Carnivore-friendly vegetarian lasagna

As the summer has progressed, I've managed to find ways to use almost all of our CSA produce, even if it has meant some...err...unique menus or freezing some stuff here or there.  At times, it's definitely forced us to use an open mind and plenty of creativity, which I've loved.  As I've finished up my nutrition certification (now COMPLETE!  Just call me Christie Wood, Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant!) I've also had a growing interest in alternative proteins, eating less meat, especially red meat, and making the most of vegetable and legume proteins.  Well, this next recipe was a HUGE hit, and checked both of the above boxes.  I didn't take a picture, because we just couldn't wait to dive in, and truth be told, when I first make something, I'm never sure if it'll be good enough to share with the blogosphere, so why flatter myself by taking a picture right away!?  So anyway, apologies for no visual, but take my word for it, this is YUMMY and delish.
Adapted from Vegetarian Times:

Zucchini-Quinoa Lasagna

• 2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 12 1/4" strips
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped (don't use this if you don't like parsley, my hubby would definitely rather I never brought parsley into the house again, but I blame the CSA! Anyway, the recipe would be fine without it)
• 2-3 Tbsp cream cheese (reduced fat is good)
• 1 25 oz jar marinara sauce (I used homemade sauce for this and the above tomato sauce requirement, so I'd say just use your favorite brand or your own)
• 1/2 cup (at least!) shredded mozzarella

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place zucchini slices on bed of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, cover with paper towels, and let stand to release moisture while preparing quinoa.

2. Bring broth, quinoa, tomato sauce, onion, and oregano to a boil in saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in basil, parsley, and cream cheese.

3. Spoon 1/3 cup marinara sauce over bottom of 8-inch square baking dish. Blot remaining moisture and salt from zucchini slices, and lay 4 zucchini slices over marinara sauce in pan. Spoon half of quinoa over zucchini, and cover with 1/3 cup marinara. Repeat with 4 more zucchini slices, remaining quinoa, and 1/3 cup marinara. Top with remaining 4 zucchini slices, remaining marinara, and shredded cheese, if using. Bake lasagna 30 minutes, or until zucchini is tender and top is bubbly.

The Ultimate Sweet of Summer

So, the past two weeks' CSA shares have brought us rhubarb, which, while I enjoy when others prepare, has never been a staple in my personal produce ensemble. I have totally been missing out! After throwing together this crumble-like thing, I am totally impressed with the versatility and fabulousness of this humble stalk. Got a 4th of July picnic coming up? Make this for SURE:



Rhubarb Berry Double Crunch Crumble

• 1 C flour (obvi I used whole wheat)



• 1 C rolled oats



• 3/4 C brown sugar (I go scant on the sugar measurements)



• 1/2 t each cinnamon and nutmeg (I go heaping on the spice measurements)



• 1/2 C butter, melted
  

Sauce

• 3/4 white sugar



• 2 T cornstarch



• 1 C cold water



• 1 t grated orange rind or 1-2 T finely chopped candied ginger (I went the ginger route)

Filling (these measurements have plenty of flexibility as long as the total works out to approximately 4-5 cups of fruity goodness)

• 1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb, peeled if mature



• 1 C sliced strawberries



• 1 C sliced peeled apples (I used two small galas)



• 1 C blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in melted butter. Press half of mixture into a greased 8-9" square pan. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in water and rind or ginger until smooth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to med-low and cook 5 min or until thickened and clear, whisking constantly. Toss together fruit and arrange over base layer of crumble. Pour sauce over top of fruit. Sprinkle remaining half of crumble mixture on top and bake for about 50 mins or until fruit is tender, topping is golden and you have a delectable and bubbling pan of summery goodness.

To die for with vanilla bean yogurt or ice cream.

It's CSA Season!

It's my favorite time of year in Colorado - heaps of local produce available at our fingertips! This year, Rob and I signed up for a CSA share from Grant Family Organic Farms. They have options galore. You can get weekly deliveries of everything from the expected veggies and fruit to bread, cheese, mushrooms, meats, eggs, flowers and more. We signed up for a single share each of veggies, fruit and flowers (yay!) and are two weeks in, and so far, so good, or perhaps I should say, so green! We've been receiving lots of baby spinach and lettuces along with plenty of fresh herbs (parsley and cilantro), plus green onions, radishes and rhubarb. It's such fun to pick up our share every Friday afternoon and embark on the challenge of figuring out how to use everything! Given all the cilantro, I've now twice made the below recipe that I found on allrecipes.com and it's become an instant favorite.


