Let’s be honest—there’s an app for everything these days. I don’t think I need to provide an example list of the apps many people use on a daily basis to prove my point. In fact, always being two steps behind in the technology world, many of you could probably provide a longer list of apps than I could.
You may be saying, “A vegan food alternatives app—big deal. Something like this has already been done.” Well, not quite.
The simplicity and audience size that this app serves is what sets Vegan Alternatives apart from the others. I’m not kidding when I say that this is probably one of the easiest and simplest vegan food alternatives apps out there.
Made for veg-curious folks in Europe and the United States, this app provides hundreds of recommendations for vegan food alternatives, including vegan meats, dairy, eggs, and even foods like honey and gelatin.
Other cool features include product prices, as well as a link to the website of each recommended brand. It’s even got vegan recipes and a news page! You’ve seriously got to check it out for yourself! There’s more that awaits!
The app developer, Ayush, is a 15-year-old student from Europe! Pretty cool, right? He developed this app because he personally found it difficult to transition into a vegan diet, so he wanted to do something to promote the benefits of a vegan lifestyle and help make life easier for new vegans.
This app will be continually updated, and Ayush has requested feedback from Vegan Outreach supporters regarding the types of vegan alternatives you all use! Folks in Europe and the United States, let’s help Ayush out by telling him what vegan products you use instead of animal food products! Feel free to contribute in the Comment section below!
Vegan Outreach has also recently updated our Meat, Egg, and Dairy Alternatives page! Like Ayush, we want to help make it as easy as possible for people to replace animal products with tasty, vegan product alternatives. We encourage you to check out this page in addition to looking at the Vegan Alternatives app!
Currently, the Vegan Alternatives app is only available for Android. If you download the app and have feedback for Ayush, please make sure you leave a review at the app site!
Pho is one of those dishes I don’t enjoy unless I’m at a restaurant that serves it—and prepares it vegan! Why? I have no idea. There’s no reason to not make this at home, especially with Sharon Palmer’s easy Vegan Tofu Pho recipe.
To Prepare the Broth: Combine all the broth ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the broth, discarding the vegetables and seasonings. Return the strained broth to the pot, cover, and keep warm (broth should be bubbling right before serving time). While broth is cooking, prepare noodles and toppings.
To Prepare the Noodles: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodles, cover, and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain the noodles immediately and rinse with hot water. Return the drained noodles to the pot and cover.
To Prepare the Toppings: Arrange the toppings on a large platter.
To Serve the Soup: Divide the noodles among four very large soup bowls. Either garnish the noodles with desired toppings or let your guests do their own. Ladle boiling broth over the noodles and toppings, and serve immediately. Allow hot broth to wilt vegetables and cool slightly before eating it.
If you’re hosting a party in the near future and want to impress your guests with a unique eating experience, look no further. They’ll be raving about this cheese fondue from their first bite to long after their last!
Try serving it with the list of suggested veggies or breads, or any other dip-worthy foods that that sounds good to you!
½ cup unsweetened, plain plant-based milk (i.e., soy or almond milk)
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt to taste
Dipping Ideas
Cubed tofu
Seitan strips
Veggie sausage chunks
Cube seitan
Bell pepper chunks or strips
Mushrooms
Broccoli florets
Cauliflower florets
Cucumber slices
Asparagus spears
Snow peas
Bread cubes
Pita triangles
Directions
Place potatoes and carrots in a medium pot, cover with water, cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender. Drain, reserving ½ cup of water, and place cooked vegetables in a blender container.
While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet and add onions and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add onions and garlic to the blender container.
In the skillet (do not clean), add cornstarch and white wine and stir with a whisk over medium heat. Stir in reserved potato water and plant-based milk until smooth. Add pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, nutritional yeast, and mustard and heat until thickened and bubbly.
Pour white wine mixture into the blender container with the potatoes and onions and process until smooth. Adjust seasonings with salt as desired.
Transfer this fondue mixture to a fondue pot and heat until bubbly.
Serve with dipping ideas, such as cubed pieces of bread, fresh vegetables, and tofu.
Recipe Tips
You can peel these potatoes easily if you cook them first, and then slip off the peels when they’re done.
