Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna

Adapted from fineCooking and one of the best versions of lasagna ever!  I love that it can be prepared in stages even two days in advance and just popped in the oven for 30 minutes before dinner. 

Printable Recipe

Prep time, including roasting squash & garlic: 1 hour
Baking time: 25-30 minutes
Rest time: 10 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients: 
lasagna sheets - I used purchased fresh sheets & needed 1 1/2 packages - enough for 5 layers in a 9x13 or baking pan. Or purchase dry - oven ready lasagna sheets.
Roasted squash:
1 large butternut squash, cut in half length wise & seeded
2 large cloves garlic, unpeeled but tip removed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Goat cheese & sage sauce: (Bechamel to the Nth degree!)
4 tbsp butter
2 sprigs fresh sage
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 1/4 cups crumbled fresh goat Feta (6oz/175g)
3/4 cup finely grated 4 cheese blend (or any combination provolone, parmesan, fontina, asiago, pecorino romano)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper

Breadcrumb topping:
1/2 cup panko crumbs
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tsp fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4-1/2 cup grated cheese

Directions:
Roasting the squash & garlic: about 1 hour
1. Preheat the oven to 425F/220C and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.

2. Place the squash, cut side up on the baking sheet.  Place one clove of garlic in each well, along with one sprig of thyme each.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a few grindings of pepper.

3. Roast until the squash is fork tender and starts to golden.  Depending on the size of the squash, this should take 40-50 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Discard the thyme sprigs.

4. In a large bowl, scoop out the squash "meat" and garlic pulp.  Mash until smooth and taste for seasoning.
This step can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge in a sealed container for up to two days.

Preparing Goat Feta & Sage Bechamel Sauce: about 20 minutes
1. Melt butter in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add the sage sprigs and cook until the butter is fragrant and the butter turns slightly brown, but does not burn.  Discard the sage.

2. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and golden, scraping the sides (about 2 minutes).  Gradually whisk in the milk ("gradual" so there are no lumps) and cook, whisking occasionally until the sauce is thick enough to form a thin coat on the back of a spoon. (about 15 minutes).  Stir in the crumbled feta and grated cheese blend, grated nutmeg and freshly ground pepper to taste.

3. Set aside 1 1/2 cups and mix the rest of the sauce in with the squash mixture.
Best prepared on the day you are assembling the lasagna.

Preparing the topping: about 5 minutes
1. Melt the butter.

2. In a small bowl, combine the panko crumbs, melted butter, chopped sage & thyme leaves with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.  Set aside.
Best prepared on the day you are assembling the lasagna.

Assembling the lasagna: about 10 minutes
1. Spread 1/2 cup prepared cheese sauce over the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan. Cover the sauce with a layer of pasta.  Spread 1 cup of squash mixture evenly over the pasta.

2. Repeat pasta layer (5 layers in total) and squash layer (4 in total).  Top layer should be pasta.

3. Spread remaining Bechamel sauce evenly over the top.

4. Sprinkle panko mixture and remaining 1/2 cup of  grated cheese evenly.
This stage can also be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate   If so, bring to room temperature (about 1 hour) before baking.

Baking Lasagna: 
1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C (if baking same day, just reduce temperature from 425F/220C).

2. Cover room temperature lasagna with foil.  I like to spray the foil with a little olive oil Pam to keep the cheese from sticking during the baking.  Bake for 40 minutes.

3. Remove foil and continue to bake until the top is golden, panko really crunchy and some bubbling around the edges (about 15-20 minutes). Note: I insert a toothpick into the center and check to make sure it's hot when I take it out).

4. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Goes great with a mixed green salad  My Honey's new favorite vinaigrette:  Liquid Gold Tuscan Herb infused olive oil, Liquid Gold Sicilian Lemon white balsamic vinegar, crushed garlic, dollop of Kozlik's Lime & Honey mustard.

Freezes well, too.

Best Quinoa & Bean Bake Ever

Adapted from The Vegetarian's Complete Quinoa Cookbook

Printable Recipe 

Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 25-30 minutes Note:  I used my new convection toaster oven so the baking time was only 15 minutes!
Serves 4-6  (I'm going to try to freeze some, so I'll let you know how that goes)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth, I used my own roasted vegetable broth, frozen in 2 cup portions for moments such as this.
1 bay leaf

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (I used 2 giant cloves)

1 medium  onion, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp dried oregano (I used 2 heaping tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)

1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes (or as much as you like)

1 sweet red pepper, seeds removed and coarsely chopped

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes  (they used 28oz/796ml but I used 14oz/398ml which was perfect for us) with juice

