Peppers Stuffed with Mushrooms, Peas and Arugula

I like sweet bell peppers.  A lot.  And I like to roast and stuff them.  A lot.

Many recipes call for stuffing raw peppers and then roasting them until done.  I tend yo prefer to roast the empty peppers first, and then stuff them with a fully cooked filling.  My reasons are twofold: 1) because it eliminates the potential for burning the outsides while risking an undercooked filling inside, and 2) rice and quinoa and other grains in the stuffing will dry out on the top and become hard unless you have some sort of bread crumb or cheese topping.  Well, I'm gluten-free, so I skip the bread crumbs, and as much as I LOVE cheese, sometimes it's just not needed.  (Gasp, did I just say that?)

Peppers Stuffed with Mushrooms, Peas and Arugula


Ingredients:

• olive oil in a mister
• 4 red, yellow or orange bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/4 onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1.5 cups mushrooms, sliced
•  2ish cups brown rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup arugula
• salt & pepper

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.   Spray a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.
• Cut the tops off the bell peppers and discard.  Remove seeds and membranes.  Place peppers cut-side down onto the oiled sheet and roast for 15 - 20 minutes until soft.
• Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Sweat the onion until soft.  Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.  
• Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until soft.  Add the rice and peas and continue cooking and stirring, until everything is heated through.
• Add the arugula and salt & pepper to taste.  Stir until arugula is wilted.
• Remove the peppers from the oven and divide the stuffing mixture evenly into them.
• Serve hot.

Garlicky Spaghetti Squash with Chard and Parmesan

I love spaghetti squash.  And I love garlic.  And butter.

Back in 2006 when I started on the South Beach Diet, I followed it pretty strictly.  Over the past few years I've made several personal modifications, though, to move more towards "real" food.  I never used artificial sweeteners; I so rarely added any sugar to my foods that I always opted for real cane sugar when I did.  Lately I've been using honey instead of sugar.  I used to use PAM cooking spray to minimize the amount of fat used for roasting, now I use olive oil in a mister.  And I used to use Smart Balance as a butter substitute on the rare occasion that I needed it, now I just use real butter.

Thus the butter in this recipe.  It seems like a lot (1/2 stick!), but this recipe makes about 8 generous servings.

Garlicky Spaghetti Squash with Chard and Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-large spaghetti squash
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 smallish head of garlic (about 6 large cloves), peeled and minced
• 1 large bunch chard, washed, dried, cut crosswise into thin ribbons, thick stalks discarded
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 1-ish cup grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
• salted, roasted cashews (optional)

Directions:

• Wash the spaghetti squash.  With a sharp chef's knife, make several punctures in the hard squash "skin".  Place on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a paper towel.  Microwave on "high" until the "skin" is still firm but easily pierced with a sharp knife.  The squash strands inside should be tender but still have a firm-ish texture, not mushy.  This took 7 minutes for me.  Remove from microwave oven and let sit about 15 minutes until cool enough to handle.
• Slice off both ends of the squash.  Then slice the squash in half lengthwise.  Using a fork, remove the seeds and thin mushy fibers around the seeds and discard.  Using the same fork, scrape out the squash strands into a large bowl.  Set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add garlic and stir until soft and fragrant, about 45 seconds.  Add the chard and stir until just wilted.  Add in the spaghetti squash strands and several shakes of TSSS to taste.  Stir until squash is heated through.
• Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan.  Sprinkle with a little more parmesan and some cashews just before serving.  (I initially served my cashews on the side, but then ended up mixing them in.  Yum!)

Chopped Cucumber, Tomato and Apple Salad

ETA on 6/11/13:  I made this today and added 1/2 of an avocado, diced.  The creamy avocado was so good with the crunchy cucumbers and apple.

Think salads need to have lettuce in them?  Think again.  I love chopped salads and they are just fine and delicious either with or without lettuce.  I'm taking the kiddos to the park for a picnic in a little bit, and here's what I packed for myself.  Refreshing on a hot day.

