Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells w// Marinara Sauce

It has been awhile since my last posting. Not because I haven't been cooking, but because I haven't come up with any recipes that I felt were blog worthy!

Tonight the dry spell came to an end. And the winning dish is this Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pasta dish. All I can say is, Yummy!

So, without further ado, here is the recipe.

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells:

Ingredients:

12-14 jumbo pasta shells

10 oz. frozen spinach, chopped. (Swiss Chard would work well, too)

2 cups low fat cottage cheese, drained

2 egg whites

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

pepper to taste

2 plus cups Marinara sauce - see recipe below

Directions:

Prepare pasta shells according to package directions, drain and cover with cold water so they don't dry out.

Drain the spinach thoroughly. I like to simply squeeze it out with my hands.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, pour 1 cup of marinara sauce.

Combine spinach, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, egg whites, garlic powder and pepper. Stuff the spinach/cheese mixture into the shells and place in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining marinara sauce.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes - or until bubbling.

Marinara Sauce:

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

4 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

6 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup vegetable broth

Directions:

In a large skillet, over medium heat, saute the onion in the olive oil for about 2 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients. (If you prefer a smooth sauce with no tomato chucks, you could put the tomatoes in a blender or food processor first.

Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tip: Make a double or triple batch and put the extra in containers in the freezer for another meal. The sauce taste even better after all the flavors have had a chance to marry. It is a nice light sauce that is great over angel hair pasta as well.

As always, be kind and eat well!

Enjoy.

Swiss Chard Enchiladas

I know, Swiss Chard, sounds to healthy to taste good. But it is. Actually, these enchiladas were fabulous and very easy to make.

So lets talk a little bit about Swiss Chard....

Swiss Chard is a leafy green, but it is actually a member of the beet family, which is something I just learn. I always thought it was a member of the spinach or kale families.

When the Swiss chard is young and tender, it is great in salads. However, when it is mature, it becomes tougher and can have a more bitter flavor. For this recipe, we will be using the mature chard.

When the mature chard is used, the leafy green portion is removed from the stem, as the stem can be tougher. However, in this recipe, we will use the stems. To deal with the tougher stem, we will just be cooking it longer, and then later adding the leaves.

Lets talk nutrition: Swiss Chard is high in vitamins A, K, and C. It is also a great source of potassium, iron, and manganese. And of course it is a great source of fiber.

So lets get to the recipe so that you can get to cooking! Here you go...

Ingredients:

2 - 8 oz. cans green enchilada sauce

1-2 jalapenos, minced

2 large bunches of Swiss chard

1 medium onion, diced

8 tortillas, corn or flour

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

1 large handful of cilantro, chopped

salt

Preparation:

Prepare the chard by removing the leaves from the stems. Chopped the stems into small pieces, rinse thoroughly, and set aside. Cut the leaves into ribbons, and again, rinse and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil on high heat. Add the onion and saute for about 1 minute. Then add the chard stems and cook for another minute. Next, add the chard leaves. Add 1/4 cup of water and 1 tsp of salt, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Then remove the lid and cook off any remaining moisture. We don't want watery enchiladas!

In a bowl, combine the Monterey Jack cheese, the chard/onion mixture, and the cilantro.

In another container, mix the green enchilada sauce and the desired amount of jalapeno.

Now to put it all together...

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Scoop about 1 cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9"x 13" casserole dish.

Take each tortilla and dip it in the remaining enchilada sauce one at a time, lay it in the casserole dish, and fill it with about 1/4 cup of the cheese/chard mixture. Roll up and place seam side down in the casserole. Repeat this for all the tortillas.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle with another couple of ounces of Monterey and the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until it bubbles on the sides and the cheese is melted.

Take out of the oven, and sprinkle with additional cilantro for garnish.

Enjoy!

As always... Eat Well, and Be Kind!

Pesto and Cherry Tomato Pasta

This is one of the easiest pasta recipes you will ever make! Guaranteed.

