Gluten-free Lasagna, without the pasta but lots of taste!
Talking about alternatives this week brings me to this recipe. For the longest time, I stopped making it as I didn’t want to replace actual pasta for gluten-free pasta. I have also cut many carbs from my diet since I became gluten-free. Gluten-free pasta has become a treat that I will eat a few times a year.
A while back, I ordered DR. Mark Hyman’s cookbook called “What the heck should I eat,” in this book, he makes a lasagna using zucchini noodles. That’s when I had one of these aha moments. Of course! I can use zucchini as lasagna noodles, not just as a pasta substitute. I just needed to cut them a different way, duh. How come I couldn’t think of this sooner? Oh well, better late than never right, lol I guess this just shows how stuck we can be in our own patterns and mindsets.
Of course, I made it my own creation, not really following his recipe, and I used cheese in this as well, so for those who are sensitive to dairy, you can use your favorite cheese alternative, or you can use nut milk cheeses as well. I have not cooked with these cheeses, so I am not exactly sure how they would do in lasagna. Dr. Mark Hyman used goat’s milk cheddar in his recipe. As you can see, there are options.
I don’t eat cheese often even though I absolutely love it, as I eat way too much because it’s like candy to me. Once I start, I can’t stop eating it. I love all kinds of cheese so much that I can eat it just by itself. When that happens, my gut gets a bit pissed at me, so I get bloated and gassy, and I don’t like that. If I keep it to a limit, I can enjoy it a little bit at a time. Putting cheese into lasagna was definitely a big treat for me, especially since this meal will last us, for up to three meals.
Enough with all the talking, so here is the recipe. If you know how I cook, you won’t be surprised that I made the sauce from scratch. As with everything else I cook, I don’t particularly appreciate using jarred, packaged foods, but if you have a favorite no sugar added organic sauce, go ahead and use it.
Also, note that all my ingredients are always organic, local, and non-GMO (this is super important for my gut health)
Let’s start with our sauce, for this yummy gluten-free lasagna:
You will need:
3 pounds of ground chicken (free-range, humanely raised), you can also use a mixture of chicken and pork or turkey and pork. I like to use a ratio of 2:1.
1 large onion
1 very large carrot or 2 medium-sized carrots
4 stalks of celery
6 cloves of garlic (freshly minced)
Dice all vegetables
In a large pot, heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Add all vegetables and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add the meat and keep sautéing until the meat is cooked thoroughly.
Add:
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
Cardamone
Keep sautéing
Add:
2-32 oz. crushed or diced tomatoes
Mix very well
Now let simmer for 3-4 hours
The sauce should not be too thin, so don’t add any water to the mixture.
Once the sauce is done cooking, I like to let it sit for another couple of hours so all the flavors can really soak through.
Once you are ready to prepare the lasagna, you will need:
4-6 Zucchinis sliced lengthwise into thin flat noodles.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 8 oz. bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
16 oz. of fresh mozzarella cheese sliced and diced
½ to 1 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
6 cups of spinach (baby spinach)
Once you are ready to assemble the lasagna, spread the olive oil over the bottom of your pan ( I use stone baking dishes so that cooking times may vary)
Start layering with:
- Zucchini noodles
- Sauce
- Cheese
- Spinach
Repeat until your dish is full, about a ¼ inch from the top.
Bake at 375F for 40-50 minutes.
Take lasagna from the oven once light brown on top and the sauce is bubbling.
Let sit for about 15-20 min so it can settle. I ate it while still very fresh, and things just kept falling apart, but it still tasted delicious. The next day it always seems to keep its shape a bit better as well.
Enjoy this scrumptious meal. I made a chopped salad with it this time around. Made from cauliflower, carrots, peppers, green apple, and arugula with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time!
Xx Andi 🙂