Chopped Cucumber, Tomato and Apple Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
• handful of grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 a Fuji apple, chopped
• couple tablespoons of crumbled Feta
• a drizzle of Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

• Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes before digging in.

Tofu and Alfalfa Sprouts Tacos

I normally post dinner recipes on here, but I just HAD to post today's lunch.  I eat this for lunch quite often, actually.  Especially after I make a fresh batch of tortillas (from this recipe).  When buying tofu, please buy organic. 

As with most meals I make, this one is completely adaptable to whatever you like or have on hand.  My basics are always roasted tofu and alfalfa sprouts.  Today I added baby sweet bell peppers.  I've also done cucumber slices, julienned carrots, sprouted sugar peas, and avocados.

Tofu and Alfalfa Sprouts Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 block of organic tofu, drained and patted dry
• olive oil in a Misto
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 100% whole wheat tortillas
• alfalfa sprouts, rinsed and patted dry
• baby sweet bell peppers, sliced

Directions:

• Pre-heat toaster oven to 350 degrees, F.
• Slice the block of tofu in half, lengthwise.  Then slice it again, lengthwise, then again, lengthwise.  You should have 8 long thin pieces.  Pat them dry.
• Spray a toaster baking sheet with olive oil.  Arrange the tofu in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with TSSS.  Roast in the toaster oven until golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• Place a tortilla on a plate and arrange with sprouts and pepper slices.  Place two pieces of the roasted tofu on top, fold the tortilla in half and enjoy!

 If you like a little more kick, add a few drops of sriracha, tabasco, buffalo sauce, etc. 

Frittata with Veggies and Feta

I love frittatas for Meatless Mondays.  They are so easy and versatile.  You just take some eggs and a little bit of milk, then dump in whatever leftover veggies you have in the fridge.  Done.  Leftovers heat up well, and I eat them for breakfast for the next few mornings.  Boo-ya!

Today's dinner version includes leftover steamed asparagus, sautéed mushrooms, and those cute little baby sweet bell peppers.  Oh, and feta, of course.

Frittata with Veggies and Feta


Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 1/4-ish cup nonfat milk
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
• 1/2-ish cup steamed asparagus, chopped
• 1/2-ish cup sautéed mushrooms
•  1/4-ish cup baby sweet bell peppers, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1/4-ish cup crumbled feta

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and a few dashes of TSSS.
• Melt coconut oil in a 10" pan over medium heat, and swirl it around to coat the entire bottom as well as some of the sides (this will prevent your frittata from sticking to the pan).  Pour in the whisked eggs.  Add the veggies and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is evenly spread out.  Sprinkle the feta on top.
• Let cook on the stove top for a few minutes until the bottom is set and the top edges begin to firm up.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake until the top is set and the edges are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Remove pan (carefully!) from oven.  Slide the frittata onto a cutting board and slice and serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Veggies

I make a lot of chicken noodle soup because the kids both love it.  You know how some kids are with mac and cheese?  Or pizza?  Or spaghetti?  That's how mine are with chicken noodle soup.  They ask for it at least once a week, often more.

I use a basic recipe with onions, carrots and celery.  Then I add other veggies depending on what's in my fridge, and the type of noodle depends on what I have on hand and/or what the kids request.  It's a great way for me to get them to eat their veggies.  Veggies I often use are beans, peas, mushrooms, kale, bok choy, zucchini...  And I stick to whole grains like whole wheat pasta or brown rice noodles.

