Ratatouille Pasta

Don't you just love the abundant supply of fresh organic veggies during the summer?  I get excited over the all of fresh peaches, nectarines, plums, mangoes, blonde lifeguards, zucchini, tomatoes...

On this recent trip to the store I purchased zucchini and eggplant with plans for grilling it with tofu.  However, the family was ever so defiant over grilled eggplant and tofu.  The children don't like eggplant and the husband doesn't like tofu.  How could I go about using up these glorious fresh ingredients and make everyone happy at the same time?  Pasta!  Minus tofu.  It seems like it doesn't matter what goes in to pasta it always makes everyone happy.

Know what makes mama happy?

Ooops.  I'm getting distracted.

Ratatouille Pasta
Yield 6 servings

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced peeled eggplant
• 2 cups sliced zucchini
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups uncooked spiral pasta
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tomatoes,  roughly chopped
• 5 stalks fresh oregano, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 garlic clove, minced
•  handful of fresh basil, torn
• Dash pepper
• Parmesan Asiago shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. Place eggplant and zucchini in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes; rinse and drain well.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil and pepper.  Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. Drain pasta and combine the ingredients in a large serving bowl.
4. Sprinkle with a dash of Parmesan Asiago cheese.  Enjoy hot or cold.

Loosely adapted from Allrecipes.com 

The kids didn't even notice the eggplant and they all gobbled this dish right up!

Bang Bang Cauliflower

I believe it's safe to say that you are all aware of my love affair with veggies.

You sexy beast!

This recipe caught my eye over on That's so Michelle.   I believe her love affair with veggies is just about as passionate as my own.

On this particular day she decided to smother her cauliflower with panko and fry them up in coconut oil.  How naughty is that!  Yes, not really all that naughty considering this whole recipe rocks and it's totally good for you to boot!

I believe this calls for a Charlie Sheen.

WINNING!

This could be served as an entree, appetizer, or a side dish.  I served it up as a side dish on this particular day.  We will be seeing more of this dish in our future as I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  It sneaks it's way in to my dreams, my fantasies....

Bang Bang Cauliflower
Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1 head cauliflower
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• Green onion
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Ingredients for the Sauce:

• 1/4 cup lite mayo
• 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sweet Chili Sauce or Siracha (add more or less depends on how hot you can handle it)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:

1. Slice your cauliflower florets. Mix salt, pepper and garlic powder into your Panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.

2. Set separate bowls aside with egg whites and cornstarch. Dip your florets one by one into the cornstarch, and shake off excess. Then dip into egg whites, and then coat with Panko mixture.

3. After coating all of your florets, warm up your coconut oil in a large frying pan and place all florets in hot oil. Turn with tongs making sure all sides are browned. Set on top of paper towels to remove excess oil. Top with more salt.

4. In a small bowl mix all of your sauce ingredients. Coat your breaded and pan fried florets with sauce, top with sprinkles of green onion and serve right away.

Cooks Note:  I did not have the ingredients for the sauce so I skipped it.  My foodie friend Jenni from Ferris Wheel Of also has a love affair with veggies and she whipped this dish up as well but she used the sauce as a dipper.

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Servings: a handful - with sauce

Calories: 261

Total Fat: 15.4

Carbohydrates: 25.5 mg.

Sodium:  782 mg.

Protein:  6.9 g.

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Servings: a handful - without sauce

Calories: 226

Total Fat: 14.5
Carbohydrates: 19.0 mg.

Sodium:  752 mg.

Protein:  6.9 g.

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Thanks Michelle for sharing such a fabulous recipe!   Please go check her out.  She has a page dedicated to jello shots!  I want to party with that girl!

Minestrone

Every week we have produce delivered from a little store up the street.  We shall call her Connies because that's the name of the little store.

Every Monday is like Christmas around here.  Natalie and I anxiously await the arrival of the produce delivery truck.  What will be in our little box this week?  What glorious meals will we discover with our week's ingredients?

We could always go and sneak a peek at the website to find out what they will lovingly package up for us but, I mean really, that's no fun.  We like the element of surprise.  Yes, we lead pretty lame lives here in Missouri and there's often not much to look forward to.  But, we will always have our Monday produce delivery.

