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Next Level Vegan Lasagna with Creamy Tofu Ricotta

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Plant-based comfort food to the max. Vegan Lasagna. Or is it lasagne? We’ll stick with the first one.

Lasagna. This word usually means the cheesiest, most tomato-y pasta bake you’ll ever have.

Well, this lasagna still brings that, without the cheese.

Your taste buds and comfort-feels will be completely satisfied while the tofu ricotta and roasted garlic hummus come together to create the most decadent party-in-your-mouth lasagna experience ever.

This vegan lasagna is a good dish to serve up after the holiday indulgence. Your palate is probably still craving that comforting meal, but your brain and bod are begging for that lighter, get-back-to-the-greens kind of meal. Ya know what I mean?

Not to mention there’s just something special about diving your fork into the layered masterpiece we know and love as lasagna.

All that’s in between you and this yumminess is…

Mix

Sauté

Layer

Bake.

Easy it up by using store-bought hummus and tomato pasta sauce.

Or, go for it and make your own roasted garlic hummus from this recipe (double it so you have extra, because what’s a fridge without a tub of hummus anyway…)!

Benefits:

–Brown rice pasta is the pasta for you if you’re sensitive to gluten at all. Pasta isn’t something to be afraid of! YES, avoid white pasta (which is completely stripped of it’s nutrients, vitamins, and fibre), but the other options like quinoa pasta, sprouted whole grain pasta, spelt pasta etc… are all great options! 

–Miso Paste is fermented soy that gives the dish a salty, umami taste. It also is packed with beneficial probiotics to help combat digestive issues by balancing out your gut micro flora. Plus it takes this vegan lasagna to the next level.

–Spinach (lots of it) is pop eye’s fave. I mean common’ what’s not to love. It’s packed with plant protein, chlorophyll, and when it’s cooked you’ll absorb higher levels of vitamins A and E, protein, fibre, zinc, thiamin, calcium, and iron!


Next Level Vegan Lasagna + Creamy Tofu Ricotta
 
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Cheezy and creamy tofu ricotta make this lasagne a plant-based comfort food staple, and one that won't bust your belt!
Author:
Recipe type: lasagna, pasta, dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1 package brown rice lasagna pasta
  • 2 cups (one large jar) tomato basil marinara sauce
  • 6 large cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • 2 small or 1 large zucchini, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2-3 cups packed spinach, chopped
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
Tofu Ricotta:
  • 1 package firm tofu, pressed 15 minutes (or put in 110°F dehydrator for 1 hour)
  • ¾ cup roasted garlic hummus (store bought, or make this recipe)
  • 7 large leaves of basil, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • ¾ cup nutritional yeast
Instructions
  1. Make the hummus (or used store-bought).
  2. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. While you're at it, press your tofu if you haven't already (I use a plate, then wrap the tofu in a tea towel, then stack books or a heavy bread board on top for 10 minutes at least)
  3. Heat a pan to medium. Add the onions and mushrooms until the pan browns, then de-caramelize the pan with a bit of water. Add the garlic, vegetable bouillon, and zucchini. Let sauté a few minutes (add a splash of water if it's sticking). Add the peas and spinach. Let sauté a few more minutes until the spinach is cooked down.
  4. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta noodles 2 minutes less than recommended on the package (this helps them stay in tact for layering). Rinse immediately with cold water to prevent them from sticking.
  5. Meanwhile, make the tofu ricotta! Crumble the pressed tofu into a bowl with all the other tofu ricotta ingredients. Mix well to combine. Steal a taste. It's delicious.
  6. In a 12 x 8 inch baking dish, assemble the lasagna: First a thin layer of tomato sauce, Second a layer of ⅓ of the noodles, Third, a layer of ½ the ricotta, Fourth a layer of ½ the sautéed veggies, and again, tomato sauce, ⅓ of the noodles, the rest of the ricotta, the rest of the veggies. Finish it off with the last of the noodles, rest of the tomato sauce, and a generous sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
  7. Cover with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes.
  8. Take tinfoil off and bake for 5 more minutes.
  9. Remove and serve. Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

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Roasted Garlic Oil-Free Hummus

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Roasted garlic hummus is a staple that should be waiting for you in your fridge at all times.