It makes a great weeknight meal when you are just too darn tired to put much thought or effort into cooking.

My dear husband, Stephe, who is quite the food junkie, says, "I love the tanginess of the tomatoes and the lemon." I would have to agree. Normally I am not a big fan of pesto, but with the addition of the tomatoes and the lemon - it is a winner.

If you don't have arugula, feel free to experiment with spinach or kale, or swiss chard.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pecorino cheese, grated

2 handfuls baby arugula

1 handful basil

1/3 EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1/3 cup walnuts

juice from 1 small lemon

several handfuls cherry tomatoes

1/2 lb. whole grain penne pasta - I like Barilla for the higher protein content.

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare the pasta to al dente.

Put all the other ingredients (except the tomatoes and S&P) in a blender and blend until thick and smooth.

Season with the salt and pepper.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, lengthwise.

Mix the pesto and the cherry in to the pasta and serve.

You can sprinkle additional cheese on top if you would like.

It doesn't get much easier than that!

Serve with a simple salad and a piece of crusty bread and you are good to go.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Corn Chowder with Aji

This recipe is so good that I wish I could claim it as my own creation - I can not. This wonderfully hearty chowder is the creation of Terry Hope Romerao. It is a vegan recipe infused with the flavors of Latin America.

Because of the Latin influence this chowder has a bit of a spicy punch - that is the Aji paste. The level of heat is up to you, as there are several types of Aji paste: amarillo, panca, and rocoto that you can choose from. I used Aji panca, which has a milder flavor. If you are unable to find the Aji at your local grocer, check out your local Mexican market.

I know what some of you are thinking. You're thinking you are going to pass on this recipe because you haven't cooked with quinoa or Aji before, right? Well, maybe it's time to break out of your same old, same old food routine; and time to expand your culinary horizons. Be a fearless foodie! It fun! I promise even my non vegetarian readers will enjoy this dish. So go ahead and give this recipe a try!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. peanut, corn, or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed and drained) I used red quinoa.

2 Tbsp. aji paste - amarillo, panca, or rocoto

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground sweet paprika

1/2 pound red potatoes, diced small

3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels. (thaw and drain, if frozen)

1 14 oz. can butter beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups vegetable broth or water, or a combination of both

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced small

1/3 cup milk (if you are vegan, substitute with the milk substitute of your choosing)

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3/4 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnishes:

- finely chopped cilantro or parsley

- chopped ripe avocado

- roasted chopped peanuts

- diced red or green onion

Preparation:

In a large soup pot, combine the oil and minced garlic over medium heat. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

Add the quinoa and stir occasionally, toasting the quinoa for 3 to 4 minutes (make sure you have properly rinsed the quinoa before adding. see below).

Add the aji paste, oregano, basil, cumin, and paprika, and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Then stir in the potatoes, corn, beans, and water. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender and the quinoa is tender and translucent.

Stir in the tomatoes, milk, vinegar, and salt, partially cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This soup should be thick, but if it seems too thick, simply add more broth or water.

Remove from the heat and season with black pepper.

Let the soup sit for 10-15 minutes before serving, allowing the flavors to meld.

To serve, scoop into bowls and top with the garnish(es) of your choice. My favorite is the cilantro!

**One quick note - be sure to check the box to determine if the quinoa you purchased is prewashed or not. If it is not, you will want to be sure to rinse it thoroughly a couple of times before cooking with it. If it isn't rinsed it will have a very bitter flavor, and thus ruin the dish. For information on quinoa, check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa.

Grilled Margherita Zucchini

This is one of my most favorite recipes yet! So simple, and yet another great way to prepare the abundance of zucchini we all have on hand this time of year.

As always, these taste best with garden fresh ingredients. If you don't have your own garden, head on down to your local farmers market and go wild!

Grilled Margherita Zucchini

Ingredients:

Medium sized zucchini or yellow summer squash
Garden fresh Roma tomatoes
EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Basil, cut in ribbons. (you could use thyme, cilantro, or other fresh herb of your choosing as well.

