Veggie or vegan lasagne

The ingredients list for this veggie lasagne may look long, but its very simple to make.  It can be frozen when it’s assembled but not cooked.  Or you can cook it, eat a portion and freeze the other half for another day.  It will also keep in the fridge for up to three days

The quantities can also be doubled or tripled if you want to batch cook or have a family to feed

Serves 2

The tomato sauce

One small onion (75g), finely chopped

1 garlic glove or 1 teaspoon garlic puree

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium sized carrot (75g) finely chopped

approx 75g of red lentils, thouroughly rinsed under cold water or

75g quorn or 37g of each

½ tsp vegetable Marigold vegetable bouillon powder or I stock cube

¼ tsp of chilli flakes or 1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp mixed herbs

½ tin of chopped tomatoes

a big squirt of tomato puree – about 1 tsp

 

The cheese sauce

15g marg/butter/non dairy spread,

15g plain flour and

200ml milk/non dairy.

40g grated strong cheddar/non dairy or 2 tbls of nutritional yeast

½ tsp mustard

 

Pasta – 3 sheets of dried wholemeal egg free lasagne

A foil takeaway container

To make the tomato sauce

Fry the chopped onion in olive oil.

When softened, add the garlic. Fry a little, then add all the remaining ingredients. Plus ½ tin of water. Stir well.

The mixture will be thin and wet, but it will thicken as the lentils cook

Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for about 25 – 30 minutes. Stirring every so often. The sauce should still be quite wet when cooked. Check the seasoning and add salt and black pepper if necessary

 

A recent cookery class client also made this dish.  It was her first time making a lasagne and it turned out great

 

 

 

To make the ‘cheese’ sauce

Melt the spread/butter in a saucepan, Add the flour and mix until it balls together, keep it moving and cook for a few minutes.

Add the mustard and slowly add the milk, and stir into a paste. Keep adding the milk gradually to avoid lumps. Keep stirring. Once all the milk is in, keep stirring until it begins to thicken.

Here are two short videos showing how the sauce will look and why you shouldn’t worry!

Add most of the grated cheese, vegan cheese or nutritional yeast. Leave about ¼ to scatter over the top.

 

Assembling.

Pre heat the oven to 180C

In a dish add a sheet or two of dried wholemeal pasta, then add a layer of tomato sauce. Repeat the pasta/sauce layers, top with some more pasta and add the cheese sauce.

Another short video to show how easy it is to pull it all together

 

Sprinkle the remaining cheese/nutritional yeast over the top.

At this point you can add the foil lid and freeze.  Or pop into the oven for 25 – 30 minutes until the top is bubbling and golden

 

Divide in to two and serve with a large mixed salad.  This is the vegan version made with vegan cheese, nutritional yeast and non dairy milk and butter