No measurements.  Just fill the pot and taste as you go.  Tonight's version includes beech mushrooms, baby bok choy and brown rice noodles.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Veggies

Ingredients:

• water
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• fish sauce
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 - 4 large carrots, chopped
• 3 - 4 large ribs of celery, chopped
• 1 package (4 oz.) beech mushrooms
• several handfuls of brown rice noodles
• dried thyme
• 5 heads of baby bok choy, washed, drained and chopped

Directions:

• Fill a soup pot or dutch oven (I use a 3-quart one, which is perfect for my family of 4) 2/3 of the way with water and add the chicken breasts and a few dashes of fish sauce.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 15 minutes.  Skim off any foam.  Once the chicken is finished cooking, remove it to a clean plate to cool.
• Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, noodles and a dash or two of dried thyme to the pot of hot chicken water.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Cook until veggies and noodles are tender, about 15 minutes.
• While the veggies are cooking, chop or hand-shred the chicken when it is cool enough.
• Return the shredded chicken to the pot and add the baby bok choy.  Add more water if necessary, and more fish sauce to taste.  Bring to a boil.  Cook for another minute or two until the bok choy is tender, but still firm. 
• Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Cooking the noodles in the pot with the rest of the ingredients results in an opaque/cloudy broth due to the starches released from the noodles.  I don't mind it, and it does make the soup a tad thicker.  It's just convenient for me to be able to make a one-pot meal.  If you prefer a clear broth, boil the noodles in a separate pot, drain them, then add them to your soup towards the end.

Cheesy Baked Quinoa with Broccoli, Asparagus and Mushrooms

I've been seeing this recipe for Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole all over Pinterest lately.  Sounds yummy, but I don't use cream of anything soup.  And I don't like mayonnaise.  And why would you add sugar (natural or otherwise)?  I also like my bakes extra saucy.  So I used this recipe idea as a springboard and came up with my own version.  Using leftover veggies.  You can use whatever veggies you like (peas? zucchini? bell peppers? artichokes?).

Cheesy Baked Quinoa with Broccoli, Asparagus and Mushrooms
Inspired by this recipe.


Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 package mushrooms, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 can evaporated skim milk
• 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1.5-ish cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar
• 1/2-ish cup crumbled feta
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 2-ish cups steamed broccoli, chopped
• 1-ish cup steamed asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
• 2-ish cups cooked quinoa

 Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, F. 
• In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and stir a few minutes to sweat.  (The onions, not you.  Haha!)  Add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Transfer to a clean plate.
• Melt the other 2 tablespoons butter in the pot.  Add the flour and whisk for a minute.  It will become a thick paste.  Add both milks  and bring to a low boil (stirring often) to thicken.
• Turn off the heat.  Add both cheeses and and a few shakes of TSSS and stir until melted.  Add the cooked veggies and quinoa, toss to coat everything completely.  Adjust TSSS as needed.
• Pour the mixture into an 9x13 (or equivalent) baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Curried Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Curried Roasted Cauliflower Soup


Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 4 large carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1- 2 cups milk (I used 2%)
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Toss cauliflower and carrots with coconut oil, spread in a single layer onto a baking sheet and roast until completely tender, 25 - 30 minutes.
• While the veggies are roasting, bring the water to a boil.  When the veggies are done roasting, transfer them to the boiling water and add the curry powder.  Turn off the heat and begin to puré using an immersion blender.  Slowly add milk and keep puréing until it's the consistency you like.  Add TSSS to taste.  Bring to a simmer and serve immediately.

Roasted Tomato, Cauliflower and Bell Pepper Soup

I was in the mood for grilled cheese sandwiches dipped in tomato soup.  That's comfort food to me on a chilly January evening.  But I was feeling a little frisky, so I decided to roast the tomatoes.  And then there was that head of cauliflower staring at me in the fridge.  And the jar of roasted red peppers I'd made last week when the peppers were on sale.  So I  threw it all together.  Scrumptious!

Roasted Tomato, Cauliflower and Bell Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 medium Roma tomatoes, cleaned and halved
• 1 medium head of cauliflower, cleaned and cut into florets
• olive oil
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 2 - 3 cups water
• 1 cup roasted red peppers
• large pinch of thyme
• Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss the cut tomatoes and cauliflower florets in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a few dashes of TSSS.  Spread out onto a baking sheet and roast for 25 - 30 minutes until the cauliflower is tender (it should have a few brown, almost charred spots, but remain mostly light/white).  Remove from oven.  When the tomatoes are cool enough, peel off the skin and discard.  It should come off very easily.
• Transfer the roasted tomatoes and cauliflower to a soup pot.  Add 2 cups of water, the roasted red peppers, thyme, and a few dashes of TSGG.  Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
• Purée the soup with an immersion blender.  If it's too thick, add more water until it's at the consistency you like.  Add TSSS to taste.
• Ladle into bowls.  If you like, you can top the soup with sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, parsley, or anything you'd like.  Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches for dipping.

