Best Veggie Lasagna

 This was an amazing recipe - especially the tofu ricotta.  The whole thing took a while, especially since it calls for regular lasagna noodles, not the no-cook variety.  I used Green lentil lasagne noodles by Explor, and although they were oven-ready, I cooked them for about 4 minutes beforehand.  The dish was really good - loved the roasted fennel, and while the mixed veggies were roasting, I prepared the ricotta.  

I used the veggies as described, and added red pepper as well.  The tomatoes end up a little bitter, so might substitute something else.

https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegetarian-lasagna/ 

Ingredients

Roasted Vegetables (yield 5 heaping cups raw veggies)

• 1 large leek, white and light green parts, chopped
• ½ medium red onion, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, slice into thin rounds
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and halved
• 1 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch thick half moons
• 12 cherry tomatoes, left whole
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

"Ricotta" Filling

• 23 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup loose-packed fresh basil

For the lasagna

• 12 lasagna noodles*
• 24 ounces store-bought or Homemade Marinara
• 1 packed cup chopped kale
• 2 cups grated smoked mozzarella cheese
• sliced basil, for garnish

Gado-Gado Quinoa Bowl - Fiber Fueled Cookbook

After I heard Dr. Will Bulsiewicz speak at the Lifestyle Medicine conference in November, 2022, I decided to read through his book Fiber Fueled and the related Cookbook.  He is an expert on the microbiome, which is one of the topics in medicine that I find fascinating.  99% of the genes that are in our bodies belong to the bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that live within us, mostly in our gut.  Fiber fuels the good ones, which then go on to form short chain fatty acids that are mostly beneficial to our health.  

He also mentions that after lactose and gluten, another big food intolerance is histamine or foods that cause you to form more histamine.  This recipe is good for those restricting histamine.  If you're not, then you can substitute 1/2 cup of peanut butter for other nut butters and 3 Tbsp of rice vinegar for the apple cider vinegar.  

Today, I tried this recipe and really enjoyed it.  It definite gets high marks on the fiber scale.  Dr. B rates the recipes in plant points, and this one gets 9, which is the highest I've seen in his book.  Gado-gado in Indonesian literally means 'mix-mix'.  In this salad, many raw and steamed veggies are mixed in an almond butter dressing.  Each region in Indonesia has its own unique spin on this dish.

INGREDIENTS: 

2 cups small red potatoes, halved or diced, depending on the size

1 cup uncooked quinoa or other short grain (I used bulgur, which worked well)

2 cups washed and trimmed green beans or pea sprouts

1/2 cup almond butter or sunflower seed butter, stirred well (I used almond butter)

2 garlic cloves grated into a paste or 1 tsp dried garlic powder

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger or 1/4 tsp dried ginger

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

1.5 ups shredded red cabbage

2 carrots grated

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium pot, place the potatoes and cover with water.  Cover with a tight lid and bring to a boil.  Allow the potatoes to coo for ~15 minutes, or until a potato flakes easily when pierced by a fork.

2. Rinse the grain and add to a saucepan with 2 cups (or the appropriate amount) of water.  Cover with a tight lid and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook covered for 12 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand for another 3 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and set aside to slightly cool.

3. If using green beans, bring a small pot of water to a boil.  While the water is boiling, make an ice bath in a medium bowl with ice and water to cover.  Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, then immediately drain and place in the prepared ice bath for 3 minutes, then drain and set aside.

4. In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking together the almond butter, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, if using, vinegar, and sesame oil.  If the nut butter is too thick, heat it in a saucepan over low heat or blend it in the base of a small blender or food processor.  Add hot water, 1 Tbsp at a time up to 5 Tbsp until the sauce has a pourable consistency. 

5. To assemble, divide the quinoa month four bowls.  Top with shredded cabbage, green beans, carrots, cooked potatoes, and bell pepper.  Serve with the nut butter sauce.  

Cedar Plank Salmon with lemon, garlic and rosemary

 PRINT

Cedar Plank Salmon with Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary

From onceuponachef By Jennifer Segal

This was easy and very good.  I baked it in the oven (without a plank) at 375 and it came out moist and delicious.  

Grilled cedar planked salmon has a delightfully smoky flavor and never sticks to the grill!

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

• Cedar plank(s) for grilling
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 2 lemons

• 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, skin removed
• Lemon wedges, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill a large bowl or sink with water. Soak the cedar plank(s) under the water for at least 1 hour.
2. In a baking dish large enough to hold the salmon, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Mix well. Add the salmon and turn to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to grill (you can do this up to 4 hours ahead of time). 
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400°F to 450°F). 
4. Pat the soaked plank(s) dry and place the salmon on top. Place the plank(s) on the grill grates, close the cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until salmon is done to your liking. Douse or mist the plank(s) with a bit of water if it catches fire. Serve the salmon on a platter right off the plank(s) with lemon wedges.

Sesame ginger dressing

From loveandlemons 

Sesame Ginger Dressing

Prep Time: 5 mins

Serves 4

You're going to want to drizzle this sesame ginger dressing over everything! Nutty, savory, and slightly sweet, it's fantastic on salads, noodles, and more.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons smooth tahini*
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1 heaping teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
• 1 to 3 tablespoons water, more if needed

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, sesame oil, vinegar, tamari, ginger, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth.
• If the dressing is too thick, add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water until it’s a drizzleable consistency.

Notes

*For the best results, use a really smooth, runny tahini, not the dry, stiff part that you might find at the bottom of a jar. Tahini's consistency can also vary from brand to brand; my favorites are Soom, Cedar’s, Trader Joe’s, and Seed+Mill.