1 can (19oz/540ml) black beans (I was out, so I used pinto beans), rinsed and drained

1-2 cup Swiss chard leaves,  stems removed and leaves finely sliced (chiffonade) (optional, but great)

2-3 roasted beets, diced (optional, but delicious)

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped & divided in half

2 slices whole wheat or multi grain bread

1 cup feta goat cheese, finely crumbled

Directions:
1. Prepare the quinoa:
Combine the quinoa with the broth and bay leaf in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil.   Stir and reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes, covered.  When the quinoa is ready, the grains will be soft and the liquid absorbed.  Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, fluff the quinoa and let stand, covered for 5-10 minutes

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C (for convection ovens - 350°F/175°C) and prepare baking dish (should hold 8 cups, I used a medium lasagna dish 11 1/2" x 7 1/2" x 1 1/2") I used a little olive oil to grease the dish.

3. While the quinoa is cooking and the oven is preheating, heat the olive oil a large skillet over medium-high  Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, oregano and red chili pepper flakes.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent and the pan smells divine. (about 5 minutes)

4. Add the chopped red pepper for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften.  If using Swiss chard, or spinach or kale... add it now along with roasted beets or other roasted vegetables if you have them.   Toss and continue to cook for another minute or two, to heat the new additions and combine all the flavors.

5. Add the canned tomatoes with the juice and the drained beans.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and  simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

6. Remove from heat and add the cooked quinoa with 1/4 cup of chopped parsley and toss to combine.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. 

7. Pulse bread (broken into a few chunks) in a food processor until soft small crumbs form.  

8. In a small bowl, combine the crumbled feta with 1/4 cup parsley and bread crumbs and toss well to combine.  Sprinkle over the quinoa mixture, covering the entire top.

9.  Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes (15-20 minutes in a convection oven)

Hearty Kale, Lentil & Quinoa Soup

From Mairlyn Smith's The Vegetarian's Complete Quinoa Cookbook 

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Serves 8
Freezes well

Ingredients:
1 tbsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, scrubbed and sliced into 1/2" coins (I chopped all my vegetables in the food processor to fool my family... good thing they like thick puree soups)
2 small parsnips (I had a couple just sitting in my vegetable bin)
1 celery stalk, diced
2 tsp garam masala (I used Epices de Cru Masala Grill Blend)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
5 cups water
1 can (28 oz/794 g) diced tomatoes (but since my family has tomato issues I used Muir Glen Crushed Fire Roasted tomatoes)
1 cup dry brown lentils (since I didn't have any on hand, I used split green dal - or ... lentils), well rinsed and drained
1/2 cup quinoa, well rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh Kale, thick stalks removed and leaves chiffonade
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:
1. Prepare all the ingredients to simplify the actual cooking.

2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic carrots and celery (and in my case parsnips) and saute until slightly softened (about 5-10 minutes).

3.  Stir in the garam masala, cayenne pepper and bay leaves.  Mairlyn suggests rubbing the thyme and oregano between your fingers to let all the fragrant oils escape.  I, of course didn't read well and just threw them in with the garam masala and let them cook for another minute or two.

4.  Add the water, tomatoes, lentils and quinoa and bring the soup to a boil.   Then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for at least 20 minutes... time for the quinoa and lentils to absorb lots of broth.

Just before serving, stir in the kale and toss for a minute or two until the kale has wilted.  Season with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and serve.

Cannelloni with Spring Greens

Adapted from  a terrific eBook Laurent Gras - My Provence

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 25 min according to Laurent, but it took me over an hour all told and it's definitely not a "whip up a quick middle of the week dish, but it is awesome!  Your guests will never look at you the same again.
Cooking time:10 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Cannelloni Filling:
⅓ cup  extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¾ lb/300g mesclun, washed and spun dry ( I used a mix of baby arugula and Swiss Chard, ribs removed)
¾ lb/300g baby spinach, washed and spun dry
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp fresh ricotta
½ cup/40g/1.4oz finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or other hard grating cheese
Some shavings of a whole nutmeg
Freshly ground white pepper
Sea salt
Cannelloni:

7 tbsp/100g/3.5oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled ( only used half)
1 cup /100g/3.5oz  grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Sea salt
24 (square) wonton wrappers
Cannelloni filling, from above

Salad greens:

Laurent has a wonderful au jus dressing, but I ran out of time and just tossed some baby spinach with a thinly sliced shallot and a drizzle of good olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Directions:

Cannelloni filling:

1. Pour half of the olive oil into a large sauté pan set over high heat. Add the greens and spinach and cook until they are just wilted.

