Black Bean Lasagna

BLACK BEAN LASAGNA!

I recently have been trying to eat a lot more plant based foods for my everyday eating for cholesterol concerns.  I was craving lasagna and thought about how I could take lasagna and make it beefy without the beef!  This dish is my new favorite lasagna recipe and I cannot wait to share it with you!  I wondered for a moment what my Italian Grandmother Angie would have thought of this, and I came to the thinking that she might really have liked it because she grew up making pasta fagioli,,,,,,,which is pasta and bean soup....beans are a very inexpensive protein and fiber rich food!  So, I think she would approve!  You can use any bean you like too!  I just had black beans in my pantry!  By the way,,,this is very easy and quick!   ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1 box of no bake lasagna sheets

2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce or my 3rd generation red sauce recipe ( I used my favorite jar sauce, Mario Batalli's Tomato Basil sauce)

1 onion chopped

1 stalk of celery chopped

2 carrots chopped fine

1 medium green pepper chopped

3 teaspoons minced garlic

2 T. olive oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1T. oregano

red pepper crushed to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 c. 

1 container firm tofu and 1 15oz. container of ricotta cheese ( if you are opposed to tofu,,use another container of ricotta cheese, but, the tofu is completely undetectable and enriches this dish with a high protein ingredient that is good for you.)

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans of black beans or cannelini beans,,or beans of your choice!

Directions: SAUCE:    In medium saute pan add olive oil, onions, celery, carrots and green pepper, salt and pepper to taste and saute until tender.  Add in garlic and oregano, basil and red pepper. Stir well and then add in your 2 jars of sauce.  Mix together and cook on medium high heat to bring together all the flavors for 4 to 5 minutes.  Add in drained and rinsed black beans and combine. set aside.

Directions:  CHEESE MIXTURE:  In Cuisinart add firm tofu and salt and pepper, mix together and add to a mixing bowl along with the ricotta cheese , 2 eggs, 1/2 c. parmesan cheese and the cheddar and mozzarella cheese as well.  Salt and pepper the mixture and mix well to combine all ingredients. set aside.

Directions:  ASSEMBLY:  In 13x9 baking pan, spray with non stick spray.  Lay out the pasta sheets on the bottom, top with sauce mixture, sprinkle parmesan cheese on sauce lightly, and add dollops of the cheese and tofu mixture all across the whole pan, about 12 large dollops per layer.  Top with noodles and repeat until done.  Last layer should have sauce and cheese dollops to lock in the moisture.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until done throughout and bubbly!  Let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes to set before serving.  ENJOY!