Damon's Lasagne

Everyone has a lasagne recipe... why not me?

Ingredients:

Yeast Cheez (from Simply Heavenly! The Monastery Vegetarian Cookbook)

• ¹/₂ cup nutritional yeast
• ¹/₂ cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ¹/₂ tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp margarine
• ¹/₂ tsp dijon mustard

Lasagne

• olive oil for frying
• 2 medium eggplants
• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 medium portabello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onions, small dice
• 4 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 28 oz tins crushed tomatoes (or prepared pasta sauce of choice)
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• ¹/₂ tsp hot pepper flakes
• ¹/₄ tsp ground pepper
• 1 block (1 lb) extra-firm silken tofu
• 1 10-oz package chopped frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 cups yeast cheez (above)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sucanat or other sugar
• about 12 lasagne noodles
• grated veganrella or other cheese substitute to top (optional)

Prepare the yeast cheez: Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan. Whisk in the water. Cook over medium heat while whisking until it thickens and bubbles, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and whisk in the margarine and mustard.

Slice the eggplant, sprinkle with salt and set it aside to drain. The salt sucks out bitter juices. After about 20 minutes, rinse well and pat dry.

Sauté eggplant in oil until soft. Set aside. Do the same with the zucchini and mushrooms, and set aside.

Sauté onions and garlic until soft. Add tomatoes or sauce, peppers and herbs. Simmer 20 minutes or so.

Pulse tofu, lemon juice, salt, sugar and yeast cheez in a food processor or blender until lumpy-smooth. Add spinach and process briefly until mixed.

Cook lasagne noodles according to package directions.

In a large casserole (or two medium ones), assemble the lasagne. Start with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Then add a layer of noodles, another layer of sauce, a layer of vegetables, and a layer of tofu/spinach mix. Repeat until you end with a layer of noodles covered by tomato sauce. Optionally, grate cheese substitute on top.

Bake, uncovered, for approximately 30-40 minutes at 375°C.

Serves 8-10.