Strangely enough, the holiday season means things are slowing down a little bit around here. Extra-curriculars are wrapping up, evening activities are winding down, and work is slowing up for the week. That means there was actually a fair amount of cooking going on around here. Well maybe not cooking…dinners prepared at home at least.
For starters, this Pomegranate Pear Walnut Salad has been on rotation for more than a few meals this week, along side a surprisingly delicious pear & grilled red onion vegan grilled cheese sandwich.
My favorite vegan lasagna {tofu & fake cheese free!} made it to the table this week a few times too. {What is it about Italian that makes it so.much.better after it’s been frozen and reheated?}
Even though it’s not quite winter weather yet, I’m pretending it is and gearing up for the coming cold evenings with this hearty kale soup.
And I’d be lying if I said decadent desserts and drinks weren’t on my mind this holiday season.
Last but not least, I finally started decorating for Christmas. Hey, at least I was finished all my shopping early this year.
If there was one food I could not live without, it’d have to be lasagna.
There’s something so comforting about it- it’s the quintessential casserole.
One dish; tons of flavors. Warm gooey cheese that oozes out the side and zesty marinara that coats just about any combination of vegetables.
It’s the perfect dish. Unless, of course, you don’t eat cheese. Then what? I’ve yet to encounter a “warm, gooey” tofu…and the fake vegan dairy free cheese just doesn’t cut it in this classic comforting dish.
But after many trials and errors, I have a solution for you. Welcome back, warm, gooey lasagna.
{Psst…the husband didn’t know it was dairy free until I told him the next day…oops. }
I don’t know about you, but summer time is not when I want to be spending hours in the kitchen with a hot oven. Especially this 100 degree summer. Not that I’d ever really want to do that, but I’d at least prefer to save that for the dreary winter, when it’s dark outside at 6 and the hot comfort food is worth it.
The husband’s been asking for lasagna for weeks, and I’ve flat out run out of excuses. So instead I tried to figure out how to spend the least amount of time in the kitchen with it. The solution? Lasagna soup.
Chop, quick sauté, and leave it alone on the stove. That’s a heck of a lot better than chopping, cooking, layering, baking, etc.
Plus, this version of lasagna’s vegan, and you certainly don’t miss the cheese the way you do in traditional lasagna.
Lasagna Soup
First up, the start to any good Italian meal: chopped garlic and onion.
After browning the onion slightly, stir in the garlic and a boatload of chopped mushrooms. As it sautés away, stir in some tomato paste and seasonings.
Next add some fire-roasted diced tomatoes {I used the garlic flavored} and your liquid. Bring it to a boil, then leave it alone to simmer away.
When it’s almost done cooking, toss in the lasagna noodles. At the last minute, stir in the kale. {Note: I used 8 oz of pasta; next time I’ll use half of that. As the soup cooled, the noodles sucked up all the broth. My leftovers were soupless.}
Lasagna in a bowl. 10 times easier than any other lasagna-esque meal I’ve made.
Served with a side of Ashley’s garlic knots, whole wheat-ified, because any recipe that starts with pumpkin is good in my book.
The fluffy garlic rolls are the perfect accompaniment to the thick soup.
To make it even lighter for summer, try adding an extra couple cups of broth or water and omitting the cream, just be sure to bump up the seasonings so it doesn’t taste bland.
Lasagna’s one of my favorite meals. Not just because it tastes so good, but because of my favorite secret: you don’t have to measure.
It may be a surprise how much lasagna you end up with, but any time I don’t have to be bothered to pull out (and wash) the measuring cups, I’m game.
Tonight: butternut squash lasagna.
1. Peel & cube a butternut squash.
It can be kind of hard to cut, so if you can, enlist help for the hard work and move on.
When it’s cut, put it in a covered bowl and microwave for 5-10 minutes (depending how much you have) to give it a jump start on softening up.
2. Whip up (or open) your favorite tomato sauce.
The sauce of the night: 1 huge can of crushed tomatoes + 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with fresh chopped basil & other spices.
3. Lightly sauté any other vegetables you want to use. I like to use onions, spinach, and garlic. I planned on using mushrooms but they got moldy. No moldy fungus in my dinner, please.
4. Start layering! It really doesn’t matter what order you go in. I like to start with sauce on the bottom, then noodles, then whatever I pick up next.
The twist of the night: butternut squash.
5. Add in the cheesy goodness. It’s the part that makes the lasagna so darn good.
Since it’s so easy to do with lasagna, I made two versions. Version one: regular. Version two: vegan.
