How to Make La Sagna

     I love watching cooking shows.  The host enthusiastically comes on and says, "Today I am going to show you how to make a spicy dinner your family will love."  Did you hear that word?  SPICY If you have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or gastritis, spicy is not in your vocabulary.  But the host is never going to come on and say, "Today I am going to show you how to make a bland dinner your family will love."  Who would make that dish or watch that show?
     Even though there is a growing number to the millions of people who already have GERD and gastitis, I can't find a single show that caters to people like me.  Add lactose intolerance on top, and my restrictions can seem overwhelming.  Lactose intolerance means no milk, cream, butter, sour cream, cream cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, and yogurt.
     Put this together with the other two eating disorders and it appears the only foods I can eat are soda crackers and water.
     But fear not, I was determined to find a solution to my problem.
     First I decided to tackle la sagna.  My first problem was the marinara sauce.  I can't have tomatoes because of the acid.  I've tried them in every form:  fresh, canned, I even grew my own low acid tomatoes.  Nothing worked, I was stumped.  Them I thought of cream of tomato soup.  If I dilute it with lactose free milk I can have tomato soup. 
     If you think the tomato soup/lactose free milk combination is a poor substitute for marinara sauce ingredient, remember I was facing a life with no Italian food.
     What really makes the marinara sauce with the tomato soup base work are the spices and herbs.  Here you can use my recipe or what you traditionally use in your own recipe.
     The meat selection can also be your own choice.  I use hamburger and drain the fat after browning to keep the la sagna as fat free as possible because that can be a problem for people like me.
      If you aren't lactose intolerant you can use whatever cheese or combination you want.  If you are, there is a large selection of soy cheeses made to look and taste like mozarella cheese.  As a sub for the ricotta between the layers I mix soy cream cheese with herbs and spices.
     Following is the recipe I developed for la sagna for those of us who suffer from GERD, gastritis, and lactose intolerance.  It works for me and even my husband likes it.  I hope it allows you to have la sagna when you thought you wouldn't be able to have an Italian favorite without reprecussions later.

                                                               La Sagna

1 box fresh mushrooms, cleaned
1.3 C Marsala wine or chicken broth
1 lb. hamburger
2 cans cream of tomato soup
1 can lactose free milk
1 tlbs.dried minced onion
1tsp. oregano, Italian seasoning, basil, 2 tsp. minced garlic
2 8 oz. container soy cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. oregano, Italian seasoning, herbes de Provence
6 partially cooked la sagna noodles
1/4 C rice or soy mozarella cheese
     Brown mushrooms in margarine, then add wine or broth and simmer until liquid is gone.  Set aside.  In same skillet, brown hamburger, salt and pepper to taste, drain fat.  Add soup milk, onion, and first set of seasonings and simmer about twenty minutes until it thickens. 
     In a food processor blend soy cream cheese and second set of seasongs.
     In a 9-in. square baking dish sprayed with vegetable spray, alternate layers of meat sauce, noodles, soy cream cheese mixture ending with meat sauce on top.  Bake at 350F for 20-30 min. when noodles are almost done.  Sprinkle soy or rice mozarella cheese on top and bake about 10min. more.  Check to make sure it doesn't burn.    9 servings.

See you next week when I will share a recipe for Mexican food.  Bye.

    
1tlbs milk