Preparation:

Heat grill to medium heat.

Cut the zucchini lengthwise into planks about 1/4 inch thick. Lay on a flat surface. Make sure that the zucchini lay flat, or else your toppings will slide off during the grilling. Drizzle with EVOO.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on each plank. Then add the tomatoes and the fresh herbs.

Place each zucchini plank on the heated grill and cover the lid. Let the cook for about 10 minutes. Don't worry if the bottoms of your zucchini start to get charred. That is part of the flavoring that makes this dish so tasty!

You will know they are done when the zucchini are tender when poked with a fork. Be careful not to overcook, or the zucchini will become too mushy. You will want the zucchini to be tender crisp so they are able to support the toppings.

When removing from the grill be sure to support them well underneath. We wouldn't want all those yummy toppings to fall into the grill!

These can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish.

Happy Grilling!

Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats

As the summer comes to an end you may find that you still have quite an abundance of zucchini.  You may also find that you have run out of ideas on how to prepare all that zucchini.  You've probably already made zucchini cakes and breads; you've sauteed it, made stir fries, and you'may have even put some in the freezer.  Right?

Well, here is a new and fun way to prepare the zucchini - Zucchini Boats!  The kids will love making these, and I'm a big believer in getting kids in the kitchen early on in life so they learn about, and care about the food they are putting into their little bodies.

Some of you may be wondering about Quinoa, pronounced (Keen wa).  Quinoa is a lovely grain whose origins go back to the Inca tribes in South America.  The reasons I love this grain are many:  It is a complete protein; it is super quick to prepare (10-15 minutes); it is light and has a slight nutty flavor; and it can be substituted any time you use rice.  

One quick note - be sure to check the box to determine if the quinoa you are purchasing is prewashed or not.  If it is not, you will want to be sure to rinse it thoroughly a couple of times before cooking with it.  If it isn't rinsed it will have a very bitter flavor, and thus ruin the dish.  For information on quinoa, check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa.

Here's the recipe.  Enjoy!

Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Ingredients:

2 medium size zucchini or summer squash

1 cup diced red tomatoes

1/2 cup of diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

Medium handful of basil, chopped 

1 1/2 cups prepared Quinoa (about 3/4 cup dry)

Red pepper flakes - to your level of spiciness

Olive Oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

Prepare the quinoa per package directions and set aside.

Prepare the boats by cutting the zucchini lengthwise in half, and then carving out the pulp creating "boats."  This is the part the kids will love.  Save the pulp and chop.

In a medium skillet, saute the onion in 1-2 tablespoons oil with a dash of red pepper flakes for 3-4 minutes, until the onions start to become translucent.  Then add the garlic and the zucchini pulp.  Saute for an additional 3-4 minutes, until most of the liquid from the zucchini is gone.  Add the tomatoes and remove from the heat.  Then add in the Parmesan cheese, quinoa and basil.

Next, scoop the quinoa mixture into each of the four boats and top with feta cheese.  You know what I say about feta..."Everything is betta with feta!"

Now we are going to grill them to really pull all the flavors today.  Once your grill is preheated, grill the boats on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes.  You will know when they are done when they are tender when poked with a fork.  Don't worry if they start to get chard on the bottom.  It will add a very lovely flavor to the dish.  When removing them from the grill be careful, as they will be a bit soft, so be sure to support their bottoms.

I hope you enjoy these as much as my family did!  Feel free to experiment with other cheeses of your liking. You may even want to blend in some of the feta with the Parmesan.  The possibilities are endless!

As always, Be Kind and Eat Well!

Strawberry & Mascarpone Crostini

Crostini is made by thinly slicing bread, generally a plain white bread and then toasting it in the oven. It is then topped with a variety of toppings and is often used as an appetizer.

For this recipe I used a bagette, sliced in into thin slices, and then topped it with mascarpone cheese and strawberries.

