This dish is one of the easiest ways to sneak in veggies and healthy fats for your kids. I like to call this Green Lasagna the Dr. Seuss of lasagnas!
I find the best way to get my son to try new things is to turn the meal into a story.
“This lasagna has magic green sauce that will make you grow taller when you sleep! You might even get superpower muscles!!”
Last night we had a stir fry with carrots which isn’t his favorite but now that he knows carrots give you laser eyes he gobbles it up! The cutest part is that he tells me that he can see-through EVERYTHING!
It’s all about marketing! And if it tastes good on top of the superpowers it’s hard for the kids to not eat it.
This lasagna not only has a healthy dose of spinach but also heart-healthy monounsaturated fat in the “ricotta” from cashews.
HOW TO MAKE CASHEW RICOTTA
This dairy-free ricotta is so luscious and flavorful I definitely prefer it over traditional ricotta. Don’t skimp on the pine nuts it adds a depth of flavor to the ricotta.
It’s super simple, just blend the following ingredients on high in your blender until you get a creamy sauce. I recommend adding the water to your blender first so that it’s easier to blend. If necessary add a bit more water to get a creamier consistency.
Here is what you will need to make cashew ricotta:
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup pinenuts
- 1/2 cup water, plus more if too chunky
- 1 tsp. sea salt plus
- pinch black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt to taste
WHAT TYPE OF NOODLES CAN I USE?
That’s a great question! Nowadays there are so many gluten-free options out there. I prefer to stick to two kinds, veggie noodles or paleo noodles. You can also use gluten-free lasagna sheets but those are often made with corn or rice which neither are paleo or AIP. To be fair I will cheat sometimes if I don’t have my two favorite options on hand. I say better to not overthink it and stress out and do what you can when you can!
If you’re looking to up your vegetable intake zucchini noodles are the way to go. They are super easy to make too. Just slice a zucchini into thin 1/4 inch slices and use them to layer the dish.
Another great option is Cappello lasagna noodles. They are made of almond flour and have 5 ingredients which is pretty awesome in my book!
Ingredients
Method
- In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes. Season with coconut sugar, basil oregano, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange noodles or zucchini slices lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread cashew ricotta on top of meat sauce. Repeat layers once. If desired sprinkle dairy-free parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.