Spread it, dip it, smother it all over everything.

Even add a tablespoon to some water, and voila: salad dressing!

The flavour and texture of this hummus is on point, and will bring any bland sandwiches, wraps, macro bowls, or veggies to life.

What I love about this hummus, is the oil-free action. Unless you’re suffering from heart disease, you’re fine to have some oil here and there. But when it comes down to it, oil is refined fat with the fibre and water content stripped from what ever  whole food ingredient it’s made of. I always say to eat the whole food instead of the refined version (olives, instead of olive oil, sesame seeds instead of sesame seed oil, flax seeds instead of flax oil, avocados instead of avocado oil… you get my drift).

Adding oil to dressings and sauces is a good way to gain some weight if you need to, but limiting it by making versions of your favourite condiments without oil is a great way to shed some pounds, if that’s what you’re going for.

I personally can’t stop dipping my veggies if there’s hummus kicking around. So, the less refined fat calories there are in the stuff, the better (keep on dippin’ baby!)

The roasted garlic gives this hummus a creamy feel and deep flavour.

Other magical ingredients to add to your hummus for flavour, minus the oil, are:

  • miso paste
  • tamari
  • nutritional yeast
  • coconut aminos
  • pickle juice
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • fresh herbs and spices (dill, paprika, cumin, curry, chipotle, parsley, chives…)
  • Sriracha

 

Roasted Garlic Oil-Free Hummus
 
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A hummus with exceptional flavour, but no refined oils, so you can snack on for days.
Author:
Recipe type: snack, appetizer
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained (keep aquafaba/chickpea liquid in your fridge for other recipes)
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • Juice of 1 lemon juice (about ¼ cup of juice)
  • Optional: Nutritional yeast to taste (for a cheezier flavour)
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F
  2. First, cut off the top of the head of garlic (so you can see the tops of each individual clove).
  3. Peel off the loose outer layers of garlic paper and wrap it up tight in aluminum foil
  4. Place it in the middle rack and roast for approximately forty-five minutes or until you can easily pierce the garlic with a sharp knife. The cloves should look caramelized and brown.
  5. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out and add them to a food processor with all the other ingredients.
  6. Blend until smooth!

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Peppermint Goji Pistachio Chocolate Bark | Raw Vegan & from Scratch

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Raw Chocolate Bark! With a kick of peppermint, a sprinkle of goji berries and dusting of pistachios…all from scratch.

Yup, this time it’s more than just melting a store bought chocolate bar. We’re using the raw form of chocolate to keep it extra nutritious and magical.

Cacao butter is the magic I’m talking about.

You can get cacao butter at your local health food store, or Spud.ca carries it (the code ‘crvan-murjub’ at the check out will get you some $ off).

By melting half of this down, adding some raw cacao powder then swirling in the other half to create a galaxy of Christmas swirls, be prepared to be the star of the New Year’s Party this year!

Quality, nutrient-dense ingredients, it’s fancy looking, tastes delicious, and festive.

And YES it is actually good for you. Chocolate in it’s pure form is extremely beneficial in so many ways. It’s what’s added to the cacao in the commercial chocolate making process that makes most chocolate from the store something to skip (I’m talking added dairy, refined sugars, and the process of high heat roasting the cacao goes through to become a commercial chocolate to be sold). Raw cacao, on the other hand, is so beneficial that it once was used as currency in Mexico!