2. Transfer to a mesh strainer and use the back of a large spoon to press out the juices. Scatter the cooked greens on a plate and set in the refrigerator to cool quickly. 

3.  When chilled, chop very fine. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the egg yolk, the remaining olive oil, the ricotta, and the Parmigiano. Season with freshly ground nutmeg, white pepper, and sea salt. 

4. Refrigerate until needed.

Cannelloni:
1. This prep step is very important:  Brush a gratin dish with some of the melted butter. Fill a medium mixing bowl with ice water. Clean a smooth work surface, such as a wooden cutting board or counter, and sprinkle it with some of the grated Parmigiano to make an even dusting. 

2. Bring about 2 quarts of salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Drop 3 or 4 wonton wrappers in the boiling water, let cook for 30 seconds, then with a skimmer or large slotted spoon, carefully lift the pasta out of the water and shock immediately in the ice water. 

3. Remove the wrappers from the water and drape them on the rim of the ice water bowl to let the water drain. (Don’t let them sit on the bowl too long or they will stick.) 

4. Place the wrappers on the bed of Parmigiano to coat the underside. Spoon the filling along one end of the wrapper, from one side to the other. 

5. Roll the wrappers over the filling to enclose it and create the cannelloni. Trim the ends with a chef’s knife so the filling is flush with the edge (I admit it... I didn't bother with that). 

6. Transfer to the gratin dish and repeat with the remaining wrappers.  Brush some melted butter over the cannelloni. Sprinkle with additional Parmigiano.  Alternately you can use fresh pasta dough.

7. Preheat a broiler. Heat the cannelloni under the broiler until the cheese begins to brown. 

8.  While the cannelloni is browning, just place the dressed salad greens on the center of each plate and once the cannelloni is golden, place a few of them over the greens and serve.  It's a great appetizer with 3 or a light supper with more of everything.  

Creamy Cheesy Swiss Chard Pasta

Printable Recipe


Prep time:  5 minutes
Cooking time: as long as it takes to cook the pasta
Serves 4


Ingredients:1 lb/450g short pasta 
1 bunch Swiss Chard, stalks/stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 - 1 cup cremini mushrooms, finely sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
6oz/170g creamy goat cheese (I used Ran-Cher Acres Herb & Garlic)
Garnish:  more chopped herbs

Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter in olive oil and then saute the onion and mushrooms until the onions start to soften and mushrooms start to golden.  Add the Swiss chard and saute until softened.

2.   In the meantime, cook the pasta in a large pot of twater as the package directs.  Drain and reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid

3. Return the pasta to the pot and add the Swiss chard mixture and the soft goat cheese in lumps.  Toss until the cheese has mostly melted and season with pepper (and salt if you need to). Toss, adding some of the pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.


You can garnish with your favorite herbs. 

Spring is in the Air Pasta

Printable Recipe


Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 2  

Ingredients: 
8oz/225g short pasta ( I used whole wheat penne rigate)8oz/225g light ricotta cheese
1 tbsp fresh lemon basil, chopped
1-2 tbsp baby radish shoots
2 tbsp chives (I even had flowers to add - I do love my local farmers market)
5 roasted asparagus spears, cut into 1" pieces
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
2-3 tbsp pasta cooking waterfreshly ground black pepper
more lemon juice to taste
  Directions: 

1. Boil and salt a large pot of water and cook your pasta.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water for the sauce. 
2. Drain pasta and return to the pot. 
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss, adding a little pasta water a tbsp at a time,  if you need more "sauce".  
4. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice if desired.
5. Toss and serve

White Bean, Mint & Parmesan Dip

From The Lazy Gourmet

(I should have chosen a more colorful bowl to serve it in... but it was devoured in no time!)

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes

Makes: 1¾ cup

Ingredients:

1 large clove garlic, peeled

1 (14oz/398ml) can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained & rinsed

2 tbsp olive oil (plus whatever you need to balance the lemon juice)

½ cup fresh mint leaves

Juice & zest of 1 large lemon

Pinch of salt

½ jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped ( or more if you like it really spicy)

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Drop the garlic through the feeding tube of your food processor with the motor running.  Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Taste and add whatever is missing in your mind. If it’s too thick, add a little water, lemon juice or oil – a tiny bit at a time.

