Slow Cooker Pumpkin Tofu Ricotta, White Bean and Spinach Lasagna :)

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Tofu Ricotta, White Bean and Spinach Lasagna and Pecan Pesto

This is the second dish in my series of beta-carotene rich, orange, autumn veggies (butternut squash, pumpkin, and sweet potato).

One of the most unbelievably wonderful things about living in Southern Oregon is the abundance we have of wild mushrooms.  One of the other most unbelievably wonderful things about living here is how generous people are with their fruits of forest foraging.  Here are some fresh picked Chanterelles so kindly given to us by Mike's coworker Sophia that she gathered while mushroom hunting a few weekends ago.  

 This is what they look like in the wild. 

They are a ridiculously secretive source of significant Vitamin D, 28% of the RDA of this bone strengthening, mood-boosting Vitamin in one cup, and only 21 calories!

For Halloween I was considering dressing up like this dude, since I am constantly made fun of for being the "Vitamin D Nazi" at work, I prefer Vitamin D superhero.....um, yeah.

So, this meal, is a complete meal with all the essential, healthy versions of macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) and is chockablock of pretty much every other category of good-for-you deliciousness like Vitamin A, lycopene, lutein, folic-acid, B-12, calcium, dietary fiber.....  and it lasts (even in my household of only two humans, but one of those humans eats enough for three or four people....) for several days for leftover lunches and dinner. 

So, make a big ol' lasagna Sunday night and you're set until at least Tuesday at lunch.  Or if you have a family of 4 or more you should still have enough for leftovers for lunch on Monday!

This recipe is Gluten Free since I use GF lasagna noodles.  You can use regular lasagna noodles if you don't mind wheat.  Also, if you want to make it Vegan, all you have to do is 3 cups of Tofu instead of 2 cups of Tofu and one cup of Ricotta and use vegan-parmesan to sprinkle on top at the end.

Ingredients:

For the Pumpkin-Tofu-Ricotta

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

6 Sun Dried Tomatoes (packed in oil, not dried/dehydrated)

2 cups (about 16 oz) of tofu (doesn't matter if its silken, soft or firm)

1 cups of low-fat Ricotta 

1 can (15 oz) of cooked, pureed pumpkin or 1 1/2 cups of cooked, pureed fresh (or butternut squash!)

1/4 cup of Nutritional Yeast

2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning (if you have some fresh herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary chop some of it up and throw those in, too!)

1 tsp onion powder

4 cloves garlic

Dash or two of Red Pepper Flakes (crushed red pepper flakes)

salt and pepper to taste

For the lasagna:

2 (24 oz) jars of homemade or store-bought marinara

One package of brown rice or whole-wheat lasagna noodles (regular, NOT no-boil kind)

26 oz can of Cannellini (White Kidney) beans, rinsed and drained or 2 cups of homecooked, dried white beans

approx 8 ounces of fresh mushrooms of your choice (Chanterelles worked beautifully here, but Cremini and White Button would work well, too), chopped

one bunch of Spinach, Chard, or Kale rinsed and chopped

toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds

Topping:

Homemade pesto (recipe below)

Directions:

1. In a food processor, blend the olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes until the consistency of paste. Add the rest of the pumpkin-tofu-ricotta ingredients and blend until creamy. 

You can store this mixture in a tupperware dish in the fridge overnight to save prep time for the next day.

2. Spray the slow-cooker insert with olive or canola oil.

3. Spread a thin layer, about 1/2 cup, of marinara over the bottom of the slow cooker.  

4. Place a single layer of noodles over the sauce (you may have to break off the square corners to make them fit well in a round or oval crock-pot).

5. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. 

6. Spread another layer of marinara over the ricotta

7. Scatter one-third of the white beans, one-half of the mushrooms, and one-half of the greens on top.

8. Repeat the layers two more times, except for the last layer you will only have beans (you used all the mushrooms and greens in the first two layers), ending with a last layer of noodles topped with the last of the marinara.

9. If desired, sprinkle a light-layer of grated parmesan on top.

10.  Cook on low in the slow cooker for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.  If you can't be back in 4 hours, add 1/2 cup of marinara sauce or water to the container and leave it on for one more hour. Sprinkly toasted pine-nuts or sliced almonds before serving.

Alternatively: this casserole can be assembled in regular 9x14 pyrex dish, covered in foil, and cooked in a 325 degree F pre-heated oven for 60-75 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden but not burnt.

Served here with a mixed green and roasted beet salad with pine nuts and dijon white-wine vinaigrette

 If you would like to make this dish even more divine, and green, top the final cooked dish with a dollop of homemade pecan-pesto:

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of rinsed, torn basil (about 2 cups, packed)
4-6 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of shredded parmesan reggiano
squeeze of lemon juice
1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
few grinds of sea salt

Directions:
put all ingredients in food processor, process until desired consistency on the spectrum from chunky to smooth and creamy!

A girl who loves to cook can never have too many of these! (wait, does she mean headlamps or aprons.....? in the winter, both!)

One of my favorite running trails here above Lithia Park