Veggie Loaded Pasta Bake

+  Béchamel sauce
Ingredients:

• 1 cup of almonds (soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes)
• 2 tbsp of olive oil (I use garlic infused olive oil)
• 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 tbsp of hemp seeds
• 3/4 cup of water

+ Pasta sauce
Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini
• 2 medium carrots
• olive oil (I use garlic infused olive oil)
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tsp of dried mixed herbs
• 1 tsp of broth powder (I use low FODMAP from Nutra Organics)
• onion (I use the green part of the spring onion = low FODMAP)
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes 
• 1 can of lentils (drained and rinsed)
• optional: garlic, vegan cheese, other veggies: grated mushrooms, spinach etc.

+ 500 gram of pasta (I used a mixture of Buontempo Gluten & Wheat Free Pasta Penne Pasta & Teff pasta)

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC 
2. Place almonds in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
3. Finely grate or chop onion, carrot and zucchini and put in a saucepan with a glug of olive oil. Cook veggies until soft (approx. 5 mins).
4. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried herbs and broth powder. Simmer on a medium heat for 5 minutes. 
5. To the pan, add lentils and stir through spinach (if using) and simmer for another 5 minutes to wilt the spinach. Set aside.
6. Cook your pasta according to package directions.
7. Make your béchamel sauce by draining the almonds and combining the listed ingredients in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
8. Now it is time to assemble; stir the pasta sauce into your cooked pasta and pour into a baking dish. Spread over the béchamel sauce and sprinkle over vegan cheese (optional).
9. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.