Lasagna (dairy free - really)

My daughter told me recently that she thought she liked lasagna but she realized that actually what she likes is my lasagna which is, in a lot of ways, not like other people's lasagna but still mostly fits the definition of what lasagna is. I looked it up. Lasagna: noun - pasta in the form of wide strips. A baked Italian dish consisting of wide strips of pasta cooked and layered with meat or vegetables, cheese, and tomato.

You'll recall, if you've been hanging around here at all, that for a good portion of last year we had one veg kid and one dairy free kid which basically meant we ate vegan meals when we were all together. That is no longer the case, but some of the recipes have stuck or been updated to meet current eating preferences. This is one of them.

It takes a bit of time so sometimes I make this over two days. And, it's a great way to use up veg that is ever so slightly past it's prime

Ingredients suggestions:

9 lasagna noodles
a large yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic / more or less to taste
kale (lots of it)
cauliflower or broccoli (2 or 3 heads and stems)
mushrooms / whatever you have around
zucchini (I often use 2-4 larges ones)

(you can also add other veggies like roasted peppers and onions in balsamic vinegar that are left overs from black bean soup night.)

mild and sweet Italian sausage (or soy based substitute)
red wine that has been sitting in the fridge and is starting to turn to vinegar
thyme
red pepper flakes
fennel seeds
butter

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Guidelines - because really, this isn't a recipe:

In a heavy bottom pot, saute an onion (or two depending on how big they are - maybe a cup total) with salt in olive oil. Add some diced garlic.

Cook the noodles (9 of them) with a teaspoon of salt (noticing a theme?)

Then add to the onion and garlic a couple of generous cups of small pieces of cauliflower or broccoli and saute until slightly crunchy. Add three diced zucchinis (unless it's zucchini season and they are three times their usual size - then only use one!) I take the skin mostly off but it wouldn't be necessary. Saute some more.

Add a little more salt : ) to facilitate moving the moisture out of the zucchini.
Add some dried thyme (or fresh if you have it)
Add a few tablespoons of butter because there is nothing like the combination of butter and thyme with zucchini and eventually mushroom.

Cook the sausage and mushrooms separately. Add to the pot.

Add a pint (or a 15 oz can) of crushed tomatoes in their juices. (If the tomatoes are watery, add some paste)

Add a half of cup (my best guess) of old red wine that has been in your fridge for two months and has started to turn vinegary (cab is best I think). Let the fluid reduce for a while on simmer

In the meantime, saute a bunch of chopped kale with salt, olive oil and red pepper flakes. When wilted (and bright green) remove from the pan, chop into tiny pieces and add to the rest of the ingredients.

Also in the meantime, make the vegan cheese https://cookieandkate.com/vegan-sour-cream-recipe/ (one cup ought to do but maybe a cup and a half is better). I do this with my immersion blender. If you put all the liquid ingredients in first and then the cashews, I find that I don't have to soak anything.

Then layer
kale/cauliflower/zucchini
noodles
kale/cauliflower/zucchini
cashew cheese
noodles
kale/cauliflower/zucchini
cashew cheese
noodles
mozzarella cheese/parmesean cheese*

*if you have non dairy friends just omit the cheese on top and make sure to cook covered so the noodles don't curl

Bake covered at 375 until it's good an hot and bubbly (30 - 40 minutes). Then let it sit for 10 minutes

(Sometimes I make this in steps over days - like I'll cook some of the veg and toss it in the fridge of freezer. Or maybe I'll get to the tomato sauce and then freeze it so that on another day all I need is noodles and "cheese".)