Engine 2 Raise the Roof Sweet Potato Vegetarian Lasagna

Wish I Could Cook's Note:

If you've heard about the Engine 2 Diet and want to try an Engine 2 approved recipe, here's a sample recipe to try. This is Rip Esselstyn's "Raise the Roof" sweet potato vegetarian lasagna. It's so good, he says, that he served it at his own wedding! It's also low in fat and cholesterol-free. Recipe courtesy of The Engine 2 Diet, by Rip Esselstyn. When I made this recipe, I only needed one box of lasagne noodles because the veggie mixture was so plentiful that I couldn't fit in another layer. The flavor is great, and I think you could use rotini noodles and bake it in a casserole dish for an easier preparation. (Leave the sweet potatoes in chunks if you do that.) Notice that the recipe doesn't call for any oil. If you use a non-stick wok, just add a little water to the bottom and it works just fine.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 12.0 slices

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 (12 ounce) package tofu
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 2 (25 ounce) jars vegan pasta sauce
• 2 (14 ounce) boxes whole grain lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
• 6 roma tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 cup raw cashews, ground

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic on high heat for 3 minutes in a wok or nonstick pan. Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms give up their liquid. Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Reserve the mushroom liquid in the pan. Sauté the broccoli and carrots for 5 minutes and add to the mushroom bowl. Sauté the peppers and corn until just beginning to soften. Add them to the vegetable bowl.
3. Drain the tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl. Add spices to the vegetable bowl and combine.
4. To Assemble:.
5. Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with a layer of sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Cover the noodles with sauce. This way the noodles cook in the oven, saving time and energy. Spread the vegetable mixture over the sauced noodles. Cover with a layer of noodles and another dressing of sauce. Add the spinach to the second layer of sauced noodles. Cover the spinach with the mashed sweet potatoes. Add another layer of sauce, the final layer of noodles, and a last topping of sauce. Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced roma tomatoes.
6. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Reviews

[mersaydees]

Knock your socks off AND raise the roof! Wowee! This is one of the best lasagnas I've ever had. From Prose's review I knew to use my large 15x13 pan which worked out well. I also did things like, okay those three small onions equal 2 medium ones and this one huge bell pepper is enough! In other words, I tried to cut down as many veggies as possible which worked out well as the 15x13 pan was overbrimming! My guests really liked this and I LOVED it! Going into my Best of 2010 Cookbook. Thanks, Wish I Could Cook. Made for Veggie Recipe Swap.

[Prose]

This is absolutely delicious! The sweet potato mash is a surprisingly good sub for cheese. I didn't miss cheese at all. I had trouble finding gluten-free lasagna noodles, so I ended up using rotini, but I still layered it all in a 13 x 9 inch pan, just like lasagna, and it turned out amazingly lasagna-like. When I make this again (and I WILL), I will either find a bigger pan or reduce the amounts. I think the tofu/veggie mixture could be cut in half. I didn't even use all of it and my pan was overflowing, so I didn't bother with the tomato slices or ground cashews (but I will next time). Fourteen ounces of noodles is definitely enough, but I would not reduce the amount of sauce. I used green peppers instead of red. Anyway, this is a fantastic recipe for feeding a crowd. It's healthy, but it's also hearty, filling, and delicious! Reviewed for Veg*n Swap 14.

[whatjoshthinks]

This is my new favorite recipe. It was so good I ate way too much of it.