Tag: vegan

Lasagna is one of those delicious gooey cheesy dishes you crave when your feeling the need for some comfort food. Right now, with all the unrest in the world stemming from the global pandemic and the fight against police brutality and for equality among races, many people are just struggling to keep their spirits uplifted and try to keep a positive outlook.

For those who are just beginning their journey to recovery from substance abuse, this is a particularly difficult time and the urge to self-medicate the stress, fear and worry may feel almost unbearable. It’s during difficult and challenging times like this when I just bake up a large casserole of vegan lasagna and dig in.

Yes, sometimes you just need some comfort food to self-soothe, and with this recipe you can enjoy it guilt-free. Traditionally, lasagna is loaded with lots of unhealthy saturated fat from the ground meat to the multiple types of ricotta cheese used to make it. However, I promise you this vegan lasagna version is not only a lot healthier, it’s also just as delicious as the traditional recipes.

It takes some time to make up all the parts and put it all together and bake it, so just think of the process as being therapeutic or even meditative. It will keep your mind busy and focused on something positive and at the end you’ll get to sit down and indulge in the delicious, nutritious and seemingly decadent comfort food you are craving.

Why Our Vegan Lasagna Is Healthier Than Classic Lasagna

1. Our Vegan Ricotta Cheeze Recipe is made with tofu and our Vegan Mozzarella Recipe is made from cashews, which are both loaded with protein and thankfully lack the unhealthy saturated fat, lactose, casein and excess sodium present in the real cheeses which have been shown can have a negative impact on health.

Tofu is not only a source of complete protein but also provides folate, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, iron and fiber. Replacing meat and cheese with tofu has been proven to have a measurable impact on improving health by lowering cholesterol and reducing saturated fat which in turn lowers risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease.

Although cashews do contain some saturated fat, recent research shows that eating nuts like cashews can lower your risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. One study of cashews showed that it reduced blood pressure and harmful LDL cholesterol levels and increased levels of good HDL cholesterol.

Also, just FYI, cheese has been scientifically proven to be as addictive as crack cocaine, heroin and morphine. Dairy protein has opiate molecules that attach to the same brain receptors that narcotics attach to, therefore people can become physically and psychologically addicted to eating dairy products. Stay clean by trying our plant-based versions!

2. We use Nutritional Yeast to flavor the cheezes which contains protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which provide potential health benefits such as boosting immunity, lowering cholesterol and protecting against oxidative damage to body tissues.

3. In place of the ground meat usually found in lasagna, we use a healthier organic vegan product called Field Roast Italian Sausage which is made with vegetables and wheat and contains no unhealthy food additives such as the pesticides, antibiotics, nitrates, sulfites and phosphates as well as the preservatives BHA, BHT and sodium benzoate found in traditional sausages.

4. We use whole wheat lasagna noodles which are considered healthier due to the fact they contain more fiber, protein, magnesium, iron, and zinc and are a good source of complex carbs. Complex carbs have more fiber which can help lower cholesterol. White pasta is a highly processed refined wheat flour product which has been stripped of many of the nutrients and fiber during processing. White pasta has more calories and less fiber and protein than whole wheat pasta.

Simple carbs, which have had fiber removed, can spike your blood sugar quickly and cause a decrease in alertness and increase in fatigue within 30 minutes of consumption. This is what’s known as a “sugar crash” which can ultimately cause fluctuations in mood and can trigger relapse in those in recovery from alcoholism or substance abuse.

NOTE: Option to eliminate pasta completely by using 1/8 inch thick strips of Japanese Eggplant or Zucchini instead.