For those of you who have been following by blog, you will notice that the mascarpone mixture is the same as that used for the stuffed french toast.

For the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, try some blueberries and either strawberries or raspberries on top for a patriot themed snack.

Ingredients:

Bagette - sliced into 1/4 inch slices

Cinnamon

Strawberried

Honey

Lemon juice

4 oz. mascarpone cheese

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 T. honey

Directions:

To prepare to crostini -

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bread slices on a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. This way the bread will toast on both sides. Sprinkle each slice with cinnamon. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, until crispy. Set aside to cool.

Mix the cheese, zest and honey together in a small bowl with a spoon or spatula. Set aside.

Slice the strawberries. Drizzle with honey and a little bit of the juice from the lemon you zested - to taste. Set aside.

To put together, simply spread some of the mascarpone mixture on each slice of toast and top with a few berries. It's as simple as that!

Enjoy!

Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast w/ Strawberries

Not sure what to do with your strawberries? Need a new idea? Here's one. ...... Stuffed Mascarpone French Toast with Strawberries!

You may ask, what in the heck is Mascarpone? Mascarpone is a cheese - a triple cream cheese - the main ingredient in Tiramisu. All I know is that it taste very yummy.

This is really quite an easy recipe, and the variations are endless.

Not a big fan of strawberries? Then switch out the strawberries for raspberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, etc. One of my favorite varieties is with apples and walnuts over top.

So, if you don't already have your strawberries, head on down to your local farmers market, or roadside strawberry stand and pick some up. But remember to leave a few for the french toast :)

Ingredients:

Filling -

4 oz. Mascarpone Cheese (cream cheese will work too)

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 T. honey

Mix the cheese, zest and honey together in a small bowl with a spoon or spatula. Set aside.

Toast and batter -

8 slices day old French or Italian bread - (most often I just use the wheat bread I have in the house)

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon (cardamon would be a nice touch too)

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk eggs, mild, cinnamon and vanilla together. Set aside.

Topping:

Strawberries (or berry of your choosing)

Honey

Lemon juice

Slice the strawberries. Drizzle with honey and a little bit of the juice from the lemon you zested - to taste. Set aside.

To Prepare:

Spread one fourth of the cheese mixture on a slice of bread. Put a layer of strawberries on top of the cheese mixture.

Top this with another slice of bread, making sandwich.

Place the sandwich in the egg mixture as you normally would for french toast.

Place in a heated skillet or griddle. I like to put a little butter in the pan, or on the griddle for extra flavor. Cook on each side until golden brown - just like normal french toast.

To plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar. If you'd like, add some extra berries and almonds.

Now that's a tasty treat!

Enjoy!

Springtime Asparagus Frittata

Spring has arrived and with it comes a bounty of fresh tender asparagus. If you've been down to your local farmer's market lately you've noticed that about the only produce available this early in the spring season are asparagus, spinach, and scallions.

The question arises as to what to do with the asparagus once you get it home? One of my favorite and simplest ways to prepare asparagus as a side dish is grilling it. Simply brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and ground pepper. All is takes is a few minutes. Very tasty!

Another great way to prepare asparagus is in this lovely springtime frittata. I love making frittatas. They are quick and easy, and the variations are endless. Just switch out the asparagus for another veggie of your choosing (perhaps some spinach or broccoli), and have some fun experimenting with different cheeses. The possibilities are endless.

Springtime Asparagus Frittata:

Ingredients:

2 cups asparagus, cut into 1" diagonal pieces

1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, diced. (scallions or leeks would work too)

2 Tbsp. EVOO - olive oil

8 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup fontini cheese (or other cheese of your choosing - goat cheese is great too)

1-2 Tbs. chives, chopped

fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the asparagus, mushrooms and onions and saute until the asparagus is tender (about 5-8 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the fontini cheese. Once the vegetables are done, gently fold them into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a pie plate and place in the oven. Bake for 20- 25 minutes, until the top starts to get golden brown.

