Butternut Squash and Fennel Lasagne

Bring on the fall with this butternut squash and fennel lasagne. Fall nights pair well with the wonderful warm flavors from the roasted squash and fennel, such a nice combination. Roasting really brings out the best of these vegetables. And the cashew bechamel sauce is just delicious! Save this meal for a weekend when you have time to put it together and aren't rushed...enjoy the process. Maybe you'll sit by the fire and have a date night or family night just for fun while enjoying this scrumptious meal. This recipe comes from the fall issue of Chickpea Magazine Vegan Quarterly, Fall 2012, pg. 12. The original author of this recipe is Kayleigh Read, owner and blog writer of Deerly Beloved Bakery. Be sure to take a look at both, lots of other great recipes for fall there too!

Ingredients

Butternut Squash and Fennel Tomato Sauce
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into rough 1 inch cubes
1 fennel bulb, cut into cubes
tablespoon of olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups spinach (I used a spinach & arugula mix I had on hand)
3 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon organic brown cane sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon veggie bouillon
pinch of thyme or herbs of choice
salt & pepper to taste

vegan lasagne pasta sheets

Cashew Bechamel Sauce
1 pack organic soft tofu, drained
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
4 sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon mustard, any kind
salt to taste
1/4 cup water (you may use more if sauce is too thick)

Preheat oven to 425. Place butternut squash cubes and fennel in a roasting dish, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat. Place in oven for apprx. 30 minutes until brown and roasted, turning veggies half way through. Turn down oven to 375.

While squash and fennel are roasting, cut up remaining veggies. You can add/subtract any veggies you like as well, such as carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini or whatever you have on hand. Heat oil in large pan on medium heat and add the onion, garlic, pepper, spinach and celery. Once spinach cooks down add tomatoes, sugar, bouillon stock, balsamic, herbs, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Mix well, add roasted squash and fennel, mix again. Taste for flavor adding anything extra you might like. Turn down and simmer for about 10 min.

Onto the cashew bechamel. In food processor add drained tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, oil, lemon juice, mustard and water. Blend for a few minutes. Scrape sides down and blend again until all cashew lumps are gone. It should be thick and creamy but you may want to add more water, tablespoon at at time, until it's to desired thinness. Taste for flavor adding salt or anything else you feel it needs. Blend once more.

Let's assemble the lasagne. I used the no boil method and used dry sheets of pasta. I started with the tomato sauce, pasta, cashew nut sauce, tomato sauce, pasta, cashew nut sauce. I think next time I will do 1/3 tomato sauce, pasta, 1/2 cashew nut sauce, the other 1/3 tomato sauce, pasta, remaining tomato sauce and top off with cashew nut sauce. My top pasta layer didn't cook all the way and was a little stiff...possibly it needed more juice on top or a cover of foil. You may consider covering with foil for the first 20-25 min no matter how you layer it, unless you like your edges and top crispier than don't use foil.

Place in oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve. I paired mine with a well toasted French loaf drizzled with extra virgin olive oil....so delicious! Serves six. Store leftovers in air tight container in fridge for up to a week.

Enjoy !