Step 1

Start off by putting your tofu on to press. If you have a tofu press, then this is perfect to use, but if not, you can place the block of tofu on a plate, with another plate on top of it and then place something heavy on top of that, like a heavy pot or a heavy stack of books. Let it press for 20 minutes.

Step 2

While the tofu is pressing, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Slice the eggplant into round slices about 1/4 inch thick and place them onto parchment lined baking sheets (we used two half sheet trays).

Step 3

Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper.

Step 4

Place the eggplant into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, turning them over at the halfway mark.

Step 5

Add walnuts to the food processor and process into crumbles. Add to a mixing bowl.

Step 6

Add sliced mushrooms to the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add to the mixing bowl.

Step 7

When the tofu is pressed, mash it with a fork and add it to the mixing bowl.

Step 8

Add the lentils to the mixing bowl and toss everything together.

Step 9

Add olive oil, chopped onion, celery and red bell pepper to a pot and sauté until softened.

Step 10

Add crushed garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, rosemary and cinnamon. Sauté for a minute to lightly toast the spices.

Step 11

Now add the walnut, mushroom, tofu and lentil mix and toss together with the vegetables and spices.

Step 12

Add tomato paste, marinara sauce and soy sauce and fry for about 8 minutes until you have cooked off any excess liquid and have a delicious soft mince texture.

Step 13

Add coconut sugar, black pepper and sea salt to taste.

Step 14

Add olive oil to a pot and heat it. Add the flour and fry it in the oil briefly. Add in all the soy milk at once and stir vigorously until well combined.

Step 15

Alternate between a wooden spoon and a whisk while heating to remove any lumps. It can tend to stick to the bottom of the pot so make sure you are scraping the bottom of the pot constantly and then whisking it in.

Step 16

Keep stirring and whisking until it reaches a rolling boil and then let it boil while you continue to stir until it thickens.

Step 17

When it's thickened, add black pepper and salt to taste.

Step 18

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place half of the roasted eggplant along the bottom of a 9x13 oven-safe dish. Add all the vegan mince on top of the eggplant and smooth it down into a thick layer.

Step 19

Top the vegan mince with the remaining sliced eggplant. Add all of the bechamel sauce on top and smooth it down with the back of a spoon.

Step 20

Place into the oven to bake for 40 minutes switching to grill for the last 5 minutes so that it can brown on top.

Step 21

Let it cool for 10 minutes on the countertop before serving.

Step 22

Decorate with sprinkles of dried oregano, paprika, ground black pepper and sprigs of fresh rosemary.