Red Lentil Spinach Bake

 

Ready to try something different? I found a recipe online, and after some fiddling, I made this today and… oh, my! It’s delicious! The “bread” is made from a blended red lentil batter. It’s light and flavorful. I honestly don’t believe anyone would guess that this recipe contains no wheat flour. Each serving has about 220 calories and 10 grams of protein. 

Red Lentil Spinach Bake

Makes 9 squares

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (180g) red lentils
• 1 12-ounce bag (340g) frozen spinach
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1/2 cup (100g) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup (200g) cottage cheese (or sour cream or plain Greek yogurt)
• 2 large eggs
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tablespoon dried dill
• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1-2 tablespoons Everything Bagel Seasoning (or sesame seeds) to garnish

Directions:

1. Cover lentils with water and soak overnight.
2. When ready to make the pie, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with parchment paper allowing the paper to overhang on 2 sides (to use as handles for removing pie from pan). Set pan aside.
3. Drain and rinse the lentils. Drain lentils well, letting them sit in the colander while spinach mixture is prepared.
4. Defrost the spinach and press out excess water using either a spatula and strainer or cheese cloth. Transfer the squeezed spinach to a mixing bowl.
5. Add onion, feta cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ground black pepper to the spinach. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Set spinach filling aside.
6. Place lentils in a blender. Add cottage cheese, eggs, 3 tablespoons olive oil, dill, pepper, salt and baking soda. Blend to a smooth batter.
7. Pour 2/3 of the lentil batter into the prepared pan, tipping it slightly to distribute batter evenly. Dollop the spinach mixture over the batter in an even layer. Top with the remaining batter, covering as much of the spinach layer as possible. Shake the pan gently to distribute evenly. Sprinkle the top with seeds or bagel seasoning.
8. Bake the pie for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately lift the pie from the pan, using the parchment paper as handles. Allow pie to cool slightly before serving.

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Eggplant Tomato Parmesan Bake by @Donna_Fasano

Eggplant Tomato Parmesan Bake

I went to a local farmer’s market yesterday and bought eggplants, tomatoes, a red onion, and some peaches. Yum! Today, I made a veggie bake that turned out really delicious. Here’s the simple recipe:

Eggplant Tomato Parmesan Bake

4 baby eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise

2/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1/2 of a medium red onion, sliced thin and separated into rings

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

1   1.  Preheat oven to 350° F. Fry the eggplant in two batches so the pan isn’t too crowded. To fry: Place 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a skillet and set over medium heat. Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate. Dip the eggplant slices into the beaten egg and then coat with breadcrumbs. Fry the eggplant until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the first batch to a plate and then add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry the second batch.

2   2. Layer the vegetables. Spray an oven proof dish with baking spray. (I used a 10-inch quiche dish. Use your favorite dish.) Arrange half the eggplant in a single layer in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese on the eggplant. Spread a layer of onion rings over the eggplant and cheese. Cover the onions with the sliced tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper to your taste. Add the remaining eggplant to the dish for the final layer.

3   3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are baked to your liking. (I baked mine for 30 minutes as I don’t like my veggies to become too mushy.) Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top. Bake for 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Harvest time is very, very near! I love fresh vegetables. This simple casserole is easy and it lends itself to any kind of herbs or seasonings you might like to add. If you like spicy food, add a pinch of red pepper over the top. Or try a pinch of Italian Seasoning or oregano. If you like more cheese, add more cheese. If you like a different kind of cheese, add a different kind of cheese.

I hope you enjoy! What are YOUR favorite summertime veggies?

Confetti Spaghetti - #Recipes for Kids

Trying to get kids to eat more vegetables can be as difficult as bending steel with your bare hands. But everyone loves spaghetti, right? So I came up with Confetti Spaghetti. This hearty meal is laden with colorful veggies and topped with gooey cheese. Try it! Let me know if your kids like it.

Confetti Spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

2 carrots, diced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, diced

1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, with juice

1 24-ounce jar pasta sauce

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced fine

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb thin spaghetti

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1.     Place a large pan over medium heat, and add the oil. Sauté the onion, zucchini, yellow pepper, carrots, and mushrooms until slightly soft, about 8-10 minutes, stirring often.

2.     Add the diced tomatoes and the pasta sauce. Stir in the parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

3.     While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti using package directions. Also, pre-heat the oven to 350º.

4.     Drain spaghetti and add the pasta to the sauce. Stir to coat. Pour into a 13” x 9” pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Bake just until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 8-12 portions.   

Do #Vegan #Recipes Scare You? Banana Apple Bread @DonnaFaz

My son and his girlfriend came to visit this weekend. He is vegetarian; she is vegan. So I made a banana apple bread that—even though it contains no eggs or dairy—turned out DELICIOUS. It’s light and moist and full of flavor.

