Winter Squash and Soy Sausage  Lasagne
by Claire Criscuolo, RN

This Mexican inspired dish will feed a crowd, so why not invite some friends over for supper and a video.

You can use soy beef veggie burgers or veggie balls if you don’t have any ground or crumbled beef on hand, just crumble them with your fingers. I used VeggiBalls by Franklin Farms in this recipe. This dish can serve as a one dish supper or you can pair it with a simple salad of Romaine with slices of avocado, tossed with a  fruity olive oil, freshly squeezed lime or orange juice, salt and pepper.

Serves 6-8

Tomato Sauce:

1    28 ounce can Italian whole peeled tomatoes

9-14 ounces ground or crumbled soy beef, or crumbled veggie burgers or balls

2    Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4    Cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2    Medium sweet onions, Texas Sweets or other, cut into thin rings, separated

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup coarsely chopped, Italian flat leaf parsley

1    Medium jalapeno pepper, finely chopped - wash your hands after handling jalapeno peppers or you might burn your face of eyes if you touch them

1    Teaspoon ground cumin

1     Tablespoon chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

4    Medium zucchini, about 1 ½ pounds, trimmed and cut into ½ -inch lengthwise slices

2 ½ to 3  Pounds Winter squash, Butternut, Hubbard, or Callabazzo, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4- inch slices

1    Large, baking potato, peeled and cut into thin,  lengthwise slices

½   cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 4 quart, clay baking dish  or roasting pan  with non- stick olive oil spray.

Prepare the tomato sauce. Turn the canned tomatoes into a bowl. Add the ground soy beef. Squeeze to crush the tomatoes and to break up and  mix in the soy beef, using your hands. Add the olive oil,  garlic, and onions, the cilantro, parsley, and jalapeno, the cumin, chili powder,  salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine. Taste for seasonings.

Spoon or ladle one third of the tomato sauce into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Arrange half of the sliced zucchini, winter squash, and potatoes, over the sauce. Sprinkle lightly with a little of the grated cheese and pepper. Spoon a third of the sauce evenly over the top. Repeat, using the remaining ingredients, ending with the remaining sauce and grated cheese on top.   Spray one side of aluminum foil with non stick olive oil spray, then, with the sprayed side down, tightly cover the baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for about one and three quarters hours, until the vegetables are  tender when pierced with a fork.