The grounded energy of root vegetables is what our bodies crave as the days get shorter and colder. In this outstanding autumn dish, layers of root vegetables take the place of pasta, a real plus if you’re avoiding wheat. And you can bake it up to three days in advance, which helps when you’re planning a get-together.

Read the unusual and delicious recipe for Root-Vegetable No-Pasta Lasagna here:

INGREDIENTS
2 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin slices
1 celery root, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin slices
2 butternut squash, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin slices
2 turnips, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin slices
2 rutabaga, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin slices
1/2 cup onion marmalade (see below)
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch by 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Starting and ending with potatoes, form layers of sliced vegetables, slightly overlapping each other. Season each layer with salt and pepper and spread with some onion marmalade. Continue alternating vegetables and onion marmalade until you reach the top of the pan. (For a non-vegan version, you could add grated cheese and cream sauce between the layers of vegetables.)

2. Spray an additional sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray and cover the vegetables. Place a weighted pan on top of the dish and bake until vegetables are tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

3. Allow to cool in the refrigerator, with the weighted pan on top, at least 4 hours or overnight.

4. To serve, invert the baking pan and remove the contents. Cut into 2-inch by 2-inch squares. Saute in a nonstick pan until both sides are brown, then place in a 350F oven until warm in the center.

Serves 4.

Onion Marmalade

4 medium yellow onions, sliced into thin half-moons
1 cup white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup water
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients in a medium stainless-steel saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or so, until onions are soft and liquid is almost dry.