Fresh, Easy, Lasagna - Can Be Vegan W/ Alterations

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 (15 ounce) ricotta cheese (i use soy riccota or firm tofu)
• 2 tablespoons milk (or soy)
• 1 cup fresh basil (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon butter (vegans use, earth balance)
• 1 lb whole wheat lasagna noodles (cooked)
• 1 lb ground beef (very finely ground, a must!)
• 1 medium onion ( or yellow, diced)
• 1 zucchini (halved & sliced thinly)
• 3 celery ribs (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup mushroom (sliced)
• 1/2 cup peas (i use frozen)
• 23 1/2 ounces pasta sauce (avarage jar)
• 1/2 cup water (or any stock)
• 1 cup fresh spinach (sliced)
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (vegans use soy!)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (or soy parm.)

Recipe

• 1 first start cooking your beef making sure to cook into tiny peices so flavors all blend really well!
• 2 while your beef is cookin', combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl and mix well, then start a pot of water to boil for noodles & cook them! preheat oven to 375f.
• 3 drain your meat of the oil then throw in onion and cook until translucent. salt and pepper the oinon & add zucchini, shrooms, spinach, & celery, cook 3-4 minute, then add peas, pasta sauce, water (or stock) and cook for another 5-10 minute (vegans: i throw my "meat" in after i add the pasta sauce, and cook about 5 min).
• 4 place 4-5 cooked noodles to bottom of a greased 13x9x3 inch casserole dish, smear half of the riccota (or tofu) mix over noodles, then spoon 1/3 of the meat mix over riccota. place 4-5 more noodles over that then the rest of riccota over the noodles, and 1/2 of what's left of the meat mix over that. one more layer of noodles (what ever is left) and the last of the meat mix. sprinkle half the parmesan, then all of the motzerella and the rest of the parmesan on top of that.i sprinkle mine with a little dry basil for color - but its optional!
• 5 cover with foil bake for 35 minutes, uncover after that, and broil for 2-3 min to get a little brown and bubbly on top! yumm!