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Vegan Rainbow Lasagna: A Colorful Twist on a Classic Comfort Food

Welcome to a dish where vibrant colors meet rich flavors in a dish that’s as nourishing for the body as it is for the soul. This Vegan Rainbow Lasagna isn’t just food; it’s a celebration of nature’s spring palette and created to nourish and inspire you to enjoy the color explosion that happens in spring. It’s a exploration as to how plant-based eating not only sustains us physically but also enriches our lives with every colorful bite.

Classic lasagna might be one of the best known comfort foods however this recipes provides a similar texture and flavor but is packed with nutrients and is gluten-free, which for some of us is helpful to consider.

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Why Vegan Lasagna?

Embracing a plant-based diet is more than a culinary choice; it’s a pathway to enhanced health and well-being. Vegan lasagna replaces traditional ingredients with nutrient-rich vegetables and nuts, offering a blend of benefits from improved heart health to vibrant skin. It’s a meal that aligns with principles of Ayurveda and culinary medicine, where every ingredient is chosen for both its flavor and its nutrient properties.

Ingredients and Substitutions

In crafting the Vegan Rainbow Lasagna, I choose ingredients that were easy to slice, bright in color and combine well in flavors! From the cashew nuts that form the creamy ricotta to the spectrum of vegetables that create the rainbow layers, each part is picked for its health benefits and taste profile.

If you read on, I will also explore offer some substitutions to ensure that everyone, regardless of dietary preferences or restrictions, can enjoy this meal.

Preparing Your Vegan Ricotta

The heart of our lasagna is the vegan ricotta, a blend of cashews and steamed vegetables, seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices. Putting all this together creates a powerhouse of nutrition, offering proteins, healthy fats, and essential nutrients, embodying the principles of the healthy plate.

The video below details my favorite tricks for making this wonderful dish. My favorite tip is the soak and blend the cashews first and for a longer time than you think. This creates a wonderful silky texture.

Layering Your Lasagna

As we layer the thinly sliced vegetables and spread the rich, flavorful ricotta, we’re not just assembling a dish; we’re building layers of health and happiness. Each stratum of our lasagna is a step towards a balanced diet, providing a range of nutrients that support our body’s well-being.

Cooking and Baking Tips

Achieving the perfect bake is an art and science, blending culinary skills with an understanding of how heat transforms ingredients into a harmonious dish. You may have to sample it once or twice to learn how it cooks best in your oven with you flavor layering. Lasagna can be cooked to perfection, preserving the nutrients while maximizing the flavors.

Tips for sourcing fresh spring vegetables

When it comes to finding fresh spring vegetables for your lasagna, it’s important to choose the best quality produce available. Here are a few ideas to help you find the freshest and most flavorful spring vegetables:

1. Shop at local farmers’ markets or join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. These sources often have the freshest and most seasonal produce available.
2. Look for vibrant colors and textures. Avoid vegetables that appear wilted or muted colors.
3. Consider growing your own spring vegetables. You can grow herbs or microgreens in pots or small containers, even with limited space.

And it doesn’t hurt to have the watchful eyes of your favorite furry friend waiting for the best scraps in the kitchen.

Veggies Noodles

This dish is gluten free and low in refined food because I used vegetable noodles. They are such a great way to bring in nutrients and color. You can use a mandolin, veggie peeler or I have a Kitchen Aid Attachment that works great for this! Here is what I use: Kitchen Aid Vegetable Sheet Cutter.

Free Ebook

The food we eat significantly impacts our health, but how we prepare it can also have an effect. Eating a diet high in processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats can lead to many health problems, such as obesity and heart disease. Furthermore, what if I told you that changing these factors could make all the difference? You can improve your health by cooking your meals with whole food and plant-based ingredients. First, grab this free recipe ebook that incorporates flavors and principles from my Ayurvedic and Lifestyle Medicine training, and it is 100% plant-based. Then let me know what you have made.

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Here is the recipe for making Vegan Rainbow Lasagna

Please help me get the word out about plant-based healthy living so that doctors know the value of lifestyle changes by sharing this post on your social media.

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Click on the image above to grab the ingredients on the “Instacart” from a list I have personally selected. The app will let you pick the store and provide a basis for the shopping and ingredient list. Then you can choose what you need. It has worked great for us.

ALSO…. if you select the “pick up” option, which you can do on the way home from work, you may even have a small credit on your purchases for your next visit.

To sum up, if you are a busy professional, look into Instacart to eat healthier when your schedule is hectic, either as a delivery or pick-up option.

Serve this Vegan Rainbow Lasagna after letting it sit for a few minutes

Kitchen Supplies

Having the right supplies makes being in the kitchen easier. You can find the ways I love to store my food by clicking on the image.