Grilled Halibut with Cilantro Garlic Butter

• 2 pieces halibut


• 1 lime, halved


• salt and pepper


• 1/2 C finely chopped fresh cilantro


• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced


• 2 T butter (I have also used Smart Balance and used less than 2T with no problem if you're concerned about your saturated fat intake)


• 1 T olive oil

Season the fish with salt and pepper and juice from half the lime. Send your husband out to grill the fish or pop it under the broiler if you're doing it yourself. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute, then add the cilantro, butter and the juice from the other half of the lime. Saute 1-2 mins. Remove from heat. When fish is done, top each filet with half the sauce. YUM! So simple, and sooo delish.

Taking hints from others...

On a recent visit from my parents, my Mom was surprised to see my cookbook stand filled with issues of Diabetic Living magazine, and rightfully so - no diabetes here, fortunately! I came across the mags at work, since one of my clients has a sugar-free product and runs advertising in them, so I receive copies of them to track what other types of messaging are running in that environment. As I was perusing a few issues, I noticed how many of the recipes looked really great, and with good reason. For diabetics, it's super important that they get a balance of protein, fiber and complex carbs at every meal, with a minimum of sugar...kind of like how the rest of us should be eating, too! With that realization, I dove right in, devouring several issues from cover to cover, rabbit-earring numerous pages with tantilizing recipe ideas. I've made a bunch and have been really pleased with all of them! Here's one I made recently that makes for a great, light summer lunch:

Egg and Broccoli Slaw Wraps (makes 3 wraps)

• 2 T light sour cream


• 3 t snipped fresh chives (I used green onions)


• 3/4 t shredded lemon peel


• 3 t lemon juice


• 1 1/2 t honey


• 1 C packaged broccoli slaw mix


• 6 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and sliced


• 3 8-9" whole wheat tortillas


• 1/4 C (or to taste) bottled roasted red sweet peppers
  

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, chives, lemon peel and juice, and honey. Add broccoli slaw and toss to coat. (The recipe now says to chill overnight, but of course I read that as I had a hungry crowd waiting for lunch, so that definitely didn't happen - and I got no complaints). Spread slaw mixture evenly on each tortilla, topping each with two sliced eggs and strips of roasted red pepper. Yum!

She's so granola...

...And that's kind of true, in the healthy, whole foods, living in Boulder type of way (less so in the outdoorsy way). And not only am I semi-granola myself, I have been getting into making my own granola! I love mixing it with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit for breakfast, and the flavor combinations are practically endless. The more I learn in my nutrition study, the more I'm thinking about making different varieties of granola with different health benefits, e.g. one with lots of Omega-3s, one with anti-inflammatory properties, another that aids digestion, and so on... So, maybe someday on that, but in the mean time, here's my current favorite (and healthiest):

Christie's Mega Omega-3 Double-Ginger Tropical Granola

4 C old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1/2 C wheat germ (or this can be omitted if you want a gluten-free granola)

1/2 C ground flaxseed (omega-3 superstar)

3 T chia seed (another omega-3 hero, can be found at health food stores)

1/2 t salt

4 T brown sugar

1 C walnuts, coarsely chopped (you can use other nuts, but this granola is about omega-3s, so walnuts are the winner every time)

1 C dried banana chips, broken up a little bit

1/2 C unsweetened shredded coconut

1/3 C crystallized ginger, finely chopped

1 C dried pineapple, chopped

1/2 C maple syrup (the real stuff, obviously)

2 T water

1 1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t ground cinnamon

7 T canola oil (more omega-3s!)

Preheat oven to 275.

Combine the oats, wheat germ, flaxseed, chia seed, salt, brown sugar, walnuts, banana chips, coconut and crystallize ginger in a really big bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine maple syrup, water, ground ginger and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and then pour over the dry mixture. Add canola oil to mixture and stir to be sure all dry ingredients are coated.

Spray 2-3 large cookie sheets with cooking spray and gently pour granola out onto the sheets, allowing for small clusters and but keeping overall depth to about one layer of mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove, add dried pineapple, then bake for another 20 mins or so until golden.

Your abode will smell divine.

Makes great gifts!

Nutrition reasons why this is good - Between the flaxseed, chia seed, walnuts and canola oil, this really is an omega-3 powerhouse, and omega-3s are fantastic for you for many reasons. They are natural anti-inflammatories, and help keep blood vessels and brain tissues happy. Great for cardiovascular and neurological health overall, they are also an essential fatty acid that your body can't produce on its own, so it's important that you take it in through your diet. Pineapple also has an enzyme called bromelain, which helps the body digest protein and is also an anti-inflammatory. In addition, this granola has lots of good dietary fiber, and you could even mix in some of your favorite bran cereal for an added punch. I like Smart Bran because it has a good combination of both insoluble fiber (psyllium) and soluble fiber in the form of oatbran, and oats have lots of magic properties, including maintaining proper blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. See how much great stuff you can pack into a bowl of granola!?