Our ears perk up as we here him round the corner and truck up the hill towards our house.  We rush to meet him at the door with big smiles and grab the box from his hands and rush to the kitchen.  We pull out the scissors and tear in to the box to discover our glorious organic fruits and vegetables.

We are often met with broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, oranges, apples, bananas, the list goes on and on.  We giggle with excitement as we lovingly lay each item out on to the kitchen island.  Ideas pop into our head and sometimes the ingredients are eaten at that very moment.  Others are lovingly packaged away in to the fridge where they will soon be thrown in to a new recipe.

This evenings dish was chock full of fresh veges just the way I like it.

Minestrone
Yields: 12 servings

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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 5 carrots, sliced
• 2 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth if you're making it vegetarian)
• 2 cups water
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (24-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil
• 1 (24-ounce) can whole tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 pound fresh green beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
• 3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (24-ounce) box rotini pasta
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions:

1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, water and canned tomatoes, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add rotini and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Cooks Note: 

1. This recipe makes a shit ton of soup!  We had it for dinner two nights and I froze the rest. 
2. Serve with French bread to sop up the left-over soup.

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Servings: 1 bowl

Calories:   445

Total Fat:  5.3 g

Cholesterol:  1 mg.

Sodium:  293 mg.

Protein:  20.2 g.

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A Lunatic Guest Post!!

I have a huge surprise in store for you guys this morning!!  A guest post from none other than Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic herself!!  She honors us with one of her famous pizza's!!  I am uber excited about this folks.  I love pizza and when we make pizza at home I always go to Kim's for her crust recipe(s).  Yes, plural folks, she has many different crust recipes!  So, sit back, relax and let's dive in to some dough and pizza toppings!

If you're looking for me, I'm guest posting on Kim's blog - Craving's on a Lunatic as well.  You can find me over there talking about my Apple Cranberry Quick Bread!

Hi folks. I am so very thrilled and honored to be here guest posting at Dee's today. For those who don't know me I am Kim, the crazy person behind Cravings of a Lunatic. My motto is I crave it, I make it, I eat it. Words to live by. Unfortunately they make your butt bigger. So I like to stop by Dee's often for healthy options to help me shrink my butt so one day I can be all bendy and gorgeous like her. Her blog is such an inspiration for anyone looking to healthy up their lifestyle. Add to that she is the da bomb and all kinds of funny. I love stopping by and hanging out here. Now that I've taken over the place for the day watch out world. No telling what kind of mischief I'll get in to. Make sure you swing by my blog to see what gorgeous treat Dee has cooked up for you. Visit her, then me, then her again, then me again. We will keep you entertained I can promise you that. No telling how silly the comment section might get. Going to be all kinds of crazy happening down there. 

Now let me get all sentimental on you for a second. Dee is the reason I am still blogging. I was considering quitting the blog world. Then I talked to Dee and my whole world changed. We had been commenting on each other's blogs here and there. Then one day I got an award from her. Could not have come at a more opportune time. I was not having fun blogging. I was really struggling and I confided in Dee that I was thinking about quitting and feeling out of sorts. I had a couple of fellow bloggers be kind of rude and was just not feeling the love. Dee  talked to me and gave me some advice. She told me to "write like no one was reading". It was like a light bulb went off. When no one was reading I was having fun. It's when I started to worry and over think what I was doing that I got discouraged. I also got caught up in the land of twitter where some people were not nice. So she told me not to worry about the other stuff and find my voice. So I went back to blogging my way, having fun and enjoying the process. I fell in love with it all over again. Her advice changed everything for me. So I adore her and am thankful to her for being my guru girl. Okay so enough sappiness. On to the funny!

I could not resist. I had to make pizza. It's who I am, what I do best I think. We eat it all the time. I am always trying to find new fun ways to jazz it up. I make up fun dough, we do it on bread, we make it on pitas, you name it and we'll turn it into pizza. So when me and Dee decided to blog swap I knew I had to do pizza. I also wanted it to fit in with Dee's lifestyle and blog. Add to that we're swapping on a Monday so it just made sense to do a meatless one. So I dreamed up a nice combination for you. And a new dough. Yup, you heard me. I add stuff to my dough. I've done a few now. It's so much fun. So this one was perfect, but only if you like onion. Which I do. I hope you do too. So enjoy! I know we did.

