Spinach, Ricotta & Sweet Potato Lasagne

Spinach, Ricotta & Sweet Potato Lasagne

Ingredients

1 sweet potato
1 garlic clove,crushed
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbls vegan butter or vegetable oil
300g young spinach or thawed frozen spinach
400g tub vegan ricotta (I used Tofutti)
3 tbsp vegan Parmesan
2 cups marinara sauce (I just used seasoned crushed tomatoes that I had frozen)
1/2 cup vegan grated cheese (optional)
B�chamel Sauce
Salt & Pepper to season
Lasagne slats, softened in some warm water


Method

Heat the oven to 375�F/190�C.
Cook sweet potato wrapped in paper towel in microwave for 5-10 minutes, or until soft through.
Let cool.
Cook the onion in butter with the crushed garlic on a medium heat until softened.
Chop the spinach finely.
Add the spinach to the onion and cook until wilted.
Mix the ricotta with the Parmesan, then stir the onion and spinach into the ricotta mix and season with salt and pepper.
Once sweet potatoes are cool enough to touch remove skin, mash and stir through in the ricotta mixture.

Start with a ladle of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish/tin.
Add one layer of lasagne slats.
Spoon one layer of the ricotta mix onto the pasta and smooth down.
Add a ladle of marinara sauce.

Repeat these steps until the last lasagne slats have been used.
Add any left over filling to the top.
Spoon the B�chamel sauce to the top layer and sprinkle with vegan cheese if using.

Bake in the oven for 40 mins.
If you want it to look presentable then let cool down before cutting and serving (and reheating).
If you don't care about the presentation then dig in!

Easy Pasta & Potato Bake

This is an easy recipe and a crowd pleaser using what you have in your home.

Easy Pasta & Potato Bake
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

400g uncooked pasta, I used brown rice rigati (shells, macaroni, spiral or penne)
400g potatoes
120g vegan cheddar
120g vegan mozarella
1 cup vegan Bechamel sauce (white sauce)
1 tsp salt.


Method

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions.
Boil potatoes till soft inside but not falling apart (peel first if you like).
These two steps can be done the night before and left in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a large oven proof casserole dish with a drizzle of oil or vegan butter.
Prepare the white sauce, adding the extra tsp salt for taste.
Slice the cooked potato into rounds.
Place a layer of cooked pasta at the bottom of the dish.
Add a layer of potato rounds.
Pour over some white sauce and sprinkle a layer of both cheeses.
Repeat the layering steps until you are out of ingredients - saving a little bit of white sauce and cheese for the top.
Top with a bit of white sauce and a layer of cheeses.
Bake in the oven, covered for 20-30 minutes, until cheeses look like they are melting.
Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes to get the top melted and slightly browned.
Serve as a main or side.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce

This is simple and delicious...definitely a family pleaser! Original recipe from Freak Food Gourmet.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegan margarine
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 Package vegan mozzarella shreds (I used Daiya)
1-2 cloves garlic
Pepper


Method

In a medium saucepan heat the margarine and garlic on a medium heat.
Stir in the almond milk and set heat on medium-high.
Once milk has heated up stir in the mozzarella shreds.
Stir until cheese has melted in. I like to use a whisk once the cheese has melted.
Continue to still until thicken - this should happen shortly after bubbles start appearing.

Turn heat down to low and add pepper to taste.
Serve with your favourite pasta!

Tomato & Balsamic Spaghetti Soup

I veganized this recipe from a Rachel Ray magazine dish I saw. It saw serves 4 but I think more like 8!
This kind of reminds me of a nicer, fresher version of the canned SPC spaghetti I used to eat on toast when I was a kid. I'm a little bit of vegan cheddar or Parmesan would be delicious as a topper!
Disclaimer: if you are prone to acid re-flux this vinegar/tomato combo tends to repeat on you. If so skip the vinegar,

Tomato & Balsamic Spaghetti Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegan butter
1/4 pound GF spaghetti, broken into 1-to 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery with leafy top, chopped
2 carrots, grated
2 cloves garlic, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon agave syrup
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 28 ounce can  whole peeled tomatoes
2 cups passata or tomato puree (I used a cup of tomato paste mixed with a cup of hot water)
1 quart vegetable stock
A few leaves of basil, torn
Minced fresh parsley


Method

In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
When the butter foams turn down to low-medium, add the uncooked pasta and cook, stirring often, until toasted and golden, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high.
Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
Uncover, stir in the agave, then stir in the vinegar, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, passata and stock.
Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a food processor/blender, puree the soup.
If using a food processor, return the soup to the pot and bring to a boil.
Add the toasted pasta and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes.
Divide soup among bowls; top with basil and parsley.

Creamy Asparagus & Lemon Pasta

This recipe comes from Minimalist Baker.

Creamy Asparagus & Lemon Pasta

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus (12 ounces), trimmed and washed
Sea salt and black pepper
2 lemons
Olive oil
3-4 large cloves garlic, minced (~2 Tbsp)
10 ounces gluten free pasta
2.5 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
3-4 Tbsp all purpose gluten free flour (I used brown rice)
1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast


Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Add asparagus to a baking sheet and toss with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch each salt and pepper. Top with several thin slices of lemon and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Once finished cooking, remove from oven and roughly chop into thirds.
In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously.
While the water�s heating, bring a large skillet to medium heat.
Once hot, add 3 Tbsp olive oil and garlic.
Whisk and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is just starting to brown.
Add 3 Tbsp flour and whisk.
Cook for 30 seconds, then whisk in almond milk 1/2 cup at a time.
Add a healthy pinch salt and pepper and whisk.
Slightly lower heat and continue cooking to thicken, stirring occasionally.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
Then drain and set aside.
For extra creamy sauce, add sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend.
Add nutritional yeast and another pinch of salt and pepper.
If it looks runny, add another Tablespoon of flour (or cornstarch).
Blend until creamy and smooth, using the �puree� or �liquify� setting if possible.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, then add back to pan and continue cooking over medium to medium-low heat to thicken.
Once your sauce has reached desired thickness, add the juice of half a lemon and stir.
Add 3/4 of the chopped asparagus and the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.
Divide between 2-3 serving plates and top with remaining asparagus.
Serve with a lemon wedge and vegan parmesan cheese.

Creamy Asparagus & Lemon Pasta

I need to stop looking on Pinterest because I just end up with 1000 recipes I want to try! I saw this recipe from Minimalist Baker on Pinterest and it was delicious!

Creamy Asparagus & Lemon Pasta

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus (12 ounces), trimmed and washed

Sea salt and black pepper

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Olive oil

3-4 large cloves garlic, minced (~2 Tbsp)

10 ounces gluten free pasta

2.5 cups unsweetened plain almond milk

3-4 Tbsp all brown rice flour

1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast 

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Add asparagus to a baking sheet and toss with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch each salt and pepper and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Once finished cooking, remove from oven and roughly chop into thirds.

In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously.

While the water�s heating, bring a large skillet to medium heat. 

Once hot, add 3 Tbsp olive oil and garlic. 

Whisk and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is just starting to brown.

Add 3 Tbsp flour and whisk. 

Cook for 30 seconds, then whisk in almond milk 1/2 cup at a time. 

Add a pinch salt and pepper to taste and whisk. 

Slightly lower heat and continue cooking to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Then drain and set aside.

Add nutritional yeast and another pinch of salt and pepper. 

Whisk until creamy and smooth and continue cooking over medium to medium-low heat to thicken.

Once your sauce has reached desired thickness, add the juice of half a lemon and stir.

Add 3/4 of the chopped asparagus and the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.

Divide between 2-3 serving plates and top with remaining asparagus.