The Taste Of Spring

Peas just epitomize spring to me...the first little green jewels from the garden. We got some in our CSA box two years ago that were super fresh and still in the pods, so I painstakingly shelled each one, only to be left with a disappointingly small bowl (especially since they were so sweet and fun to eat raw as I was shelling...). But, we made the best of them, gently sauteing them in butter and chopping up a bit of fresh mint to garnish. Yum!

Here's another of my favorite (and super healthy) ways to use peas, and honestly, frozen is fine, and, let's be honest, a heck of a lot more realistic most of the time!

Pearl Barley with Edamame and Peas (courtesy of Health magazine)

1 C pearl barley (not quick cooking)

1 C frozen shelled edamame

1 C peas (frozen are fine, fresh if you're fabulous)

1 C chopped fresh spinach (I also threw in at least 1 C chopped fresh kale because it's a stellar superfood that I try to sneak in lots of stuff)

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 t lemon zest

1 1/2 t fresh lemon juice (okay, I may have succumbed to the appeal of the jarred garlic and ginger, but I haven't yet turned to the bottled lemon or lime juice...let me know if you think it's at all worthy of consideration or refrigerator space)

1/4 t salt

Following directions on box, boil water and cook barley, usually 30ish minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed. Stir in edamame and peas and cook uncovered until the rest of the water is absorbed, 5-10 mins. Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Whisk Worcestershire, lemon stuff and salt in a small bowl, then pour over barley mixture. This can be served warm or cool, so I really view this is a great year-round staple.

I served this with some roasted beets and asparagus tossed with feta, lemon juice, salt and pepper - yum.

Nutrition reasons why this is great - Barley is definitely a supergrain. It has great dietary fiber (both soluble and insoluble), as well as protein, and helps regulate blood sugar and choleseterol. The edamame in this dish is another great source of protein, and soy protein is some of the best you can get in terms of heart health. The more dark leafy greens you add to this dish, the better, as they're chock-full of healthy phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Hold on to your tastebuds!

I've been using a lot more ethnic and fresh herbs and spices in my cooking recently (antioxidant benefits!), so here are two recipes that I thought were both extreeeemely yummy and also rather special and unique:

Indian Spiced Chicken and Asparagus (courtesy of Eating Well)

1 1/2 t whole cumin seeds

1 1/2 t whole fennel seeds

1 lb or so chicken cut into bite sized pieces

3/4 t salt

2 T canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced (or if you're me, 3 t of your awesome time and sanity saving jarred garlic!)

1 small chile pepper, seeded and minced (I very carefully picked this out in the produce section of my beloved King Soopers, and then it never made it into my bags when I checked out, sooo, I subbed about 1/2 t dried red pepper flakes and they worked just fine)

1 T minced fresh ginger (this also comes in jars - hallelujah!!)

1 1/2 lb fresh asparagus, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 C light coconut milk (I used closer to 1 C)

1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro

Toast cumin and fennel seeds in a small saucepan until fragrant and starting to brown - 2-5 mins. Grind 'em up in a clean coffee grinder, or using that mortar and pestle that your Mom got you for Christmas like ten years ago and you've never actually used, but now you're so glad you have it! (thanks Mom!)

Toss chicken in 1/2 of spice mixture. Heat 1 T of the oil in a large skillet over med-high and brown the chicken, until mostly done. Remove to a plate.

Reduce heat to med and add remaining oil, garlic, onion, chile and ginger. Cook for a few minutes until the onion starts to soften. Throw in the asparagus and remaining cumin/fennel mixture, cooking for about 2 mins. Add coconut milk and salt, cooking another 2 mins. Add chicken, cooking until meat is all the way done and asparagus is tender-crisp. Garnish with cilantro and serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Pear Cardamom Upside-Down Cake (courtesy of Cooking Light)

Pear Stuff:

2 T butter

1/4 C packed brown sugar

1/4 t ground cardamom

cooking spray

2 peeled, cored and sliced Barlett pears - you should get about 12 thin slices out of each pear

Cake Part:

1 1/2 C flour (and you KNOW I only use whole wheat!)

2 t baking powder

1/4 t ground cardamom

1/8 t salt

3/4 C sugar

1/4 C butter, softened

2 large eggs

3/4 C milk

1 t vanilla (omg - the same size organic vanilla that I bought at King Soopers was TWICE as much at Wholefoods...highway robbery!)

Preheat oven to 350.