Lunatic's Pepper and Caramelized Onion Pizza with Onion Crust:

Ingredients for the dough: 

*Bread Machine Used*

1 cup water (beer can also be used)

1 tablespoon shortening

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2-3/4 cups white flour

1-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon basil

Directions for the dough:

Combine all ingredients in your bread machine baking pan in order.

Put the baking pan in the chamber.

Set the machine for dough.

Remove and put in a bowl and cover it for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface. Or if you are good with dough you can hand stretch it. This takes some practice but is fun to try.

Tips and hints:

This yields two thin crusts or 1 thick.

This can be frozen and used later.

This can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I find storing it for a day then using it makes it easier to stretch it and work with it. 

When rolling or stretching dough it is good to roll it out, then let it sit for about 5 or 10 minutes then come back and finish it. Not sure the science behind it but it works. I tend to cut up ingredients and preheat my oven during that time.

You can always dial back the spice if you are sensitive to it. 

Only use dried spice in my opinion. Fresh might alter the dough and make it gummy.

Ingredients for the pizza:

Pizza Dough

Pizza Sauce (I use store bought and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar to it)

1 green pepper, sliced thinly

1 red pepper, sliced thinly

1 vidalia or sweet onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup swiss cheese, grated (buy the good stuff)

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (I used that new pizza one)

1/4 cup parmesan reggiano (buy the good stuff)

1/4 cup grated parmesan (I used the Kraft one) 

Directions for the pizza:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. (some days I go 450, some I go 500)

Toss the onions in pan with a little olive oil and cook over medium heat until they caramelize. It usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Which is ample time to roll dough.

Roll out or stretch your dough. Spread it on a pizza pan or stone.

Add some sugar to your sauce and stir.

Smooth on a generous amount of sauce.

Now add your swiss cheese.

Now add your parmesan reggiano.

Now add both your green and red pepper.

Now add your caramelized onions. 

Now toss on your mozzarella cheese.

Now sprinkle the Kraft parmesan over top. 

Stick in the oven and the lowest or second lowest rack. You want it close to the bottom so the bottom of your pizza cooks well.

Leave for about 10- 15 minutes depending on your temperature and the way your like your pizza. I like mine crisp and the bottom brown. 

Remove from oven.

Cut with a pizza cutter.

Dive in!

Hope you enjoy. I thought a nice Meatless Monday option would be nice. This crust is is full of flavor and the pizza is incredible. I will be making this one again. 

Thank you so much to Dee for agreeing to blog swap with me. This is my first time being a guest on some one's blog. So glad Dee was my first. She is the uber cool, uber funny, uber bendy, uber supportive person who rocks my world in a big way. I am ever thankful I met her, confided in her and listened to her advice. So you can all now blame Dee for unleashing my crazy on the world and you. It is completely her fault. 

Toodles and smoochies.xx

Autumn Fruit Salad - Guest Post

Well, well.  Look what we have here.  A guest poster!  Meet Laura Jeanne from A Healthy Jalapeno.  I'm sure the majority of you already know Laura Jeanne.  If not, well, sit back, grab a cuppa Joe and a muffin and settle in your lounger for a nice little read.  She is sharing her Autumn Fruit Salad that I want a big 'ole bowl of like right this minute!

If you're looking for me, well I can be found on her blog!  Yes, we are guest posting on each others blogs on the same day.  Isn't that just the cutest thing you have ever heard of? 

Take it away, Laura Jeanne!

What a crazy, crazy week it has been.

Hi everyone, my name is Laura Jeanne and I am the girl behind A Healthy Jalapeño . Thinking back, I am pretty sure I have been following Dee's blog ever since I started blogging. I met her originally through our facebook pages and after seeing her adorable design button and deeelicious recipes, what was a girl to do but stalk her every post.

I started blogging almost a year ago, not because I am a good writer and not because I was a good cook... actually it was quite the opposite. I had moved in with my boyfriend about 2 years ago and Mr Italian was such a great guy that he cooked for me all the time. I haven't exactly had the best track record for fabulous dishes so when I started 'trying' it was quite comical. Come check out the full story of how this little lady brought a little spice into her life.

So back to this crazy week. The boy and I were on vacation in Vermont over a week ago, a beautiful trip... only to come home to a Noreaster in CONNECTICUT. Our town got hit with over 17" of snow, tree's and powerline damage as far as the eyes could see and power out for over 6 days {brrr}. Not all too exciting to come home to after a nice little vaca away. So after finally getting our power back, 4 loads of laundy, 3 dishwasher runs and lots and lots of garbage from cleaning out our fridge, I was finally able to sit down, relax and have a little fun writing up my guest post with this amazing Autumn Fruit Salad.

Today I am sharing with you a fruit salad that more than caught my eye when I saw it. A few weeks back I was playing through all my cooking app's on my iphone when I found this salad. It had fruit, with all fruits in season for the fall, and it looked moderately easy to throw together... that's a winner for me. The dressing on this salad was delicious but to not drown out the salad I eyeballed how much I was going to add to the fruit so feel free to take my tip and lighten the dressing if you so choose.

The taste was fantastic. I actually made this salad for our friends while in Vermont and they loved it as well. Perfect for a brunch and also would be a fabulous side to a nice grilled or baked chicken. The crunch of the fresh autumn fruits paired with the sweetness in the dressing was a delicious combination.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe and please feel free to poke around my page for tons of other deeeelicious dishes just like this.

Thanks Dee for having me!!!

xoxo

Laura

Autumn Fruit Salad 

Photos by  A Healthy Jalapeño   

Recipe adopted by Taste Of Home

Ingredients 

1-1/2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1-1/2 cups cold water 

1 teaspoon butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

6 cups cubed apples 

2 cups halved red seedless grapes 

1 cup diced celery 

1 cup walnut halves 

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and flour. Stir in water until smooth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the apples, grapes, celery and walnuts. Add the dressing and toss gently. Refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Here's me :)

You Say Tomato, I Say Tomahto

I know what you're all thinking!  Everyone's doing Tomato Soup.  But, I have a surprise for you - Savory Monkey Bread!  If the Savory Monkey Bread didn't go so damn well with the soup then I would skip the whole tomato soup for you.  But, this tomato soup helped me to use up a lot of the basil that was lingering in my garden.  So, being the nice person that I am, I am sharing this with you in hopes that you too will be able to use up all of the basil lingering in your garden.

We start with 3 lbs. of Roma tomatoes

We cut them in half and drizzle olive oil, kosher salt and pepper all over them

We lay them out on a baking sheet and roast them for 45 min.

Your kitchen will smell fabulous!

Go pick all of the basil in your garden and some thyme if you have any.

Throw the roasted tomatoes in the pot and simmer for about 40 min.

Run the soup through the foodmill and serve hot or cold

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

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Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes or Roma tomatoes
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 T. good olive oil
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion ( 2 onions)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
• 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes with their juice
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 t. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 qt. chicken stock or water

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Spread the tomatoes out on to a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
4. In an 8-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste the seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

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Servings: 1 bowl

Calories:  161

Total Fat:  11.9 g

Cholesterol:  9 mg.

Sodium:  1674 mg.

Protein:  3.0g.

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Stay tuned for tomorrow's post of Savory Monkey Bread!  You won't want to miss it. 

Sneak peek!

Experimental Eggplant

I was strolling through the grocery store the other day to pick up some cat food.  I walk out of the store with cat food, a new food magazine (I need another food magazine like I need another hole in the head), french bread and these beauties below!

Italian Eggplant

I've never been a fan of eggplant.  Not because I think it tastes bad but because it really has no taste at all.

I wasn't able to turn away from these though.  Their deep purple stripiness was just too much for me to resist.  I just knew that if I got anything out of them it would be a beautiful picture!

What was I to do with it?  Why create a quick and easy Eggplant Parmesan, silly!

We start with aromatics.  We need to get the family to realize that dinner is a fixin.

What better way to aromate the house than with onion, garlic and basil.

Can you smell it?

Then we need to add some diced tomatoes with their juice, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar and honey.

Are you getting this?  Don't panic, I'll write out the whole recipe below all nice and neat for you.

Right now, I'm just trying to entertain you and show off my pictures.

How am I doing?

Look what you just made, sauce!

Fry up some eggplant dipped in egg, panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese and parsley.  Line it all up in a dish and add mozzarella cheese to the top and broil.

This is what you should get when you pull it out after a minute.  Yummy gooey deeliciousness!  Times have changed my friend.  I totally and completely appreciate eggplant in all of it's stripy purple beauty!

Eggplant Parmesan
Yield: 6 servings

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Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil, divided
• 1 stick of butter - I had a Paula Deen moment!  So sue me!
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 t. dried basil
• 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 t. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 t. honey
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 14/ cup grated Parmesan Regianno cheese
• 1 T. chopped fresh parsley, plus additional for granish
• 1 Italian eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced in to 1/2 inch thick rounds
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 24 oz. box of Farfalle pasta

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tsp. oil on medium-high. Add onion, garlic and basil and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add diced and sun-dried tomatoes and 1/2 cup tomato sauce, vinegar and honey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread 1 cup tomato mixture on the bottom of an 8-cup baking dish. Set remaining mixture aside and keep warm. Meanwhile, make your pasta according to the box directions.
2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites; set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine panko, Parmesan and parsley. Dip eggplant slices, 1 at a time, into egg mixture, then panko mixture, turning and pressing to coat both sides.
3. Heat remaining oil in your skillet and add a few tablespoons of your naughty butter. Add eggplant slices (in batches) and cook, turning once or twice, until golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, 6 to 9 minutes; keep adding butter by the tablespoon fulls as needed.
4. Preheat broiler to high. Transfer eggplant to baking dish with tomato mixture, overlapping slices slightly to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until cheese is bubbly and melted, about 1 minute. Serve atop the Farfalle pasta with remaining tomato mixture and garnish with additional parsley.

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Servings: 1

Calories:  826 - looks like I should not have had a Paula Deen moment!

Total Fat:  29.7 g

Cholesterol:  49 mg.

Sodium:  639 mg.

Protein:  23.7 g.

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Fall Into a Cozy Potpie

Nothing says "Welcome fall!" like this dish!  Chocked full of seasonal vegetables and topped with a Parmesan biscuit.  Slip on some snuggy clothes, slippers and cop a squat on the couch with a snuggy blanket and enjoy a bowl of cozy!

Minestrone and Parmesan Biscuit Potpie
Yield: 8 servings

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Ingredients:

• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise, and rinsed well
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 large zucchini, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 can (19-ounce) garbanzo beans
• 1 can (24-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock or water for vegetarian
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 oz.) plus 1 Parmesan cheese rind (about 3 inches) or use Parma Raw for vegan
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Ingredients for Topping: - if desired see below for vegan biscuit recipe

• 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• Coarse salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (2 oz.)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Instructions for the Filling:

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook leeks and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add butternut squash, zucchini, beans, tomatoes with juice, kale, stock, rosemary, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Instructions for the Topping:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until small clumps form. Stir in cheese. Add cream, and stir with a fork until a sticky dough forms. Divide into 8 balls (about 1/2 cup each).
2. Transfer filling to an 11 x 13 inch (10 cup) baking dish. Top with dough balls, and brush with cream. Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbling, about 55 minutes. If biscuits darken too quickly, tent with foil.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

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Servings: 1 bowl

Calories:  633

Total Fat:  33.5 g

Cholesterol:  72.9 mg.

Sodium:  440.7 mg.

Protein:  23.1 g.

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Vegan Biscuits
Yield: 8 biscuits

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Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. nonhydrogenated shortening
• 2 Tbsp. nonhydrogenated margarine
• 1 cup Parma Raw cheese
• 2/3 cup rice or soy milk, plus more for brushing

Instructions:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening and margarine using a pastry cutter or your fingers until small clumps form. Stir in Parma Raw. Add milk, and stir with a fork until a sticky dough forms. Divide into 8 balls (about 1/2 cup each).
2. Transfer filling to an 11 x 13 inch (10 cup) baking dish. Top with dough balls, and brush with milk. Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbling, about 55 minutes. If biscuits darken too quickly, tent with foil.

Adapted from Vegan with a Vengence

~ Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Sauteed Vegetables

This recipe is packed full of vegetables!  Kids love it!  Insert sarcasm here....  To be honest, my kids love all of the vegetables that are in this dish except for the carrots and artichoke hearts.  That means more artichoke hearts for me!  I may have an issue with artichoke hearts.  I love Pasta House salads and I especially love going with my mom because she can't stand artichoke hearts which means she gives them to me!  My kids love raw carrots but once they are in any way heated through they are a no go.

This recipe came from Robin Millers Quick Fix Meals.  I have a confession to make.  I have tried so many of her recipes from this book and I'm just not digging it.  It's going to have to go in the Amazon seller pile.  Do any of you agree?

Fettuccini with Sauteed Vegetable
Yield: 6 servings

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Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fettuccine
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium carrot, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 cup sliced button or cremini mushrooms
• One 14-ouncee can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded asiago or Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the asparagus, carrot, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts and cook, stirring a few times, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the mushrooms release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper to coat. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add the fettuccine and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through. Serve topped with the asiago cheese.

Adapted from Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals

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Servings: 1

Calories: 234

Total Fat:   9.8 g

Cholesterol:  60 mg.

Sodium:  628 mg.

Protein:  14.0 g.

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Natalie and I decorated our front door for fall yesterday.  Would you like to see?

Black Pepper Tempeh

I got a new cookbook - Super Natural Every Day.  I got it about a month ago but I wasn't quite ready to give up my meat as it's a vegetarian cookbook.  Those times have changed.  I dug out the cookbook, made a list and found this awesome local natural store pretty close by to me and went shopping.  This little bitty store just had it's 25 year anniversary last year.  Hello!  Where have I been?  I had no idea this little store even existed!  I was super psyched to check this little place out.  As soon as I walked in I was greeted by two lovely ladies whom/who (ugh, I should have paid attention in school) asked if I needed any help looking for something.  They obviously have loyal customers and they know a noobie when they see one.  They were right, I needed help.  "Do you have any Tempeh?"  Of course I totally butchered the word "tempeh".  What in the hell is tempeh?  It's an Indonesian soy product.  *Update: pronounced - temp~ay (as in hay).  It looks like brains but it is so good!  Especially in this recipe!

Black Pepper Tempeh

by Deelicious Sweets

Keywords: entree vegan vegetarian

6014791

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin coconut oil
• 1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 Tbsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 3 Tbsp. shoyu, tamari, or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water, plus more if needed
• 8 ounces tempeh, sliced pencil thick
• 12 ounces cauliflower, very finely chopped
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed

Instructions

In a large skillet over low heat, combine the coconut oil, shallots, red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger. Cook slowly, taking care not to brown the ingredients and stirring occasionally, until the garlic cloves are soft throughout, about 15 minutes. Take big whiffs yet being extra careful not to smell up all of the aroma's!

While the garlic is cooking, whisk together the shoyu, sugar, and water in a small bowl.

Increase the temperature under the skillet to medium-high and add the tempeh. Gently stir to get the tempeh coated. Add the shoyu mixture and stir again to coat. Cook for a minute or two, then add the cauliflower. Stir and cover. Cook for about 3 minutes. Uncover, dial the heat up even more, and cook until the cauliflower and tempeh starts to brown a bit. If you need to add a bit more water to the pan, carefully do so, 1 Tbsp. at a time. Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper. Taste, add more pepper if you like, serve immediately.

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Servings: 1

Calories: 285

Total Fat:  16.8 g

Cholesterol:  0 mg.

Sodium:  709 mg.

Protein:  13.3 g.

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Adapted from Super Natural Everyday


Have you cooked with Tempeh?  Have you cooked with brains?

~ Enjoy!