By Alex Bury, Organizational Development Consultant
Last week, I shared a scrumptious Fancy Pear Pizza recipe. This week, I’m keeping it just as fancy with, you guessed it, squash!
Roasting the butternut squash will take a little bit of time, but not a lot of effort. You’re going to love the end result of this pizza—it’s creamy and sweet with a savory and salty tang. And the nuts add a crunchiness that rounds out this pie quite nicely!
Fancy Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza
Yields 8 slices.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, roasted
1 package of Vicolo frozen Corn Meal Pizza Crusts (some stores like Trader Joe’s sell these in the cooler section instead of the freezer section)
1 cup walnuts, almonds, or pecans (halved and/or pieces—not finely chopped)
Heat the oven to 375°F. Place the whole, uncut, unpoked squash on a cookie sheet or in a Pyrex dish for 40 minutes. Turn the squash over after it’s been roasting for about 20 minutes. You can tell it’s done when the outside is golden brown—you’ll be able to easily insert a knife into the thick “neck meat.” Remove from the oven and let cool. Once the squash has cooled, you can easily cut it in half and scoop out the sweet, creamy, squashy goodness!
Turn up your oven to 400°F.
Cover the base of each pizza crust with the cooked squash. You’ll need about 2 cups of squash per crust, but the amount you put on the crust is up to you! More squash makes it creamier and sweeter, less squash makes it crisper and savorier.
Sprinkle the nuts and olives over the squash, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you’re using vegan cheese, sprinkle it on top before putting the pie in the oven!
Bake the pizza until the nuts and crust are golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips/Variations
Even with the salty olives on top of the pizza, you’ll likely want a bit more salt sprinkled on top.
Today’s delectable breakfast recipe was submitted to us by our good friend Constance James. A graduate of Denver’s College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University, you can say that Constance has more than a knack for vegan baking and cooking. Let’s have the chef introduce herself and then we’ll get cinna-rolling!
“I’ve been vegan for two and a half years, and I graduated from culinary school in 2008. Since graduating, I’ve been exploring vegan baking and cooking, as well as gluten-free baking and cooking. I have a major sweet tooth, but I also love hearty stews and casseroles. I like learning about other cultures through baking, and I especially love creating French-inspired dishes—both sweet and savory.”
Small amount of flour for dusting (after dough has risen)
Filling
6 tablespoons vegan butter, softened
⅔ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 shot of bourbon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ to 1 cup roughly chopped mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Icing
3 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
2 tablespoons plain vegan cream cheese, room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange juice
Directions
For the Dough: Heat the almond milk on the stovetop to 120°F. Add milk and yeast and to small bowl and stir. Let stand for a few minutes.
Place sugar, butter, salt, and egg replacer in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until combined—lumpiness is ok. Pour in the milk/yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
Add flour, lemon zest, and spices. Stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle. Then replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl. If the dough is still very sticky, you can add an additional ¼ cup of flour.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Lightly oil the dough ball with olive oil or coconut oil and cover the bowl. Let sit for 2-4 hours—until it’s doubled in size.
For the Filling: Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Stir together all ingredients except for the berries and set aside.
After the dough has risen, dust the rolling surface with flour and roll the ball into a rectangle, about 10” x 14.” Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle. Make sure the filling reaches the sides so the outer rolls will have enough filling. Sprinkle berries over the filling. Roll the dough up tightly from the long end.
Slice roll into equal sized rolls. If you want large rolls, you’ll cut about 10. Place the rolls into a greased 9” x 9” pan or 9 ½” round pie plate. Chill the rolls for at least 4-6 hours.
Bring the rolls to room temperature by removing from fridge. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 25-30 minutes or until they’re golden brown.
For the Icing: While the rolls are baking, cream the butter and cream cheese with a whisk in a small bowl—“creaming” is the whipping together of fats.
Add powdered sugar in small amounts until the mixture is thick.
Add the liquids and whisk mixture until the frosting streams slowly from the whisk.
Drizzle over the rolls when they’re done baking. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips/Variations
I like to cut the roll into roughly 13 rolls and place them in greased cupcake/muffin tins to bake.
This post is the final in a series on the history of women in the animal protection movement and stories of the women striving today to make the world a better place for animals.
