On Our Menu: A Contemporary Twist on an Old Italian Classic

As we shared last week, we're resolving to make more homemade meals in 2015. With that in mind, we're sharing a favorite food tradition and recipe. Every family has traditions around meals – whether you’re celebrating a holiday or hosting Sunday dinner. With my family, everyone’s favorite standby happens to be lasagna.

 lasagna 1

Credit: Vegetarian Times’ Ultimate Vegan Lasagna

I love lasagna, and after hosting a few parties myself appreciate it as the perfect main course for big gatherings. It’s hearty, calls for few side dishes, can be made ahead of time or can be easily bought at Costco or Whole Foods. Today, however, in my family we have Paleos, vegans and celiacs to accommodate. For a new and healthy twist on this Italian classic, we’ve nailed two vegan, gluten-free lasagna recipes that even our carnivore family members now prefer. Here’s our tried and true, simple menu for hosting:  

Appetizers: Simple & Crisp dried fruit crisps, Beecher’s Flagship Cheese lasagna 2 lasagna 3

Main Course:
  • Vegan, GF lasagna (see our favorite recipe below)
  • Meat lasagna from Costco or Whole Foods
Sides: For dessert, and only for dessert, special diets go out the window. We ALL splurge and devour an All American Chocolate Cake from Costco. It’s my uncle’s recipe and it is to die for. What are your favorite family meals? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter. - Angie lasagna 4 *Recipe variations: Substitute kale or spinach for aubergines; Use gluten-free rice lasagna noodles; add a tofu ricotta layer