The Healthy Chef's Gluten Free Lasagne

• Serves 4

• Preparation time:

• Cooking time:

Ingredients

Meat sauce (bolognaise)

2 onions
2 carrots, grated
1 stick celery, chopped
500 g lean beef mince
250 ml water or red wine
2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 x 400 g tins, chopped peeled tomato
Bunch chopped parsley
Sea salt and pepper to taste
30 g grated parmesan cheese


Gluten free crepes

3 eggs
100 g rice flour
3 tablespoons gluten free corn flour or arrowroot
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch of salt
250 ml low fat milk


White sauce (bechamel)

500 g low fat ricotta or cottage cheese
1/4 to 1 cup low fat milk
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
(optional for white sauce add 300 g chopped blanched spinach and a bunch of parsley for added veggie goodness)

Method

1. Start the bolognaise by browning the onion in 1 teaspoon olive oil then adding the carrot and celery. Cook until the veggies are soft.

2. Add the beef mince and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the water, paprika, cinnamon, sugar and tomato. Cook for about 30 minutes over a low heat until rich and thick. Add the parsley last and remove from the heat to cool.

3. Make the crepes by combining the eggs, rice flour, corn flour, nutmeg, salt and milk. Whisk well and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

4. Cook crepes in a non stick pan until golden on both sides and set aside.

5. Make the white sauce by combining ricotta, milk, nutmeg and salt into a food processor until smooth. If you don't have a food processor use a whisk and mix well. The amount of milk varies depending on the type of cheese you use but in the end you need to have a lovely soft creamy consistency.

6. To assemble, start by layering crepes into the bottom of the baking tin, followed by some of the meat sauce, then the crepes and sauce etc until you have used up all the meat sauce and end up with a layer of crepe. Spread the white sauce over the top followed by a little grated parmesan.

7. Bake in the moderate oven for about 45 – 50 minutes until hot and golden. Serve with a green salad and enjoy.

Notes

Variations: if you don’t have time to make crepes use thin slices of roasted zucchini or eggplant instead. It will make it gluten free as well as low carb. Vegetarians can use 2 x 400 g tins of cannellini beans in place of the beef mince as well as 250 g sliced mushrooms.