‘Looking for something filling, tasty and healthy – that’s how I invented Moussagna’

No bread! - but what about lunch?

Trying to avoid bread and wheat products is not as easy as it sounds when it comes to lunch. Almost every type of lunch food contains some form to bread or wheat. Sandwiches, wraps, rolls, bagels, burgers even the ubiquitous Caesar salad has croutons. Not only that, but every sandwich, wrap and roll has butter or mayonnaise, adding to the daily fat content.

Now the weather has changed, having salad every day for lunch was getting boring, cold salmon and chicken had lost their allure. So a new thought process had to go into lunch. I was looking for something filling, tasty and healthy, easy to transport and to heat up

That’s how I invented Moussagna. Basically it is a cross between lasagne and moussaka with layers of vegetables instead of pasta and feta cheese rather than cheese sauce.

My layers are courgettes, thinly sliced on a mandolin, chopped superfood kale, diced peppers, strips of carrots, a sprinkle of mushrooms, a lash of leeks, between dollops of meaty Bolognese sauce. All topped with a layer of grilled aubergines and crumbled feta cheese. You can also add a layer of mozzarella for extra protein.

It does take a little time to make, some of the vegetables have to be cooked in advance, and there is a lot of peeling, chopping and slicing, however, when you taste it, it’s all worth it. Six portions of Moussagna will cost around €9 and gives me almost my five-a-day of veggies, lots of protein and is filling.