This recipe was kindly shared with us by Gail @gailsnutrition…
We’ve been making a version of this for years now, and even though it changes slightly each time, it’s such a handy dinner that all the kids enjoy! When they’re in a fussy phase I’ll blend all the veggie mix before layering up the lasagne…
I’ll often make extra of the sauce/veg mix so I can use it for a pasta sauce one day of the week and use leftovers for lasagne then too.
INGREDIENTS:
1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
200-300g mushrooms, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 large handfuls baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 tin green lentils, rinsed and drained
2 x 500g cartons Passata
2 very low salt veg stock cubes
4 bay leaves
1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
2-3 tsp oregano
1 small glass red wine (essential I think!!🤤)
Parsley – a big handful for added vit C
Lasagne sheets – I often use fresh egg lasagne sheets to up the protein content for the girls (not vegan then obviously)
BASIL CASHEW CREAM
50g basil
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
200g cashews, soaked for 30mins
100ml delicious olive oil (vegetable oil or coconut oil doesn’t give the right flavor)
100-150ml veggie stock
METHOD:
- Sautée onion, garlic, carrot and celery, peppers, for a good 10mins on a medium heat. Once all is softened, add the mushrooms and cook on a higher heat until lightly browning.
- Add in the tomato purée, tomato purée and oregano and cook for a couple mins.
- Now pour in the red wine, allow to reduce for 2-3mins.. then pour in Passata, lentils, parsley, veggie stock (2 cubes makes 1 litre usually), a little salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar.
- Stir well and then let simmer for 30-40mins so it gets nice and thick and full of flavor! Add some water if it’s getting too thick.
- While that’s cooking away, make the cashew cream! Just add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. You MUST soak cashews for at least 20-30mins or the mixture won’t be smooth and creamy.
- I always add 100ml veggie stock and then add the extra 50ml if I need to.
Oil a lasagne dish and get layering up once your sauce is ready! I do two layers of the cashew cream usually, one toward the bottom and a nice thick one on top. And I do 4 layers of lasagne sheets.
Cook for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 180C. You just need to cook through the lasagne so it’s best to go by the packet instructions of your lasagne sheets.