2. Transfer to a bowl, and serve with chips or crudites.

Moroccan Harira - Soup with Soul

From Canadian Living: The International Collection: Home-Cooked Meals From Around the World

Printable Recipe


Hands on time: 5 minutes
Cooking time:  1 hour

Serves 6-8


Ingredients
1 large bunch fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
1 large bunch fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup dried green (or brown) lentils
2 cans (19oz/540ml) tomatoes drained, diced (I used diced fire roasted tomatoes & added the juice too)
1 can (19oz/540ml) chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp pepper
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Garnish:
1 lemon, thinly sliced
12 dates, pitted & halved
1 tbsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
1. Chop ¼ cup each of cilantro & parsley and set aside.  Tie together the remaining bunches and place in a Dutch oven.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

2.  Discard the herb bundle.  Add the lentils, cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes .

3.  Add tomatoes, chickpeas, onions, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, turmeric, and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. In a food processor or blender, puree 3 cups of the soup and return to the pot to heat through.

5.  Stir in the lemon juice, olive oil and reserved chopped herbs.

Ladle into bowls and top with lemon slices and dates.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Rotini with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes  

Roasting time: 25-40 minutes

Sauté time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Vegetables for roasting:

1 lb/450g Brussels sprouts

1 small butternut squash

8oz/225g cremini mushrooms

1 large garlic clove, not peeled

1-2 tbsp olive oil for tossing

1-2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

8oz/225g rotini or farfalle, penne or whatever short pasta you prefer. Multigrain or whole wheat pasta works well with this dish.

“Sauce”:

¼ - ½ cup pasta cooking water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling at serving time

Roasted vegetables

½ cup Fresh parsley, chopped

2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (more or less to taste)

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional… mostly because I forgot to bring some to my daughter’s)

Directions:

Roasting:

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet large enough for all the vegetables to be in one layer.  I like to use tin foil for easier cleanup.

2. Prepare vegetables separately so that if some are ready before the others you can remove them from the oven without having to pick them out.

Brussels sprouts: cut of any hard stem and, using a sharp paring knife, cut an X in the core.  It allows steam to get into the hard core so it cooks quicker without burning the leaves. Trim away any yellow or spotted leaves.  Toss with olive oil, salt pepper and some fresh rosemary and lay them in one layer on one side of the baking sheet.

Butternut Squash: cut in half length-wise and scoop out seeds and fibre. Rub with a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary.  Place cut side down in the center of the baking sheet.

Mushrooms: wipe dirt off mushrooms and leave small ones whole, medium ones in half or quarters, large ones in wedges. Toss same as Brussels Sprouts and lay them on the other side of the squash.

Garlic: do not peel, but cut tip off the clove so that when it’s cooked and soft, you can squeeze out the garlic.  Rub with a bit of oil and place with mushrooms.

3.  Roast at 425°F/ 220°C for 20-40 minutes.  Check after 20 minutes and test for doneness.  Once vegetables are tender and golden, remove from the oven and set aside and continue cooking the rest. 

4. Peel the squash and cut into cubes, mash the roasted garlic and toss together with the mushrooms and Brussels Sprouts.  Set aside until the pasta is almost ready – should still be tougher than al dente.

5. Once the vegetables are roasted, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta according to directions (anywhere from 5-10 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of cooking water. Drain pasta.

6. In the meantime, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables  and pasta water plus balsamic vinegar.  Toss to coat. 

7. Add the drained pasta.  You won’t actually see “sauce”  and you might want to add a touch more water or balsamic vinegar. 

8. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the chopped parsley and grated cheese (or not – it tasted delicious even without any cheese). Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper to your taste.

Quick Veg Chili Quesadillas

From Healthy Starts Here

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Serves 1 Just multiply by hungry faces

Ingredients
1 large trans-fat free 100% whole wheat tortilla (I used Ancient Grains)
½ cup family style vegetarian chili (I heated mine up for a minute in the microwave first)
2 tbsp shredded light Monterey Jack cheese or whatever you prefer
2 tbsp salsa (I used store bought President’s Choice Smokey Chipotle Salsa)
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tbsp light sour cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Place the tortilla flat in the skillet. Spoon the warm chili over half the tortilla and then sprinkle with the cheese.

2. Fold the tortilla in half over the cheese and press down gently. Cook until the cheese melts and the tortilla is golden on the underside (about 3 minutes).

3. Carefully flip the tortilla and cook the other side until golden (another 3 minutes or so).

4. Remove from skillet and cut in half. (If you are making more than one, keep the cooked ones in a warm oven.

Serve with salsa, cilantro and sour cream (if using).