In part one of Clear Eyes, Full Hearts: Women in Animal Advocacy, we highlighted women who were instrumental in the fight to end vivisection in the late 1800s and very early 1900s. In part two, we explored just a few of the contributions women have made to the animal protection movement in the second half of the twentieth century and beyond. In the final part, we highlight some of the amazing women working to make the world a better place for animals today, and link to some recommended reading and online projects we think you’ll find interesting.
The animal protection movement has blossomed in recent decades into a robust, vibrant, multi-faceted movement. From animal rescue and rehabilitation, to vegan cuisine and outreach, to lobbying and advocacy, women are at the forefront of many of these efforts.
Many of the animal rescue organizations we know and love were founded by women—from Los Angeles to Tanzania, women are on the ground, working directly with animals.
Christi Metropole of Stray Cat Alliance (Photo: Stray Cat Alliance)
Right here in my own backyard—quite literally—Christi Metropole is changing the world for stray cats. In 1999, she founded Stray Cat Alliance (SCA), which has since grown into a leading cat protection organization in Southern California. In 2016, SCA found homes for or fixed and released over 3,500 cats and kittens in Los Angeles through its Trap-Neuter-Return, foster, and adoption programs. Inspired by a single stray kitten nearly 20 years ago, Christi has created an organization that provides the resources she found lacking. She serves as a leader in the movement, working hard to create more humane policies for our feline friends.
In the nearby Angeles National Forest, Wildlife Waystation is home to approximately 400 rescued exotic animals, thanks to Martine Colette, who rescued her first exotic animal in 1965. She founded Wildlife Waystation in 1976 as a place to care for wild and exotic animals who had formally been kept as house pets, zoo residents, or biomedical research subjects. In 1995, Martine’s was the first sanctuary to take in chimpanzees from biomedical research facilities, and today Wildlife Waystation has the largest population of rescued chimpanzees in the Western United States.
Leela Hazzah (third from left) of Lion Guardians (Photo: Philip J. Briggs / Lion Guardians)
Far from California, on the plains of Kenya and Tanzania, Leela Hazzah, and her organization Lion Guardians, are working to develop and implement long-term solutions to enable people and lions to peacefully coexist. Lion Guardians trains locals in evidence-based conservation methods that both protect lions and support local cultural heritage. A team of 80 guardians currently protects lions across 1.3 million acres of unprotected land in Kenya and Tanzania. Read more here about this amazing organization’s conservation efforts, success stories, and research.
Now, let’s shift gears from animal protection to everyone’s favorite topic…food!
It’s no secret that the vegan food movement has been picking up speed for years. I became vegan during the days of homemade soy bean patties and nutritional yeast—not that there’s anything wrong with that! But let’s face it, today’s vegans have it made. And many of the most outspoken vegan chefs and plant-based eating advocates are women. This is fantastic because, as readers of the Vegan Outreach blog already know, changing our diets is one of the most effective ways to help animals.
Jenné Claiborne of Sweet Potato Soul (Photo: Sweet Potato Soul)
One of my favorite vegan chefs taking the world by storm is Jenné Claiborne, who blogs delicious recipes, shopping tips, and healthy eating advice at Sweet Potato Soul. Originally from Atlanta and now living in the Big Apple, Jenné has loved playing in the kitchen her whole life. Jenné went vegan to save animals from exploitation, but shares that eating vegan has also improved her life in many ways. If you have an Instagram account—and you should, as that’s where all the drool-worthy vegan food photos live—you can follow Jenné at @SweetPotatoSoul.
Another favorite chef of mine is Terry Hope Romero, whose cookbook Viva Vegan! is in heavy rotation at my house. Terry has taken traditional Latin foods and veganized them with an eye toward health and flavor. A few of our favorites include her vegan tamales, pupusas stuffed with black beans and plantains, and her Cuban black bean soup. You can follow her Instagram for pictures of delicious foodstuffs at @terryhope.
And last—for this post, anyway—but certainly not least, the woman who first inspired me to get into vegan cooking and outreach—Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Isa’s punk, no-nonsense style, and delicious recipes were manna from heaven for me back in the day. And Isa is still rocking it! She just came out with a new cookbook on vegan holiday cooking, while still managing to run her gorgeous vegan restaurant, Modern Love, in Omaha, NE.
