Vegan lasagna

This vegan lasagna is ideal during the premenstrual and menstrual phases of your cycle for several reasons:

1. Comfort foods for emotional well-being

During the fall and winter phases of your cycle (the premenstrual and menstrual phases), there's often a desire for comforting, satisfying foods. Lasagna, a classic comfort food, can satisfy that need, especially in a lighter, healthier version like this one. The feeling of warmth and fullness can help stabilize emotional fluctuations.

2. Easily digestible

Many women experience digestive issues such as bloating or a sensitive stomach during these phases. This vegan lasagna avoids heavy ingredients like cheese sauce and animal fats, which can strain digestion. The almond milk and the absence of cheese make it easier to digest.

3. Rich in nutrients

• The lasagna is packed with grilled vegetables, which are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This supports healthy bowel function, which is especially important if your bowels are more sensitive during menstruation.
• Vegan minced meat or mushrooms contain iron, a mineral your body needs more during menstruation due to the blood loss. Iron-rich foods can help reduce fatigue.

Lynn Van den Broeck:

I love comfort food, especially during my fall and winter phase. Lasagna is always delicious, but when my gut is in disarray, I often don't feel like a heavy cheese sauce. I have the perfect alternative in the form of this (vegan) vegetable lasagna. A classic with a modern twist. And the best part is, even kids won't realize this version is vegan!

TIP: Grilling your vegetables before adding them to your tomato sauce is always a plus. But if you're short on time, you can certainly do it without grilling.

TIP: There are delicious vegan alternatives to grated cheese available in supermarkets, so you don't need to go to a specialty store for this recipe.

TIP: Don't let the word "vegan" scare you off. If you can make a regular, classic lasagna, you can definitely make this! All you have to do is replace the cow's milk with almond milk and the ground meat with vegan mince... You're done!

TIP: This recipe contains vegan ground meat, but it can also be made without it. If you choose to use only vegetables, I would replace the vegan ground meat with finely chopped white mushrooms! They have a similar texture to meat.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 1 white onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 carrots
• 1 red bell pepper
• Olive oil
• 250 g (vegan) minced meat
• 700 g tomato sauce
• Italian herbs
• Salt and pepper
• Lasagna sheets
• Vegan grated cheese
• Arugula leaves (optional)

Bechamel sauce:

• 50 g vegetable margarine
• 50 g flour
• 400 ml almond milk
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Peel the carrots and dice them. Dice the bell pepper. Sauté the onion in olive oil and add the garlic after a few minutes. Cook for another 2 minutes, then add the diced carrots, bell pepper, and vegetarian mince. Cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Then add the tomato sauce and season with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 10-15 minutes over low heat.

Make the béchamel sauce by first heating a little margarine in a small saucepan. Then add the flour and cook for a few minutes until it begins to set and takes on the texture of sand. Gradually add the almond milk, whisking constantly. Let the sauce thicken and season with salt and pepper.

First, add a layer of tomato sauce to a baking dish. Place 2-3 lasagna sheets on top. Then pour a layer of béchamel sauce over the lasagna sheets and repeat until all the sheets are used up. Finish with a generous layer of béchamel sauce. Garnish with grated vegan cheese.

Bake the lasagna in the oven for about 45 minutes. Serve with a few arugula leaves.

Lynn Van den Broeck is an actress and also enjoys breaking taboos around menstrual health. She participated in the program "Bloedserieus," where she kept a video diary for a month about the days before, during, and after her period.

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