Vegan Lasagna

This pH-balanced version of an Italian classic is loaded with nutritious vegetables that build your bones.

6 Servings
 
Ingredients​:

• 6 cooked gluten-free lasagna noodles, cut in half (gluten-free or whole-grain pasta works fine)
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• ​¾ cup zucchini, sliced
• ½ cup carrot, shredded thick
• ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup onion, thinly sliced
• ​Tomato sauce (you can make your own with this recipe)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ​1 ½ cups vegan ricotta cheese (see recipe below to make your own)
• ¾ cup vegan mozzarella cheese (see recipe below to make your own)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan, sauté the mushrooms, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, and onion over medium-high heat. After about 5 minutes, stir in the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking pan. Spread half a cup of the vegetable-tomato mixture in the bottom of the pan, and top with 4 lasagna noodle halves. Spread half of the ricotta “cheese” over the noodles, and pour on a cup of the tomato mixture. Add 4 more lasagna noodles and repeat the layers, ending with a topping of the tomato mixture. Sprinkle vegan mozzarella cheese on top and bake, covered, for half an hour.
4. Remove cover and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Allow the lasagna to cool for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Vegan Ricotta

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 3 hours (water should be about an inch above the cashews to allow the nuts to swell)
• ½ cup distilled water
• Juice of 1 lemon, or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Blend at high speed until creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Adjust seasonings to taste as you go.
2. If you like your ricotta thick, chill it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of hours. This ricotta can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

• ¼ cup raw cashews, soaked in water as in the recipe for vegan ricotta
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Drain cashews and place in a blender or food processor with all the other ingredients. Blend at high speed until completely smooth.
2. Pour the blended cashew mixture into a small saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat. The mixture will curdle after about 2 minutes. At that point, reduce the heat down to medium and continue to stir.
3. After about 2 more minutes, the mixture should thicken considerably. When it takes on the gooey, stretchy consistency of melted cow’s milk mozzarella, take it off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then dollop ¾ cup on top of the lasagna.

Fettuccine Falsefredo

This creamy dish tastes as good as the classic version, but with delicious vegan cheeses. To make this a pH-balanced dish, use spelt pasta or serve with cooked vegetables or salad (or both!) on the side.

Makes 3​ Servings​

Ingredients:

• 9 oz uncooked gluten-free​ ​fettuccine
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
• 4 to 6 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (adjust ​to taste​)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado
• ​Vegan mozzarella cheese, to taste​
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
• ​Black pepper to taste​

Directions:

1. Cook the fettuccine noodles according to the package directions. While they cook, blend garlic and basil in a blender or food processor until minced. Blend in the lemon juice, olive oil, avocado, and 1 tablespoon water and blend until smooth. Add water if necessary to achieve the thickness you prefer. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place drained, cooked fettuccine back in the cooking pot, and add avocado sauce. Stir until well combined; top with dollops of vegan mozzarella cheese. Serve immediately.
3. Note: if you need to make the sauce ahead of time, it will keep up to one day in an airtight container in the refrigerator. But beware that some browning of the avocado may occur.

No-Bake No-Cheese Cheesecake

Serve this scrumptious, dairy-free cheesecake with fresh fruit to make a delicious and satisfying pH-balanced dessert.

Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients for Crust:

• 1 cup pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained)
• 1 cup almonds

Ingredients for Filling:

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons almond milk (or your favorite milk substitute)
• 1/3 cup honey or stevia to taste
• ¼ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions for Crust:

1. Process dates in a blender or food processor until the dates are minced and the mixture forms a ball. Remove the blended dates and set them aside, then place almonds in the blender. Process until nuts are a cornmeal-like consistency. Then add the dates, processing until the mixture is dough-like. It should be cohesive when you squeeze it between your fingers. If it falls apart and seems too dry, add a few more dates and process.
2. Lightly oil a muffin tin or use muffin papers. Place about 1 tablespoon of crust mixture into each muffin cup and press it down firmly with a spoon. You can also use the bottom of a small cup or glass. Place in freezer to allow the crust to get firm.

Directions for Filling:

1. Blend all filling ingredients in a blender until very smooth. If needed, add a few more drops of lemon juice or almond milk to get a smoother consistency.
2. Remove the muffin tin from the freezer and divide the filling mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Cover and freeze for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.
3. You can eat these frozen, or if you prefer, soften them up before serving by letting them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Either way, they are delicious topped with your favorite alkalizing fruit.
4. If you have leftover cheesecakes, keep them in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.