Simple Escarole and Beans

My friend Melissa mentioned on Facebook last week that she'd made escarole and beans.  I adore escarole and beans.  A long, long time ago I used to have a delicious escarole and beans recipe.  But of course now I can't find it.  Anywhere.  I don't remember everything that went into it, but I do remember there was Parmesan.  And escarole.  And, well, beans. 

Tonight I tried to re-create it partly from memory and partly by making things up as I went along.  It turned out really good.  The hubby, who had never had escarole before and was leery of the dish, was a good sport and tried it.  And went back for seconds.  I'd call that a success.

Simple Escarole and Beans

Ingredients:

• a couple tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 15-oz. cans of cannellini beans, drained (I used great northerns tonight)
• 1 cup water
• 2 large heads of escarole, washed and roughly chopped
• Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• a large handful (or two) of shredded parmesan

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the beans and water and stir for a few minutes until heated through.  Mash some of the beans with your wooden spoon, it helps to thicken the sauce.
• Add the escarole.  2 large heads may seem like a lot and that it won't all fit into the pan, but the escarole does wilt down a lot, I'd say to about 1/3 or 1/4 its original volume.  I did this in handfuls, starting with the firmer white pieces, stirring them until they wilted a bit, then adding more, and ending with the more tender green pieces.  Once the escarole is all lightly wilted, add a few dashes of TSGG and some TSSS and black pepper to taste.  
• Stir in the shredded parmesan.
• Ladle into bowls and top with an additional sprinkle of parmesan.  Serve with crusty bread.

Sprouted Bean Soup

Last week I started sprouting beans.  I sprouted some garbanzos and some adzukis.  The garbanzos are delicious eaten raw; I ate the entire first batch in a few days.  The raw adzukis did not taste good to me, they were a little too spicy/bitter.  So I thought I'd throw them in a soup for today's Meatless Monday menu.  It was really good.  I love me some random soups.  :-)

Sprouted Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 carton (4 cups) vegetable broth
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups sprouted adzuki beans
• 1 cup sprouted garbanzo beans
• 1 (15  oz.) can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
• 1/4 lb. dry whole wheat shell pasta
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt, to taste

 Directions:

• In a large dutch oven, bring the broth and water to a boil.  Add in the beans and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, covered, until the beans soften (but are not mush), 45 mins - 1 hour.  I like my beans with a little texture, but if you like them softer, go ahead and simmer them for longer.
• Add in the cauliflower and pasta and bring to a boil.  Cook for another 15 minutes.  Season with TSSS to taste.

Random Veggie Soup

Cleaning out the fridge.  The soup was a hit, even with the 19-month-old.

Random Veggie Soup


Ingredients:

• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
• 2 (15 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt, to taste
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 lb. brown rice noodles
• freshly cracked black pepper and grated parmesan for garnish

Directions:

• Place the first 8 ingredients (up to the water) into a large soup pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until veggies are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Add the brown rice noodles.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer again and cook until the noodles are tender, about 10 - 12 minutes (check the instructions on your rice noodle package).  Add more water if necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and top with pepper and grated parmesan right before serving.

Mushrooms with Sake Gravy

I was going to make the usual mushroom cream sauce today, but then saw hubby's opened bottle of sake in the fridge.  Pre-kids I used to cook a fair amount with wine.  And the kids had already asked for, and eaten, popcorn chicken from Sonic, so dinner was just for the two adults.  Hmmm...

The sake gravy was a tad bitter (probably had to do with the type of sake we had) so I added a teaspoon of honey.  And then at the last minute I tossed in some arugula for color.  I served it over Himalayan red rice, but brown rice would be just fine.

