Author: Sharon

Ingredients

1 Loaf Fat-free French or Italian-style bread, crusts on, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 Green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 Ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 Cup Chopped fresh basil
1/4 Cup Kalamata olives, pitted and cut into quarters
1 Cup Fat-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
3 Cloves Garlic, crushed or minced
2 Tbsp Hot water
2 Tbsp Vegetable broth
2 Tsp Balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Spread out the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes to dry. Let cool on the sheet.

Put the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, and olives into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the Fat-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette, garlic, water, vegetable broth, and vinegar.

About 15 minutes before serving, add the toasted bread cubes to the vegetable mixture and mix to distribute the ingredients evenly. Add the dressing and toss again. Let the salad stand for 15 minutes before serving to allow the bread cubes to soak up some of the dressing. Serve.

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Fat-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 Cup Apple cider vinegar
1/4 Cup Red wine vinegar
1/4 Cup Unseasoned rice vinegar
3-4 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Cup Ketchup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1-2 Tbsp Agave nectar
1/2 Tsp Xanthan or guar gum

Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender jar and process until very smooth and emulsified. Taste for sweetness and add more agave to taste if necessary. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Dressing will thicken as it chills.

Chef AJ’s Disappearing Lasagna
Number of servings: 8

Ingredients
* 2 boxes of no boil rice lasagna noodles (like Deboles)
* 6 cups oil-free marinara sauce

Filling No. 1:
* 2 -15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* 2 oz. fresh basil leaves
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
* 2 pounds frozen chopped spinach or 1 pound frozen chopped kale, defrosted, with all of the water squeezed out

Filling No. 2:
* 2 pounds sliced mushrooms
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1/4 cup raw coconut aminos or low sodium tamari
* 1 large red onion

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Make the filling in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, by adding beans, basil, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and red pepper flakes. Puree until smooth.

Add drained spinach or kale and process again.

In a large non-stick sauté pan, sauté chopped onion in 2 tablespoons water until translucent, about 8 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté until browned. Cook until mushrooms appear to be glazed and there is no more liquid left in pan.

Pour 3 cups of the sauce in a 9″x13″ lasagna pan.

Place one layer of noodles on top. Cover noodles with half of bean/spinach mix, then with half of mushroom mix.

Place another layer of noodles on top and add the remaining half of each of the two fillings.

Place one more layer of noodles on top and smother evenly with remaining sauce.

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on top.

Bake uncovered 375 degrees for one hour. Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before serving.