Meat Lover's Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe

I'm a carnivore.  I have a godmother and her husband who are more evolved than I am and they're vegetarians.  If you have read this blog more than once, you also know that I tend to cook.   We've made this particular recipe with vegetarian "meat" crumbles and you would not know that those brown specs in there aren't meat.

On the other hand if you're still craving browned cow bits in your food, you can change it to browned burger meat and you'll get your fix.

The one thing that I will say is that Vegetarian Friendly Cheese tends to be of a higher quality than "regular" mass market cheese.  The Mass Market stuff has an enzyme called Rennet which comes from the gut of the cow where as there are really some fine alternatives that are better for your overall health.  So when I'm able, I use rennet free cheese.   It's a small victory for quality over crud.


Meat Lover's Vegetarian Lasagna

Sauce

1 lb frozen vegetarian crumbles (or ground beef substitute)
2 cloves garlic
2 T parsley flakes
2 T basil
1 ½ t salt
4 cups low sodium canned tomatoes (put in blender to crush)
24 oz tomato paste

End of sauce


1 box lasagna  (not the pre-cooked or non-cook version)


Filling
3 cups creamed cottage cheese (part skim)
Egg beaters equal to 2 eggs
2 t salt
½ t pepper
2 T parsley flakes
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese sliced thin.

Brown vegetarian crumbles in a large pot breaking up with a fork in a little olive oil

Add remaining sauce items and simmer uncovered for 45 minute stirring occasionally.  This can be done a day ahead of time.  In fact,  I recommend it.



Final Assembly.
Cook the lasagna noodles following the instructions on the box.
Rinse with cold water to cool
Mix up the filling mixture

Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 lasagna dish
Take a papertowel and coat the entire surface of the inside of the dish with the oil removing the excess (to keep everything from sticking)

Put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish
Place half the noodles over the sauce overlapping slightly
Spread half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles
Add half the mozzarella cheese and then cover with half the sauce.

Repeat the whole thing for another layer

Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Let stand for 15 minute to firm up before serving.