Vegan Lasagne with Lentils & Spinach Pesto

The perfect post-workout dinner!

INGREDIENTS

For the tomato & lentil filling;
2 onions chopped roughly
4 cloves garlic sliced
1 courgette sliced finely
2 red peppers chopped
4 large mushrooms sliced
5 large ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
1 cup red lentils washed well
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ancho chilli flakes or red chilli flakes
1/2 tsp coconut sugar (or sugar or choice)
1/2 tsp sea Salt
Black Pepper
For the Cheesy Béchamel sauce;
2 tbsp vegan butter
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp cup plain flour
2 cups almond milk
3 -4 tbsp nutritional yeast
Big pinch sea salt
Twist black pepper

For the pesto;

3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts or an additional 1/4 cup walnuts for a pinenut free version
2 handfuls spinach
1 handful basil
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 tsp sea salt
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3- 1/2 cup water

Top with;
Vegan cheese or cashew cheese
Cashew Parmesan

Directions

To make the tomato & lentil filling;
Add your oil and onion to a wide bottom pan and fry gently on a low heat for around 10 minutes until soft and browning.
Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds more then add the peppers, courgette and mushroom. Fry for a futher couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, lentils, water and sugar to the pan and cook on a low heat for 25 minutes (covered).
Add the salt, black pepper and chilli flakes to the pan and simmer for a further 5 minutes

To make the Cheesy Béchamel sauce
Add the butter to a frying pan and melt on a low heat then add the flour. Stir to combine well.
Next add the almond milk, and nutritional yeast. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure no lumps form. Finally season well and remove from the heat.

To make the pesto;
Add all the ingredients to your food processor or high speed blender and blitz until everything is combined to the texture you prefer. You may need to scrape the sides down a few times.

To make the lasagne
In a medium roasting dish (I used a 25cm) – Layer the tomato veg filing then 3 lasagna sheets, then half the cheese sauce, top with pesto, then another layer of tomoato veg mix, 3 lasagna sheets, then the remaining cheese sauce (make sure to cover the edges of the lasagna sheets), and finally top pesto and either a sprinkle or vegan cheese or dollops of cashew cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes on Gas mark 4/350 degrees.