Lasagna with Mustard Greens

Dinner 11/14

Lasagna with Mustard Greens

The twist in tonight's lasagna was the addition of mustard greens (shredded, cooked down in olive oil with onions, garlic, salt and pepper) layered between the pasta sheets along with the usual suspects: tofu ricotta (firm tofu, nutritional yeast, parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper), sauteed button mushrooms and zucchini, our tomato sauce and cheddar Daiya.

The greens added a nice change-up in flavor from kale or collard greens.

(now with recipe)

Lasagna

Mustard Greens

1 tbs. olive oil
12 oz. mustard greens, shredded
1 tbs. garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
salt & pepper to taste

In a large pan or wok, heat the oil to medium and add the onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one additional minute. Carefully add the mustard greens with tongs. Continually turn the greens until it begins to wilt. Add the salt and pepper and continue to cook until the greens have released most of their liquid. Set aside on a plate.

Mushrooms & Zucchini

1 tbs. olive oil
10 oz. button mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4", cut into quarters
1 tsp. tamari
pepper to taste

In the same pan, add the additional olive oil and saute the mushrooms for 6-8 minutes until they have given up most of their liquid. Set aside on a separate plate.

Add the zucchini and cook, turning frequently for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Add the mushrooms back to the pan, add the tamari and pepper and toss to incorporate for 1 minute. Remove all to a plate and set aside.

Tomato Sauce

1 tbs. olive oil,
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs. smoked paprika,
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 tbs. parsley
1 tbs. oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
15oz. (fire-roasted) whole tomatoes

In the same pan as the mushrooms and mustard greens, add the additional olive oil and saute the onions. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and herbs and cook until golden. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up as best as you can (a potato masher works wonders here). Bring the sauce to a boil and then simmer for 10-12 minutes, until thickened. Check for seasoning.

Tofu Ricotta

16 oz. firm tofu, crumbled
2 tbs. parsley, chopped
2 tbs. nutritional yeast,
1/2 cup soy sour creme,
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, zested
salt and pepper, to taste

While the tomato sauce is simmering, you can make the ricotta. In a large bowl, crumble the tofu with your fingers into small pieces. Add the parsley, nutritional yeast, soy sour cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix (with your hands) to incorporate -- you can bust out the immersion blender and/or just chuck the whole thing in the vita mix and puree. It should be fairly thick, but spreadable.

16 oz. Daiya Cheddar
12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package instructions.

Assembly

In a 9x9 oven-proof pan, spread 2 tbs. of tomato sauce on the bottom of pan. Lay four lasagna noodles side by side over the sauce. Add about half of the Daiya/mushrooms/greens/tofu ricotta/tomato sauce in whatever order you like. Add another four lasagna noodles perpendicular to the first layer and add the remaining of the Daiya/mushrooms/greens/tofu ricotta/tomato sauce. Add the final four lasagna noodles and top with a little bit of the tomato sauce and Daiya if you have any left.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. With a serrated knife, cut the lasagna into nine 3"x3" squares.

Tags: lasagna, daiya, mushrooms, zucchini, mustard greens, tofu, pasta, tomato sauce, vegan, food, dinner, tofu666