I've had my eye on this tantalizing recipe from Appetite for Reduction since I first got the book. But because it's one of the most time intensive recipes, I didn't try it until this weekend.There's a lot of prep. First (obviously) you roast the cauliflower. Then you mash it with a mixture of tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Next you make the sauce, which is really just adding fresh thyme, minced garlic, and salt to a can of crushed tomatoes.
Then you chop up some spinach and start building the lasagna layers.
I topped it with thinly sliced tomatoes and baked it for 40 minutes.
And...it sucked. Really. It figures that the most time intensive recipe I've made from AFR so far was so bad. I made myself eat two of the six slices before I threw the rest out. For me, wasting food is an ultimate sin, so you know this was pretty bad.The description said it had "so much flavor your head might burst." Instead, my head deflated with the lack of flavor. I love all the ingredients, especially roasted cauliflower, but to me it tasted really bland. The only thing I could taste really strongly was the fresh thyme in the sauce.
How disappointing...especially after I gave AFR such a glowing review! Oh well...I'll overlook a few flubs in an otherwise great cookbook.
Has anyone else made this? Is it something I did wrong???
Oh no! That's really too bad. It sounded interesting but the picture kind of put me off, as well as the labor involved. Hmm, I can't tell if this makes me want to try to make it any more or less! Maybe there was a typo in the recipe and some ingredient was left out?
ReplyDeleteHi! I love reading your blog but this is the first time I have commented.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe was a TOTAL flop for me, too. And after so much effort (and I was feeding an omnivore), I was a little cranky. It tastes like pretty much nothing. Even the next day it hadn't improved, really.
I *love* Appetite for Reduction other than this - it's my new fave cookbook.
It's not low fat - but the Lasagne Al Forno Bolognese from Bryanna Clark Grogan's "Nonna Italian Kitchen" is the best lasagne ever. Eveeeeer!
Matt
Oh--what's worse than spending a lot of time on a recipe and it not turning out is to make it for omnivores :-( But good to know I'm not the only one. Now of course I want to try the lasagna you mentioned!
ReplyDeleteI made this so I could freeze extra portions, which I did, but then defrosted and threw them out as I couldn't face any more of it.
ReplyDeleteAs it was my first experience with vegan 'cheese' it was a bit disappointing really.
With a few additions it was excellent !!
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