These are some of my favorite ways to store warm food in glass containers. The Wrek and Ball Glass jars are absolute staples in my kitchen.

The green baking pan is from Food52.

Let’s Explore Seasonal Eating: Early Spring

Our visit last weekend before the rain was filled with winter vegetables and fruits! This blood orange is lovely. And there was some wonderful organic calendula that can be dried and used in chocolate making and body care.

What is Seasonal Eating?

The role of local and/or seasonal eating is one that I am particularly interested in. I believe the connection to seasonal living builds a steady and essential connection to nature. Fortunately for me, it is not just my opinion; scientific data exists to explore this notion.

Eating locally and seasonally has been proposed to reduce the environmental impact of food production and enhance consumer health (Macdiarmid, 2013). However, the evidence supporting this idea is mixed. While some studies have found that local food can be inferior to non-local food (Edwards-Jones, 2010), others have highlighted the potential benefits of consuming local seasonal food for sustainable consumption (Vargas, 2021). The link between eating seasonally and a reduction of environmental impacts in the food chain has also been explored, with some research suggesting a potential benefit (Brooks, 2011). However, the overall impact of eating locally and seasonally on health and the environment remains complex and nuanced.

References

• Macdiarmid JI. Seasonality and dietary requirements: will eating seasonal food contribute to health and environmental sustainability? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2014;73(3):368-375.
• Edwards-Jones G. Does eating local food reduce the environmental impact of food production and enhance consumer health? Proc Nutr Soc. 2010 Nov;69(4):582-91.
• Vargas AM, de Moura AP, Deliza R, Cunha LM. The Role of Local Seasonal Foods in Enhancing Sustainable Food Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review. Foods. 2021; 10(9):2206.
• Brooks, M., Foster, C., Holmes, M.R., & Wiltshire, J.J. (2011). Does consuming seasonal foods benefit the environment? Insights from recent research. Nutrition Bulletin, 36, 449-453.
• Jaqua E, Biddy E, Moore C, Browne G. The Impact of the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine on Brain Health. Cureus. 2023 Feb 3;15(2):e34605.
• Elicit; Elicit: The Al Research Assistant; https://elicit.com; accessed 2/8/2024

In the complexity of considering the regional needs and long-term goals of feeding populations, I also believe that seasonal and, when feasible, local eating helps us cultivate mindfulness skills, paying attention to what is close and relevant. Exploring markets and local farms builds community connections, which is also part of Lifestyle Medicine’s core pillars of health.

Substitution Options

Here are some substitutions for the Rainbow Vegan Lasagna that cater to various dietary needs and preferences:

1. Nut-Free Vegan Ricotta:
   • Replace cashews with sunflower seeds or boiled and mashed potatoes for a nut-free ricotta alternative. This substitution maintains the creamy texture while catering to those with nut allergies.
2. Low-Carb Option:
   • For a lower carbohydrate version, substitute butternut squash and ube yam with slices of eggplant or extra zucchini. These alternatives provide a similar texture and richness without the higher carb content.
3. Soy-Based Ricotta:
   • If you prefer soy products, blend silken tofu with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and your choice of herbs to create a soy-based vegan ricotta. This option is high in protein and provides a different nutritional profile.

1. Gluten-Free Noodles:
   • If you want a more traditional lasagna feel while keeping it gluten-free, use gluten-free lasagna noodles in place of some vegetable layers. This can add a familiar pasta texture to the dish.
2. Tomato-Free Option:
   • For those who avoid tomatoes, you can substitute the sun-dried tomatoes in the ricotta with roasted red peppers or caramelized onions to achieve a sweet and savory flavor profile.
3. Different Greens:
   • Instead of kale, you can use spinach or Swiss chard. These greens offer similar nutritional benefits and will add a slightly different flavor to the lasagna.
4. Additional Protein:
   • For extra protein, consider adding layers of crumbled tempeh or cooked lentils between the vegetable layers. This boosts the protein content and adds a hearty texture to the lasagna.

These substitutions allow you to tailor the Rainbow Vegan Lasagna to your dietary needs and preferences, ensuring that everyone can enjoy this delicious and nutritious dish.

Earn CME

This experience is powered by CMEfy – an AI-powered platform that directs learners along a pathway to capture reflections at the point of inspiration, point of care. Clinicians may earn CME/CE credit via ReflectCE, the accredited activity portal. Learn more at about.cmefy.com/cme-info

The CE experience for this Blog Post / Article is powered by CMEfy – click here to reflect and earn credits: https://earnc.me/7CbypP

Review recent seasonal PLANT-BASED posts here!

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If you make this, tag me on social media @doctorsirichand. I would love to see your variations and options for flavors. SAVE this Recipe for later to your favorite place. I like to use PINTEREST, but you could also clip it somewhere else.