In the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle with the grated parmesan and the chives and put back in the oven to finish cooking.

This dish works great for a variety of meals: breakfast, brunch, or a light supper. When I serve this for breakfast or brunch, I simply serve it with whole grain toast and a ice cold glass of milk.

When served as a light supper meal, it is great with a simple salad, which will make good use of the fresh spinach at the farmers market!

So, to all of you who haven't quite made it down to the farmer's market - - - What are you waiting for?

And to all of you who have been there and either didn't know what to do with the asparagus, or were looking for another way to prepare it, I hope you find this recipe to your liking.

Enjoy!

A note about eggs......When it comes to eggs, free range is always the way to go. It's always important to purchase your eggs from somewhere where you know that the chickens who laid them for you, were treated with kindness.

Rustic Broccoli and Mushroom Rotini

Looking for a quick, easy and healthy meal? Look no more. With all the business that spring brings (biking, hiking, kids activities, and of course planting your veggie garden) this dish will get you in and out of the kitchen quickly.

And of course, I must give cud dos to my husband Stephe for its creation. I was a little skeptical when he started throwing this together, but it turned out wonderfully! I don't know why I was skeptical? It is pretty rare that I don't like one of his creations. Great job honey!

Rustic Broccoli and Mushroom Rotini

Ingredients:

8 oz. Rotini pasta (Stephe used veggie rotini)

Broccoli - about 2 small heads. Use the tops only.

8 0z. baby portobello mushrooms

2/3 cup Pine nuts

1/3 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 - 3 Fresh Tarragon, chopped

4 oz. Feta Cheese, crumbled

1/3 tsp. Sea salt

Black Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat EVOO over medium high heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes.

Add the broccoli and pine nuts, and cook for another 3-4 minutes (until the broccoli is tender crisp).

Drain the pasta and put pan in the cooking pan. Add the feta cheese and tarragon, and gently combine.

To serve: place a serving of pasta on the plate and then scoop the broccoli & mushroom mixture over top. Sprinkle with extra tarragon if you would like.

Enjoy!

Mango and Black Bean Salad

Mango's and black beans, what a perfect combination. Mango's seem to be quite popular in the grocery stores right now and with the beginning of the grilling season upon us, what a great time for a light tasty side dish. It also makes a great salsa with some dipping chips.

For variation, peaches or pineapple could be used in place of the mango.

Mango and Black Bean Salad (or salsa)

Ingredients:

1/4 extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp. sea salt

pepper to taste

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups mango, diced

1 medium jicima, diced - about 2 cups

half of a small red onion. about 1/4 cup, diced small

Directions:

Whisk the oil, vinegar and cilantro in medium bowl until well blended. Add in the beans, mango, jicima, onion, salt and pepper and mix gently until well coated.

Chill and serve.

Enjoy!!!

This recipe was created by Daisy Martinez. Good job Daisy!

Grilled Portabella Burger

The Grilled Portabella Burger is what I consider to be the vegetarians hamburger - only better. I've been perusing many different recipes for some time now, trying to decide what type of marinade I wanted to use. I finally put together this one, which is a combination of the others. The perfect combination of oil, vinegar and spices.

According to Kyle, this burger is even better than the Hard Rock Cafe's portabella burger he often raves about!

So here you are - my recipe for a Grilled Portabella Burger. Enjoy!

Grilled Portabella Burger

Ingredients:

8 portabella mushroom caps, stems removed

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon course sea salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

8 sliced provolone cheese

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.

Place the mushroom caps in a shallow pan, smooth side up. Pour the marinade over the mushrooms. Flip over and brush the marinade on the gill side of the mushroom caps. Let the mushrooms marinade for 15-30 minutes.

Preheat the grill on medium high heat.

Place the mushrooms on the grill, gill side down. Grill for about 5 minutes, then turn over and grill for another 5 minutes. Just before taking the mushroom caps off the grill, top with a slice of provolone cheese just long enough to melt the cheese.

