta mixture, then with half of the mushroom mixture. Place another layer of noodles on the mushroom mixture and add the remaining half of the ricotta and the remaining half of the musthroom mixture. Place one more layer of noodles on top of the mushroom mixture and smother evenly with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle the sliced olives on top of the sauce alond with a liberal sprinkling of faux parmesan.

 

I like my dumbed down version...

3 cups marinara

noodles

1/2 ricotta

1/2 mushroom

noodles

1/2ricotta

1/2mushroom

noodles

remaining marinara

olives/faux parm

 

Bake uncovered in a preheated 375*F oven for an hour. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing. 

And... you're welcome! And Thank YOU Chef AJ!!