Lasagna a la Vegan

 

Time for this month's Daring Baker's challenge!  The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

Making a savoury dish this month was perfect for me because I had leftovers for days and didn't have to cook much else for the entire weekend that I made it.  The main part of the challenge this month was to hand make the pasta, (I made this spelt-chickpea pasta from Bryanna Clark Grogan) and include a bechamel sauce.  Instead of topping the lasagna with cheese, I scrambled up some medium-firm tofu with nutritional yeast and smoked garlic chipotle salt.  This combined with the white bechamel sauce was really tasty!  The vegetable layer of the lasagna was a simple saute of white onion, celery, carrots and zucchini.

I'm seriously all lasagna'd out after eating this for three days straight.  The rest of it is going in the freezer and may end up in my lunchbox one day.

Wrapping up

I am really into wrapped and rolled food lately.  It just might have something to do with my obession with avocado rolls.  Here's my latest favorite which I love taking to work for lunch - salad rolls!  I love filling them with sweet potato vermicelli, pan-fried tofu, cilantro, lettuce, carrots and a spicy thai peanut sauce.  They're sooo gooood - and healthy too!

Lady Marmalady

Every Wednesday at 12:00, Chef Salima of Marmalady Catering is busy in our staff lunch room giving her final touches to the gourmet lunches she is about to sell.  You can smell the delicious aroma wafting from the lunch room as you approach from the hallway.

What I love about Marmalady is that she always has vegan options available, and she often uses organic ingredients.  Everyone's favorite is her spicy roti chips!  Last Wednesday I bought a veggie wrap that had asparagus and a delicious sweet orange relish - and she always uses some kind of protein like tofu or faux meat that she makes herself.  We're so lucky to have her in our lunch room each week!  I don't think she has a website, but if you live in Vancouver and you'd like to find out more info about her service you can email me and I'll pass it along.