Vegan I Gluten Free
Serves: 4
Time:
2 cups raw cashews
1 eggplant
1 large squash
1 large zucchini
Olive oil to drizzle
1 tbsp. flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
Garnish: basil flakes, dried oregano, salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees on convection bake and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Find a 9x9 baking dish and set aside.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil and then cut off the heat. Add the cashews, cover, and let soak at least 30 minutes.
Wash the eggplant, squash and zucchini and cut the stems and ends off. Using a sharp knife, or mandolin, carefully slice the vegetables long ways in thin strips, resembling long lasagna noodles.
Tip: I like to cut the eggplant slices in half to make the slices more square like. 4 will typically fit as a layer in the corners of the baking dish. I find that after the lasagna is cooked, the zucchini and squash cut through easily for serving, but the eggplant is best when pre-sliced into serving pieces.
Spread the vegetables out into a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, flip to coat both sides. Place in the oven and bake 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan half-way through. They should be beginning to brown and the edges soft when they are done. Let cool slightly.
Prepare the flaxseed meal mixture by stirring the flaxseed meal with 3 tbsp. water in a small bowl. Set aside to let thicken.
Prepare the cashew cheese. Drain the cashews and add to a food processor or blender. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix on medium to combine. Slowly add in the 1/4 cup water, to adjust consistency. You are looking for the texture of hummus.
Transfer the cashew mixture into a medium size bowl. Add in the flaxseed meal mixture and the dried oregano. Stir to combine.
Spread a thin layer of the cashew cheese into the bottom of the 9x9 dish. Spread a thin layer of the crushed tomatoes on top. Next, add a layer of roasted vegetables. I like to start with the eggplant, because you'll typically have more than one layer of eggplant. You can even stack 2 eggplant pieces on top of each other for a layer. Continue layering, cheese, tomato, vegetables, cheese, tomatoes, vegetables, until all ingredients are used. I like to use all of one vegetable as a single layer (example: all the squash "noodles" for one layer, all the zucchini for another, and eggplant together). It helps to use the back of the spoon or spatula to spread the cashew cheese. Don't worry if it doesn't spread into a perfect layer! Finish the lasagna with a layer of cheese topped with the crushed tomatoes.
Sprinkle dried basil and oregano on top along with salt and pepper.
Bake for 35 minutes. When ready, remove and let set for 10-15 minutes.
Use a sharp knife to divide the lasagna into 4 even square pieces. The squash and zucchini should be easy to slice through, without disturbing the layers. The eggplant, if you squared off the "noodles", should be already sized per piece. If you didn't pre-cut the eggplant, you may find them more difficult to cut through. Trace through your lines 2-3 times to make sure the vegetables are cut before removing from the pan. Use a spatula to gently remove a piece from the pan, working carefully!
Serve warm! Enjoy!
Stores in the fridge 2-4 days.