Clean Eating Lasanga

This may be my favorite meal...ever. Pasta dishes, especially lasagna, have been shoved in the category of "foods to stay away from", "bad carbs", "Avoid if you want to lose weight", "inflammatory", and "unhealthy". 

This is the farthest thing from the truth. You can enjoy all of your favorite foods, and they do not need to be "indulgences". The trick is learning how to recreate meals using whole food ingredients that have not been chemically altered (or full of pesticides!). 

I have created countless lasagna recipes over the years, constantly tweaking them to develop a healthier version that doesn't sacrifice taste. 

After giving up dairy over two years ago, I was sure my lasagna days were over. How on earth could you possibly recreate the creamy, cheesy goodness of lasagna without the cheese? And there was no way I was about to use the fake stuff. It just didn't seem possible.

Until I actually gave it a try....

When Nya was 5 months old, I decided to play around with my cashew cheese sauces and see what I could come up with. The very first attempt was an amazing success. I had done it! I actually made lasagna without any dairy, and it tasted exactly like the real thing...only better!

I make this Clean Eating Lasagna a little different each time, based on the ingredients I have on hand. You can always skip the kale in the "ricotta cheese" or use spinach instead. Also, don't be afraid to mix up your veggies and add in your family's favorites (or those that seem to be lacking in the diet). 

What you need:

1 large or two small zucchini, thinly sliced rounds (a mandolin comes in handy here!) 

1 medium eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

About 35 ounces (1.5 jars) marinara sauce (I use this one)

1 package organic no boil lasagna noodles (important if using wheat to get noodles that are organic and/or non-GMO)

"Ricotta Cheese"

1.5 packages (about 20 ounces) organic, non-GMO tofu

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup kale leaves, loosely packed (sub spinach, combination of both, or skip entirely)

15 cloves garlic (yes, you need them!)

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (ok to skip)

1/2 cup Fresh Basil (ok to skip)

1 tsp Sea Salt

1.5 - 2 cups Water 

Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until smooth. Use enough water so that it has the consistency of uncooked cake batter.

What you do:

1. In a 13x9 pan, add just enough sauce to cover a thin layer on the bottom of the pan (1 - 2 Tbsp). 

2. Layer your lasagna noodles to cover the bottom. Cover with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Layer sliced eggplant over ricotta. Layer zucchini to cover the eggplant. Layer 1 cup of the chopped spinach over the zucchini. Top with 1/3 of the marinara sauce.

3. Repeat step 2, making sure to reserve 1/4 cup (does not need to be exact) of ricotta mixture.

4. Layer lasagna noodles and completely cover with remaining sauce. Next add the remaining ricotta cheese. 

5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 for 1.5 hours.

Enjoy!

My husband and daughter both love this and it is a regular on the menu in our house. This is one of those meals you will want to make when you are in the mood for comfort food. But be prepared, it won't leave you feeling sluggish, bloated, and ready for a nap. It's actually good for you!

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