Raw Lasagna with Killer Tomato Sauce and Quick Cashew Cheese

For months I've been wanting to make a raw lasagna.  With all of those layers of raw goodness, I thought that it would take a good half a day to make and would best be saved for a weekend when I could dedicate hours to slicing the zucchini, blending the tomato sauce, and soaking my cashews.  Boy, was I wrong!  After playing around in the kitchen for about 45 minutes, I had raw lasagna!  A little bit of Lindsay Sterling (she is awesome, if you haven't heard her music then check her out!!), some dancing, chopping, slicing, and blending then viola!! Raw lasagna and a really friendly new neighbor who stopped by to say hello and thought I was 17, bless him!!

Raw lasagna is awesome. Don't get me wrong, I love the authentic wheat based ooey gooey lasagna (check out my vegan tofu lasagna recipe here) but I do not miss the wheat belly, the indigestion and food coma of the more traditional fare.  Raw lasagna can be quick, easy, fun and this recipe is probably one of the most delicious foods I have EVER eaten, bonus points for being even more delicious as leftovers the next day.
 

Here we go, lets make a lasagna...

 

 

Here's what you're going to need:

2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into long strips using a mandolin

4 cups greens such as spinach, kale, collard greens, arugula or a mix

1 cup fresh parsley

1 cup fresh cilantro

Killer Tomato Sauce:

1 1/3 cups sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 15-20 minutes (I use the Trader Joe's variety from the bag)

1 1/3 cup chopped, seeded tomato (Roma work really well)

1/3 cup soaking liquid from sun-dried tomatoes

1/3 tsp Himalayan salt or sea salt

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried basil (if I have fresh basil on hand,  I'll omit the oregano and just use 4 large basil leaves)

1/4 tsp Herbs de Provence

1 tsp honey, agave, or stevia

Black pepper to taste

Quick Cashew Cheese:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked 4-5 hours and rinsed well

2-4 Tbsp. cold filtered water

1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt or sea salt

1 Tbsp. chopped onion (white or red)

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about two medium lemons)

1 heaping Tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 small garlic clove

a dash of pepper

Parmesan Sprinkle:

1/4 cup raw cashew, ground in spice grinder to a crumble

 

Here's the method:

1. Zucchini Lasagna Noodles are easy to make. Set your mandolin to the thickest setting so that the noodles aren't too thin. Once you have sliced you noodles, place them in the dehydrator for about an hour to soften (ok, it takes a little bit longer than 45 minutes to make..).  In the meantime, make your filling.

 

 

 

 

2. To make the Killer Tomato Sauce, blend all ingredients in a blender until it's fairly smooth but some larger pieces remain. I like my sauce to have some heft and veer on the chunkier side.  If you want a smoother sauce, feel free to blend away to your desired consistency.  Pour the sauce into a fine mesh strainer to remove the extra liquid.

 

3. To make the Quick Cashew Cheese, add all ingredients except the water to a food processor fitted with the "S-type" blade.  With the food processor running, slowly add the water a little at a time until the cheese is creamy.  Add as little water as possible, turning off the food processor and scraping down the sides a few times, so that the lasagna doesn't get soggy from excess water.

 

 

 

4. For the veggie filling, add the greens, cilantro and parsley to your food processor then pulse until all your greens are chopped up into little sprinkles of sunshine and chlorophyll.  This will ensure that whole leaves of greens don't fall out and your lasagna holds its layers like a pro.

 

 

5. To assemble, use either a pie pan or a square baking dish.  Depending on what type of dish you use, it might be necessary to trim the zucchini noodles slightly to fit your dish.  I trimmed a little off of my outer noodles to fit my round pie pan.  This will keep your layers well defined.  For the first layer, cover the bottom of your dish with noodles.  Then add cheese, sauce, greens and repeat 2x ending with a layer of zucchini noodles on top.  Top with cashew parmesan cheese and you're ready to eat!

 

 

To serve: Cut lasagna into symmetrical squares and serve either as a 3 layer lasagna OR stack two squares on top of each other for epic, and I do mean epic, deep dish lasagna!

