Creamy Lasagna

Nothing traditional about this lasagna! First you boil the lasagna noodles with tumeric. The layers between the noodles is a mixture of diced butternut squash and mushrooms and then you layer it with a white-based sauce. This recipe was really good and a nice change from the traditional tomato-based-lasagna. I got the recipe from Vegan Planet and just happened to have a butternut squash on the counter. The recipe called for tofu and wild mushrooms, which I didn't have, but I did have some crimini mushrooms and cottage cheese. I also had a small amount of turkey italian sausage that I boiled up to get the fat off and then crumble up into little pieces. That was one of the layers.

I wasn't sure how the cottage cheese would substitute for the tofu mixture – I had in mind that it would just curdle up. But it didn't and gave the lasagna a creamy taste.

Butternut Squash and Wild Mushroom Lasagna

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, coarsely grated (I cut it into cubes)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups mixed sliced wild mushrooms, (chanterelle, shiitake, oyster) (I used about 6 med-sized crimini)
• 1 t dried thyme
• salt and pepper
• 12 oz lasagna noodles (I cooked 9 noodles)
  
• 1/2 t tumeric
• 1 16-oz package soft tofu, drained (I used fat-free cottage cheese - maybe 8 oz)
• 1 c soy milk (I left this out)
• 1/2 c chopped pecans, toasted (I left this out)
• 1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c minced fresh italian parsley

Preheat oven to 375°. Cook noodles and tumeric until al dente. Drain and spread flat on work surface to prevent them from sticking. (I made the noodles the night before and lightly sprayed them with some cooking spray before placing them flat in the pan I was going to use. I knew I wouldn't have time to put it all together for dinner after working the next day and have it ready for dinner, so I thought this would speed things up. It actually worked out pretty well. The noodles did not stick together)

Heat olive oil in pan over med heat. Add onion, squash, and garlic. Cover and cook until softened. Add mushrooms, thyme and salt and pepper and cook until soft. Set aside.

Combine tofu and milk in a food processor and process until smooth. (I just used the cottage cheese and didn't process it or anything)

Spread a thin layer of tofu mixture on bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan. Add layer of noodles, 1/2 the squash mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 pecans. Repeat tofu, noodles, squash. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and cheese.

My layers were: cottage cheese, noodles, squash, motz cheese, noodles, italian sausage, motz cheese, noodles, cottage cheese, rest of squash, noodles and more motz cheese.)

Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Serves 8 (mine made about 4 extra large servings)