To prepare pears, melt 2T butter in a small saucepan over med heat. Add brown sugar and cardamom and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into a 9" round cakepan that you've sprayed with cooking spray (I've also successfully used square, and even gotten crazy and done individual ramekin-sized ones, so whatever size you're going for...). Arrange pears in an overlapping circle or overlapping rows (depending on your pan choice).

Stir together flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar in another bowl, then add the eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture and milk, alternating till you've got a nice little batter situation on your hands. Toss in the vanilla.

Spoon the batter over your artfully arranged pears. Bake for about 50 mins if you are making one larger cake, or less if you're doing smaller ones. My ramekin-sized ones took about 30 mins I think. Cake should be golden and firm and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Here's the fun part - when your cake assures you it's done, remove it from the oven. Let it cool on a cooling rack for 10 min. Run a knife around the outside edge. Cover pan with a plate and flip it over, leaving the pan and plate in place for 2 min. Then pray, hold your breath, and gently remove the pan, to reveal your Martha Stewart-worthy upside-down cake. Seriously. I've never been disappointed - it's magic!!

Serve with vanilla bean ice cream and you may become a victim of culinary stalking. It's really that good.

Bon appetit!

Cake photo courtesy of eatliverun.com

Freshly yours...

Well, I've let another year slip through my fingers on this, my little blog endeavor! Few updates to share- ran another marathon, bringing my total now to four. It was a 90+ degree day in Chicago and it was highly not enjoyable or fast. Oh well. Resolving to take this year off of marathoning and instead, focus my efforts towards another goal - getting my nutritionist certification! Yay! I have my textbooks and am reading away, getting ready for my exam. I am learning so much, and am absolutely enthralled with it all. I also fortunately am now in a job that values this kind of knowledge, so they have ever so generously covered my certification expenses and are patiently awaiting my becoming official. Said job also revolves largely around food accounts and new food product innovation AND provides great work/life balance, which my previous job so sorely lacked, so needless to say, I am in HEAVEN! Working with food, having time to make food on my own, and not having every Friday night meal revolve around a perfect balance of carbs and protein in order to fuel a multi-hour 5 am Saturday run. Life is good.

I have also been helping to plan and lead a Food Revolution month at work, so I got to bring in speakers from all over to talk about the issues in the food industry, the merits and drawbacks of things like GMOs and organics, how to eat seasonally, locally, sustainably...all kinds of fun stuff. So perhaps I'll also share some of the newsletters I wrote over the past month for ya'll's reading pleasure.

For starters though, if you haven't read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, go, now (well, not exactly now, but REALLY soon) to your local bookstore or fav online literature merchant and get a copy. This book changed my life. It might take you a chapter or two to get fully absorbed, I'll admit, it took me about four tries over a year to finally get fully immersed, but persevere - it's worth it. Having this foundation in knowledge about how our diets have changed and what we need to do to be our healthiest is sooooo goooooood.

Because of it, I am eating lots less meat (and lots more veggies) - and not missing it! In this and future posts, I will share some of my favorite veg recipes where, I promise, even the most angus-loving amongst you will enjoy the fresh flavors and not feel deprived! I have also joined a CSA again this year (new farm, promises to be much better than 2009's not-so-awesome CSA experience), so I'm sure once that starts in another month or so, it will get my culinary creative juices flowing, as well. Stay tuned...

So, I'm BACK, and ready to share lots of healthy stuff that I'm learning and cooking!

Here's one for starters - cheers!

Lentil and Chickpea salad (courtesy of Health magazine. This and Eating Well are my mainstays these days - reeeally great recipes!)

Heat 1 T of olive oil in a large skillet. Add 2 chopped yellow onions and saute until soft. Add 3 minced garlic cloves (I am now using the jarred kind and thank higher powers every day for this time saver, what was I thinking with that papery clove mess before?) and saute a couple more mins. Then add 6-8 swiss chard leaves, julienned - skip the stems, and saute until tender, a few more minutes. Add 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, then mix in 1 T pomegranate molasses, (can find this at WholeFoods if you must, which I despise, see Monday Night Salmon, but more on that some other time), 1 T lemon juice or white wine vinegar, 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Bring 6 C of water to a boil and add 3/4 C petite green lentils (oooo I love these...). Simmer 15-20 mins, until tender but not mushy. Add 2 t salt and let sit for 5 mins, then drain.

Mix it all together and YUM - healthy and oh-so-flavorful vegetarian dinner. I served with a small spinach and tomato salad and some Ezekiel raisin toast. Yes, I'm fully hard core and into sprouted grains now, too.

Nutritional reasons why this is good - lentils and chickpeas are fantastic sources of vegetable protein. There is no saturated fat, and lots of good dark greens and healthy fat. Also, makes lots so allows for a healthy lunch the next day!

Enjoy and more soon!