Mushrooms with Sake Gravy

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Smart Balance
• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (I used trumpets and criminis)
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 cup sake
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 2 large handfuls of arugula, washed and dried
• freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

• In a large skillet, melt the Smart Balance and sauté the mushrooms until soft, about 7 minutes.  Sprinkle with TSSS, thyme and whole wheat flour. Stir for about a minute for the flour to lose its raw taste.  Add the sake and water and more TSSS to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for a minute until the gravy thickens.  Depending on how much liquid the mushrooms let off, you may need to add a little more water.
• Taste the gravy, and if it's too bitter, add a little bit of honey.  Toss in the arugula and stir until wilted.  Add some freshly cracked black pepper.
• Serve hot over cooked rice.

Veggie Soup with Quinoa

This is just another random soup I threw together, but Veggie Soup with Quinoa sounds like a more appetizing title.  ;-)  It's still hot outside (I had the a/c running all day, set at 77 degrees), but I wanted soup.  Again.  I'm crazy, I know.  A big hearty bowl of veggie soup sounded so appetizing this afternoon, so that's what I made.

Veggie Soup with Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups water
• 8 oz. sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1 (15 oz.) can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz.) can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 (15 oz.) can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus some for garnish
• 1 small bunch of kale, washed, rinsed and chopped

Directions:

• In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat and sweat the onions.  Add the quinoa and stir for a minute.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the parmesan and kale.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender.
• Add the parmesan and chopped kale.  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the kale softens.  Adjust salt & pepper as necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and top with a sprinkle of grated parm.

I would have loved some crusty bread to go with this, but I didn't have any.  So I used some warm naan.  Yum.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Sprouts has beautiful vine-ripened tomatoes on sale.  And I have a ton of roasted red peppers from their sale a couple weeks ago.  Pair that with some fresh homemade bread and you've got a yummy Meatless Monday meal.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 large tomatoes
• 2 red peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• salt & pepper
• 1 can evaporated nonfat milk

Directions:

• In a large pot, bring some water to a boil.  Put the whole tomatoes in and boil for a few minutes.  Transfer the tomatoes to an ice bath.  This will help you to peel them.  Peel and chop the tomatoes, remove seeds.
• Place the chopped tomatoes into a clean pot.  Add the roasted red peppers, onion, water, dried basil and some salt to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.  Cook for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are tender/soft.  (Cook longer if you want a really smooth soup.  I like mine with texture so the tomatoes are soft but do not disintegrate.)  Puree with a stick blender.
• Add the evaporated nonfat milk and continue to simmer until the soup is heated through again.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Quinoa Lentil Chili

Today is Meatless Monday.  I've been doing Meatless Monday for several months now, where I cook meatless meals for dinner.  Part of it is health-driven (eat more veggies and legumes), part of it is eco-driven (lessen our footprint on the planet), part of it is spiritually-driven (don't kill, even animals), and part of it is to force myself to experiment with ingredients/methods/recipes I otherwise would not use.  Today's experiment was with quinoa, you know, that supergrain-that's-also-a-complete-protein that's been all the rage these past few years.

I'll admit it - I've never had quinoa before.  Wait, I take that back.  In the early 2000s I went on a training seminar for work, and my roommate introduced me to quinoa.  We were in one of those extended stay suites with kitchen, so she prepared it for dinner one night.  I don't remember how she prepared it, but it was awful, so needless to say it's taken me about 10 years to actually want to give it another try.

I have quinoa.  And I have some beautiful red lentils.  How about a vegetarian chili?  I browsed the internet for recipes.  There's a bunch out there, but I settled on a combination of this one and this one as my main guide.  And of course I used what was in my fridge and pantry.  I served it with a slice of toasted rosemary garlic sourdough; it was really good.  Hubby had it with Triscuits.

Next time I think I'll add a bell pepper and a can of kidney or garbanzo beans.