Benefits:

  • Raw Cacao comes in the form of nibs, powder, and butter… all extracted from the fermentation of the cacao bean. It’s PACKED with antioxidants (40x the amount of blueberries!), which wards of disease, slows down aging and fights off free radicals and inflammation. Raw cacao also has phenylethylamine, which is responsible for increasing the receptors of the feelings of pleasure (like the way we feel when we’re in love). It increases your mental alertness as well as your mood!
  • Goji berries contain about 2-4 times the amount of antioxidants than blueberries, and 500 times more vitamin C than oranges to boost the immune system!
  • Pistachios are also packed with antioxidants to ward off free radicals. Out of all the nuts, they contain the most lutein and zeaxanthin for healthy eyes. They’re also packed with fibre, protein and b6!

To simplify this recipe even further, just ditch the swirls and just give the dark chocolate all spotlight. Sprinkle it with shredded coconut, and you have Christmas in the form of chocolate!

Happy Holidays!! I hope you can share this deliciousness with the ones you love deeeeaaarly.

Don’t be afraid to serve it up as an appetizer with bubbles!


Raw Peppermint Chocolate Bark | From Scratch
 
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Bring this everywhere you go this Holiday! This peppermint bark made from raw cacao is delicious, simple, festive and elegant.
Author:
Recipe type: dessert, snack
Cuisine: christmas, holidays, sweets
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cacao butter
  • ⅓ cup raw cacao powder
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp peppermint extract
  • ½ cup goji berries
  • ½ cup raw or roasted pistachios, chopped (shells removed)
Instructions
  1. Cover a pan or plate (about 7 inches wide) with parchment paper.
  2. Set up two double boilers (one will be for the white chocolate, one for the dark): add two inches of water to 2 saucepans and bring them to a simmer. Place a heat proof bowl (glass, stainless steel, or another pot (if it fits without falling into the water)) on top of the simmering water in the sauce pan (there should be about 1-2 inches of space between the water and bottom of the bowl).
  3. Separate the cacao butter in half, then add one half to each of the double boilers. Stir until melted.
  4. In the first bowl, add all of the cacao powder, half of the maple syrup, half of the vanilla, and half of the peppermint.
  5. In the second bowl, add the other half of the maple syrup, vanilla and peppermint.
  6. Whisk each until mixed thoroughly (cleaning the whisk between bowl switches).
  7. Remove the dark chocolate bowl, and dry the bottom of the bowl on a kitchen towel; this will prevent steamy water drops from mixing in with your dark chocolate.
  8. Pour the dark chocolate over the parchment covered pan.
  9. Remove the white chocolate in the same way, and dry the bowl. With a spoon, pour dollops of white chocolate in the dark. Try to create 1 inch polka dots of white all over the dark.
  10. With a chopstick or the end of a spoon, swirl the chocolates together (SO satisfying).
  11. Place the plate in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  12. Take it out and sprinkle the goji berries and pistachios all over. Feel free to add anything else you want here!
  13. Place the plate in the fridge for 1 hour, or freezer for 30 minutes.
  14. Once solid, break apart into bark.
  15. Store in a Tupperware in the fridge. Bring to all the Christmas parties.
  16. **Simplify this recipe by taking out the swirls to make it solid dark chocolate. Just use one double broiler and add the ingredients to the bowl as you would normally for the dark chocolate part. **

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Perfect French Fries | Crispy & Oil-Free

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Don’t be a afraid of the tater! Especially when they’re perfect french fries made right.

The poor potato has such a bad reputation.

I’m here to tell you: it’s not the potato’s fault, it’s the way humans have prepared it. Fryin’ it up into french fries or chips creates a saturated calorie bomb with all the wrong fats. Hydrogenated fat being the worst of them all.

The reason being,“hydrogenated fats are difficult for the body to “grab onto” and metabolize, and can neither be incorporated into cell structures nor excreted in the normal fashion. Thus, hydrogenated or “trans-” fats tend to remain “stuck” in blood circulation, becoming oxidized and most importantly, contributing significantly to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and possibly also cancer.” ~ World’s Healthiest Foods.com 

So, we go back to that simple fact that eating a food in it’s whole form is just the bomb dot com.

A potato is actually one of the most perfect foods around… if you eat it in it’s whole form as a potato, baked or boiled without any extra oils or deep fryin’.

