This recipe is courtesy of Whole Foods. Several months ago they asked for recipe makeover requests for those with food intolerances. I emailed asking for a soy, dairy, gluten-free lasagna. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one! Below is the original makeover with the soy-free option (which I used). The eggs in the recipe cleverly serve to hold all ingredients together in absence of the cheese. While it lacks the gooey, chewy texture that only loads of mozzarella can provide, the flavors come close enough to satisfy this girl’s cravings. Happy with the results, I am sharing them with all of you.
Enjoy!

Two readers requested a gluten-free, dairy-free lasagna recipe. Surprising as it may seem, not all tomato, marinara or pasta sauces are gluten-free and some even contain dairy, so be sure to read the label carefully before making your selection. For those who cannot tolerate soy, this recipe can be made soy free by eliminating the tofu. Simply increase the number of eggs to four. Distribute the egg mixture in equal parts over each layer of noodle and top with sauce as per recipe instructions.

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu (not silken), drained (omit for soy-free)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken (I used grass-fed ground beef)
• 3/4 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch spinach, stemmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 4 cups gluten-free tomato or marinara sauce
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons garbanzo or fava bean flour (any gluten-free flour will be fine)
• 1 (16-ounce) package gluten-free lasagna noodles
• (always an improviser, I added carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and red peppers to my lasagna mix in place of the tofu.)

To prepare the filling, coarsely crumble tofu onto two layers of a lint-free dish towel. Wrap tofu in the towel and lightly press out excess moisture; set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onion until tender, about 4 minutes. Add turkey and cook, stirring frequently, until just brown, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. In two batches, add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes each. Stir in basil and tomato sauce. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Whisk eggs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Add flour and whisk until well blended and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Unwrap tofu, crumble it into small pieces and add it to egg mixture. Stir to fully coat. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions in salted boiling water, but reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes. The noodles should be slightly firm, as they will continue cooking in the oven. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

To assemble the lasagna, preheat oven to 350° F. Ladle 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 13×9x2-inch baking dish and spread it out evenly. Place 3 lasagna sheets on top of the sauce. Place 1/3 of the tofu mixture on the lasagna sheets along with about a 1/4 of the sauce, distributing it evenly. Repeat layering two more times with 3 lasagna sheets, 1/3 of the tofu mixture and 1/4 of the sauce. (If going soy-free, pour a little of the beaten eggs over each layer as well) Finish with a final layer of noodles and remaining sauce, taking care to spread the sauce evenly all the way to the corners. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Info

Per serving (About 16.5oz/472g-wt.): 570 calories (170 from fat), 18g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 30g protein, 69g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 115mg cholesterol, 880mg sodium

Nabbed from Recipezaar.com and originally credited to Sunset magazine, this recipe will be excellent on a warm summer evening.

• 8 oz. farfalle (bowtie) pasta (can use brown rice spirals or other shaped GF pasta)
• 12 oz. crimini mushrooms
• 4 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. butter, Earth Balance, or toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3tbsp. fresh ginger
• 3 tbs. fresh minced garlic
• 4 cups shredded raddichio
• 1 cup cooked, shelled edamame (Trader Joe’s has this available in their frozen foods area) or use adzuki beans if soy sensitive
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce (use 2 tsp. salt if soy sensitive)
• shaved fresh parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process.  Slice all mushrooms and saute in 1 tbsp. butter or oil for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.  Add remaining butter/oil to pan. When melted, add ginger and garlic and stir for one minute, or until it becomes fragrant. Add radiccio adn edamame and stir until radicchio wilts - about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard and soy sauce until combined. Add cooked pasta and mushroom mixture and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper. This may be served warm or cold, and topped with freshly grated parmesan just before serving.

Serves 4

Source: adapted from www.whfoods.com

This tasty pasta salad is a wonderful way to celebrate Springtime! Asparagus is a member of the lily family, and the portion we consume is actually a shoot from an underground crown that can produce for up to twenty years! Asparagus is rich in folic acid - a B vitamin necessary to reduce birth defects and keep the heart healthy. It also is a good source of potassium (making it an ideal component to a post-workout meal) and contains inulin - a fiber that is used as fuel by the friendly bacteria in our digestive system (like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli). Asparagus is best enjoyed in April and May, when the tender stalks are in season.

Ingredients:

• ¼ lb whole wheat fusilli pasta
• 1 large bunch asparagus cut into 1 inch lengths, (remove fibrous bottoms and discard)
• ½ medium red or sweet onion, minced
• ½ basket cherry tomatoes, quartered (squeeze gently to remove seeds)
• 5-6 medium cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
• 3 TBS chopped fresh basil
• 1 TBS chopped fresh tarragon
• 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt, cracked black pepper to taste
• *optional - 4 oz reduced fat feta cheese

Directions: Cook pasta according to instructions on package. While pasta is cooking prepare the rest of the ingredients. Place everything but asparagus in a bowl and set aside. When pasta is about 3 minutes from being done, add asparagus to cooking pasta. (If asparagus is thick you may want to add at 4 minutes. Or if it is thin, add at 2 minutes. 3 minutes is for medium thick asparagus.) Drain and rinse in cold water through a colander when done. Make sure it drains well so the final flavors are not diluted. Toss with rest of ingredients, and season with salt and pepper. Serves 4