The most common reservation people have about taking on a vegetarian or vegan diet is that they won't be able to et the foods they love. The vegetarian diet was easy for me but I had the same fears about a vegan diet as everyone else. I thought it was impossible or that I would only ever be able to eat tofu and vegetables, while tofu and veggies can be awesome this happily isn't the case.
Luckily in recent years plant based substitutes have become more and more common. There isn't an ingredient I've been able to think of that I haven't been able to find. This means it's possible to create a delicious vegan version of just about any food you love. Recently I decided to try my hand at lasagna and it turned out wonderfully.
If you're looking for a pre-packaged box lasagna I'm afraid that, at least for now, you're out of luck. However this recipe wasn't difficult and was well worth the effort. I read several recipes and then took what sounded good to me, modified it and ended up with this. Feel free to modify with whatever veggies, spices, etc.
Ingredients
One package of oven ready lasagna noodles
One package sliced mushrooms
Two jars marinara sauce
One package extra firm tofu
One large package spinach
A clove or two of garlic
Whatever else you think sounds good (I may add some faux sausage next time)
First take a package of mushrooms and throw them in a pan, I lightly sautéed them. Then add two jars of your favorite marinara. We use Newmans Own, they donate all profits to charity.
While that's heating up gear up your food processor or knives and ninja skills. Drain as much water as possible from a package of extra firm tofu. I like to poke just a tiny hole in the plastic and hulk smash it until no more water comes out. Since we're blending the tofu it doesn't need to be pretty. Add a large package of spinach and blend until smooth. Add salt, garlic, onions etc to taste. This mixture takes the place the ricotta and is quite delicious.
Lay down some of your sauce followed by a layer lasagna noodles, I used oven ready because... Well, that's what we had. Smooth over half of your blended mix on the noodles and add more sauce. Then noodles, the rest of the mix, then sauce. Top with more noodles and use whatever sauce you have left.
Place in the oven at 400 for half an hour. Remove the lasagna and cover it with as much mozzarella Daiya non dairy cheese as your taste buds can handle and bake it for another half hour.
Then serve it up and eat. Keep the dish nearby, you're coming back for more.
Cheers.