 

 

 

This is a favorite recipe of mine and it brings me great joy to share it with all of you! Every time I make this dish, it inspires me to laugh, dance around the kitchen and enjoy the fragrance of a kitchen full of life!  The beauty of raw foods is the astonishing flavor and vitality that can be experienced when using the freshest ingredients Mother Nature has to offer.  Enjoying food in its unprocessed, whole foods state is a joyful experience and I hope that you have as much enjoyment in your kitchen when you make this dish!  Happy eating!

 

 

Sundried Tomato and Spinach Quiche

The first time I ever had quiche was at a fireside chat with the Dean of the American Film Institute when I was a grad student there.  College days for me usually started late and ended late so when I showed up without having had breakfast, I was so happy to see a spread laid out.  The veggie friendly buffet was made up of fresh fruit, muffins, croissants, and a cheddar broccoli quiche.  Maybe it was the coffee overload or the surprise of being fed when I thought I’d have to wait two hours before I could grab a bite but my first taste of quiche was divine.  Fast forward to today, and this vegan girl won’t let any eggs or cow cheese pass her lips.  The need for a plant based quiche was suddenly in demand.  Not just any quiche would do.  Oh, no.  I wanted that quiche in my memory.  I wanted the cheesy fluffy quiche without the egg and without the cheese.  What’s a girl to do?  About a year ago, I experimented with a soy free, gluten free quiche that I made for my sister.  It was good but unless it's really freakin’ good, it doesn’t make the blog.  Grab your pencil and your notecards because this recipe is one you’ll want to keep around for generations!  This baby uses tofu instead of eggs and for a little dash of guaranteed yum factor, I’ve added some Daiya* cheddar to it.  Can you really go wrong with tofu and Daiya?  I say no way!!  Usually, I shy away from soy.  Not to say that soy is bad but I know that it is not the easiest on the digestive system and soy has a tendency to slow me down after I eat it.  Limit but not eliminate.  That’s my motto and since I’ve been so good lately about having two raw meals a day, I decided that a little splurge was deserved.  Leave it to us crazy vegans to call a healthy, plant-based quiche a splurge!!  Well, life is what you make of it and splurge I did!! 
This recipe includes a homemade and incredibly quick crust but you can also use a store bought pre-made version.  My crust is made with whole wheat flour and coconut oil and is incredibly light and flaky.  It works wonderfully as a pie crust so if you wish to make pie, just double the recipe.  The beauty of a quiche recipe (just like a soup or stir-fry recipe) is that you can use whatever veggies you have on hand.  I had a huge container of spinach and a large jar of sundried tomatoes so I knew they would pair beautifully together.  Part of the ease of a vegan lifestyle is being able to throw in fresh and local produce to a recipe that is a blueprint for your dish.  Once you know the basics, then experiment with different pairings and flavors to create something new and fresh.
* Daiya is a brand of vegan cheeses that are made using tapioca starch instead of soy, rice, or nut.  It is completely meltable and is great in dishes which call for meltable cheeses i.e. pizza, mac n’ cheese, quesadilla, or even as a garnish such as for tacos, soups, or chili.  You can buy it at most grocery stores especially Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market or other health/vegan specialty stores.  You cannot get it at Trader Joes, Vons, or Albertsons (as far as I know). 

Ingredients:

- 1 Quick Vegan Pie Dough/Crust
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 4 cups spinach
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small tomato, sliced thinly (this will go on top of the quiche for decoration)
- 1 pound firm tofu, pressed and patted dry
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 cup vegan cheddar shreds (I used Daiya)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup almond milk

 

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Drain your tofu and wrap in a kitchen towel.  Set something heavy on it to drain the excess water.  Leave the tofu to press while preparing the other ingredients.
3. In a medium sized skillet, add olive oil and bring to medium heat.  Then add the onion, zucchini, and sundried tomato until cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the spinach and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the spinach is slightly wilted.
4. In a food processor using the S blade, add the tofu, nutmeg, turmeric, salt, pepper and almond milk.  Blend until smooth.
5.  In a medium sized bowl, add the veggies, tofu blend, and vegan cheddar shreds.  Stir the mixture together and add pepper to taste.
6.  Pour your tofu mixture into the pie crust.   Decorate the top with thin slices of tomato (optional but so worth it).  Bake for 30 minutes.  Is it done?  Test by inserting a knife into the middle.  If it comes out clean, it is done. Serve warm with a simple side salad for an incredible meal anytime.  You can also eat it cold or at room temperature for a packed lunch or picnic.  Will keep for a few days covered in the refrigerator.