Created by Elly McLean, Nutritionist and Founder of Nutrition Elly this vegan moussaka is enough to satisfy meat-eaters, vegans and everyone in between! Warm, hearty and delicious is a cooler weather staple.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Eggplant Base:
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil/cold-pressed avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Red Sauce:
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 200g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 zucchini, shredded
- 1 can whole tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can lentils
- 2 tbsp extra virgin cold pressed olive oil/cold pressed avocado oil
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- ½ tsp cinnamon, ground
- ½ tsp allspice, ground
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
Cauliflower Sauce:
- ½ head cauliflower, cut into florets
- ½ cup cashews
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
Simple Salad:
- 4 cups dark leafy greens (e.g. spinach or rocket)
- Lemon wedges, optional
- 2 tbsp extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil
Method
- To prepare the eggplant, remove stalks and slice lengthways (0.75cm thickness) and sprinkle with salt.
- Place in a colander to allow excess liquid to drain for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Rinse the eggplant under cold water and pat dry with paper towel to remove salt. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.
- Whilst the eggplant is cooking, start working on the sauce by heating oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and garlic and stir for 3-4 minutes or until onion is cooked through.
- Add mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes, followed by lentils, zucchini, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and spices. Season and bring to a boil.
- Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Meanwhile, steam cauliflower for 5-10 minutes or until tender.
- Place cauliflower and remaining sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until creamy. Taste and season as required.
- Grease a large ovenproof dish and start layering your moussaka. Spread a thin layer of the red sauce over the base of the dish, followed by 1/3 of the eggplant and 1/3 of the red sauce and a ¼ of the cauliflower sauce.
- Repeat 3 times in total, finishing with ½ the cauliflower sauce and a sprinkle of extra nutritional yeast.
- Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Serve with lemon wedges and a side of greens topped with olive oil.
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Marathon runner, nutritionist, yogi and yes, her favourite food is kale. Elly believes that food is fuel and should be enjoyed, not feared. She practices with clients all around the world specialising in digestive health, hormone balance, fat loss and sports performance. She is also the founder of online program, Plant based Kick Starter.