Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Lasagna!!!!

This lasagna recipe is dairy free and gluten free.  I use an egg but you can use egg replacer if you don't eat eggs.  Also I use meat in this recipe but you could do all veggies instead and make the whole thing vegan.  The way the tofu is prepared, it totally resembles ricotta in taste and texture and I have meat-gluten-dairy eating witnesses that will attest to that!  You just have to follow the directions and season everything well.  This dish is really really yummy!!!!

Let me AGAIN apologize for making up recipes and not measuring anything along the way.  These are my best estimations as to what I used.  When it comes to seasonings I just do it to taste.  Shake shake shake :)

One more thing...the other night I wanted this dish but was in a hurry and didn't want to fool with all the layers and baking for an hour ...so I made gluten free penne pasta instead and layered all the ingredients into individual bowls and baked them for just a few minutes to warm through and melt the cheese.  It was yummy-baked-lasagna-gooey-goodness...in a bowl!!!  Eric loved it!  So however you choose to make it...here's the recipe:

Gluten Free Lasagna

 

9 gluten free (brown rice) lasagna noodles

1 jar Whole Foods Pasta sauce - I use the fat free - it only has 2 grams of sugar

1 and ½  pkg NaSoya Lite Firm Tofu (squeezed and pressed very well between paper towels to remove excess water)

1 bag Daiya mozzarella

½ sweet onion - minced

1 bell pepper - minced

1 pkg ground turkey breast

1 egg & 1 egg white (or equivalent in egg replacer - would probably work with 2 egg whites too).

Sage

Thyme

Nutmeg

Ground red pepper

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Ms. Dash salt free Italian seasoning

Oregano

Bottled minced garlic

Garlic powder

Almond meal flour

** If you want to make this meat free just add chopped veggies (such as broccoli, squash, zucchini, etc) in place of the meat and saute before adding the sauce.
** The spices I add to the meat are similar to the spices used in italian sausage seasoning - it gives it great, rich flavor and the ground turkey breast has virtually no fat.  The nutmeg may sound odd but it is great. 
** It is really important to use the correct size baking dish.  If the lasagna isn't tightly packed, it won't hold together well when you slice it. 

 

-- Pre-heat oven to 350-375 degrees

-- Boil noodles slightly and set aside - I don't boil them until they are completely done.  Only cook them about 1/2 way - it makes them easier to work with and they will finish cooking in the oven.

-- Heat a large dutch oven on medium heat

-- Add olive oil and saute onion, minced garlic and bell pepper until tender. 

-- Add ground turkey breast, sage, salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, thyme, and oregano.  Saute until cooked through.

-- Add jar of marinara sauce (less ¼ cup), reduce heat and simmer

-- In a large mixing bowl, crumble tofu with hands until it resembles ricotta cheese, mix in about ¼-½ cup mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt.  Mix well and season to taste.

--  Add egg and egg white to tofu mixture and set aside.

-- Coat a 8 X 11.5 casserole dish with cooking spray

-- Spread reserved ¼ cup marinara in bottom of dish

-- Place 3 noodles on top of sauce then spread with tofu mixture

-- Spread meat sauce over tofu mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella

-- Add another layer of noodles, tofu, sauce and cheese

-- Top with last 3 noodles, remaining meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. 

-- Sprinkle top with almond meal, cover with foil and secure tightly at edges

-- Bake for approximately 1 hour.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

 

 

**Note:  To make dish lower in carbs, leave off top layer of noodles and put lightly steamed strips of zucchini in its place – won’t work as well for middle layer but will work for top layer.