Armenian Vegan’s Lasagna with Eggplant, Mushrooms and Tofu

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This mouthwatering vegan lasagna recipe was created by Dikranouhi “Dee” Kirazian, author of the essential Armenian Vegan cookbook published in 2013. “It’s made with eggplant, mushrooms, garlic, and tofu that is so good your guests may ask for it again and again,” says Dee. “This savory recipe from my cookbook is the ideal meal for every potluck, dinner, and family feast. It can be especially handy around holiday meals when you’re deciding what to serve to family members or relatives who will not eat turkey, steak, or whatever meat dish on your menu. It is meatless, dairy-free, and packed with spices and flavors that are sure to please even serious meat-lovers. After this lasagna, your guests will want to make it, too,” she adds.

Armenian Vegan was a six-year long research project for Dee and her husband, George Kirazian, who is also an accomplished author and editor. She tested and prepared more than 200 vegan recipes in her own home, taking photos, and documenting each step and ingredient along the way. “I’ve included many old and new Armenian vegan recipes, family memories and anecdotes,” she says. “My cookbook is a labor of love and a legacy for my children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and for future generations, so they will remember their heritage and their diverse Armenian culinary history.”

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Dee came to the United States in 1959, where she initially taught Armenian language classes at Holy Cross Armenian Church in Union City, New Jersey. She and her husband George now live in San Diego, California where they raised their three daughters. (Dee and Arshagouhi Tavitian are sisters of Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, former Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Western Diocese.)

“Another time-saving tip is to make the sauce the night before, allowing the spices and flavors to marinate the mushrooms, eggplant and tofu,” adds Dee. “You can keep this lasagna in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. Warm up slices in the microwave or reheat the entire lasagna (covered with foil) until bubbly.”

Ingredients:

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

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1 16-oz. package vegetarian lasagna pasta*

1 1/2 – 2 large eggplants

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

4-5 cloves garlic

2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce

3 cups fresh chopped mushrooms

Topics: Vegan

2 cups firm or super firm tofu, crumbled

1 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

Salt, pepper or crushed red pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Prepare stuffing/sauce: Wash and chop all vegetables. Sauté onions in olive oil until soft; then add the garlic and eggplant, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms, and toss for a few minutes.

When everything is cooked, crumble the tofu with a fork and add it to the pot with the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and spices. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the sauce is cooked, remove from heat. Discard bay leaves.

Assemble: Take a 13 x 10 x 3-inch baking dish (Pyrex or other) and spread some sauce on the bottom of the dish. Take cooked lasagna pasta and layer it. Use 4-5 strips to cover the bottom of the dish. Add some sauce, spreading evenly. Add another layer, and cover with stuffing/sauce.

Continue to layer with sauce in this way until the pasta is finished. Leave some sauce to use now to cover the top layer. Preheat oven to 350° and bake for 30-35 minutes. When cooked, remove from oven, cut into medium sized squares, and serve with a tossed green salad and crusty French or Italian bread.

Serves 4-6.

 

For this recipe, go to: https://armenianvegan.com/recipes

TO MAKE IN ADVANCE: Assemble lasagna per the recipe. Instead of baking, wrap tightly with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. If possible, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to allow lasagna to return to room temperature.

*Most packaged pasta-including spaghetti, rotini, and any other type-is 100 percent vegan. Sometimes, you might see “egg” listed as an ingredient in “fresh” pastas, so avoid those-but generally, pasta contains no animal-derived ingredients. Popular brands like Barilla, Mueller’s, and Ronzoni as well as store brands offer many varieties of vegan pasta.

Author Dikranouhi Kirazian’s sister, Arshagouhi Tavitian, hosted a “Hye Geen” Luncheon in Glendale featuring the Armenian Vegan cookbook as a gift.

Guests received a complimentary copy of Armenian Vegan signed by the author’s sister. An excellent vegetarian meal was served including homemade borag, ful (cooked fava beans), chorag, fresh vegetables, pastries, and fresh fruit.

ORDER TODAY: Armenian Vegan: A Pure Vegan Cookbook With 200+ Recipes Using No Animal Products Paperback – December 3, 2013 by Dikranouhi Kirazian (Author). Go to https://www.amazon.com/dp/1494365189/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Armenian Vegan is also available at Abril Books at: http://www.abrilbooks.com/armenian-vegan.html

References: https://armenianvegan.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ArmenianVeganCookbook/

https://twitter.com/armenianvegan?lang=en

https://mirrorspectator.com/2020/09/03/george-kirazians-novella-a-time-for-fathers-is-released/

https://www.amazon.com/George-Kirazian/e/B07LC5RCV4/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

 

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