Sweet potato casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Serves 6 to 8

You'll love this healthy sweet potato casserole recipe! To make it ahead, prep the topping and filling separately. Then, assemble and bake when you're ready to eat.

Ingredients

• 5 large sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1¼ cups unsweetened almond milk, plus more if necessary
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup fresh sage leaves, for garnish

Crumble Topping

• ⅔ cup whole rolled oats
• ½ cup pecans, plus more for garnish
• ½ cup walnuts, plus more for garnish
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush an 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• Use a fork to poke a few holes into the sweet potatoes. Place on the baking sheet and roast until very tender, about 60 minutes.
• Make the crumble topping: In a food processor, place the oats, pecans, walnuts, garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper and pulse until just combined. Remove and set aside.
• Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh out of the skins and place in a food processor. Add the olive oil, almond milk, ginger, salt, and pepper and process to combine. Spread the mixture into the baking dish.
• Sprinkle with the crumble topping, additional nuts, and sage leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is browned and crisp.

 

basil pesto

From Loveandlemons.com   https://www.loveandlemons.com/pesto-recipe/

I had a lot of fresh basil that I wanted to use up quickly.  I didn't have pine nuts so I used sunflower seeds and chopped walnuts, and I used nutritional yeast instead of Parm.  The recipe was very good and extra lemony before the nutritional yeast was added.  I'd probably add just a teaspoon or so of the yeast, if any.  

I ended up plating tomatoes (Camparis cut in half) with a dab of pesto on each, and it looked like it could make a great appetizer.  (11/8/22)

Ingredients

Basic Basil Pesto:

• ½ cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups basil leaves
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for a smoother pesto
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional  (or 1 tsp nutritional yeast)

• Instructions

• In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped.
• Add the basil and pulse until combined.
• With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, if using, and pulse to briefly combine. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.

 

Best Veggie Burger

Best Veggie Burger

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Serves 8

Even meat eaters will love this veggie burger recipe! These grill-able patties are tangy, smoky, and savory, with a hearty texture from walnuts and mushrooms.
https://www.loveandlemons.com/best-veggie-burger-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-44344
I was drawn to this recipe because they are meant to be grilled, and I had an assignment for my class with Rouxbe to grill something.  I hadn't used my grill in years.  So I was a bit intimidated.  I haven't used it much since I stopped preparing animal products.  First, I had to clean out the grill - leaves and various other things made their way in despite a secure cover.  Then I re-attached the propane tank, which felt a bit light.  Then I tried to light it - no dice!  Changed it with the tank that was on the Covid-friendly outdoor heater, but still no luck. Removed the igniter, changed the battery, but forgot to notice which end went where, so of course my first guess was wrong.  Second try was the charm.  OK - we were in business. 
The burgers did fairly well on the grill.  I might add some aquafaba next time to keep them together.  Perhaps I tried to move them too soon, but the surface was burning, so I couldn't really wait.  The nice thing about non-meat burgers is that you don't have to worry if the inside is 'cooked'.  There's nothing to get anyone ill.  Then I threw on the corn cobs (grilling with the silk is nice, but it's out of season and I could only get pre-shucked cobs.  The corn and the red and yellow peppers charred nicely.  Lots of good photos (10/28/22) - practicing portrait technique for the class.
These ingredients filled my food processor bowl.  Might use the giant size next time. 
Prepare the rice while gathering all the other ingredients.  The short grain brown rice (bulk section at WF) only took about 25 minutes to cook.  Definitely do mise en place to have everything ready to go as needed.  These took quite a bit of time, but is good to save frozen for another day.  
These really can be served to those who prefer meat.  They're quite hearty.  

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
• 2 shallots, chopped (⅔ cup)
• 16 ounces mushrooms, mix of shiitake + portobello, stemmed and diced
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin, or ½ teaspoon maple syrup - I used mirin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons sriracha, more if desired
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed
• 2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, freshly cooked so that it’s sticky*
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
• Vegan Worcestershire sauce, for brushing
• Nonstick cooking spray, for grilling
• Hamburger buns & desired burger fixings
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until soft, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt, and sauté until soft and browned, 6 to 9 minutes, turning down the heat slightly, as needed.
• Stir in the tamari, vinegar, and mirin. Stir, reduce the heat, then add the garlic, smoked paprika, and sriracha. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.
• In a food processor, combine the sautéed mushrooms, walnuts, flaxseed, brown rice, and ½ cup of the panko. Pulse until just combined. The mixture should hold together when pinched, but it should still have some texture.
• Transfer to a large bowl and fold in the remaining panko.
• Form into 8 patties, place them on a large plate and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
• If you're grilling the patties, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush the patties with olive oil and spray the grill with cooking spray. Place the patties on the grill and use a spatula to press down lightly. Grill for 7 minutes on the first side, flip, and grill for 6 to 7 minutes on the second side, or until well-charred and cooked through. 
• Alternately, cook the patties on the stove. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with oil and cook the patties for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until well-charred and cooked through.
• Remove from the heat, brush with Worcestershire sauce, and serve with desired fixings.

Notes

The patties can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, on a tray, until ready to grill. They can also be grilled in advance and stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days - they reheat surprisingly well.

You can also freeze the cooked burgers. Allow them to cool completely after cooking. Transfer them to an airtight container or bag, and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen burgers in the microwave, or warm them in a 400° oven for 10-20 minutes, until heated through.

*It’s very very important that your brown rice is freshly made and sticky so that the burgers will be cohesive. (Long grain rice isn't as sticky, so be sure to get short grain rice).