Very humbling to cook at the DeGustibus Cooking School Wednesday Night! So many television personailities and skilled chefs have been on the stage before so it was pretty surreal to have that opportunity!
I had a great time and definitely learned a thing or two about stage presence! I learned things I never would have taken into account without getting up there and just giving it a shot!
Goes to show you that every experience can teach you something, in some way.
So I hope I can continue to get better and connect with you outside of an office in more interactive ways like this.
Oh and this was a vegan lasagna. It was awesome. You can watch it below here, and find the full recipe as well!
Vegan Lasagna
Cook and Prep Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4-6 people (1 tray)
You Need
- Mushroom, Walnut, and Lentil Bolognese (see below)
- Cashew Béchamel Sauce (see below)
- 10 Lasagna Sheets OR 3 Eggplants, cut lengthwise
For the Kale Ricotta
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 2 cups Kale, chopped
- 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu
- 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp. Oat Milk (or other plant-based milk)
- 1 tsp. Olive Oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Rinse and chop the produce accordingly. Preheat your oven to 375˚F. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
- Begin to prepare the sauce (see below).
- Make the Kale Ricotta. Set a pan to medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tsp. olive oil. Once hot, add the onion, and sauté until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and kale. Cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Process until smooth, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Make the Cashew Béchamel (see below).
- In a deep casserole dish, layer all the all the fillings and lasagna sheets as desired. Bake for 30 minutes and serve. Garnish with parsley and basil. Enjoy!
Mushroom, Walnut, and Lentil Bolognese
Cook and Prep Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
You Need:
- 1 ½ lb. Mushrooms, diced
- ¾ cup Walnuts, chopped
- 1 ½ cup French Lentils, cooked
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 head Garlic, minced
- 3 Carrots, diced
- 2 stalks Celery, diced
- 1 large can (29 oz.) Crushed or Pureed Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup Dry Red Wine
- 1 tbsp. Tamari
- 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
DIRECTIONS
- Rinse and chop the produce accordingly.
- Make the sauce. Set a large pot to medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and onion, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Cook until onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add celery and carrots. Stir frequently and cook for 3-4 minutes more, until slightly softened.
- Increase heat to medium-high, and add mushrooms, cooking until they have reduced, 3-4 minutes. Add 1 tsp. salt, tamari, and red wine, cooking until alcohol has burned off, another 3-4 minutes.
- Add walnuts, lentils, tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine, and bring sauce to a boil. Then, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow sauce to cook for at least 5-10 minutes before serving, stirring occasionally. For a richer sauce, you can allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 hours, adding water if needed. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil leaves. Enjoy!
Vegan Cashew Béchamel Sauce
Cook and Prep Time: 10 minutes
You Need:
- 1 cup Cashews, raw
- 1 tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tbsp. Granulated Garlic
- 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
- 5 tbsp. Water (this can be adjusted for desired thickness)
DIRECTIONS
- Clean and prepare all the ingredients.
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth.
- Serve over or with your desired food. Enjoy!