Pumpkin Lasagna

For the next few weeks I'll be filling a new role - nurse, caring for a family member. As such, I find myself gravitating towards dishes that create an infinite amount of leftovers to freeze and bring with me. I rarely eat full bore lasagna, as much as I love the gooey traditional version. I find the traditioinal dish rather heavy, but this lightened and veggie-filled version is wholesome and filling without overdoing it. The noodles can be cooked in advance and the veggies can be chopped when you get home from the grocery store. It takes me about 45 minutes to put this together from scratch, which is worth it in my book to have leftovers for two days.

Ingredients:

9 lasagna noodes
16 oz. canned pumpkin
1 zucchini
1 red onion
1 c. cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 jar organic marinara sauce
1 c. tofutti OR goat cheese
2 Tbs. (vegan) parmessan

Directions:

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease 9x13 pan.

3. Chop all veggies.

4. Spread a thin layer of sauce.

5. Place 3 noodles in pan.

6. Spread a layer of pumpkin over noodles.

7. Sprinkle tofutti/goat cheese.

8. Add 1/2 of all veggies.

9. Repeat 4-8 one time.

10. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top and remainder of sauce.

11. Sprinkle (vegan) parmessan.

12. Bake for 25 minutes.

13. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Spicy Szechuan Stir Fry

 
After a whirlwind couple of days, it was lovely to be back in my kitchen on Sunday evening to cook a veggie-packed meal. The fact that I was traveling and then playing caretaker - a role I will be jumping into every few days for the next couple of months - meant little control over my meals. Somehow it always seems that my vegetable intake lags behind as salads become less and less interesting from the same hotel restaurant. 
 
Luckily, I stock my freezer with veggies. I highly recommend snatching up a few bags of spinach, brussel sprouts, green beans, or whatever variety you prefer. Research suggests little difference in the nutritional content of frozen and fresh vegetables. If you find produce spoils quickly in your fridge, go frozen!
 
The key to a good stir fry is heat. Be careful not to throw the ingredients in the pan, rather slide them down the rim of the pan. Make sure to give the veggies time to crisp up and brown. That's what makes this dish crisp and tasty.
 
Ingredients:
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
2 c. frozen brussel sprouts
4 c. frozen green beans
1 package of extra firm tofu (I used firm and ended up with a slightly crumbled tofu)
2 Tbs. sesame oil (or canola oil)
2 tsp. siracha (chili paste)
2 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
2 Tbs. asian wine (or white wine)


Directions:

1. Prepare your tofu by pressing using this method.
 
2. Heat wok/pan on high heat.
 
3. Chop the onion, garlic and celery.
 
4. Place onion, garlic and celery in wok. It will sizzle. Give them a moment on each side and nudge.
 
5. Add brussel sprouts and green beans.
 
6. Saute for 6-8 minutes, giving veggies a minute on each side before nudging with spoon.
 
7. Empty contents of pan into a bowl and place to the side.
 
8. Chop tofu and heat 1 Tbs of oil in wok.
 

9. Place tofu in wok and saute in the same manner as veggies for about 4 minutes.
 
10. Add vegetables to wok along with sauce contents. It should steam up. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan and loosen the leftover seasoning.

 
11. Serve while still hot with chopsticks. :)
 

 

Rolling With The Unexpected

Well I have certainly been updating you all a lot less than planned. It turns out, a family emergency has arisen, and I'm heading back to Chicago ahead of schedule. Not to worry, everything is under control - or will be as soon as I'm back. Who else is good in a crisis?

Thank goodness for working out! My favorite stress buster. I found myself doing the M.O.B. Pump and some serious cardio in the hotel gym.

Thank you to those who have continued to read up on Mind Over Booty, and I promise to have some fun recipes - a recreation of a Mexican lentil dish I had in New York - on the blog next week.

Stay tuned and have a lovely weekend!

Miss M

Simplicity At Its Best: Baked Apples

Last night I found myself once again packing for a work trip. This time I am venturing to New York City for 5 long days. There will be little downtime, but I hope to update you all on my trip as I try to stay true to my healthy living identity aka eating well and staying active.

When I pack, and feel frantic, I find myself snacking endlessly. These baked apples are naturally sweet and the lemon juice produces a tangy syrup to knock the socks off of any sweet tooth. I realize this recipe is almost too simple to post, but I know there are those of you who sometimes wonder how to break down something such as baked apples or roasted squash. I'm here to say no recipe is too simple or too complicated that this booty won't give it a try!