Family style Meatless Chili

From Healthy Starts Here

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour (although if you’re in a hurry, it’s ready in 30 minutes- just tastes richer the longer you leave it)
Makes 8 cups l

Ingredients
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (19 oz/540 ml) black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (19 oz/540 ml) red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (19 oz/540 ml) lentils, drained & rinsed
1 tbsp canola oil
2onions, diced
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried basil leaves
¼ - ½ tsp cracked black peppercorns
1 whole roasted sweet red pepper, seeded & chopped
1 can (28 oz/798 ml) diced,
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Toppings:
2 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped (or parsley, if you’re not a cilantro fan)
2 tbsp chopped avocado (optional)
1 tbsp shredded cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil and onions. Sauté until the onions are golden brown (about 5 minutes).

2. Add the corn and sauté until the onions turn even darker and the corn is golden too (another 5 minutes). Mairlyn Smith says “This step adds a really fabulous flavor” – I have to agree. Take the time!

3. In the meantime, mix the chili powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, basil & pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Once the onion & corn mixture is the right rich colour, add the red pepper and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the spice mix and sauté for another 30 seconds or just until you get that awesome aroma.

5. Stir in the tomatoes, making sure you scrap up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot to prevent the chili from burning. Add the beans, lentils and Worcestershire sauce. The chili will be really thick to start, but will become more liquidy as it cooks.

6. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It really does taste better the longer it cooks, so try to let it simmer for at least an hour.

Note: Mairlyn suggests cooling the chili at this point and refrigerating overnight before reheating and serving. We couldn’t wait and it was delicious at the end of the hour’s cooking.

To serve: Hot chili in deep bowls, garnished with chopped cilantro or parsley and avocado & cheese if you like.

Leftovers make amazing quesadillas.

French Lentils with Roasted Roots, Caramelized Onions & Thyme

French Lentils with Roasted Roots, Caramelized Onions & Thyme
From Clean Start

Printable Recipe

Serves 6

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40-60 minutes

Ingredients:
1 rutabaga/turnip, peeled and diced small
1 celeriac (celery root) peeled and diced small
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup dry French lentils
3 cups vegetable stock or water (I used my own roasted veg broth)
Sea salt
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 large red onion, diced
4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (I didn’t have any, so I used about 1 cup reconstituted dry wild mushrooms & am saving the cooking liquid for another time)
1 tbsp mirin (I used Shaoxing cooking wine)
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Garnish: fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy cleanups).

2. In a large bowl, toss the rutabaga & celeriac with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and arrange the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet(s) – don’t crowd them or they’ll just steam. Better to use two pans. Roast for 20 minutes and toss. Return to oven and roast until tender (anywhere from 15-30 minutes, depending on how small the dice). Remove from the oven and set aside.

3. While the vegetables are roasting, rinse the lentils and place in a pot of vegetable broth and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and drain well. Toss with 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice and set aside.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion in the remaining oil until they start to brown (5-7 minutes). Add the mushrooms and mirin and continue to sauté. Add the remaining lemon juice, 1 tbsp at a time to deglaze the pan and caramelize the vegetables. Add thyme and sauté an additional 2 minutes.

5. Fold in the lentils and roasted vegetables and sauté just long enough to heat through. Season to taste and toss with parsley.

Hottie Tottie Manicotti or Lasagna

Hottie Tottie Manicotti or Lasagna
From The Substitute Yourself Skinny Cookbook
I was skeptical that a dish with a reduction of close to 700 calories, would actually taste great. Although I didn’t find specifically low fat pasta sauce and used a low fat fontina cheese instead of mozzarella (which might have more calories), the dish was awesome and even if I ONLY saved 500 calories per serving…that’s impressive and so good, I’ll be making it often.

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 5-10 minutes
Baking time: 40-45 minutes (or until bubbly around the edges and the cheese is golden and melted on top)

Serves 10

Ingredients:
1 box manicotti shells (250g/8oz) Ruth’s note: I bought ready made, fresh whole wheat lasagna sheets to make my own and discovered I cut them too small to roll around the filling, so it ended up a very delicious lasagna. I’m sure stuffed giant pasta shells would work too. My first choice is oven ready pasta.)
1 tbsp olive oil

Filling:
1 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (this time I used Fontana)
1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 cup non fat cottage cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped (I used ¼ cup)
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (28oz/795ml) jar meatless low fat pasta sauce (Ruth’s note: couldn’t find any that specifically said “low fat”)
Non stick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Ruth’s note: If you are not using oven-ready pasta, cook them according to the package directions and drain. They should be a bit under done so they won’t fall apart when stuffing. Remember they will continue to cook in the oven.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses. Mix well and add the herbs salt & pepper. Mix to blend and set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and prepare the large oven proof baking dish. Spray with a little nonstick spray and a thin layer of sauce (about ½ cup).