Quinoa Lentil Chili
Inspired by this recipe and this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups water
• 1 (15 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large zucchini, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a large dutch oven, sweat the onion in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for a minute.
• Add the quinoa and lentils, water and diced tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer again.  Cook, covered and stirring occasionally, for another 20 - 30 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender.

Zucchini Lasagna

What do you do with a gigantic zucchini that you receive from friends (thanks, Ferraris!)?  You make a lasagna, of course.

I've seen this a number of times on Pinterest, and it sounded good, so I thought I'd give it a try.  It's more of an idea than a recipe.  You just take thin slices of zucchini (or eggplant) and layer them, in place of noodles, with typical lasagna ingredients like sauce, cheese, ground beef/sausage, etc.  It was absolutely delicious, and I didn't miss the noodles at all.

One note: zucchinis release a lot of liquid when cooked, so try to keep your sauce on the thicker/drier side, otherwise it will come out a little soupy.  Still tasty, though, but you might need a spoon instead of a fork.

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

• zucchinis, cut thinly into 1/8" slices
• typical lasagna ingredients, minus the noodles

Directions:

• Layer ingredients into a baking dish like you would a typical lasagna, using the sliced zucchini in place of noodles.  Bake as usual. (I did mine at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, and the zucchini was perfectly "al dente".)

Vegetable Soup

I was drawn to the Farmer's Market and bought way too many veggies this weekend and don't have room to store them in the fridge. How fitting for Meatless Monday.

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• salt & pepper
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups water 
• 1 cup dry whole wheat elbow pasta
• 1 large zucchini, chopped
• 1 large yellow squash, chopped
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can great northern beans, drained

Directions:

• In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until they soften.
•  Add the carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, thyme, salt & pepper (to taste), vegetable stock and water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 15 minutes until carrots begin to soften.
• Add the pasta, zucchini, yellow squash, and beans.  Bring to a boil again and reduce to simmer; continue cooking, covered, for another 15 minutes until the pasta is done.  Add more s&p as needed.

Baked Zucchini

I was craving something au gratin tonight.  I had some nice zucchini from the store, but then I had second-thoughts.  Even the lighter versions of au gratin have high-ish calorie counts, and I didn't want to go there tonight.  So I decided on a simple, easy zucchini bake.  Yum yum!

I used 1/2 cup parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella tonight, and it was a bit much.  I've decreased the cheese amount in the recipe below, but how much you use would ultimately depend on your tastes and the size of your zucchini.

Baked Zucchini


Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4" discs.
• a large pinch of dried basil
• a large pinch of dried thyme
• a small pinch of dried rosemary
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 1/3-ish cup shredded parmesan
• 1/3-ish cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a medium baking dish with olive oil.  Set aside.
• In a small skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, then add sliced onion and cook over medium heat until soft.  Pour into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl, reserving a couple of tablespoons each of the cheeses.  Toss everything until well incorporated.  Pour the zucchini mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and return the dish back to the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes until the cheese melts.

Mashed Cauliflower

A South Beach Diet staple.  This is great in place of mashed potatoes or grits.  Make sure you cook the cauliflower until it's fall-apart tender, otherwise the texture will be gritty and not creamy.  There are many versions out there, but this is how I make it.

Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower, washed and chopped
• water
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 2 tablespoons Smart Balance
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic

Directions:

• Dump the cauliflower into a large pot and add water until it covers the cauliflower.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium and cook until it is completely soft, approx 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the amount of cauliflower and size of your cut pieces.  Drain and add the cooked cauliflower back to the pot.
• Add 1/4 cup of milk, Smart Balance, parmesan, and TSSS and TSGG to taste.  Heat through over medium heat to melt the SB and cheese (don't scald the milk!).  Using an immersion blender, puree until creamy.  Add more milk as needed.

Note: Start out with just 1/4 cup milk, even though it might sink to the bottom and not look like enough.  You'll get a better idea of thickness after you puree the cauliflower and can add more milk afterwards if it's too thick. If you add too much milk up front, you can add a little more cheese to thicken it up a bit but it's hard to fix if it's soupy.