9-Veg Lasagne

Chat Leave a comment

This month’s Nutrition Confidence recipe is a nutrient-dense veggie-packed lasagne formulated by Registered Dietitian Julie Perks.

 

While this recipe uses a lot of ingredients and take more than average steps it is SO worth it. It makes a large serving dish and freezes well for use when you’re too busy to cook. This also uses so many vegetables that really packs a nutrition punch. They aren’t hidden and aren’t meant to be to trick children into eating more veg (well, except the cauliflower but that can’t be helped). This meal provides over half of the daily fibre requirements for an adult and is a really tasty nutrient rich dish.

I have used dried lentils to make this option but you are welcome to use tinned. I am using my slow cooker and steamer a lot more these days during lock down. I use my slow cooker to cook up legumes that I freeze for various other dishes.

I hope you will make it and enjoy finding new ways to incorporate more vegetables into your lasagne and enjoy this delicious meat free meal!

 

Veg Lasagne_Image1

 

Serves 8

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Cauli-sauce

  • 2 medium heads cauliflower, broken into florets (900g)
  • Nutmeg – pinch
  • ½ cup full cream milk

 

Lentil Bolognaise

  • 2 TBSP oil
  • 3 tins lentils (rinsed) OR alternatively you can cook your own lentils – 345g dried lentils cooked with 900ml water (I did this in the slow cooker and freeze in “tin” amounts to use at my convenience).
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 large sticks of celery finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 250g button mushrooms
  • 6 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped (900g)
  • 50g sachet tomato paste
  • 2 sprigs of Rosemary (roughly 1 tbsp)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp vegetable stock powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 100ml red wine (optional)

 

Other

  • 600g butternut
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 bunches of spinach
  • 2 large Baby marrow (300g)
  • 10 Dried Lasagne sheets
  • 120g cheddar cheese, grated.

 

METHOD:

 

  1. Dice onions finely and fry in a large pot using 2 tbsp olive oil for approximately 5 minutes until soft.
  2. Add the diced carrots, celery and garlic to the pot.
  3. While these are cooking boil the kettle and cut a cross into the tomatoes and place into a large bowl and pour over the hot water. Leave for a few minutes until the skins are easily removed. Then chop and keep aside.
  4. Add the mushrooms to the pot, stir regularly.
  5. While the vegetables continue to cook, destalk the spinach and chop roughly. Place in a steamer for 5 minutes then rinse under cold water and squeeze dry.
  6. To the bolognaise pot add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, rosemary and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the vegetable stock, water and the wine (optional). Cover for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. While this is cooking peel the butternut, chop and add to a steamer.
  8. Place the chopped cauliflower into another small pot with 2 cups of water and cook until tender.
  9. Now preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
  10. To make the Cauli-sauce put ¼ cup of the water from the pot then add the milk and nutmeg into a blender. Add the drained cauliflower and blend until smooth.
  11. Mash the butternut once it is cooked. Stir in a sprinkle of nutmeg and ¼ tsp salt.
  12. Using a peeler, peel the baby marrow into long ribbons and set aside.
  13. Remove the bay leaves from the bolognaise.
  14. Spray a large serving dish with a non-stick spray (the one I used had the following dimensions: 33 x 24.5cm).
  15. Now it is time to put all the layers together – Start by layering your lasagne with cauli sauce first (use 1/3 of the amount you made), then lasagne sheets (I used 5 per layer and broke into shapes I required where necessary), then layer in all the spinach, another layer of cauli sauce (1/3), then generously overlap half the portion of baby marrow slices, then pour in half of the lentil bolognaise, then layer in the remainder of the baby marrow slices, then top off with the last of the bolognaise, layer in 5 more lasagne sheets, and finally pour over the remaining 1/3 of cauli sauce and finish off with grated cheese.
  16. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes and ENJOY!

Nutrition Information: Per serving

  • Energy: 1657 kJ
  • Protein: 21g
  • Carbohydrate: 60,3g
  • Of which, total sugars: 1,0 g
  • Fat: 10,7g
  • Fibre: 17,6g
  • Sodium: 497 mg