To serve, place on a whole wheat bun. Top with tomato and onion. Serve with your favorite side dish.

Enjoy!

Not Really Meatloaf

So who doesn't like a good old fashion meatloaf? Even us vegetarians crave some of those comfort foods from our childhoods. For those of you that are reading my blog who are not vegetarians, you may be thinking, "Why would I want to make this recipe when I have a perfectly good meatloaf recipe of my own?" My answer to that - Fat. This recipe has a much lower fat content that your traditional meatloaf.

I have to say that I was a bit skeptical when my coworker Jim (and fellow vegetarian) gave me this recipe. But so far Jim hasn't steered me wrong, so I gave it a try. Once again, Jim had it right! Thanks Jim!

Now, this recipe calls for onion soup mix, and I really try not to use these types of prepackaged products in my cooking, as they are generally packed full of artificial colorings and such. So I tried to make this recipe without the seasoning packet - replacing it with onions, salt, pepper, garlic - but it just didn't turn with the same flavoring of the original recipe, and my family just didn't like it. So back to the original recipe it is. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying to modify the recipe to get rid of the onion soup mix - I will continue on my quest. But until then, I will share Jim's recipe with all of you!

So here you go. I'd love to hear what you think!

Not Really Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 whole egg

5 egg whites

1 cup finely chopped (ground) walnuts

16 oz. cottage cheese

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups corn flakes (you could also use crackers, oatmeal, bread crumbs)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, then place the loaf mixture into a 8"x8" baking pan or bread baking pan lined with parchment paper. (the parchment paper really makes a difference when you are getting the meatloaf out)

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Toothpick inserted in loaf should come out clean.

That's it. Just as simple as traditional meatloaf, but so much healthier.

I would serve this with a lovely mushroom gravy (also found on my blog - June 2010), a side of brown rice (or grain of your choice) , and some veggies of your choosing.

Enjoy!

The Soup of the Smiling Palms

So, tonight I came home from work, tired and hungry and, I'll admit, a bit cranky. When asked what I wanted for supper (yes, I was asked what I wanted for supper), I was too tired to care and would have been perfectly happy with a bowl of cereal or a frozen pizza. That was not to be. My husband, who is a great cook and very creative in the kitchen, drove himself down to the local Asian grocery store in search of inspiration. One of our very favorite places to eat at is Pad Thai, and one of my husbands favorite dishes is Gangari Soup. I have to admit I was a little skeptical when my husband placed a bowl of soup in front of me that had pineapple in it. But, to my surprise, this soup turned out to be my new favorite. This is a must try recipe. Trust me, you will like this soup!

The Soup of the Smiling Palms

Ingredients:

1 20 0z. can chunk pineapple in juice (keep the juice)

1 19 oz. can coconut milk

1 15 oz. can straw mushrooms

1 20 oz. can water chestnuts (leave whole, slice, or dice)

1 13 oz jar bamboo shoots in chili oil

Directions:

This couldn't be more simple. Simply put all of the above ingredients into a medium-large pot. Bring to a soft boil, then reduce to simmer. Continue to simmer 15 minutes. Serve with a side of brown rice.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili

Here we are, nearing the final days of February and it occurs to me that I have not yet posted anything about Chili. With only a few weeks of winter remaining, I thought perhaps today was the day to do so. For myself, making a vegetarian friendly chili has never been much of an issue. Prior to becoming a vegetarian, it was already my preference to eat meatless chili. So, for those of you who have a favorite chili recipe, just go ahead and make it as before, but perhaps instead of the meat, add a can of black beans in its place.

If you are looking for a new or different chili recipe, the following recipe is on that I tried this winter - and loved. The recipe was given to me by my coworker, Jim. Thank you Jim for sharing this with me! It is much "lighter" than the thick, dark chili that my husband makes. Both are good, just different.

Perhaps, if we all make one final pot of chili for the winter, it will appease the Gods of Deep Packed Snow, and we can move on to Spring!

Here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy it.

