Catering for Paleo and Vegan friends alike – Check out this Paleo Pumpkin Lasagne made with my famous Cauliflower Cheese Sauce!

A wonderful winter-warmer

Recipe Type: GF, DF, RSF, V, Paleo

Serves 1 x 20cm square lasagne.
Time 1 hour

Ingredients:

• About 1/2 a pumpkin (use your favourite type ), sliced into thin slices to use as  lasagne sheets.
• 2-3 medium-large zucchinis, sliced into slices lengthways, to use as lasagne sheets.
• 1 batch of Cauliflower Cheese Sauce
• Chopped pecans to top the lasagne (or a handful of cheddar/parmesan if tolerated)

Vegan “meat” base:

• 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can organic crushed tomatoes
• 1-2 C button mushrooms, chopped
• dash balsamic vinegar
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 t each of dried oregano, basil and thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Paleo meat base:

• 500g mince of choice (I like pork, but chicken/turkey/beef/whatever works too)
• 2 cans of crushed organic tomatoes
• dash balsamic vinegar
• dash red wine
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 t each of dried oregano, basil and thyme

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180degC.
2. Place pumpkin on a lined baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins, you don’t want it to be fully cooked through.
3. In a 20cm square tin or casserole dish, line the base with pumpkin slices so that there is no gap between the slices.
4. Spread 1/2 meat mixture of choice (see below for methods) on top of the pumpkin, followed by 1/3 of the cauliflower cheese sauce.
5. Now, this layer, place the zucchini slices across baking tin/dish with no gaps. Followed by the other half of your meat mixture and another 1/3 of the cauliflower cheese sauce.
6. Top the next layer with the remaining pumpkin and zucchini slices, the final 1/3 cauliflower cheese mixture and chopped pecans or grated parmesan/cheddar.
7. Bake for 20-25mins, remove, slice and serve!

Method for Vegan “meat” mix:

1. Blend 1 can of kidney beans, the tin of tomatoes and balsamic together until smooth.
2. In a pan, sautee the onion with some EVOO until translucent, add garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 3 mins.
3. Add the blended mixture, the other can of beans and herbs.
4. Cook for 5-10 mins until cooked through and reduced slightly, season with salt/pepper/extra herbs.

Method for Paleo meat mix:

1. In a pan, sautee the onion with some EVOO until translucent, add garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add the mince and cook until browned.
3. Add tinned tomatoes, balsamic, red wine and herbs.
4. Cook for 10-15 mins until cooked through and reduced slightly, season with salt/pepper/extra herbs.