Tempeh Kale Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

Let’s keep this short, simple and to the point, shall we?

This is my first new recipe in awhile and my first home-cooked meal in what feels like years. Comfort food at it’s finest. The pictures slightly vary from the recipe-I originally made this a couple week’s ago for clients and added zucchini and spinach, rather than kale. And I stirred the tempeh into my sauce, while these pictures show it just on top of the ricotta. do whatever you like, it’s all going to the same place and will have the same flavor! While I usually make a white bean cheese sauce for lasagnas or casseroles, I am totally in love with this tofu ricotta version. And marinating tempeh like this is just brilliant-and gives you an excuse to drink the rest of the bottle of wine.

You’re welcome.

LASAGNA

12 lasagna noodles, boiled

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cups julienned lacinato kale

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp tamari

1 tsp all-purpose seasoning

Sea salt and black pepper

TOFU RICOTTA

1 block extra firm tofu, drained

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

2 tbsp olive oil

Juice of one lemon

½ tbsp garlic powder

½ tbsp onion powder

1 tsp dried basil

Sea salt and black pepper

TEMPEH MARINARA

4-5 cups organic tomato basil sauce

1 8 oz package tempeh, crumbled

1/3 cup red wine

¼ cup tamari

1 tbsp raw organic sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a frying pan over medium heat, add tempeh to olive oil and cook for a few minutes
Add red wine, tamari and sugar and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid is absorbed
In another frying pan, cook onions in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes
Add kale, garlic, tamari, oregano, salt, pepper and all-purpose seasoning and continue cooking until kale is wilted
For the ricotta, mash all ingredients together in a bowl with a potato masher OR blend in a food processor until creamy texture is achieved
Once tempeh is done, stir into tomato sauce
Ladle one cup of sauce onto the bottom of a greased 9X13 baking dish
Layer strips of lasagna over that, then top with half of the ricotta, and then half of the veggies
Repeat layers one time until ingredients are used, then top with sauce
Cover with foil and cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes
Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes