Lasagne with Pumpkin, Sage, Kale, and White Beans

Yesterday was the last day of my 108 days of yoga. I started off strong and determined but somewhere along the way lost a bit of momentum. I still practiced everyday, but the diet ( no sugar and caffeine) and contemplative part diminished as time wore on. Regardless, I learned much about myself, and I also learned valuable information about the selfishness and insecurities of others when you stop responding to their every crisis. Listening with your heart and soul will allow you to hear/see things that may have been invisible before. Being in a place of complete openness allowed me to see the viciousness in someone, truth be told, on a heart level I always knew was there. People lie, even the self righteous that proclaim their honesty from the rooftops. When confronted directly some people will always take the easy way out and lie until their dying breath, and continuing their charade of a life without missing a beat. Good to know. I'll take what I've learned and move forward knowing that a little skepticism is not necessarily a bad thing. The universe has been trying to teach me something by bringing these people into my life. Hopefully, the lesson has been learned. I feel blessed and thankful to have the people in my life that I do, and also the ones that make me see the truth in myself as well as them, good bad or otherwise, and then to move on with or without them. 108 day older and wiser.  

Onward and upward - time to embrace this absolutely fabulous Maine Fall weather! Hiking, apple picking, raking/playing in leaves, sitting outside in the sun and reading, sitting beside the fire- either inside or out, are all some of my favorite things to do in the Fall.   But cooking and baking Fall foods is what I look forward to most of all.  Apples, pumpkins, any and all root vegetables, as well as numerous grains make their appearance over and over again.   What makes Fall special to you?  What are some of your favorite recipes.  Please share.  I would love to try something new and perhaps post your wonderful recipe here.  

 Repost of an old favorite from April.

Lasagne with Pumpkin, Sage, Kale and White Beans

 

This recipe was an experiment based on what was in my kitchen at the time.  My plan for last night was seitan cutlets with mushroom gravy but for some reason that whole process seemed too daunting.  For some odd reason the whole process of lasagne didn't seem daunting at all. I guess that's because in my heart I'm an Italian girl even if my blood say Scottish, lol.  I didn't measure everything so I will give you my best approximations.  This lasagne was seriously delicious!



Oil a 9 x 13 pan
Preheat oven to 450

1 box lasagne noodles (no need to precook)

1/4 to 1/3 cup of sundried tomato and pepper strips
1/3 cup raw cashews   (1/3 or so cup of water to aid in processing)
2 large cloves garlic
1 package extra firm or firm tofu
1 box pumpkin puree (17.oz)
1- 2  t rubbed sage
1/2 -3/4  t basil
1/4 - 1/2 t oregano  (all herb amounts are approximations -  Start w/lower amount and taste test.)
1/8- 1/4 thyme and rosemary
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 box white beans (about 17oz)  homemade is even better
1 bag frozen chopped kale (16 oz)
2 (24 oz) jars of your favorite marinara sauce- homemade is obviously fine too (I like a chunky sauce)
couple of handfuls of vegan mozzarella - I used Trader Joe's for this recipe


Place tomato and pepper strips, cashews and garlic in a food processor. Process until pretty smooth, adding water as necessary to allow it to get as smooth as possible. Add crumbled up tofu and process till smooth, add pumpkin and herbs and process until well combined.  Taste and adjust herbs if necessary and add sea salt and pepper.

Pour about 1/2 cup of marinara on the bottom of your oiled pan.  Add a layer of noodles. Spread pumpkin mixture over noodles.  Then take handfuls of frozen kale and spread evenly over pumpkin mixture.  Do the same with the beans, using much less, spread marinara all over - it should not be too thick that you can't see the veggies but not so thin that it's transparent.  Repeat layers.  I think I had 5 or 6 layers with the final one not having any beans.  Cover and bake for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.  Place back in the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is melty and gooey.  You can also put it under the broiler for a bit if you want to brown the cheese.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes and then cut up and devour!

Serve with crusty Italian bread and a green salad.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

National Kale Day!

Here is a re-post of a recipe from back in April of 2011.  Still just as good today. 

 

 

Delicious Raw Kale and Tofu Ricotta Salata Salad

Kale, Kale, Beautiful Raw Kale

Kale is super nutritious and this recipe is super delicious. If you've never eaten kale raw give it a try...you won't regret it! If you prepare the tofu and marinade in the morning it will be ready for a quick and easy lunch.

Raw Kale and Tofu Ricotta Salata Salad


1 1/2 to 2lbs lacinato kale or tender regular kale, stems and center ribs removed

1 lb xtra firm tofu (drained, pressed for 15 minutes and cut into 1/2" cubes)

Marinade/Dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 t red wine vinegar
1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T finely chopped shallot or red onion
1 small clove garlic minced
2 t sea salt
1 t dried basil
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t black pepper


Whisk all ingredients for marinade together in a small bowl, pour into Ziplock bag. Add tofu and marinate for an hour or longer, flipping bag over occasionally to be sure all tofu is covered. Set aside.

Cut kale crosswise into very thin slices. Toss tofu and marinade with kale in a large bowl. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

A Taste of Fall Apple Cake (for my sweetie)

A Taste of Fall Apple Cake

3 T flax meal mixed with 9 T water
1 1/2 canola oil (make sure it's gmo free and organic!)
2 c light brown sugar or Florida Crystals (I used the florida crystals)
3 c flour
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla extract
4 c chopped tart apples

Preheat oven to 350f
oil a 9x13 pan

Mix flax meal and water in a small bowl and set aside.

Place oil and sugar in a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, mix well.  Add the flax mixture and beat with mixer until it gets lighter and thicker.  Add flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and vanilla and beat a bit more until all is well combined.  Add apples and mix using a spoon.  Spread into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  The cake is very moist with a nice crispy topping.  

Could also add a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans if desired. 

Chick'n Stew with Dumplings

With the arrival of Fall I've pulled out all of my warm and comforting recipes.  Big bowls of stew, soup and chili.  Casseroles and cottage pies are on the list as well.  Pumpkins and apples have already made an appearance in the forms of pies, soups and tarts.   Whether it's cosy sweaters and socks, apple picking, sitting by the fire slurping up hot stew and hunkering down for the long winter ahead, this time of year speaks to my heart.

When you want something warm and comforting and completely satisfying, even for the most hardcore omni this stew might be just the thing.  You can throw this together quickly and let it simmer all day in the Crock Pot and then just add the dumplings when you get home.  What a worknight treat. 

Chick'n Stew with Dumplings

2 T earth balance ( vegan margarine)
2 T olive oil
1 lg onion (chopped)
2 stalks celery ( chopped)
6 T flour
1/4 c good dry white wine (I used a chardonnay)
6 c un-chicken broth
1/2 c almond milk  
1 t sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 or 4 cups chopped seitan *
3 good sized carrots (sliced) 
3 potatoes (chopped)
12 oz cremini mushrooms (chopped)
1 c peas
1 c corn
2 bay leaves
1 t thyme
1/2 t sage

In a med. saucepan over med. heat,  heat  margarine and oil.  Add onions and celery and cook until onions are translucent.  Add flour and stir until it is mixed well with the vegetables.  It should start to turn slightly golden.  Slowly add the wine and broth, stirring all the time to eliminate lumps.  Add almond milk and salt and pepper, still stirring.  It should be thickening.  Taste and add more salt if necessary.  Add all of the remaining ingredients to your crockpot.  Pour the gravy over the top, stir.  Cover and set on high for 6 or 7 hours.  A half hour or so before you want to serve your stew prepare the dumplings. 

*could use any chicken sub you wanted to (tofu, tempeh, beyond meat or gardein strips,etc, or none at all!)

Dumplings

2 c flour
3 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
2 T earth balance (melted)
1 cup almond milk

Add flour, bp and salt to a bowl, add eb and milk and mix to make a soft dough.  Do not over mix.  Drop by spoonfuls into bubbling stew. Cover and simmer without lifting lid.  Cook for between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on the size of the dumplings, you want to be sure they are light and fluffy and cooked all the way through. 

Ladle into bowls and devour.  Although you might want to let it cool a bit.  ; )

Barbequed Pulled "Pork" Sandwiches plus - When You're a Holistic Nutitional Consultant You Know Diet Impacts Every Aspect of Your Life.

I've been doing some investigating.  I've known for a while and believe I've actually even posted about it in the past, but wasn't in the right place to do something about it, that gluten was probably playing a part in my current physical symptoms.

My symptoms are, migraines (up to three times a week), joint pain, fatigue (way more than what is considered normal), brain fog, memory, and asthma.   For the most part I cope with these on a daily and weekly basis.  The migraines, memory and brain fog being the most difficult to deal with.  The migraines incapacitate me, the memory issues embarrass me ( I still have notes to teach yoga because sometimes the entire class is just gone from my brain!) and the brain fog makes me feel dumb...like I just can't think. With all of the research I've been doing, I know that all of these symptoms CAN be attributed to a gluten sensitivity.  I'm not going to get into the whole how and why, but based on my own history and knowing full well that at least two of my three sons are sensitive to milk and gluten, I know there is a good chance that this is the case with me and my symptoms.  This is actually great news.  If I can feel better just by eliminating a group of foods, albeit a very large group, I'm thrilled!  The best and easiest way of knowing for sure, is an elimination diet.  Plain and simply, eliminate ALL gluten containing foods from your diet for three full months and see how you feel.  

For those of you that follow my blog, you know that I use a lot of wheat flour.  Bread is a food group and baking is in my heart and soul.  This isn't going to be a cake walk, but it isn't impossibly by any means.  It's been two weeks since I began, and no. I'm not noticing any changes yet.  But it's not nearly as hard as I thought it was going to be.  

Baking gluten free is a science that I haven't yet grasped.  I'm sure that it will take a while with lots of trial and error.  Should be interesting.  I made scones Sunday night, that were so disgusting, I immediately spit it out into the trash.  Not kidding! 


If you have stories of your own that you wouldn't mind sharing I would love that.  Either cooking or baking stories or symptom and illness stories, I'm very interested.  : )


Cooking gluten free, on the other hand, is not tricky.  Here is our dinner from last night, and yes, it was just as delicious as it looked! 

 

Barbequed Pulled "Pork"  Sandwich with Cole Slaw

The recipe I used is not my own but of course I changed it up a bit because that's just what I do.  ; )

I will give credit where credit is due.  I think he's called the sexy vegan dude, and the video is mildly amusing but more importantly the recipe is good.  I didn't put it in the oven at all.  I just carmelized it right on the stove in the same pan it simmered in.  The recipe is right under the video if you don't feel like watching, but like I said, it's amusing.  : ) 

You need to be sure your Worcestershire sauce, barbeque sauce (if using a commercial) is vegan and gluten free.  Beer is made from wheat so if you choose to use beer, it must be gluten free, and of course the buns, which is hard because most gluten free breads and rolls have eggs in them. I found a brand that is make from millet, with NO eggs.  Bonus, they're great! 

The cole slaw is my own.  Recipe here Cole Slaw

Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Chopped Almonds

 

 

 

Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Chopped Almonds 

 

2 T flax meal mixed with 6 T warm water (set aside to thicken until needed)
1 c earth balance (vegan margarine)
1 c brown sugar, packed

1 c sugar
2 t vanilla extract

1/2 t almond extract

2/3 c unsweetened cocoa
2 c flour
1 t baking soda 

1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c vegan white chocolate chips

1 c chopped almonds
 

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Cream together the margarine, both sugar and extracts. Add the flax mixture, mix well, it should be light and fluffy.  Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and then add to the wet ingredients, you can do it with your mixer on low speed until just combined, but I prefer a big wooden spoon and possibly even my hands at the end. Fold in the chips and chopped almonds.

Drop dough by mounded tablespoon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.  Flatten the dough slightly with your fingertips. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes* (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Sorry for the vague cooking time.  My new oven is a convection oven and I was able to cook all three sheets at the same time for exactly ten minutes.  Without the convection feature it will be at least 12 but possibly 15 minutes. 

Good Morning Ginger Scones

It's Tuesday and I feel like scones.  Plus my son Nic has been asking for them so here you go. ; )

Ginger Scones

1/2 c almond milk combined with 1 T lemon juice
2 c flour
1/2 c sugar (plus more for sprinkling)
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t ground ginger
1/8 t sea salt
1/2 c earth balance or coconut oil (or even butter flavored Crisco- not healthy but it is vegan)

almond milk or soy cream for brushing
optional - nuts or candied ginger for topping each scone

Heat oven to 350f

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and ginger.  Add eb or coconut oil and cut in with two knives or a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly and pieces are the size of peas.  Add almond milk and mix/knead briefly until soft dough forms. Line baking pan with parchment or silpat and pat out dough into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a knife or pizza wheel, cut into 8 uniform triangles. Separate slightly.  Brush triangles with a bit of almond milk or soy cream  and then sprinkle well with more sugar - I tend to like to use a coarser sugar here, but regular sugar will work fine.  If using nuts or candied ginger top each triangle now.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a beautiful golden brown.  Pour the coffee or tea and enjoy.