Allergy Free Lasagna

As I look at Setting of Silver I realize I started it over 10 years ago.  Time flies!  Yea we were doing GFCF back when you had to order your GF croutons a month in advanced for Thanksgiving stuffing. Now it is everywhere.  I'm such a trend setter.  😝.  I am thinking maybe I should re-cook my way thru my own blog.  Kind of like Julia and Julia.. AmyLou and AmyLou.

My most used recipe even now and why I return to that blog is the GFCF lasagna.  Here it is.  And because ain't nobody got time for that (clicking to find the recipe..). Here it is below.  It was originally created by Elena .. last name I do not know.. from a fabulous "in person" group back in the day called Everyday Miracles.   It is not as hard as it looks.  I just put a lot of details in.  And use whatever vegetables you want.  I did it a couple of weeks ago with some zucchini and some sad lookin' spinach.  It does take awhile so put on some praise music or a podcast while you make it.


Step 1: Make Bechamel sauce
Melt 2 TBS appropriate butter substitute. I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. Add 2 TBS gfcf flour. I used my mix that I store in the freezer taken from Big Batch Cookies. Whisk these two things together constantly until they form a thick paste. Then add milk substitute, a little at a time stirring constantly. It will be thin, but keep whisking. I kept adding rice milk until I had about 2 cups total product. I did not add it all at one time. I used 365 Rice Milk...and oops...i only had vanilla. It was a bit sweet but fine in the final product. I also added some salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. I think that brightened it up a bit. Take care not to burn the sauce. Per Elena, if you do turn it brown, start over...it will not be tasty.

Step 2: assembly
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Spread one cup of tomato sauce (with your choice of seasonings) in the bottom of a 9X13" pan. I used Trader Joe's Marinara Sauce.
3. Arrange 3 or 4 precooked gfcf lasagna noodles over the sauce taking care that they do not touch each other or the side of the pan. I was able to put 3 length-wise and then I broke one in half and put it on the end. I used DeBoles Rice no boil lasagna noodles which according to their website are available at Walmart. (I did not buy them there- but I didn't look for them their either.)
4. Put some bechamel sauce to cover the noodles
5. Cover the sauce with a layer of fresh baby spinach noodles. Again, per Elena, frozen spinach doesn't cut it.
6. Spread another cup of tomato sauce on top of the spinach.
7. Arrange another 3 or 4 noodles on top
8. More bechamel.
9. More baby spinach
10. More tomato Sauce.

I stopped at this point but as I read Elena's post, she did do another layer. Easily done. I do not like, nor can I eat, soy cheese but this is fantastic without it. The noodles must be covered completely with sauce as they are 'no pre-boil' and need to effectively boil while in the oven.

Step 3: Cook.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake approximately 40 minutes. (Not rocket science here. Poke at the noodles and see how they feel.) Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until bubbly. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

I am not amused. by scrolling thru dozens of pictures when looking for the ACTUAL recipe in a post.. so here is a picture.. at the end.  Where all good pictures go.  AFTER the recipe.  😂