I could talk about food all day, but there are a few other women animal advocates I’d like to highlight before wrapping up—women who are using the arts to help animals.
Meaningful Paws
Many women are using their art to promote a message of love and kindness toward all animals. For example, Soo Yeon Jang, the founder of Meaningful Paws, uses her drawings and catchy designs to spread a message of love and veganism. I use her “Vegan is…” 24 oz wide-mouth Mason jar tumbler at work, and I have my eye on an adorable Cat Lover Tee.
Others are using the power of photography to highlight the plight of animals trapped in abusive systems, like Jo-Anne McArthur, who created the We Animals project, and whose photography was featured in Ghosts in Our Machine. And of course, women have made some of the best documentary films highlighting animal issues, including Gabriela Cowperthwaite, who directed and produced Blackfish, Marisa Miller Wolfson, writer and director ofVegucated, and Kate Brooks, a photojournalist whose film The Last Animals follows the amazing individuals working to save rhinos and elephants from extinction, premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival in April.
If you’ve enjoyed learning about a few of the amazing women in animal advocacy—particularly those who are not often highlighted in the media—I would urge you to check out the Unbound Project. On the website, you can read the stories of women—past and present—on the front lines of animal advocacy work.
This post is the second in a series on the history of women in the animal protection movement, gender and animal advocacy, and stories of the women striving today to make the world a better place for animals.
In part one of Clear Eyes, Full Hearts: Women in Animal Advocacy, we highlighted three women who were instrumental in the fight to end vivisection in the late 1800s and very early 1900s. In part two, we explore just a few of the contributions women have made to the animal protection movement in the second half of the twentieth century and beyond.
The Modern Philosophical Movement
The modern animal rights movement often traces its roots to the 1975 publication of Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation, and soon thereafter, Tom Regan’s The Case for Animal Rights in 1983. It’s frequently argued that these two works form the foundation of our modern understanding of animal rights.
But before those seminal works were others written by women, like Ruth Harrison’s Animal Machines (1964), which exposed the world to industrial animal agriculture and influenced Peter Singer to become a vegetarian. And there was also Brigid Brophy’s essay in The Sunday Times, “The Rights of Animals” (1965), in which she argued that “…the relationship of Homo sapiens to the other animals is one of unremitting exploitation.” Brigid was a feminist and pacifist who campaigned for vegetarianism and animal rights, was open about her bisexuality, and has been credited with triggering the creation of the modern animal rights movement in England.
Brigid believed in legitimate rights for animals, not just a reduction in suffering. She once said:
I don’t myself believe that, even when we fulfill our minimum obligations not to cause pain, we have the right to kill animals. I know I would not have the right to kill you, however painlessly, just because I liked your flavour, and I am not in a position to judge that your life is worth more to you than the animal’s to it.
Many civil rights leaders believed—and still believe—that all forms of prejudice and exploitation are linked, and therefore have argued in favor of animal protection as well as civil rights. Rosa Parks is believed to have been a vegetarian for much of her life. And Alice Walker, celebrated author of The Color Purple (1982), while only mostly vegetarian, wrote in her forward to Marjorie Spiegel’s book The Dreaded Comparison (1988) one of the most well-known quotes on animal rights:
The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.
Alice Walker went on to share, in a 2008 Vegetarian Times interview:
I find it difficult to feel responsible for the suffering of others. That’s why I find war so hard to bear. It’s the same with animals: I feel the less harm I do, the lighter my heart. I love a light heart. And when I know I’m causing suffering, I feel the heaviness of it. It’s a physical pain. So it’s self-interest that I don’t want to cause harm.
If I’m eating food I know was a creature in a cage, it brings up memories of segregation and the stories from my ancestors, of being in captivity and denied their personalities, their true beings. Animals were not made for us, or our use. They have their own use, which is just being who they are.
Similarly, political powerhouse and activist, Angela Davis, spoke out about being vegan at the University of California, Berkeley in 2012, at the 27th Annual Empowering Women of Color Conference. She argued that being vegan is a revolutionary act, part of a revolutionary perspective that challenges exploitation inherent in the status quo:
I usually don’t mention that I’m vegan, but that has evolved. I think it’s the right time to talk about it because it is a part of a revolutionary perspective—how can we not only discover more compassionate relations with human beings, but how can we develop compassionate relations with the other creatures with whom we share this planet, and that would mean challenging the whole capitalist industrial form of food production.
