VEGETARIAN LASAGNE

INGREDIENTS:

Tomato sauce:

• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

• 400g Canned/chopped tomatoes 

• 1 Zucchini 

• 5 button Mushrooms

• 1 Carrot

• 3 handfuls of baby Spinach 

• 420g can of lentils

• 350g of Passata tomato puree

• Salt and pepper 

• 6 cloves of Garlic

• 1 Brown onion

Roasted Vegetables:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 1 whole medium red Capsicum or about 220g

• 1 small-medium Sweet potato or about 260g

• Butternut pumpkin 250g

• Small/medium eggplant 

Bechamel (white cheesy) sauce:

• Light tasty/ cheddar Cheese 30g

• Reduced fat Ricotta 100g

• 50g of wholemeal spelt flour

• Aprox 250ml of Lite/ skim milk (may need more or less)

• 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Extras:

• 6 sheets of instant lasagna sheets

• Salt and pepper 

• 30g of light tasty/cheddar Cheese

METHOD:

Roasted vegetables

1. Preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees celsius

2. Chop up your sweet potato, capsicum, eggplant, and pumpkin

3. Put the vegetables on a tray and marinate with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

4. Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes or until tender and golden and then put aside for later

5. Roast the other vegetables for about 35-40 minutes or until tender and golden and then put aside for later

6. Keep the oven on so it is ready for the lasagne

Tomato sauce

1. Prepare all vegetables. Chop mushrooms, onion, garlic, grate the zucchini and carrot, drain and rinse the can of lentils and wash the spinach

2. Add the onion and garlic to a medium heated saucepan along wth about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. sauté for about 2 minutes or until translucent

3. Add the lentils to the onion and garlic, cook for another 2 minutes then add the mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes.

4. Add the canned tomatoes and stir through,

5. Add the carrot and zucchini and stir to combine, then add the passata tomato puree cook for another 5 minutes then dd some salt and pepper

6. Lower the heat, add the spinach and let the sauce simmer for another 10-15 minutes and stir occasionally

7. Take off the heat and set aside for later

Bechamel (white cheesy) sauce

1. In a saucepan on medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the wholemeal spelt flour, whisk them together for about a 1 minute using a whisk, whisking continuously until it looks a bit like a paste or crumb and begins to slightly bubble

2. Gradually stir in milk (you may need more than 250ml), cook together for about 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken, whisk continuously

3. Add the ricotta cheese and whisk well, then add the tasty /cheddar cheese, and some salt and pepper

4. Whisk for another minute, you should have a thick, silky, cheesy sauce

Assembling the lasagne (this is just a guide of what I did)

1. In a deep dish pour a few scoops of the tomato sauce at the bottom and smooth out so it is even, then add about 2 sheets of instant lasagne sheets (the amount may differ depending on the length and width of your dish, you may also need to break them in order to fit)

2. Then spread some of the bechamel sauce evenly on the sheets, add some of the roasted vegetables, i added the eggplant and sweet potato here first. then cover with another layer of lasagne sheets

3. add more tomato sauce followed by the capsicum and pumpkin, then smear more of the bechamel sauce over the top then add another layer of lasagne sheets

4. for the final layer a lightly added a little bit of the tomato sauce, then used the rest of the bechemel sauce, and covered it with cheese.

5. Cook the lasagne for about 40 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and the top is crispy

Serves 4-6

This makes roughly 6 servings and is a vegetarian friendly dish that every one will love

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

This Lasagne is rich in fibre and is loaded with veggies.

Its lower in fat than standard lasagnes -especially low in saturated fat and is particularly rich in the healthy fat, Monounsaturated fat which is important for lowering cholesterol, heart health and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

It has a pretty good amount of protein due to the lentils, ricotta cheese, tasty cheese and the milk

it also provides a good source of calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, Potassium and Iron. per serve this lasagne provides roughly 7.6 grams of dietary fibre.

This is a great warm, hearty, healthy and most importantly tasty dish that will keep you full and satisfied. I like to serve mine with a side of salad.

I hope you enjoy