Vegetarian Chili:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the following until tender -

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 1/2 cups chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

Then, add the following -

2 28 oz. cans tomatoes cut up

2 15.5 oz cans red kidney beans, drained

1 4 oz. can diced green chili peppers. drained

1/4 cup vinegar

1 Tbsp. chili powder

2-3 tsp. bottled hot pepper sauce

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 bay leaf

Stir the above ingredients into the sauteed vegetables, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, covered.

Muffin Frittatas

Now here's a great idea for a Sunday brunch - Muffin Frittatas! It's time to pull out those old muffin pans, dust them off, and put them to good use.

The variations to this recipe are endless. You can saute the vegetables, you choose not to; you can choose what ever vegetables are to your liking; you can choose to use cheese - or not - or maybe a little; you can choose what kind of cheese. Like I said the possibilities are endless. I'll give you the basic recipe and you can take it from there. When I made these this morning, I used red and orange bell pepper, onion, and spinach. Because I was using spinach and wanted it wilted down, I decided to saute all of my vegetables. Again, the choice is up to you. One thing to keep in mind if you saute the veggies, is to make sure you drain the excess liquid before mixing the veggies in with the egg mixture. If you don't, you may end up with soggy muffins. Next time around, I think I'll do mushrooms, spinach, onions, and Feta cheese (if you use feta cheese, you may what to cut back on the salt in this recipe, as feta tends to be a bit on the saltier side). Yummy - I can hardly wait!

Muffin Frittatas:

Ingredients -

3 whole eggs

6 eggs whites

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup cheddar cheese (or what ever cheese is to your liking)

1 cup chopped vegetable of your choosing

1/2 small red onion (green onions would be lovely as well)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

If you are sauteing your vegetables, I would do that first. Add 2 Tbsp oil to medium skillet and heat on medium high heat. Add your veggies and saute for 2-3 minutes. If you are using spinach, I would saute the other veggies first. After a couple of minutes, add the spinach and saute for 1-2 minutes more, until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat to cool.

While the veggies are cooling, beat the eggs milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cheese and veggies; mix well.

Spoon the egg mixture into 12 greased muffin cups (about 1/4 cup each).

If you are wanting to decrease the overall cheese content, you could choose to simply sprinkle a little on top of each muffin before putting in the oven.

Bake at 350 degrees F about 20 minutes (just until set). Cool on a rack for about 5 minutes. Remove each cup and serve warm.

I figure about 3 muffins per person, which will give you four servings.

Serve with a side of whole wheat bread; maybe a little fruit, and you have a wonderful Sunday Brunch for your family.

Enjoy!

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Spanakopita - Greek Spinach Pie. Now this is one tasty dish. It is really quite an easy dish to make as well. When I was making this dish tonight, I did what the recipe called for, and used fresh spinach and chopped it up. If you have the time, then great, go ahead and do that. I find that the time I spend chopping veggies for my dishes can be some very nice quiet, relaxing, also meditative time in the kitchen. However, if you are short on time, or simply don't enjoy the fussiness of chopping the spinach, then by all means go ahead and use frozen chopped spinach.

Both of my guys really loved this dish, and Kyle, the teenage in the house, even asked for seconds!

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did.

Spanakopita:

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs. spinach rinsed and chopped

1/2 chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

8 sheets phyllo dough

1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil 9x9 baking pan.

Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, green onions, and garlic until soften and lightly browned. Then add in the chopped spinach and parsley and continue to saute until the spinach is limp - about another 2 minutes. If you are using frozen spinach you wouldn't need to add it to the onion mixture. I would throw in the parsley and let it saute with the onion mixture for just a minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, ricotta cheese, and feta cheese. Stir in the spinach mixture.

Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the prepared baking pan and brush lightly with olive oil. The sheet of phyllo dough will be slightly bigger than you pan, causing some to hang over, which is desirable.

Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top and brush with olive oil. Continue this with 2 more sheets of phyllo dough.

