I received a Vegetarian recipe book for Christmas from my parents last year. My best friend and I tried a few recipes out of it and loved the dishes! But in the events of life over the last several months this recipe book got shoved to the back of the bookshelf. Having the determination to again live a healthier lifestyle, starting with my diet, I pulled out my Vegetarian recipe book, dusted it off and made a list of all the things I wanted to try. Vegetarian Lasagna, or Lasagna Primavera as it is titled, was the first on my list.
This dish is very simple to make and it is absolutely delicious! Fresh out of the oven, my roommates and I dished ourselves a piece of Primavera Lasagna and none of us could get over how amazing the lasagna was! It was enjoyed for days to come as there was lots of it!
I've included the recipe under comments for your convenience. There are a few alterations and/or suggestions I gave, but are just personal preferences. I stuck pretty close to the recipe. I hope you take the opportunity to try this dish because it is one of those dishes that makes you feel like you've just tasted a bit of heaven. I also posted another vegetarian dish that I made this evening - California Black Bean Burgers, which was also surprisingly tasty! Bon appetite!
4 comments:
Lasagna Primavera
12 uncooked lasagna noodles*
3 cups frozen or fresh broccoli florets
3 large carrots coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained or 1 3/4 cups freshly diced tomatoes
2 medium bell peppers, diced
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 containers (10 oz each) Alfredo sauce
4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package
2. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces. In large bowl mix broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and bell peppers. In small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In 13x9 glass baking dish, spoon 2/3 cup of the Alfredo sauce. Place 4 noodles over sauce. Spread with half of cheese mixture and 2 1/2 cups of vegetable mixture; randomly spoon 2/3 cup remaining sauce in dollops over noodles. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with 4 noodles. Spread with remaining cheese mixture and 2 1/2 cups vegetable mix; randomly spoon 2/3 sauce in dollops over vegetables. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining 4 noodles and vegetable mixture; randomly spoon remaining sauce in dollops over top. Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake uncovered 45 to 60 minutes or until bubbly and hot in center. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
*I got away with using only 9 lasagna noodles. I also used whole wheat lasagna noodles
- The only thing that I would change was to substitute all of the milk/dairy products with soy as much as I could.
- You can probably use a variety of different vegetables; try your favorites!
California Black Bean Burgers
1 can (15 oz) black beans with cumin spices, undrained*
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped/diced green chilies, undrained
1 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons vegetable oil*
5 burger buns, split toasted
1 tablespoon mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
3 tablespoons chunky-style salsa
1. In food processor or blender, place beans. Cover; process until slightly mashed. Remove from food processor; place in medium bowl. Stir in chiles, bread crumbs, and egg. Shape mixture into 5 patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Coat each patty with cornmeal
2. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add patties; cook 10-15 minutes, turning once, until crisp and thoroughly cooked on both sides.
*If you can't find the black beans with cumin spices just add a teaspoon of chili powder to the unseasoned black beans
* I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil
* I was able to get 6 good sized patties from this recipe
* I put the patty inside a pita and made it just like I would with a hamburger with lettuce, tomatoes, etc. The sky is the limit; be creative!
These both look so yummy! I will definitely try them. We're not vegetarians, but I try to cook several vegetarian foods a week because it's typically cheaper than meat - and I always like cheaper! Thanks for giving me some new ideas.
Rachel, I have to tell you I was dreaming of this lasagnia while I was in Israel. The food there didn't sit well with me, plus we were supposed to be careful with vegetables. I even told my travel buddy how I wished I could have my roommate's veggie lasagnia!
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