Come as you are potato! Come as you are.

Of course, upping the anti and adding spices or healthy sauces to the experience makes the naked spud shine brighter than the best potato chip or french fry you’ve ever bought!

This can be done with sweet potatoes too! But, you might be surprise to know that they’re not much different in nutrition than the white potato!

My favourite way to eat these is in a boat. Get that romaine out, throw a fry in there, then take a dip.

Savoury heaven.

Benefits of potatoes:

  • packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre
  • no saturated fat, sodium or cholesterol
  • more potassium than a banana
  • a great source of vitamin B6 (for mood, brain function and eyesight),
  • magnesium is in these babies to reduce anxiety, plus relieve muscle aches and migraines
  • antioxidants are in there for combat disease and protect your cells from free radicals

 


Perfect French Fries | Crispy & Oil-Free
 
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These fries are crispy and completely guilt-free. Let's fall in love with the potato again in it's whole-food, naked form. This is a go-to simple dinner idea, or a great appetizer dish for a potluck.
Author:
Recipe type: dinner, appetizer
Cuisine: Canadian, potluck, simple
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 3-4 Russet potatoes
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt (optional)
  • (Get creative with your spices! These are good: curry, cumin, onion powder, tarragon)

  • Curry Ketchup Sauce:
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp maple syrup

  • 1 head romaine lettuce (optional)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F
  2. Chop potatoes into thick fry-shape slices
  3. Pour them into a zip-lock bag with the spices and shake shake shake until evenly coated (kitchen dancing recommended)
  4. Spread the fries evenly across a parchment or silicone mat- covered baking tray (if you want em' crisp, don't let them touch)
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each one over.
  6. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until you can see the golden brown edges puffing up
  7. Mix all sauce ingredients together
  8. Serve in a romaine leaf and dip it all in your sauce!

 

Vegan Nog | Whole Food Creaminess

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Let’s nog about it. Vegan nog, that is.

There’s something special about sippin’ on a spicy, decadent nog from your favourite mug as you’re hanging that tinsel on your Charlie Brown Christmas tree. If you weren’t in the Christmas spirit yet, then this will fix you up.

These spices… the creaminess… even the smell…this recipe has all of those experiences of egg-nog tradition, but maximized because this is actually good for you nog.

I have to say, I didn’t think I could create a vegan nog that tasted like the old days. But, the first sip told me otherwise. This bevy will make you sink into your comfort zone with the nostalgic spices and creaminess you’ve always had. Now, it’s without the dairy (check out this post to see why that’s a good thing) and refined sugar.

No need for the dairy. It’s amazing what this mix of whole food ingredients can create!

A Christmas party in your mouth is what this bevy creates. Your welcome.

I’ll never have a half cup of nog again. Now it’s filled to the brim, I’m going for re-fills, and I feel like I’m doing myself a favour. Triple win!

Benefits:

  • Bananas are a good carbohydrate for your body to easily digest. They’re nutrient dense and packed with fibre! Don’t be afraid of the ‘nana.
  • Dates are packed with minerals and fibre. They’re a whole food, and known as nature’s candy. They digest slowly and are great for good energy and smooth digestion. I don’t go on a long bike ride without a bag of dates stashed in some pocket!


Vegan Nog
 
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Vegan nog with a perfect mix of spices. SO easy your kid could make it.
Author:
Recipe type: drink, beverage
Cuisine: holiday, Christmas, festive
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (strained if homemade) or this homemade hemp milk
  • 2 medium-sized frozen ripe bananas (works with non frozen ripe bananas, but tastes better frozen)
  • 4-5 medium pitted medjool dates, soaked for 5 minutes in warm water
  • ½ teaspoon natural vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • Pinch of Himalayan sea salt
Instructions
  1. Throw all ingredients into your blender (high speed is best)
  2. Start on low, then increase it to high. Blend for 30 seconds or longer if you want it warmer and creamier.
  3. Sip and ahhhhhhh.

 

A few sips later…