Easy Vegan Moussaka Food

THE BEST VEGAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Start by soaking cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes. In the meantime, move on to the next steps.
• ROASTED GARLIC: Heat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Slice off the very top of the head of garlic and set on a piece of foil. Drizzle the top with oil and wrap to conceal. Then roast directly on a center oven rack for ~50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cloves are tender, fragrant, and light golden brown.
• EGGPLANT: Slice eggplant vertically, 1/4 inch thick. Then salt slices on both sides and add to a colander set over a mixing bowl or in the sink (to catch moisture). Let rest 30 minutes to draw out moisture and reduce bitterness. After 30 minutes, rinse and press between 2 clean towels to pat dry.
• Transfer to 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper and brush both sides with olive oil (either spray or use a pastry brush). Then bake at 400 degrees F (204 C) for 15-20 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
• BECHAMEL: Drain your soaked cashews and add to a small blender along with roasted garlic (cool slightly then squeeze up from the bottom to the top to remove cloves), olive oil, nutritional yeast, salt, water, and nutmeg (optional). Blend on high until creamy and smooth.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt to taste or nutritional yeast for cheesiness. Set aside.
• LENTIL FILLING: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and onions and sauté until golden brown and slightly caramelized - ~5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Add garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat as needed if browning too quickly.
• Add lentils and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, oregano, and nutmeg (optional). Simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered (if splattering, lower heat and cover with lid but crack to allow steam to escape). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more oregano for herbal notes, nutmeg for nuttiness, or salt or pepper to taste.
• ASSEMBLY: To an 8x8 dish, add 1/3 of the eggplant slices (overlapping slightly if needed), then top with 1/2 of the lentil mixture and spread into an even layer. Then top with another 1/3 of the eggplant. Then add the remaining lentil mixture, and top with the remaining 1/3 of the eggplant. Pour over the bechamel and smooth into an even layer.
• Bake at 400F (204 C) for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and the top appears slightly dry and golden brown on the edges.
• Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

VEGAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil 3 baking sheets.
• Veg: Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices lengthwise. Places them into a colander and sprinkle with salt -- rub the salt around so that it reaches all sides on all pieces. Set the colander aside to sweat for about 15 minutes (takes away any bitterness).
• In the meantime slice the zucchini into similar 1/4 inch slices lengthwise. Peel the potatoes then slice the same way.
• Rinse the eggplant and pat dry.
• Place each vegetable onto it's own baking sheet. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of oil over all the veg, rubbing around so that all sides get covered. The eggplant will need a little more oil, and it does stick more easily. Sprinkle the zucchini and potato with salt. Spread out the veg, overlapping is OK and probably necessary to fit everything on. Roast all the veg until lightly browned around the edges - roughly 15 minutes for the eggplant and zucchini and 20 minutes for the potatoes.
• Tomato Sauce: Combine the remaning 1/4 cup oil and garlic in a large pan. Heat over medium heat and let the garlic sizzle for about a minute and then add in the shallots. Cook until transulcent, about 5 minutes. Add in the tin of crushed tomatoes (entire tin, no straining). Add the oregano, cinnamon and bay leaf. Leave that covered, to simmer for about 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightl and reduce. Turn off the heat and adjust salt to taste. Remove bay leaf.
• Topping: Using a food processor, blend the pine nuts and lemon juice into a paste. Add the tofu, garlic, arrowroot, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend until creamy and smooth.
• Putting it together: Lightly oil a casserole dish (ie 9 x 13). Reheat the oven to 400. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of eggplant, a layer of potatoes another 1/2 cup of sauce and half of the breadcrumbs.
• Assess how much eggplant and potato you have left. If you can do 2 more layers, then do another sequence of sauce/eggplant/potato/sauce. If you can only do 1 more layer then move on to the next zucchini step.
• Spread all of the zucchini over this, then top with another layer of eggplant/potato/sauce, and the rest of the breadcrumbs.
• Spread the pine nut topping on last, using a spatula to spread it out as best you can without disturbing the layers underneath.
• Bake for 40 minutes until the top is lightly browned and a few cracks have formed in the topping. Allow to set 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

