Light Lasagna With Swiss Chard and Mushrooms

This recipe is one of my go to recipes for entertaining. I vary how I make it. This is the cross-over version, and my favorite. All dairy or all vegan cheese variations are easy to do. This uses raw lasagna noodles and may give you some extra ricotta mix or noodles. If there are left over fixings I make little lasagna rolls or a second mini version that is vegan or meaty depending on the crowd.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Ricotta layer

• 16  ounces part-skim ricotta cheese or 16  ounces firm tofu
• 12  ounces firm tofu or 12  ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1  teaspoon fresh oregano, sliced
• 1  tablespoon fresh basil, sliced
• 2  eggs (optional)

• Sauce

• 25  ounces  spaghetti sauce
• 13  ounces water, using sauce jar
• 12  ounces  textured vegetable protein or 12  ounces  veggie crumbles
• 4  garlic cloves, crushed and diced
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 large onion, diced
• 1  lb  mixed mushrooms, sliced
• 1  lb swiss chard, sliced small
• 16  ounces  sheets pasta, regular uncooked lasagna sheets

• Topping

• 8  ounces tofu or 8  ounces vegan mozzarella cheese or 8  ounces vegan mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 8  ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 4  ounces parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1  teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1  teaspoon ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes, add mushrooms and brown for 5 minutes more. Add remaining sauce ingredients, except water and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Mix ricotta ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spoon some sauce into bottom of lasagna pan layer noodles, sauce and ricotta, finishing with sauce on top. Add water on top. Top with cheeses.
4. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until top is browned and noodles are cooked. There is enough liquid to cook the noodles. Wrap in foil. Place baking sheet under pan to catch drippings. Remove foil and cook 15 minutes at 400F until top is browned. The noodles should come out fully cooked, but a bit al dente.