5. We add organic Fresh Spinach to our recipe for added nutritional benefits such as vitamins, minerals and carotenoids. Cooked Spinach adds more fiber plus vitamins A, E, Thiamin, Calcium, Iron, Zinc as well as Beta-Carotene, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin. Sneaking it into the lasagna is a great way to boost health benefits of the dish. If you struggle with eating your greens, you will not even notice it here as it blends in deliciously.
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Healthy, Decadent Vegan Lasagna Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• • Vegan Ricotta Cheeze (see recipe below)
  • Plant-Powered Bolognaise Sauce (see recipe below)
  • 10 whole wheat lasagne noodles (or 1/8 inch eggplant strips)
  • 3 cups organic spinach leaves
  • Gooey Vegan Mozzarella (see recipe below)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Begin by preparing the Vegan Ricotta Cheeze, then set aside while you prepare the Plant-Powered Bolognaise Sauce and cook 10 of the Lasagna Noodles as directed on the package.
   2. While the sauce and noodles are cooking wash and remove the stems of the spinach leaves and turn the oven on to 375 degrees.
   3. Once the sauce and noodles are ready you can begin to assemble the lasagna in a 9 X 13-inch casserole dish or glass pan. Begin by adding 1 cup of the bolognaise sauce to the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Then place 5 of the lasagna noodles evenly across the bottom of the dish. Now spread half of the Vegan Ricotta Cheeze evenly over the lasagna noodles.
   4. Next top the Ricotta with half of the spinach leaves, spreading them evenly across the layer of ricotta. Now spread another cup of the Bologainse Sauce over the spinach and then top that with another layer of noodles. Now spread the remaining Ricotta on to the Lasagna Noodles. Then add the rest of the spinach evenly over the Ricotta, and remaining Bolognaise Sauce over the spinach.
   5. Now that your casserole is assembled you can prepare your Gooey Vegan Mozzarella. As soon as it is ready pour it evenly over the top of the casserole and carefully spread it out towards the sides of the dish with the bowl scraper spatula.
   6. Now put your Lasagna in the oven and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares as desired and serve!
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Vegan Ricotta Cheeze Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• • 1 package organic firm or extra-firm tofu (drained and pressed to remove excess liquid)
  • Lemon juice (2 lemons worth)
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons white miso paste
  • ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
  • ¼ cup fresh basil (finely chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Using a mini-prep food processor or a blender, break up or cut tofu into chunks and place in the processor with all of the other ingredients. Blend using the pulse feature just until basil and parsley are small bits and all ingredients are distributed evenly through the mixture, don’t over blend. It should be grainy and lumpy, not pasty. If it gets too thick add a tablespoon of water and stir in by hand.
   2. Taste and adjust seasonings adding more salt if needed for flavor. Set aside until all other vegan recipes are complete.
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Plant-Powered Bolognaise Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• • 1 package Field Roast Italian Sausage
  • 1 large white or brown onion (diced)
  • 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped or pressed)
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon thyme
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
  • 1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
  • 2 cups organic vegetable broth (I use Pacific Foods Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth)
  • 1 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (for less spicy results, omit or reduce amount)
  • 2 teaspoons celtic sea salt (to taste)
  • 1-2 teaspoons black pepper (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Take the package Field Roast Italian Sausage – remove casings, break into chunks, and place in food processor. Pulse until desired ground meat consistency is reached.
   2. Sautee the chopped onion in the oil on medium heat until it begins to turn translucent. Now add garlic, oregano, thyme and rosemary and cook another minute or two. Then add the ground sausage and cook for a couple more minutes, adding some of the broth if pan gets dry.
   3. Pour the cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce paste into a blender and blend until smooth, then add to the pan with the onion and sausage. Now add the rest of the vegetable broth, coconut sugar, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
   4. Cover and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and cook on medium low heat for 8-10 minutes to let flavors blend. Reduce heat to low until ready to use. (If sauce looks too thick, add some more vegetable broth to thin it out – you don’t want your lasagna to end up dry.)
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Gooey Vegan Mozzarella Recipe

NOTE: Do this last, after lasagna is layered in casserole.

INGREDIENTS

• • ½ cup raw organic unsalted cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons tapioca starch

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Boil Cashews in water for 15 minutes, then drain and add to a high-speed blender. Add the remaining ingredients to the blender with the cashews. Blend all ingredients starting slowly until combined and then turn all the way to highest speed and completely liquify the ingredients.
   2. Pour liquid into a small frying pan and turn heat to medium. Using a heat resistant bowl scraper spatula, continuously scrap the bottom of the pan as mixture begins to thicken. Keep on stirring and scraping continuously until mixture is completely combined.
   3. Once all the liquid is formed into a solid stir vigorously with the spatula for one more minute, then remove from heat. Now the cheese is ready to use. (This cheeze recipe is great for grilled cheese sandwiches too!)
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All-Organic Shopping List

TIP: Make sure you buy everything organic.

• • 1 package Field Roast Italian Sausage
  • 1 package organic firm tofu
  • ½ cup raw unsalted cashews
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Dried oregano
  • Dried thyme
  • Dried rosemary
  • Dried red pepper flakes
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Tapioca starch
  • 1 large can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
  • 1 small can tomato paste (6 oz)
  • 1 large brown or white onion
  • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch (package) fresh basil
  • 6 cloves fresh garlic
  • Celtic sea salt
  • 2 lemons
  • 3 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 package whole wheat lasagna noodles
  • 1 carton low sodium vegetable broth
  • Coconut sugar
  • Apple cider vinegar

 

THE BEST VEGAN TACOS EVER!

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Vegan Tacos

 

These vegan tacos are a Villa Kali Ma staple. The clients and staff love them! We served these vegan tacos at our one-year anniversary party and even the carnivorous men loved them! Packed with nutritional, health-promoting dietary ingredients, they are stuffed with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, Sour Cream, Cabbage, Cilantro, Avocado Slices, and Salsa. There are three recipes; one for the Butternut Squash, one for the Beans, and one for the homemade Vegan Sour Cream. If you want the whole experience, make all three! You will also need to prep the condiments so give yourself at least an hour to get the whole job done.
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PREP TIME: 30 – 40 minutes               COOKING TIME: 20 minutes             SERVES: 6

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Download Our PDF Guide Here!

 

Shopping List

TIP: Make sure you buy everything organic and BPA-free canned beans.