4. Fill the shells with cheese mixture. Ruth’s note: I like to use flat lasagna sheets, cut so that they will form a tube once the filling is placed in the middle and will pasta ends will slightly overlap. I place them seam side down in the baking dish. This time, however I cut the sheets too small and decided to turn the dish into lasagna. It would also work beautifully with jumbo pasta shells.


5. Once the dish is filled with stuffed manicotti, or shells, or layers of pasta, cheese, pasta, cheese, pasta, top with the remaining tomato sauce. Add any remaining cheese over top and cover with foil.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the top layer of cheese is melted and golden.

7. Ruth’s note: Remove from the oven and let it rest, uncovered on the counter/table for 5 minutes. This will let the dish “set” and still be hot.

Very Veggie Chili

Very Veggies Chili
Adapted from The South Beach Diet Supercharged

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 sweet red bell peppers (the book says to use any color), chopped
1 ½ cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
3 young leeks, white part only, rinsed, dried and chopped (or 1 large onion)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp dried oregano (preferably Greek)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 (15oz/400ml) cans pinto beans with their juice – DO NOT DRAIN
1 (15oz/400ml) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (or diced tomatoes & juice)

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the peppers, mushrooms, leeks and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften (about 5 minutes). Add chili powder, oregano & cumin, stir well and cook for another 5 minutes.

2. Add the beans and tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the chili is fragrant and slightly thickened. (20-25 minutes)

Serve warm

Savory Black Bean Soup

Savory Black Bean Soup
From Clean Food

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes or so
Serves 8

Ingredients::
1 thumb size piece of kombu (I couldn’t find any and made the soup without it…tasted just fine to us)
2 tbsp good olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced (or finely chopped)
1 onion, chopped
½ fennel bulb, chopped (recipe called for 1 celery stalk, but I prefer fennel)
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper ( perhaps a touch more if you like it really spicy)
¼ tsp sea salt
6 cups cooked black beans
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and diced (or, canned fire roasted worked great for me)
2 tbsp mirin (I ran out so I used Chinese cooking wine)
1 tbsp tamari
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Directions:
1. If you are using kombu: place in a bowl with enough warm water to cover. Soak for 10 minutes or until soft Drain, mince kombu and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium low heat in a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven (or really large pot). Sauté garlic and onion for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, fennel/celery, cumin, cayenne & salt and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

3. Add the beans, broth, tomatoes, mirin and tamari (plus kombu if using). Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to combine the flavors.

4. For a creamier texture (knowing my family is partial to thick soups) I followed their advice and pureed some of the soup with an immersion blender – much easier for cleanups.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Pakistani Chickpea & Rice Pilaf - Chana Pulao

Pakistani Chickpea & Rice Pilaf – Chana Pulao
From Curry Cuisine

Printable Recipe

Rice-soaking time: 1-2 hours
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 45-80 minutes

Serves 4-6 (Ruth’s note: I used brown basmati which is why there’s such a time discrepancy and less rice than called for with lots of leftovers – my quantities are in brackets)

Ingredients:
1 ¼ lb/500g basmati rice (I used 1 cup brown long grain rice)
½ cup sunflower oil (I used 2 tbsp grape seed oil)
1 large onion, very thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh gingerroot, thinly sliced and slivered
3 cinnamon sticks (I used only 2 since I used much less rice)
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods (I used 2)
Salt to taste
4oz/115g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight & cooked until tender or (my choice) 1 tin (14oz/400g) chickpeas, drained
Fried Brown Onion Garnish: (for my smaller dish, I just set some of the fried onion slices from the recipe aside for garnish)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
Rice soaking:
Thoroughly wash rice in cold running water. Soak in a bowl with enough water to cover for at least one hour. Drain.
Pilao
1. Heat the oil over medium high heat, in a medium to large saucepan, add the onions and fry until golden brown. ( I set some aside for garnish) Add the ginger, spices and salt to taste stir for a minute or until you can smell the wonderful aromas. Add 3 cups of water (I only added 2 cups because I only used 1 cup of rice) and bring to a boil. Add the soaked, drained rice, chickpeas and cover the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes (the rice should be 90 per cent cooked – brown rice takes a little longer).

2. Dampen a clean, thick dishtowel with water. Remove the lid from the saucepan. Cover with cloth and put the lid back on tightly. Set the heat to very low. Cook for 25-30 minutes. (If you’re using brown rice, it might need a little more time).

I served it with Pakistani Lamb & Tomato Curry.

Curried Spaghetti Sauce

Curried Spaghetti Sauce
From Everyday Indian

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

This dish is very mild, so you might want to add some heat to it.

