This lasagna is great in late summer, when the days get longer and the urge to nest grows stronger! Tomatoes are plentiful and inexpensive at your local farmer's market, too! This meal takes time to prepare, so relax and enjoy it. If you are short of time, though, you can certainly make the sauce and tofu ricotta ahead of time.

NOT YOUR MAMMA'S LASAGNA- Vegan Version

First, make the SAUCE:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 package "Gimme Lean" or other similar ground soy "meat"
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and sliced thin (yes, I said 1/2 of a HEAD of garlic)
2 yellow onions, diced
3 lbs. fresh tomatoes, chopped or 3 16-ounce cans chopped tomatoes
1 jalapeno, diced into small bits (if you don't like spicy stuff, you can omit this)
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 carrots, sliced into half moons
1 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
1 tsp. italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried red pepper
1/2 c. TVP
2 bay leaves
several turns of the pepper mill
salt to taste

Fry the "Gimme Lean" or chosen soy "meat" in oil, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned through.

In a big pot, heat the olive oil until it just begins to sizzle. Add the garlic and onions, a pinch of salt and a couple turns of the pepper mill and lower the heat a bit, letting the onions soften for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and jalapenos, bell peppers and carrots and toss with the onions and garlic. Add the tarragon, italian seasoning, red pepper, bay leaves and TVP. I like to add the salt periodically throughout the process because the flavors tend to blend together over time, but do what makes you happy! Now- walk away! Leave the sauce to simmer on low heat, uncovered for 30 minutes at least but up to one hour. When it's done, most of the liquid will be gone and you'll be left with a thick, yummy sauce for your lasagna.

Then, make the TOFU "RICOTTA"

1 pound tofu
1/4 c. olive oil
lots o' garlic
big bunch of basil (you can substitute spinach or italian parsley)
1/4 c. walnuts
salt to taste

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and "presto!", it's done! Set aside or refrigerate if you're not assembling the lasagna the same day.

Now, for the LASAGNE:

1 box of your favorite lasagne noodles- there's no recipe for this, just follow the directions on the box!

Then, MUSHROOMS!

I like mushrooms, and they're very hearty and nutritious, too. It's easy-

3 portobello mushrooms, sliced thin

Set aside.

After that, NUTRITIONAL YEAST "CHEESE"

1/2 c. Nutritional Yeast
1/2 c. Flour
2 c. water
1/4 c. soy margarine
1 tsp. dijon mustard

Put the dry ingredients into a pan and whisk in the water over medium high heat. When the "cheese" begins to simmer, let it go for 30 seconds and then take off of the heat. Add the margarine and mustard and mix together.

Finally, PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large baking pan, ladle a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom and lay the first layer of lasagna over it. Next, spread the tofu ricotta on top of the noodles, lay the sliced mushrooms on top of that and pour a decent amount of the nutritional yeast "cheese" on top and repeat.

Bake for 40 minutes, remove from the oven and let set for 30 minutes (only if you want the pieces to stay together, otherwise, dig in!)

Learn more about this author, Katherine Hemingway.
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