This makes a wonderful afternoon “tea time” or “coffee break” snack. I hope you’ll try this recipe even though it’s got that label… vegan. J

Banana Apple Bread

1 3/4 cups flour (I used 1 cup all purpose and 3/4 cup spelt flour)

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4  teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup sugar

2 large, ripe bananas

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tart apple, grated

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1.    Preheat over to 350°F. Prepare a loaf pan using non-stick spray.

2.    Mix together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, sugar. Stir until combined.

3.    Add the banana to a food processor. Pulse to mash. Add the milk, molasses, oil, and vanilla to the processor bowl and process until smooth.

4.    Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Add the apple and walnuts, stir just until evenly distributed. Do not over mix.

5.    Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for a bit before removing from pan.

I am always looking for good vegan and vegetarian recipes. Do you have a favorite? Do you know any vegans or vegetarians?

Creamy Butternut Squash #Recipe by @DonnaFaz (and 99¢ ebook deal!)

I have never cooked a fresh butternut squash and really wanted to try. So I found a recipe that looked delicious, and after a little bit of fiddling, all I can say is...YUM! This is the perfect winter dish. It's hearty, filling, and just a teeny bit spicy. (If you don't like spicy, leave out the red pepper flakes.) Toss together a green salad and slice up some fresh, crusty bread, and you will have a meal that everyone will remember! 

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH with SAGE 

PASTA SAUCE

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large shallot, diced

1 medium/large butternut squash, peeled, diced

6 or 7 large sage leaves, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk

1 cup cooked cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

16 oz pasta of your choice

toasted, chopped walnuts or pine nuts, to serve

1. Slice the butternut squash in half, remove seeds and cut squash into 1/2″ cubes (the smaller the cubes are the quicker they will cook).

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add shallots and sauté a 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add butternut squash and seasonings, cook another 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is softened, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool a few minutes. 

3. Add coconut milk and beans to the pot. Using an immersion blender or food processor/blender, blend until smooth or desired consistency (a little chunky is ok). If using a food processor or blender you may need to do it in two batches. Taste for seasoning. Add back to the pot and heat before serving if necessary. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a little more vegetable broth or a little more coconut milk, your choice. 

4. Cook pasta using package directions. Drain cooked pasta and coat with sauce. Top with toasted nuts and fresh cracked pepper.

Serves 4 – 6

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Quinoa Salad

I can hear you now. Keen-what?

A highly nutritious and gluten free seed, quinoa (pronounced  KEEN-wah) is originally from the Andean region of South America. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor that makes it a great substitute for rice or couscous. Quinoa is packed with nutrition; it's an exceptional source of protein, containing all eight amino acids, which makes it an excellent option for people looking to reduce their consumption of meat. It's a good source of dietary fiber and contains B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. It's easy to prepare, tastes great, gluten free, and very versatile.

One note, check the package! If the quinoa you purchase isn't pre-rinsed, you must rinse it in a fine sieve to remove the bitter-tasting saponins.

I'm the kind of cook who opens the refrigerator and asks, "What's for dinner?" This recipe is perfect for me as I have used any combination of the veggies listed below to prepare this salad. Whatever is on hand, that's what I use.

First, cook the quinoa:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil

Add 1 ½ cups of quinoa

Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for five minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare your vegetables. Choose at least three of the veggies listed below, four is better, five is YUM! The mix of cooked and raw vegetables adds to the great texture of this delicious salad.

1 cucumber, peeled, quartered and chopped

2 fresh tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1 cup fresh broccoli florets, raw or lightly sautéed in olive oil

1 cup carrot, raw, shredded

1 cup leeks, sliced and lightly sautéed in olive oil

1 cup fresh sugar snap peas, raw

1 small jar of marinated baby beets, drained

1 cup fresh cauliflower, raw or lightly sautéed in olive oil

¼ cup sliced scallions

1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed

1 cup red, yellow, or green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 or 2 small zucchini, quartered and chopped, raw or lightly sautéed

1 avocado, peeled and chopped

1 jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced thin

1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 cup snow peas, raw

1 cup fresh asparagus, chopped (raw if it's thin, or lightly steamed if it's thick)

You get the idea! Any vegetable will work. Use whatever you like.

Other (optional) ingredients I've used (choose 1 nut/seed and/or 1 cheese):

½ cup of walnut pieces

½ cup pecan pieces

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup pine nuts

8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Ingredients I always use in this salad:

¼ cup fresh parsley, minced fine

Salt and pepper to taste

Enough bottled salad dressing to moisten ingredients. I prefer Wish Bone Robusto Italian, but I've also used Good Seasons Italian (follow package directions), Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette. If you're on a diet, use 'light' salad dressing.

To assemble:

Stir together the quinoa, parsley, salt, pepper, and your choice of vegetables/nuts/seeds in a large bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature, or chill for several hours. I always get rave reviews when I bring this salad to potluck dinners or family gatherings. Enjoy!