Ingredients: :
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
¼ cup dried curry leaves (usually found in Indian specialty stores)
1 tbsp mustard seed
2 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp salt
2 cups crushed (or diced) tomatoes (14oz/413ml can)
¼ cup red wine
½ cup water

Pasta of your choice – this time I used whole wheat spaghettini (My Honey would have preferred penne or some other smaller, tubular type to sop of more of the sauce)

Directions: :
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.

2. Heat the oil, curry leaves, and mustard seed in a non-stick, heavy-bottom large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 10-15 seconds (until the mustard seeds begin to pop). Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, oregano, basil and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes (until the aroma makes you swoon – it’s that lovely).

3. Stir in the tomatoes, wine and water and lower the heat to medium low. Cook for 15 minutes.

4. In the meantime, read the cooking directions on the pasta package and time yourself so that the pasta is ready when the sauce is. I usually just start the pasta after 5 minutes or so of the sauce simmering away.

5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the al dente pasta to the skillet and toss. The small amount of cooking water will just add to the silkiness of the sauce.

Lacy SIngapore Omelets

Lacy Singapore Omelet
From Chocolate for Breakfast

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes (mostly for the filling)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
Filling:
1 tbsp oil (I used olive oil)
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
2 scallions/green onions, cut into ½” pieces
1 cup shitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced (I actually used cremini as I ran out of shitake) ¼ cup sweet red bell pepper, diced
¾ tbsp fresh ginger root, finely grated
½ Serrano chili, finely minced ( I only had a jalapeno pepper on hand)
Juice of ½ lime
½ tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp hot chili oil (being delicate, and frankly the jalapeno was enough spice for us, I used toasted sesame oil instead to keep it “Asian”)

Directions

Filling: so pretty all by itself
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent (2-3 minutes, after all they are finely chopped). Turn up the heat and add the rest of the ingredients, stirring until the mushrooms turn soft and moist. Remove from heat while you prepare the omelets, which only take a minute or two, so have toast and table ready.

Omelet:

1. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to large skillet; heat over medium-high heat.

2. Place a sieve/strainer over a bowl set close to the stove. Pour beaten eggs into the sieve now positioned over the hot skillet and quickly drizzle the eggs in a rough circle. (The author used small skillets, one per omelet and half the beaten egg for each. I used a large skillet and the entire beaten egg mixture, then cut the finished omelet in half for my Honey and me to share). It will look lacy and have holes, but should hold together. The entire cooking process takes only a minute or so.

3. Remove from the skillet and transfer to plate(s). If you are making small omelets you would only use about half the egg mixture for each omelet. The edges will look dry.

4. Using spatula to help, Slide from pan to plate, place ½ the filling on one side of the omelet and fold other side over top and serve.

Roasted Potato Tart with Mushrooms & Gruyere

Roasted Potato Tart with Sauteed Mushrooms & Gruyere
Adapted from Once Upon a Tart

Seriously, how delicious does that look, and so flaky

Can be made in two stages.
Crust can be made a day ahead….total time 90 minutes
Final roasting and baking …90 minutes

Servings: 4 dough makes enough for 2 9" crusts

Ingredients:
Crust:
Crunchy Savory Tart Crust modified slightly – this recipe makes enough for 2 – 9” tarts:
2 cups all purpose flour (the book calls for 2 ½ cups, but it kept crumbling for me)
3 tbsp semolina flour
1 tsp salt
12 tbsp (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼” pieces
3 tbsp cold solid vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
Ice cold water (they suggest starting with 4 tbsp and then adding by the tbsp as needed. I ended up using a little more than half cup – double what they said

Filling:
1 lb/450g red skinned potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½” disks
1 medium yellow onion, diced
¼ cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped (I’m not a tarragon fan, so I used rosemary. Thyme would be awesome too)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup light cream
Salt & pepper
1 -1½ lb/450-700g mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used shitake & cremini)
½ heaping cup Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated

Directions:
Crust
1. Put the flours and salt in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a couple of times to combine the flours and salt.

2. Add the chilled butter and shortening and pulse - until the mixture looks like “moist crumbs” (I’m not sure what that looks like exactly, but don’t allow it to come to a paste) .

3. This step is where I had difficulty. I usually over mix and make a tough dough, so this time – twice in fact, I didn’t add enough water and it was too crumbly to roll. I took some liberties a la Barefoot Contessa, Instead of turning the flour/butter mixture into a large bowl and adding tablespoons of water and mixing by hand….I added ½ cup of water through the feeding tube and pulsed until it started to form a ball. I then gathered it into a ball (actually split the dough into two portions.