Ingredients:

4 apples
1 lemon
dash of sea salt
1/4 c. splenda OR sugar
1/4 c. rasins
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit

2. Wash and thinly slice apples.

3. Squeeze lemon over apples and toss with the rest of the ingredients.

4. Bake in a dish for 40 minutes.

5. Serve topped with granola or a bit of non-dairy milk.

Creamy Eggplant Pasta

 

 
For as many years as I have been dieting (aka my whole life), I have searched for a creamy healthy pasta dish. Once I allowed and accepted (good) carbs back into my diet, whole wheat pasta opened my eyes to the possibilities.

While I am not vegan, I do limit the animal products, in particular cow products, in my diet. Meanwhile, Grant Park (the bf), LOVES dairy products, in particular cheese. I came across a recipe in an Italian cookbook that used smashed beans as a base in a cheesey sauce. This recipe is my take on that lovely pasta dish. You'll notice I hit the jackpot recently in the form of a food processor. No doubt bribery from Grant Park to cook more complex dishes. If you have yet to hit the kitchen jackpot, a blender will do, or a potato masher.
 
While making the sauce roast 1 small eggplant, chopped and seasoned with salt and pepper, at 400 degrees Farenheit for 30-40 minutes. About halfway through start cooking 3 cups of whole wheat pasta, preferably a penne or rigatoni noodle.


Creamy Sauce Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lg. onion
6 cloves garlic
1 c. vegetable broth
1 can garbanzo beans
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper


Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat, add chopped onion and saute until translucent.

2. Roughly chop and add garlic to pan.

3. Drain and rinse beans thoroughly.

4. Add beans to pan and saute for a few minutes.

5. Add vegetable broth and seasoning to pan.

6. Deglaze pan thoroughly aka scrape off the yummy cooked bits from bottom of pan.

7. Transfer bean mixture to food processor/blender/bowl and puree until smooth. 

8. Taste your creamy bean sauce. Flavoring can be altered with more spices or olive oil.

9. Put sauce back into pan. Add roasted eggplant.

10. Drain pasta and reserve about 1/2 c. pasta water.

11. Mix pasta water and pasta into sauce and eggplant mixture.

12. Grate (vegan) Parmesan over pasta and enjoy!

A Dish That Keeps On Giving

 
Don't you ever wish you were the kind of person who whipped up gourmet meals every night of the week, even when in a pinch? I know I do! There's nothing better than a home cooked meal, and sometimes nothing more daunting at the end of a long day.
 
When I was little I thought left overs happened by accident. That my mom kept those Tupperware containers just in case we didn't finish a meal. Now I know, the smartest home cooks make extras on the weekends so that they have one step, one ingredient, even, prepped for a few meals. Ratatouille, a French peasant's dish, is the answer to squeezing extra veggies and flavor into your weeknight meals. This dish, filled with whatever vegetables you may have on hand, simmers over low heat for an hour permeating every room in your house. What you have at the end of that hour is a dish that keeps on giving, for at least 3 other meals, if you make enough.
 

 
Some ideas for your leftovers:

• Breakfast: ratatouille-filled omlette or tofu scramble
• Lunch: spread hummus on a ww wrap and fill with ratatouille
• Dinner: combine with white beans, or crumble tofu 

And if you still have some:

• Food process ratatouille for a veggie-filled pasta sauce
• Add vegetable stock for a veg soup
• Serve over brown rice or combine with quinoa
• Serve over fresh spinach with olives as an antipasti

Ingredients:
 
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves fresh garlic
3 stalks of celery
1 c. diced bell peppers
1 28oz. can whole tomatoes (w/ basil)
2 medium zucchini
1 medium eggplant
2 Tbs. Herbes de Provence (or a thyme, rosemary, oregano)
dash of salt
dash of pepper
optional:
1 can of white beans
red pepper flakes


Directions:
 
1. Saute chopped garlic over medium heat in a large saucepan.
 
2. Add chopped celery and stir occasionally, careful not to burn.
 
3. Pour juices from canned tomatoes over veggies, squish whole tomatoes over pan. (Fun and not an exact science)
 

 
4. Chop bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant. Remember ratatouille is a peasant's dish so no need to chop like a professional chef!
 

 
5. Put remaining vegetables in pan. Stir and turn down to low heat.
 
6. Add seasoning (and beans, if using), stir and cover for 60 minutes or until vegetables are desired firmness.

Reason Number 1,999 I Cannot Be Trusted With Popcorn

This week Shape Magazine told me that I can eat air popped popcorn with reckless abandon. Clearly this publication has not been in my kitchen:

Please listen to me when I say: invest in an air popper. For 20 bucks you can have fresh, chemical-free pop corn at the tip of your finger tips. I agree with Shape that popcorn is a healthy and fiber-full snack option, but please do not eat with reckless abandon!

My favorite toppings:

• Parmesan + oregano
• cinnamon + agave nectar
• olive oil and garlic powder
• curry powder