raw lasagna with cashew cheese and broccoli sun-dried tomato pesto

I know, FINALLY something that isn't a dessert. Sorry I have a major sweet tooth, okay. Believe it or not, I do eat things other than raw cake and chocolate in the daytime. Usually I keep it simple with fruit, juice, smoothies, salads and sometimes zuke pasta but I also like to get fancy sometimes. I've been wanting to make raw lasagna for you and tonight I did! It was a very quick, spontaneous, improvised recipe that ended up (thank goodness) being quite tasty. 

I made a simple cashew cheese with garlic, rosemary and lemon and then a "pesto" (I don't know what else to call it that sounds nice) of sun-dried tomatoes and broccoli. Like I said, I improvised. Mostly because I am running out of fresh produce and really must go shopping. It is a scary feeling, being myself, when you know you are running out of bananas. 

I don't like doing the same thing over and over again so after making one serving of lasagna, I made rolls with the rest of the zucchini strips and fillings. Mmm... spirals of raw whole food goodness in each bite. I wanna get back to the kitchen now so I can A) clean up the mess I made, but more importantly, B) to eat the rest of these!

lasagna with cashew cheese and broccoli sun-dried tomato pesto: serves 3-4

Lasagna noodles:
1 zucchini

Cashew cheese:
2/3 cup cashews
2 peeled garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional) 
Salt and pepper, to taste
Water, as needed

Sun-dried tomato and broccoli pesto: (or use the pesto recipe here)
1/2 head of broccoli
2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes 
1 tablespoon olive oil (only if your sun-dried tomatoes aren't already stored in oil)
Salt, pepper and dried herbs, to taste
Water, as needed 

Other layerings:
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Basil leaves
Sprouts

To make the noodles: slice the zucchini on a mandolin. Or very thinly with a sharp knife. Set aside. 
To make the cheese: blend all ingredients in your food processor or blender until smooth and thick, adding as little water as possible. Set aside. 
To make the pesto: blend all ingredients in your food processor or blender until smooth and thick, adding as little water as possible.
Assembly: layer the noodles with the pesto, cheese and whatever you else you like, alternating as you go. If you want, make roll ups too! Enjoy. 

Broccoli Cashew Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry

from eat, drink & be vegan MAKES 3–4 SERVINGS. | WHEAT-FREE

 The veggies in this Asian-style stir-fry stay fresh and vibrant when lightly cooked until tender, but retaining some crunch. The salty-sweet sauce comes alive with fresh garlic and ginger. Add tofu and cashews and serve over soba noodles or rice, and you have one crowd-pleasing meal!

TOFU (see note):
1 pkg (12-oz/350-g) firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed ½–¾-in (1–2-cm) thick
1 tbsp tamari
1½ tbsp rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar

TERIYAKI SAUCE:
1/3 cup tamari
¼ cup water
3½ tbsp agave nectar
1–1½tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
5–6 medium cloves garlic, minced
2–2½ tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp arrowroot powder

STIR-FRY:
1/2 - 1 tbsp neutral-flavored oil (or splash of water)
4½–5 cups broccoli (florets and peeled stalks), cut in bite-sized pieces (about ½ lb/225 g)
1–2 pinches sea salt
1–2 tsp water
1½ cups red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, sliced (1 medium-large pepper)
½–¾ cup raw cashews
½ cup green onions, sliced

In a shallow dish, add tofu. Pour tamari and vinegar over tofu and marinate for 10 minutes or longer (flip tofu once while marinating). Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk all ingredients for teriyaki sauce until arrowroot is dissolved (or use a hand blender to purée). In a large frying pan or wok on high, add about half the oil (or splash of water). Add tofu and sauté for 4–5 minutes, then turn over to sauté for another 3–4 minutes, until to lightly brown each side. Remove from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining oil (if using) to pan or wok, and add broccoli, salt, and water.  Toss, cover, and cook for 4–5 minutes, until broccoli turns bright green, then add bell peppers and sauté uncovered for another 1–2 minutes. Add teriyaki sauce and increase heat to high. Toss to coat, and let sauce come to a slow boil. As soon as sauce has reached a slow boil and has thickened, add tofu, cashews, and green onions, and toss to combine. Remove pan from heat and serve immediately.

Note: Marinating adds extra flavor to the tofu, but you can skip this step if in a hurry.