Hey, I’ve been having a rough time lately. I’m aware I have not been posting much. I finally made an original recipe to share with you all.

I came up with this idea for Thanksgiving because it’s easy to transport for a long car ride, easy to reheat, and has a little bit of everything. Also, since I cannot eat the vegan Thanksgiving roasts like Tofurky and such because they’re made out of pure gluten, I figured this would be even more delicious and satisfying for me.

This recipe contains butternut squash, kale, walnuts, caramelized onions, and vegan ricotta, as well as gluten-free lasagna noodles.

It uses two packages of Kite Hill ricotta, which is a pretty big splurge but so worth it if you can get it. If you can’t, it works with some firm tofu, or you can make a cashew ricotta too.

Here it is:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped butternut squash
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 small Vidalia onions, cut into rings
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable broth
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 16 oz chopped kale
• 3 cups water
• 1 ½ cup walnuts
• 2 packages Kite Hill ricotta cheese
• ½ cup non dairy milk of choice
• 1 package Tinkyada Brown Rice Lasagne Noodles (the best gluten free pasta brand, in my opinion, and I’ve tried a lot)

Directions:

1. Place butternut squash in a large saucepan and cover with water.
2. When water is boiling, set a timer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat when the squash is soft.
3. While the butternut squash is boiling, prepare the caramelized onions. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan with a cover. Toss the onions in the oil. Keep on medium heat (you may have to lower it later) for 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often. When browned, add in the brown sugar, stir, and remove from heat. Set aside for assembly of the lasagna later.
4. When the squash is cooked, drain the water and place back into the pot. Mash the squash with a potato masher until smooth.
5. Stir in the vegetable broth, salt and pepper, nutmeg, garlic, and nutritional yeast.
6. Prepare the kale by boiling three cups of water in a large covered pot. When boiling, add the kale and cover. Stir every so often until all the kale is wilted, for about 5 minutes.
7. Prepare the walnuts by placing them in a food processor and blend until pasty. If you like, you can add some additional seasonings to the walnuts before blending.
8. Prepare the lasagna noodles according to the packaged directions and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Combine the ricotta with the nondairy milk in a medium sized bowl.
10. Drizzle the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil onto a large casserole or lasagna pan.
11. Place a layer of noodles on the bottom, followed by half the butternut sauce, half the ricotta, half the walnuts, and all of the kale. Repeat in the same order except this time, place on top with the onions instead of the kale for the second layer.
12. Cover pan with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Uncover and heat for an additional ten minutes (or less depending on how it’s looking)
13. Allow it to cool slightly before digging in.

I hope you have a lot to be grateful for!