Approachable Nutrition™

This recipe is for Vegetarian Gluten-free Tomato and Béchamel Sauce for a Veggie Lasagna (which you can make Gluten-Free)

You can use a basic lasagna recipe that you have, but what I did was to make a basic tomato sauce and combine it with a béchamel sauce that is gluten-free. It is easy to replace the lasagna noodles with gluten-free noodles; the brand I like is Tinkyáda; Pasta Joy Organic Brown Rice Pasta.

To make a basic tomato sauce:

• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot, minced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• Spices (about 2 teaspoons each) fresh rosemary, thyme and bay leaves (about 2)
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 cup dry red wine
• Salt and pepper

Meat can be added to tomato sauce; sauté before adding to vegetables.

Heat olive oil in skillet and add onion and garlic sauté for about 3-4 minutes. Add carrot, celery, wine, tomatoes, and spices and bring to a boil once at a boil reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour,

Béchamel Sauce:

• 2 cups rice or soy milk
• 1 medium onion, stuff onion with 3 cloves.
• 1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg
• white pepper
• 1 stick butter
• 1 ¼ cups gluten-free flour; can buy a package of gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill is what I use).

In a large saucepan heat the milk, onion, salt, nutmeg over medium heat until hot, but not boiling.
In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat (do not allow to brown). Once butter is melted start to add the flour a little bit at a time until incorporated (using a whisk) with the butter. Whisk in the hot milk mixture to the flour. Simmer until mixture becomes thick. Do not boil sauce. After about 20 minutes, discard onion, cloves and bay leaf.

To use the béchamel sauce and tomato sauce in lasagna, layer as usual in a 9 x 13 baking dish.