Living Whole Food, Plant Based!
I have always believed that the Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) lifestyle is a journey full of obstacles. Choices abound, right or wrong, compliant or non-compliant, and what do you do when the world is turned upside-down? In full transparency, I fell off the wagon. I’m …
Isn’t it that time of year when there is nothing better than some good old-fashion comfort food? There is something about curling up in your favorite chair with a blanket and a bowl of something warm, filling, and nourishing when it is cold and wet …
Welcome 2020!
As one year closes and another begins, possibilities abound. We spend time making (then breaking) resolutions. We want to make changes in our life, but life is funny. Old habits are so hard to change. It is so easy to fall into our old routines. The very ones that we are trying to change.
I am no different.
I launched this site one year ago today. I did so as a re-dedication to the Whole Food, Plant-Based lifestyle. I was determined and committed to the lifestyle and the reasons I had for adopting this way of life. Then life got in the way.
Keeping it real with you guys, I successfully maintained the lifestyle for almost five months. Then I started traveling a lot and when home, I was tired and didn’t have the energy to make a compliant meal for myself and then a non-compliant meal for the family (I’m the lone vegan in our house).
I fell off the wagon for a couple months, then was compliant for a couple months, then off the wagon for a few weeks, back on the wagon for a few weeks, and so on. If I actually looked at the year in total, I was compliant for eight to nine months. Not what I intended and not what I wanted for myself.
So here I am, January 1, 2020 assessing my goals for the year and the resolutions I am committed to seeing through. A Whole Food, Plant-Based lifestyle is at the top of my list, as is a commitment to my blog. The blog will see some changes, including regularly scheduled posts each week. There will be one recipe published each week as well as a “check-in” post once a week. This “check-in” will be my thoughts, experiences, and recommendations on books, articles, YouTube videos, etc. that I think you will find useful.
As I am here to serve you, I welcome any questions or requests for content. I am not a medical doctor or nutritionist, but I do believe that I can offer insight for the average person that is relatable.
I hope you join me on this journey and make 2020 our healthiest year ever…together.
Wishing you the best of health!
Stephen
I was on the Facebook page for the Forks Over Knives community. If you haven’t joined the group, I highly recommend you do so. As you embark on this lifestyle journey, the page is full of motivating stories, moral support, and encouragement from the group …
So many people confuse a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle with eating bland and boring foods. Essentially, a diet lacking in flavor or substance. Nothing could be further from the truth! Food does not have to be bland, especially when you learn to incorporate spices …
I owe all my followers a sincere apology. I had every intention to post twice a week. Unfortunately, life has got in the way and work had been grueling! Fortunately, though, I have adhered religiously to my whole food, plant-based lifestyle!
Hopefully, to help make it up to you, I am sharing my four layer, totally vegan, totally whole food, plant-based, yummy lasagna recipe! This is seriously so healthy and so delicious that you will make this over and over again. This will become one of your go-to WFPB meals that will satisfy your cravings for the real thing.
This recipe will take longer than most I will share, but if you are patient, I promise you will be rewarded.
If you are like me, one of the things I love most about lasagna is the cheese, especially ricotta. I have developed a mock “ricotta” with four simple ingredients. Bragg’s Nutritional Yeast, Himalayan Pink Salt (though sea salt or kosher salt would work just fine), granulated garlic, and extra firm tofu. The key is to prepare ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours so that it fully comes together.
The ingredients for the mock “ricotta” are:
14oz package of extra firm tofu
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Granulated Garlic
3/4 Tablespoon of Himalayan Pink Salt
Using a fork, break apart the tofu and mix the ingredients together until it has a crumbly consistency and all the ingredients are mixed together. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for two hours (or more) before using. You will find this mock “ricotta” so versatile. Use this whenever you have a recipe calling for ricotta or even feta cheese.
I like to use a variety of vegetables and ingredients in the lasagna. Feel free to experiment with vegetables of your liking. The key for acceptance by the family is to cut the veggies in a size they hardly notice they are eating vegetables! My wife has used frozen peas in the recipe and I’ve used sliced eggplant as well. There are no rules, so be creative.