EASY VEGAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Put the aubergine slices in a large bowl and drizzle in 2 tbsp of the oil, season and toss well. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat and cook the aubergine slices, in batches, for 1 min on each side until charred and softening, then set aside on a plate. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and tip in the onion with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 15 mins until softened, then add the garlic, oregano, cinnamon and cumin, and fry for a minute. Add the tomato purée and cook for another minute. Tip in the tomatoes and green lentils along with half a can of water, season and simmer for 15 mins until thickened.
• Fill a large saucepan with lightly salted boiling water and cook the potato slices for 7 mins. Drain well. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a 25 x 30cm baking dish, start by adding a third of the tomato sauce, topped with a third of the aubergine slices and a third of the potato slices. Repeat twice more.
• For the white sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, then tip in the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute. Gradually add the Elmlea Plant Double, a little at a time, whisking well between each addition. Season well and grate in some nutmeg to taste. Continue whisking until the mixture has come to a simmer and has thickened slightly, then pour straight over the moussaka. Bake for 30 mins until bubbling, then grill for 5 mins to brown the top.

VEGAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Pour 800ml boiling water over the dried porcini and leave for 10 mins until hydrated. Meanwhile, pour 1½ tbsp oil into a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring for 10 mins until soft. Remove the porcini from the liquid, keeping the mushroomy stock and roughly chop. Set both aside.
• Add the garlic and thyme to the pan. Cook for 1 min, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute more. Pour in the red wine, if using, cook until nearly reduced, then add the lentils, reserved mushroom stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer with the lid on.
• Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan. Add 1½ tbsp oil and tip all of the mushrooms into the pan, including the rehydrated ones. Fry until all the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are deep golden brown. Pour in the soy sauce. Give everything a good mix, then scrape the mushrooms into the lentil saucepan.
• Stir in the Marmite, then continue to cook the ragu, stirring occasionally, over a low-medium heat for 30-45 mins until the lentils are cooked and the sauce is thick and reduced, adding extra water if necessary. Remove the thyme sprigs and season to taste.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the potatoes into a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil, then cook until mashable.
• Meanwhile, mix the remaining 5 tbsp oil with the oregano, then brush the aubergine slices with most of it and sprinkle with sea salt. Griddle for 3 mins on each side until soft.
• Drain and mash the potatoes with the soya milk. Season to taste.
• Spoon the ragu into a large lasagne dish (or two smaller ovenproof dishes), layer in ½ the aubergine, followed by the mash. Brush the remaining oregano oil across the mash, then finish by topping with the remaining aubergine slices. Bake in the oven for 25-35 mins until golden and bubbling.

VEGAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
• 2. Slice your eggplant, potatoes, squash and zucchini*.
• 3. Sprinkle your eggplant with salt and layer and let drain in a colander for twenty-five minutes.
• 4. Spray cooking spray or use oil or Earth Balance on the cooking sheets before spreading eggplant, potatoes, zucchini and squash.
• 5. Bake for about 30 minutes; turn once.
• *don't bake the zucchini if you don't enjoy it super soft.
• 6. Chop onions; saute & add garlic when onions are just about done.
• 7. Add vinegar; reduce.
• 8. Add tomatoes w juice.
• 9. Add 1/2 can of lentils with about 1/2 the juice (or drain and use 1/2 can of water to reduce the sodium content).
• 10. Add Oregano, parsley and cinnamon; simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Bechamel: (this takes practice -- ).
• 11. Melt Earth Balance; stir in flour on medium heat.
• 12. Keep stirring and add milk slowly; stir out the lumps.
• 13. Set aside, and put on a lid (you don't want the sauce to thicken to much).
• 14. Stir in ground flaxseed (Optional).
• "Betta Feta Tofu".
• * (instead of making this, I just crumble tofu in a bowl; add the vinegar, and miso, and stir).
• 15. Cut tofu into 1" cubes.
• 16. Simmer in boiling water for about 5 minutes; drain.
• 17. Whisk water, miso, vinegar and salt; combine with tofu in a container; stir and refrigerate.
• (Crumble tofu cubes and use in place of feta -- use within 2 weeks).
• Assembly time!
• 14. Layer the potatoes in a casserole dish (suggested size: 9x13).
• 15. Followed by eggplant, squash and zucchini.
• 16. Add other vegetables if you used them.
• 17. Pour most or all of the tomato/onion sauce over top with crumbled feta.
• 18. Repeat the layers and sauce if there is any left.
• 19. Pour the bechamel (may need to be reheated); sprinkle with vegan cheese if you so desire; (looks very nice with the minced red pepper & tofu crumble).
• 20. Cover* & bake at 350° for an hour (remove cover for the last 15 minutes).
• * I am always too impatient to let the eggplants drain for 30 minutes beforehand, so I don't use a cover.
• Serve & Enjoy:).
• 421 cal (15g fat, 55g carbs, 20g protein).