Paleo Lasagna

Lately, James and I have been trying to incorporate more of a Paleo focus into our diets.  While I'm not willing to forego cheese anytime soon, I do think there are a lot of merits to the Paleolithic lifestyle.  We've never really been big on processed food, so there's not much adjustment there.  The guidelines focus on eating a good amount of fruits and vegetables, which we already do, so like I said.  A few minor tweaks and we're nearly there.

Tonight our CrossFit gym is hosting a Paleo potluck.  I opted to make a noodle-free lasagna that really looks fantastic and I just can't wait to cut into.  The recipe is definitely vegetable heavy with a hearty dose of protein mixed in, making it a great option for anyone - Paleo or not!

Paleo Lasagna (makes 8 full sized portions)


1 large can of strained tomatoes (I used Pomi brand)
1/2 white onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
10 basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning Blend

1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef or bison
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tablespoon porcini powder
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large zucchinis
1 large summer squash
1 bag of spinach (I don't recommend using baby spinach)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

salt and pepper to taste

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a stockpot, sauté onion and minced garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent
- Add tomatoes, wine and balsamic and stir until well combined
- Add salt, pepper, seasoning blend and basil and allow to simmer on low heat while preparing the other layers
- In a large skillet, brown your beef (or bison) and season liberally with salt and pepper, drain and set aside
- In the same skillet (why create more dishes?), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon truffle oil
- Add mushrooms and dust with porcini powder, sauté until they begin to soft slightly and season with salt and pepper
- Using a Y-shaped peeler, shave your zucchini and summer squash into thin ribbons (these will be your "noodles")
- In a 9"x12" pan, layer ingredients as follows:
     - Zucchini ribbons
     - Sauce
     - Spinach
     - Ground meat
     - Sauce
     - 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
     - Summer squash ribbons
     - Mushrooms
     - Spinach
     - Sauce
     - 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
     - Ground meat
     - Sauce
     - Spinach
     - Zucchini ribbons
     - Sauce
- Bake for 40 minutes and garnish with fresh basil to serve
- Optional: Top with a mixture of ricotta and parmesan cheese 10 minutes before it's done baking