The basic combo is: ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepper, and basil. For the vegan version, I just sub in cashew ricotta (soaked cashews, lemon juice, & nutritional yeast) and Daiya mozz.
On second thought, it might be easier to spread the cheese mixture on the noodle layer.
(And no, it doesn’t matter whether you cook the noodles or not, no matter what kind you have. I do it both ways, but unless the top layer’s smothered in sauce & cheese, I prefer to boil them first. I didn’t this time.)
I ran out of cheese…..oops. [Bake at 375: 30 minutes covered in foil, 20 minutes uncovered.]
Still yummy!
While this was a fun change to traditional lasagna, I think I prefer my butternut in soup.
The keys to good lasagna? Good sauce & lots of seasoning.
Lasagna is one of those meals that’s hard to mess up. I do have to admit that the husband’s aunt makes the best vegetable lasagna I’ve ever had. I’ve never been quite able to replicate it, but I’ve gotten close- plus my lasagna isn’t a heart attack waiting to happen- though sometimes that’s the best kind. 😉
I’ve probably never made lasagna the same way twice, but somehow I always end up with an empty pan, scraped clean of every last bit of sauce. As long as the sauce is decent & you don’t skimp on the spices, you’re golden.
It’s the perfect dish to use up whatever vegetables you have tucked in the fridge and have no clue what to do with. Or, if you’re like me, it’s the perfect excuse to hit the farmer’s market and grab everything green (and yellow) in sight.
A lasagna packed with veggies- the perfect way to celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Week!
I took it one step further- a vegan lasagna that would satisfy even the pickiest of meat eaters. (Ok probably not all of them….)
Vegetable Lasagna
(Feel free to toss in whatever veggies you like, in any amount. You can even toss in some cheese if you don’t want to risk the vegan route. ;))
1 large summer squash (2 if small)
1 large zucchini
1 pint sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
2+ cups marinara sauce (more if you like it saucy!)
1 pack tofu
1 T nutritional yeast
lasagna noodles
Spices: garlic & onion powder, Italian seasoning, basil, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, salt, pepper (any or all- your choice!)
Almonds & walnuts- optional
Slice a large summer squash and large zucchini into thin rounds.
Give them a quick sauté with the mushrooms & garlic. You don’t have to but I think it boosts the flavor factor…and who doesn’t want flavor in their lasagna? 😉
Next up: the filling. In a food processor, mix 1 package of tofu (soft or firm; drained) with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and your choice of spices (see above). I threw in a couple kale leaves too, but I didn’t fully commit…
Time to start layering! Let’s be honest- I just toss it all in in whatever order I please. I have no idea what I end up doing. As long as you end up with noodles & some sauce on top, it doesn’t matter.
The best part of this recipe? You don’t need to cook the lasagna noodles!! (And they don’t need to be that no-boil kind either.)
Alternate layers of marinara sauce (I used store bought this time), lasagna noodles, veggies, & tofu mixture.
Feel free to sprinkle whatever seasonings you want in between the layers. Whatever you choose, I highly suggest including fennel seed- it makes the sauce taste like it’s been simmering on the stove all day.
Make sure you save enough marinara sauce to cover the top layer of noodles- that way they’ll cook & won’t burn.
Cover the lasagna in foil and cook for 30 minutes at 350. Take off the foil, then cook for another 20-30 minutes.
Optional (but highly suggested!): Grind a handful of almonds & walnuts in the food processor (hey it’s already dirty anyway).
Sprinkle the nut mixture on top of the lasagna when you take the foil off to make a yummy topping.
Once you’ve put the lasagna in the oven, grab a snack. I suggest it includes wine.
You’ve got some time to kill, and if you cook anything like me, it involves cleaning up a disaster in the kitchen.
Before you know it, you’re kitchen smells wonderful and dinner is ready.
The secret to serving lasagna without making a mess: let it cool for a few minutes first. This is probably the hardest step of the whole dish, since it smells so good you’ll want to dig in right away.
Served with a side of bachelor-style garlic bread (sliced bread with butter & garlic salt).
Who wouldn’t want to eat that?!
P.S. It passed the true test: the husband liked it, had seconds, and didn’t notice there wasn’t cheese. He never has to know. So don’t tell him.
P.P.S. The winner of the Labor Day giveaway is…. Amber@SAHM!! Email your info so you can get your awesome dip tray! 😉
I'm Heather, a sports dietitian specializing in food sensitivities {and a implementation strategist for fellow health & nutrition professionals}.
5+ years ago the docs told me I'd never run again due to a chronic pain disorder. I'm here to prove them wrong.
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