4. Wrap each ball, flattened to a disk, in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.

5. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, about 2” larger than the circumference of the 9” tart pan (with a removable bottom). Fold over the rolling pin and place in the tart pan, gently fitting the pastry up the sides, flush with the bottom. Remove any excess pastry from the top.

6. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before baking in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F/ 200°C . All this refrigerating , makes sure the butter is cold so that when it hits the heat of the oven, it will make the flakiest crusts imaginable.

7. Use a fork to prick holes over the bottom of the pie shell. Place a sheet of parchment paper (larger than the tart pan) over the pie crust and cover with pie weights (I used dried beans – just save them for the next pie and remember not to use them for cooking) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and return the tart to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Filling & Final Baking:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F/ 220°C

2. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with half the olive oil, onions, garlic, salt & pepper. Lay in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment and roast for until golden and fork tender (about 15 minutes, turning midway). Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before filling the pie shell.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F/ 190°C . Sprinkle the tart shell with chopped herbs and place the potato slices and onions evenly over the crust.

4. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs. Add the cream and pepper and pour over the potatoes…this is your "custard". Only use as much as your pan will allow and …for easy cleanup, bake your tart on a rimmed baking sheet.. There should be some crust exposed. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the custard (egg mixture) won’t jiggle and is firm.

5. In the meantime, Heat the rest of the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden…about 5 minutes.. Remove from heat.
6. Top the tart evenly with the grated cheese and then add the mushroom mixture to cover the cheese. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes (until the cheese melts).

7. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before removing the outer part of the pan. The easiest way to remove the tart…great tip from the authors…is to place the entire pan on a large can and allow the outside ring to fall. Place the tart on a work surface and slide off the metal onto a serving plate.

This dish can be served warm or at room temperature. The simplest salad makes a complete meal. ( Toss some arugula with a drizzle of good quality olive oil and some balsamic apple cider vinegar). Also great as part of a buffet brunch or picnic supper.

Sweet Potato & Mushroom Lasagna - Passover Friendly

Norene's Sweet Potato & Mushroom Lasagna

Perfect for Passover…no noodles!
From Norene's Healthy Kitchen

Hands-on time: 20-30 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour or until cheese is melted and golden
Resting time: 10-15 minutes
Serves 10-12

Ingredients:
Sauce:
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 cups mushrooms ( I always choose cremini), cut in half or quartered if large
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
1-2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 large cloves garlic, minced
½ cup fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped or 1 tsp dried
3 cups Italian style tomato sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar (my addition to counter the acidity of the tomatoes)

3 large sweet potatoes

Filling:
3 cups light ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Sauce:
1. Process the onions, mushrooms and red peppers in a food processor using quick on/off pulses until they are coarsely chopped.

2. Heat some oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat and sauté the vegetables until golden (about 10 minutes).

3. Add the garlic, parsley, and basil along with the tomato sauce, salt & pepper. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning (this is usually when I add some sugar). Norene’s note: the sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

Lasagna:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/170°C line a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold a 13”x9” baking dish with foil for easy cleanup.

2. Two versions for prepping the sweet potato:
Norene’s version: pierce sweet potatoes with a sharp knife and microwave on high for 6-8 minutes until partially cooked. Cool slightly before peeling. Cut into thin slices with a sharp knife. You should have about 6 cups. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with additional salt & pepper.
Ruth’s version: next time I’ll just peel raw sweet potatoes and thinly slice with a Mandoline. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan and filling seasonings.

4. Grease an oven proof 13”x9” baking dish with a little olive oil. Do the layering as follows:

• 1/3 of the sauce spread evenly over the bottom of the dish
• Arrange 1/3 of the sweet potatoes to cover the sauce completely (this is the “noodle” layer)
• Evenly spread half the ricotta mixture (Ruth’s note: Joanna & I forgot to add 2/3 cup mozzarella separately at this point and perhaps that’s why it was soupy to serve)
• 1/3 sauce
• 1/3 sweet potatoes
• Rest of the ricotta mixture
• Last of the sweet potatoes
• Last of the sauce
• Mozzarella cheese to cover.

Norene says this can be prepared up to this point a day in advance as well. Just let it come to room temperature before baking.

5. Bake for 1 hour or so. Norene covers hers with foil for the first 45 minutes, we left it uncovered for the entire time. The sweet potatoes should be tender when you insert the tip of a sharp knife.

6. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving for easier slicing. We needed a spoon to serve because we rushed the process, so it was a bit soupy, but very delicious.