Just Scratching the Surface…
This blog post doesn’t even begin to touch on all the ways women have influenced animal protection in the twentieth century and beyond. It doesn’t touch on the women who founded animal protection organizations that have been critical to the growth of the movement, like Helen Jones, who founded the group that would become the International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) in 1959, Shirley McGreal, who formed the International Primate Protection League (IPPL) in 1973, and Ingrid Newkirk, who co-founded People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in 1980. It doesn’t touch on the women who ran vegetarian restaurants during the food revolution of the 1970s. It doesn’t touch on women in law, or women in politics, or all of the women who work tirelessly day after day rescuing animals from neglect and mistreatment.
In our third and final installment of this short series, we’ll share stories of some of these women striving today to make the world a better place for animals, and link to some recommended reading and online projects that we think you’ll find interesting.
What better way to start the morning than a big bowl of granola, fresh fruit, and non-dairy milk? My kids often jump out of bed hungry—so I love having this ready-to-go breakfast awaiting us.
You just can’t beat the taste of freshly baked granola packed with fiber-rich, complex-carb loaded whole-grain oats, nuts, seeds, and fruit. And best of all, this granola doesn’t amp up our kids on sugar—it’s gently sweetened with an apple and dried fruit!
Think of this recipe as your basic template—you can have fun with the mix-ins and make your own special batch!
Fruit-Sweetened Granola
Yields about 6 cups.
Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats
¼ cup sunflower seeds, or other seeds
½ cup almonds, or other nuts
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup raisins
½ cup dates, pitted
1 apple, chopped
1 cup water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl.
Place the remaining wet ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture into the bowl and mix thoroughly.
Lightly oil a large cookie sheet.
Spread ½” thin layer on the cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes, stir, then bake an additional 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Recipe Tips/Variations
Add in chocolate chips after the granola has cooled—otherwise they’ll melt. Toss in coconut shreds or flakes. Mix in hemp seeds or chopped walnuts after the granola has baked. Add a few tablespoons of blackstrap molasses to the wet ingredients in the blender. Sky’s the limit!
What does architectural design and vegan baking and cooking have in common? If you’re professionally trained in either profession, the answer may be obvious. But for those of you who aren’t, it turns out there’s more overlap than what you may think!
Our good friend, Michael Duhon, has centered his life around both of these skill sets, and he’s very graciously taken the time to tell us how these two interests have played out in his day to day life the past couple of decades. Join me in welcoming Michael as we get to know him a little bit better!
Lori Stultz: Tell us a little bit about your background as an architect and how and when you started incorporating those skills into your cooking and baking?
Michael Duhon: Around the time I was in 5th grade, I heard what an architect was and I decided that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up. I used to take my mom’s white freezer paper to draw house plans. She never understood what I was doing other than I was using up all the paper!
After year three of my architectural studies, I decided to finish the last two years of university in interior architecture. This brought in a more focused study of finishes, textures, color, lighting, furnishings, etc., with a direct impact on how the space is perceived by the user.
I practiced in architectural firms for about 15 years, but the office life wasn’t nourishing me. In the 1990s I left and began culinary training with a focus on teaching. I assembled a compendium of culinary trainings, including macrobiotics, creative whole plant-based cooking and baking, and a classic chef training in Paris.
Lori: Were you cooking before you started transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle, or did you dive in after you made the switch?
Michael: I cooked and baked from an early age. The south Louisiana French Cajun culture is one where gender doesn’t dictate who cooks. Everyone cooks and everyone cooks a lot!
Lori: What did your journey to veganism look like?
Michael: During the early 1980s I was in my mid-20s, and that was the period of time when many gay men were dying from AIDS. Very little was known about treatment and even less about the life expectancy of this young group. Many of us formed interactive groups to share information. It became clear that a diet of whole, unrefined foods, along with a reduction in typical snack food and sugar, was important for maintaining good health.
Lori: What does your career look like now? Is it mostly food or non-food related? What does a typical day look like for you?