The ingredients I used for this recipe are as follows:
48 ounces of pasta sauce (marinara and arrabbiata sauces are your best bets to ensure there are no animal products in the sauce)
24 ounces of ready for the oven lasagna sheets
1 or 2 zucchini (peeled into ribbons or sliced very thin)
2 cups of fresh spinach
1 broccoli crown (florets sliced thin and save the shavings)
1 cup of mushrooms (sliced)
1 medium red onion (chopped)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
4 to 6 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup of kalamata olives (roughly chopped)
1 cup of vegetable stock (or broth)
1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes
If you have made lasagna before, you understand the assembly. I use a 9″x13″ pan. Before I would spray the pan with non-stick spray, but I have found absolutely no reason to with this recipe. Bonus because it further helps us stay with the whole food, plant-based lifestyle! Start with about 1/3 cup of pasta sauce and 1/3 cup of vegetable stock. Mix it around to make sure the bottom of the pan is fully covered. Now the fun begins.
The first layer of lasagna sheets go down. I will overlap the sheets and break sheets to fit as needed. It doesn’t have to be pretty as no one will see it once baked.
Layer the zucchini ribbons to make sure there is sufficient coverage over the lasagna sheets.
Add some more sauce, red pepper flakes, and about two garlic cloves (minced).
I use vegan mozzarella style shreds in this dish. A couple words of caution. First, these shreds do not melt and caramelize like regular mozzarella. You have to use the vegan mozzarella shreds in the body of the lasagna. They will melt and have a nice creamy consistency. Second, use sparingly. One 8 ounce package is enough for a tray of lasagna. I used 4 ounces in this layer, saving the rest for on top of the lasagna (I’ll describe later).
Another layer of lasagna sheets. Notice that the single vertical sheet is now on the left side. I will rotate the side of the single vertical sheet with each layer.
Evenly distribute the spinach.
Remove the mock “ricotta” from the refrigerator. Evenly distribute the crumbles over the spinach.
Add the roughly chopped kalamata olives. Pour a liberal amount of pasta sauce over the spinach, mock “ricotta”, and olives.
Add another layer of lasagna sheets. Note how ugly my cracked sheets look…but who cares?!?!
Add 2/3 cup of vegetable stock. Please note, the instructions on the oven ready lasagna sheets say to use 1/2 cup liquid for every five sheets of lasagna. Totally unnecessary for this recipe! The vegetables, tofu, and sauce provide enough liquid that you can cut the amount of added liquid per the box’s instructions in half.
Add the peppers, onions, minced garlic, and broccoli on top of the sheets.
Add some more pasta sauce and then add the 4th layer of lasagna sheets.
On top of the 4th layer of lasagna sheets, evenly spread pasta sauce that has been combined with 4 ounces of the vegan mozzarella style shreds. As I mentioned before, the shreds do not caramelize very well. But I have found that when mixed with pasta sauce, it finishes the top of the lasagna with a consistent binder. Top with the sliced mushrooms and minced garlic.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Loosely cover the lasagna with aluminum foil. Before when I would make lasagna, I would spray the foil with non-stick spray. You do not need to do that with this recipe! The mushrooms and sauce provide a perfect non-stick barrier.
Once the oven is heated to 375 degrees, place the foiled lasagna pan into the over and cook for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, remove the foil and continue cooking for 12 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
And because this lasagna is so healthy and full of vegetables, I like to indulge in a little red wine with the dish! Ok…maybe I crack the bottle open and enjoy while waiting for the lasagna to bake…but who is watching!
The lasagna keeps extremely well in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. Lasagna, for me, is one of those comfort foods I almost enjoy more as a leftover than when originally served!
Give it a try and tell me what you think. I think you’ll find that you don’t even miss the meat and cheese in this Italian favorite.
Wishing you the best of health!
Stephen