The Best Vegan Lasagna

I have combined three different recipes from three different sources to make the best vegan lasagna that even a nonvegan loves--that will be my husband.

Here's the recipe:

Make the Vegan Spinach Dip from Nora's Cooks

Ignore the preheat oven for now.

 

Set that aside for assembly. 

Make the guts of the Vegan Wellington from Vegan Huggs.

You will not need the puff pastry; so, ignore that and the grapeseed oil isn't need to saute veggies. 

 Ignore the preheat oven. 

Don't worry if this mixture is too wet since it will help with cooking the soften noodles. 

Set that aside for assembling.

Make the Tofu Ricotta from Forks Over Knives

Set aside for assembling.

Cook gluten free lasagna pasta for 5 minutes in boiling water to soften.

In bottom of lasagna pan use 1-2 cups of favorite Marinara sauce.  Place one layer of noodles on top of sauce. 

Cover those noodles with a layer of spinach artichoke dip and then a layer of ricotta. 

Place another layer of noodles over that. Cover those noodles with the Wellington guts and ricotta.

Final layer of noodles with remaining ingredients from dip, Wellington guts, and ricotta. 

Pepper the entire top with pepper or nutmeg or both. 

Bake 375 for 1 hour. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Practicing Wedding Cakes

 This was my surprise cake for daughter when she came to visit in October. 

This was a "Cake Doctor" Vanilla Cake using Betty Crocker cake mix with Earth Balance vegan butter and oat milk. Icing was Chelsweets's vegan buttercream icing with Earth Balance butter and vanilla.

 

Healthy Brownies

 Black Bean and Oat Brownies

1- 15 oz. can of drained and rinsed black beans

3/4 cup of flat oats

1/4 cup date syrup

1/2 cup maple syrup + 2-3 Tbps.

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup of walnuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips

In food processor, mix black beans, oats, vanilla, and syrups until well mixed. Add cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda and mix well. Stir in by hand walnuts and chocolate chips.

Bake 350 for 35 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. 

Natto

Natto, fermented soy beans, is extremely healthy for us. Research shows it is high in K2. K2 is a vitamin that we sometimes are low in or lack. K2 is needed for preventing cardiovascular disease, forming strong and healthy bones, brain function, and healthy skin. Also found in natto is nattokinase, which isn't found in soy beans or tofu since it is produced by the fermentation process used to make natto.  Nattokinase is an enzyme that helps prevent cardiovascular disease. It has been used in Japan for centuries to control cardiovascular disease. It works by preventing blood clots, strokes, high blood pressure, and many other diseases.

Here is how one can make Natto. There are many YouTube videos on how to make it as additional reference.

Natto Recipe

1.    Wash 400 grams/ 16 oz. (one bag) of organic dried soy beans, rinse three times.

2.    Soak beans overnight for 12+ hours until start to see foam starting on top of water.

3.    Drain water, place beans in pressure cooker steamer basket, place in pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water. Close lid, set to #2, heat on high heat until pressure pin goes up (pressure formed), lower heat to medium, and cook for 45 minutes. Take off heat, let site 5 minutes before releasing pressure, and let sit for 10 minutes before opening. Test to see if beans are cooked by smashing bean between index finger and thumb.

4.    Sterilize (boiled hot water) container and spoons while beans are cooking.

5.    Mash one container natto and add 1-2 tbps of water from cooked beans and mix well. Then add natto mixture to cooked beans and mix well.

6.    Take plastic wrap, place on top of container and then poke holes to wrap to make air vents. Take off container and place loosely on top beans. Place paper towels on top of containers.

7.    Place in heated 100F oven for 24 hours or in styrofoam cooler with light warms or shoe warmer for 24 hours. Keep temperature around 100F.

8.  After 24 hours the beans will look lighter in color and have thin sticky threads, like spider webs.

9. Refrigerate for 3-4 days to get the umami flavor. 

You only need a 1-2 tablespoons to get the benefits. 

Think of it as a condiment to eat with rice. Enjoy!

Vegan Pho

Simple and easy meal to make.

I found this veggie broth at Walmart Market Place. It sure does make prep time faster. All I had to do was prepare the rice noodles, cook some tofu and veggies. I added cabbage, bok choy, carrots, string beans, mushrooms, and cilantro.

A good comfort food for a cold night. I made this on our recent winter RV trip to New Melones.

No Coconut Oil For Me!

The Best Vegan Gluten Free Brownies

•  ¼ cup almond butter
•  2/3 cup maple syrup 
•  2 Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer eggs 
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1 cup blanched almond flour
•  1/3 cup arrowroot starch
•  1 teaspoon baking powder
•  1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in 8-inch baking dish.
2.  Mix together the almond butter, syrup, egg replacer eggs, and vanilla.
3. In cuisinart, blend the cocoa powder, salt, almond flour, arrowroot, and baking powder. Blend the wet ingredients into the dry until well combined.  Stir in walnuts. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. 

Going Plant-Based

At the end of June I came across Plant-Based Nation on YouTube. After watching the video, I jumped totally into the plant-based diet. I decided to make myself a guinnea pig to see for myself if this diet would improve my blood pressure and help me to drop at least 5 pounds in order to lower my blood pressure. Yes, I read numerous books and websites on the benefits of plant-based diets. I was positive that this would work since many others were able to change their health by eating plant-based-- and for all that stayed on the diet, it saved their life.

Plant-based is different from vegan. One does not consume meat, fish, dairy, eggs, oils, and processed foods . Only plants and whole grains. "If it has a face, then don't eat it" states Dr. Esselstyn.

Well, after being on the diet for almost 4 months, I have lost 16 pounds and lowered my blood pressure to the normal range. I have more energy than I have had in years, and I no longer get out of breath on my hikes.

Yup! I'm staying on this diet for the rest of my life. So the title of my blog is changing to Plant-based and Gluten Free. And I challenge any reader to go plant-base for at least two to three weeks to improve their health too. One can start with Rip Esselstyn's challenge and Facebook support group!