Michael: My professional life changed at the end of 2012. From 2001-2012 I was a cooking and baking instructor for a culinary institute. I taught 11 weeks a year in addition to designing and renovating residences. The institute has now transitioned to an online school, so my career shifted to mostly design and build. I love to teach though, so I just launched beginner and advanced vegan baking classes, through my website Artistry In Baking, which focuses on using whole, unrefined ingredients. A core value of mine is to create and teach baking and dessert with real food value as opposed to empty calories. The coursework is suitable for home cooks as well as professionals looking for in-depth vegan baking and dessert training.
For now, a typical day involves client meetings, design decisions, and carpentry and project management. And I bake at least once a week. However, with the launch of my new baking classes, I’ll be doing more cooking—both training students, and expanding course content.
Lori: Do you prefer cooking dinner parties for groups or teaching groups of students?
Michael: Although I’ve cooked for and taught large groups, I prefer the intimacy of cooking for and teaching small groups. I like direct interaction that isn’t always possible when cooking and baking with a large group.
Lori: What are your favorite meals to cook for you and your partner, Lawrence? What are your favorite desserts (to eat and to make)?
Michael: Some favorite dishes are paella, chili, tajines, and soups of any kind. I love making cakes and tarts, and I’ve been perfecting dense and fudgy vegan brownies. I haven’t had any complaints with the numerous test batches I’ve made!
Lori: What sort of vegan menu would you serve to meat-eating friends and family members to show them how good vegan food can be?
Michael: I’ve found that as long as the menu offers a variety of textures, flavors, and colors that most folks experience it as another good meal. A secret weapon though is having something perfectly deep fried.
Chocolate BrowniesPoached Fig Tart
Lori: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us, Michael! It was great learning more about you and your unique architectural perspective on vegan cooking and baking!
If you’re interested in learning more about Michael and his business, check out his website!
Growing up, my large, hungry family frequently indulged in the classic heavy and meat-laden dishes of our Italian-American heritage—chicken parmesan, fettuccine Alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, and, my favorite, lasagna. Lasagna is action packed with a horde of different flavors and textures, especially when you add fresh veggies! It’s the embodiment of comfort food.
Those considering going vegan often stress over the idea that they’ll no longer get to eat their favorite dishes from childhood. I assure you, that’s not the case! And I intend to prove it with this veganized version of my grandma’s lasagna—even my carnivorous family loves it!
Irresistible Lasagna
Yields 6-8 servings.
Ingredients
Cashew Ricotta (recipe below)
½ to ¾ package of lasagna noodles
½ medium eggplant
Sprinkle of salt
1 small zucchini
1 package extra firm tofu
Dried parsley
Jar of store-bought tomato sauce (or homemade if you prefer)
Soak and cover the cashews for a few hours in the fridge (if in a hurry, you can soak them in boiling water for a few minutes).
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Boil the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Make sure to only boil the noodles until al dente—they’ll continue to cook in the oven. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
While the noodles cook, slice the eggplant lengthwise into thin, ⅛” slices. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt to draw out excess liquids and place them in a colander for about 10 minutes. Then lightly rinse, pat dry, and set aside. Slice the zucchini the same way and set aside.
Drain and rinse the cashews. Blend them with the remaining cashew ricotta ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor.
Drain and thoroughly pat dry your tofu. In a bowl, mash the tofu into the cashew cheese. Add dried parsley and salt to taste.
Cover the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with a layer of tomato sauce. Layer on the sliced zucchini, cashew ricotta, and the noodles.
Repeat this layering process, but alternate the eggplant and zucchini slices. When you’re done layering, finish off with a layer of tomato sauce and as much vegan mozzarella and parmesan as you want.
Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Remove from the oven to cool and add a garnish of dried parsley.
Recipes Tips/Variations
I used 9 long lasagna noodles. However, you’ll want to cook more than you are using just in case some of the noodles break while cooking. I suggest making about 13 noodles or ¾ of the package.
You can make your own vegan parmesan by processing ¼ cup walnuts, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, and about a teaspoon of sea salt in a food processor.
This lasagna can be made in a smaller, deeper dish. Use extra layers for a more stacked lasagna.
