High protein lasagna

This is a really delicious, light and very pretty lasagna recipe, it’s a protein rich take on the classic  while ensuring its packed with flavour. If you can get hold of lentil or bean lasagna sheets you can pack even more protein into this

Takes 60 mins

Serves 6 people

Tomato sauce

2 red onions

3 cloves of garlic

1  fresh chilli

400g of sweet potatoes 

1 courgette

2 yellow peppers

1 x 400g tinned cooked lentils

2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

100g tomato puree

5 sun dried tomatoes (leathery ones)

100ml red wine

1 bay leaf

a few sprigs of thyme

1.5 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp salt

50g baby spinach 

High protein Bechamel sauce 

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp Gram flour

50ml light tahini

300g silken tofu

200ml oat milk

Pinch salt

Pinch of ground black pepper

¼ tsp Nutmeg. 

100g vegan cheese of choice

For the tomato sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C
2. Chop the sweet potato into lengthwise slices, the pepper & courgette into long strips, and red onion into half moon sized pieces. 
3. In 2 baking trays spread out the chopped veg, keeping them all separate and mix with 2 tbsp of oil and a generous pinch of salt. Bake for 30 mins stirring once or twice during this cooking time to ensure they cook evenly.
4. Finely dice the garlic and chilli. Heat a medium sized pan over high heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil and once hot add the diced garlic and chilli and fry for 2 mins till the garlic starts to golden.
5. Add the red wine and leave to cook for 2-3 mins allowing some of the alcohol to evaporate.
6. Drain and rinse the cooked tinned lentils. Chop the sundried tomatoes. Next add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, sundried tomatoes, cooked lentils, maple syrup, bay leaf, thyme, salt and bring to a boil on high heat. 
7. Reduce to a simmer and taste and adjust the tomato sauce to your liking by adding ground black pepper, more salt or some balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Take the tomato sauce off the heat

Bechamel sauce 

1. Time to make your bechamel sauce while the veg still cook in the oven.
2. In a blender add the silken tofu, the tahini, oat milk, salt, pepper and pinch of ground nutmeg and blend till smooth
3. In a sauce pan on medium heat add 3 tbsp of oil and sift in 3 tbsp of gram flour, using a whisk bring together and allow to cook for 2 mins stirring constantly. Slowly add in the blended sauce and bring to the boil whisking constantly. Take the sauce off the heat and taste and adjust to your liking with adding a dash of lemon juice approx ½ tsp and salt to your liking. And in any extras such as vegan cheese and allow them to melt and spread throughout the sauce. 
4. Remove the roasted veg from the oven and set aside for layering up the lasagna 

To layer up the lasagne

• In an oven-proof dish or tray that will serve approx 6 people, 
• Put a thin layer of bechamel sauce on the bottom, spread it out evenly and put a layer of lasagne sheets ensuring that they form a single even layer. 
• Next add a layer of your tomato sauce ensuring that the sauce is spread out evenly. 
• Next add a layer of baked sweet potato being careful that they dont fall apart. On top of these add a layer of roasted pepper.
• Put a single layer of lasagne sheets on top.
• On top of this add a layer of baby spinach 
• Repeat another layer of tomato sauce 
• Layer on the baked red onions and courgettes.
• Add another layer of lasagna sheets
• Lastly Spread the remaining bechamel sauce on top, ensuring the pasta sheets are totally covered by the bechamel ( this will stop them drying out when baking)
• Otional - Grate some vegan cheese to top 
• Bake in the preheat oven at 180 degrees for 20 mins until the pasta is soft 
• Easiest way to cut is using a scissors
• Enjoy!