Eggplant, Mushroom, and Lentil Lasagna

This recipe is a modified version of a lentil eggplant lasagna by Minimalist Baker. All credit should go to her for the creativity in making a sauce that tastes so incredibly cheesy and a cheese that tastes nothing like tofu (yes, all completely vegan).

Ingredients:

12 lasagna noodles boiled and drained
3 medium white or purple eggplants
5 white mushrooms, diced into small pieces
10 white mushrooms sliced
8 medium tomatoes, diced into large pieces
1/2 onion, diced into small pieces
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon oregano
1 can of tomato paste
Salt
Chopped green chile peppers if desired
1 and 1/2 cups water (or, more if needed)
1 and 1/2 cups rinsed and drained lentils
1 12 ounce block of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon black pepper

Instructions:

Note: please consider the techniques discussed by Minimalist Baker in the link above if you are unsure about one of the steps below. She has provided expert advise on technique!

1. Thinly slice eggplants and soak in water for 10 minutes. Drain eggplant slices and place on a paper towel for another 10 minutes.

2. Salt the eggplant slices lightly and place on a foiled and greased baking sheet.

3. Bake eggplant slices at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

4. While eggplants are baking, place diced mushrooms (not sliced), tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, thyme, oregano, lentils, and 1 and 1/2 cups of water into a saucepan. Boil and stir (occasionally) until you have a thick sauce and the lentils are fully cooked (adding additional water as needed). Add salt and other spices to taste as desired. The final sauce should taste like a cheesy and texture-filled marinara sauce.

5. In a blender or food processor, add tofu, nutritional yeast, cilantro, thyme, black pepper, and green chile peppers (as much as desired). Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Blend until you have a pureed mixture with cilantro still somewhat intact.

6. In a baking dish, place a layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom. Layer with sauce. Layer with eggplant slices, Layer with tofu filling. Layer with sliced mushrooms. Layer with sauce. Repeat until all your eggplant, mushrooms, tofu filling, and noodles are used. Make sure to have enough sauce to drench the entire top of the lasagna.

7. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Then, remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle top with nutritional yeast (if desired). Cut into pieces with a serrated knife. And, enjoy!

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