Here’s a delicious and healthy vegan adaptation of a traditional favorite!

Ingredients:

1 tsp water
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 head broccoli
2 zucchinis
3 carrots
1 butternut (small)
Pinch salt and pepper
3 cups fresh spinach, shredded
1/4 cup water
2 blocks firm tofu, drained
1 large can tomato paste
750ml pasta sauce
1 box lasagne sheets (egg-free)

Method:

Lightly grease a large rectangular (10 x 13 x 4 inches or so) glass baking dish with a small amount of olive oil. Spread  1/3 can of tomato paste onto base of dish. Preheat oven to 350 deg F or 180 deg C.

Fill base with one layer of lasagne noodles.

Lightly fry garlic in water in a large pan. Add herbs.

Thinly slice broccoli, zucchinis and carrots. Peel, de-seed and cut butternut into small cubes.

Add vegetables, salt and pepper to garlic and herbs. Cook until vegetables are soft. Add pasta sauce and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.

While vegetables are cooking, blend spinach with water. Add tofu and blend gently to create a chunky paste resembling ricotta cheese.

Pour half of spinach/tofu mixture onto first layer of noodles. Top with half of vegetable/pasta sauce mixture.

Add another layer of noodles and repeat the layering once more. Finish with a layer of noodles and top with the remainder of the tomato paste.

Cover dish with foil and place in pre-heated oven and cook for 1 hour. If the noodles are cooked after 1 hour, remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. If the noodles are not tender after an hour, leave in for another 20 minutes and check again. Remove when ready and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy (for dinner, and lunch the next day!) with a crisp salad and a glass of red vegan vino!

** This recipe can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free lasagne sheets available at health food stores or well-stocked local supermarkets **

Looking for a delicious, moist chocolately banana bread that’s cruelty free and filled with goodness? Look no further!

Ingredients:

6 ripe bananas
¼ cup oil (I use coconut oil – melt in microwave for a few seconds if solid)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup agave syrup
8 chopped dates
3 cups flour (I typically use a combination of non-wheat flours such as buckwheat or spelt plus 1 tsp xanthum gum for a gluten-free loaf – but you can use regular white baking flour too, in which case you can omit the xanthum gum)
2/3 cup oat bran or wheat germ (use oat bran if you want the loaf to be gluten-free)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips (or more if you’d like the loaf to be more chocolatey!)

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 deg F. Grease large size loaf pan with small amount of coconut or other oil.

Mash bananas until very mushy. Add oil, lemon juice, agave syrup and dates, and stir together. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, stir together flour, xanthum gum (if using), oat bran or wheat germ, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and mix gently with a wooden spoon until just mixed (i.e. the dry ingredients are folded into the wet ingredients – don’t over mix or mix too vigorously). Add the chocolate chips and gently fold in.

Spoon into the loaf pan and spread out to ensure even distribution.

Bake for 50 – 55 minutes (test at 50 minutes – if knife comes out clean, you’re good to go!). I move my oven rack up to ensure that the bottom of the loaf doesn’t burn while the rest of the loaf is baking – it’s quite a dense dough, so I find this ensures even baking.

Let stand on cooling rack in pan for about 20 minutes. Gently pry loaf away from pan edges, give it a little shake to loosen and turn over onto cooling rack. If it’s sticking, leave it a few more minutes so that the top of the loaf doesn’t come apart from the bottom! Enjoy while warm!

Adapted from “How It All Vegan” by Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard

Great post-race or long run fuel too!