 

For the Butternut Squash

• 1 medium butternut squash or 2 packages of already cubed
• 1 medium white onion
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeño
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup vegetable broth (may substitute with water)
• 2 tablespoons of cumin
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• 1/4 tablespoon of cayenne (omit if you don’t wait it spicy)
• 1 tablespoon of celtic sea salt
• 2 tablespoons of coconut or avocado oil
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For the Black Beans

• 2 cans of black beans
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cilantro (stems removed)
• 1/2 of a small red onion
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle pepper seasoning (more if you like spicy)
• 1-2 teaspoons coconut sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
• 1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of coconut or avocado oil
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For the Sour Cream

• 1 cup of raw, unsalted cashews
• 2 teaspoons of apple cider
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of celtic sea salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of ice water
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For the Tacos

• 1 package of soft corn tortillas (should have 8)
• Salsa (your choice – I like fire roasted tomato salsa)
• 1-2 avocados
• Red or green cabbage (optional)
• Cilantro
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Helpful Items

• Vitamix or similar blender
• Slap chop
• Mini-prep processor
• Swivel peeler
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Cooking Instructions

 

1. First put the cashews in a small pot and fill with 2 cups of filtered water and place on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then set timer for 15 minutes.
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2. While cashews are boiling, prep the veggies for your beans. First chop the onion, red pepper, cilantro, and garlic. If you have a mini food processor, I just chop the onion and red pepper into 2-inch chunks and throw them in the mini-prep with the whole garlic cloves and cilantro and process into tiny dice. Otherwise chop the veggies by hand (or use a slap-chop) into a fine dice.
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3. If you bought a whole Butternut Squash you need to peel it with a swivel peeler. You need to use firm pressure because the skin is thick and tough. After you peel it, cut it in half and remove the seeds, then cut it up into 1-inch dices. If it’s already chopped, you get to skip this step!
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4. Your cashews should be done by now so pour them into a strainer and rinse them and set aside to cool. Now prep your condiments for your tacos. If using cabbage, shave your cabbage into very thin shaves and you only need to shave what you think you will use. Place it in a bowl for serving. Now pick the cilantro leaves off of the stems and place in a bowl for serving with your tacos.
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5. Now prep the onion and jalapeño for your Butternut Squash recipe. Dice the onion into medium size dice. Cut the stem off of the Jalapeño and cut it in half lengthwise. Then cut the halves in half lengthwise, then cut out the seeds and pith so it won’t be too spicy (unless you like spicy, then leave them in). Now dice the jalapeño into tiny dice. (wear gloves so you don’t burn your skin with the jalapeño juice or use a slap-chop if you have one)
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6. Now make your Sour Cream. Pour your Cashews into a blender. Now add your Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Salt, and about half of the ice water. Start blending at a slower speed and slowly increase to high speed. As the cashews break up they will begin to turn into cream. Add water to desired consistency. Taste it. If it needs more sour taste, add more vinegar or lemon juice. If it’s too thick, add more water. Blend until you have a completely smooth and creamy sour cream. Pour into a bowl and put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
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7. Time to start your beans. Using a 3-quart pot, put the oil in and heat over medium heat for a minute. Put your chopped onion, red pepper, garlic, and cilantro into the oil and cook until it begins to brown and onion is translucent about 5 minutes. Now add the Beans and the rest of the ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Go ahead and move on but keep coming back to stir your beans occasionally and if they start to become thick and pasty, turn them off.
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8. Now begin to cook your Butternut Squash. Heat the oil in a large deep sauté or frying pan, add the onion and jalapeño, and cook on medium heat until onion is translucent about 5 minutes. Now add the Butternut Squash and stir. Cover and let cook for another 3 minutes. Stir again and cook another 3 minutes.
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9. While the Squash is cooking, peel and slice your avocado. Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed. Place both halves cut side down on the cutting board and slice them in half lengthwise. Now peel the skin off of each half with your fingers. Keeping the two halves cut side down, begin to make thin slices from one side to the other of each avocado half. Place the sliced avocado in a dish for serving as a topping for your tacos.
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10. Now add all the spices to your Butternut Squash and stir again. If the pan is becoming dry, add some of the vegetable broth or water. Cover and cook another 3 minutes. Add some more broth or water if needed and stir again. Your Squash will begin to soften around the edges and the onion and spices will begin to stick to the squash. This means it’s almost done. Take out a piece of Squash and taste it. As soon as it has lost its crunchiness and becomes easy to chew, it’s done. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
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11. Now heat your tortillas. I do mine right on the burner of my gas fire stove. Put heat on medium-low and place the tortilla directly on the grate. I usually use 3 burners and heat 3 at a time. Place each heated tortilla on a plate inside a towel to keep warm. Once all the tortillas are ready it’s time to serve!
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12. Put a couple of tortillas on your plate and fill each with a little of the Butternut Squash, Black Beans, Cabbage, Sour Cream, Avocado slices, Cilantro, and top with Salsa.

Enjoy!