Next, spread the spinach and cheese mixture into the pan and fold overhanging dough over the filling. Brush the dough with oil.

Then add 4 more sheets of phyllo dough in the same manner as above. When I did this, I laid the dough in alternating directions so that I would have overhang on all 4 side.

Tuck the overhanging dough in the pan to create a seal.

**When working with phyllo dough, it is very important that you do not unwrap it and expose it to the air until you are ready to use it. Phyllo dough is very, very thin so when it get exposed to the air, it will dry out very quickly, making it very difficult to work with.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.

My mind has already started working on the many variations I could make on this recipe. You could try using different feta cheeses (like a tomato basil). You could use cottage cheese instead of ricotta to lower the fat content. You could saute some mushrooms with the onion mixture. The possibilities are endless!!!

I'd love to hear what you come up with.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Frittata

Todays lunch was an amazingly healthy vegetable frittata with a veggie salad. All that was missing was some homemade whole wheat bread. (Oh Honey, where's the homemade bread?) The recipe uses egg whites, instead of the whole egg, so it is heart healthy!

When it comes to eggs, free range is always the way to go. It's always important to purchase your eggs from somewhere where you know that the chickens who laid them for you, were treated with kindness.

Vegetable Frittata.

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups of vegetables of your choice (red, yellow, orange peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, onions)---diced

Eggs whites from 1 dozen eggs

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven broiler.

In a 10" oven safe skillet, warm the olive oil. Add the vegetables and sautee for 3-4 minutes. Don't over cook the vegetables. You want them to be tender crisp.

Whisk together the egg whites, salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables and cook gently until the egg whites are set.

Transfer the pan to the broiler and brown until the top is nicely browned.

Take out of the oven and sprinkle with scallions.

Other options: just before you put the frittata in the oven, you could sprinkle it with some feta cheese for another layer of flavor.

Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Dressing

Tonight's supper meal was a spinach mushroom frittata, another new recipe that I was trying out. My guys enjoyed it, but I, on the other hand, did not find it to be quite what I consider "blog worthy." So, my search for a blog worthy frittata recipe continues.

As a side to the frittata, I prepared a mixed greens salad with lots of fresh veggies. To top it off, I chose this incredibly simple honey mustard dressing. Three ingredients - that's it. It doesn't get much easier than that.

There's also a little back story regarding my love for honey mustard dressing. Several years ago when my best friend Cindy and I would get together for a night out, we seemed to find ourselves at Perkins and we always seemed to order the shrimp bread bowl salad with honey mustard dressing. We would sit and visit, enjoy our salad, dip the torn off sides of our bread bowls into our extra dressing, and talk about how much we loved that dressing. I can still recall Cindy and I (and sometimes her husband Don) trying to get the name of the supplier of their dressing, ordering a container of dressing to go, and I trying one store bought honey mustard dressing after another, just so I could have this same tasty experience at home.

Well, finally, after all these years, I have finally recreated that infamous honey mustard dressing. And now I am sharing it with you. Mind you, I'm not eating the shrimp portion of the salad anymore, but my husband, Stephe, did make some homemade wheat bread this week which was quite a treat for dipping in the extra dressing.

And so tonight as I ate my salad with my family, my memories remind me of a cherished friendship, and a shared love of good food. My hope for you is that your mealtimes are a time in which you too connect and bond with those around you. A time to create lasting memories with the ones you cherish.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

Mix together. It's really that simple.

Enjoy!

Corn Chowder

Tonight I came home from work, tired and hungry. To my surprise my husband had been busy in the kitchen preparing this very lovely corn chowder. The aroma as I walked in the front door was amazing!

I have to say it was pretty tasty. I do have another recipe for corn chowder that I've been meaning to make. Hopefully that will be coming soon so you'll have to options. You can't go wrong with corn chowder. Enjoy!

Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 (14.75 ounce) cans cream-style corn
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• Minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven, saute onion in butter until tender. Add the water, corn and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 16-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with parsley.