zucchini enchiladas

This Meatless Monday post is a recipe I found on AllRecipes.com. These enchiladas are easy to make. They are also very accommodating to modifications, add beans, chiles or change the veggies. This is how I made them, the original recipe can be found here.

Zucchini Enchiladas

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups diced zucchini
1/4 cup black beans or re-fried beans
 2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1  1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, 1/4 cup black beans, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove zucchini mixture from skillet and reserve.

Melt butter in the skillet over medium low heat. Stir in flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in milk; whisk until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

Spoon 1/3 cup squash mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up. Place filled tortillas in prepared baking dish, pour cheese sauce over. Cover and bake in preheated oven until hot, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and the chopped tomatoes.

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potatoes and peas in red curry

This Meatless Monday post comes from a cookbook I am currently reading, Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley. I have made this recipes 3 times in the last 2 weeks because of how much my husband and I love it!

Potatoes and Peas in Red Curry

2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced vertically
1 can of coconut cream (I used 1 can coconut milk)
2-3 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce (I omitted this)
1 large sweet potato, peeled can cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
Salt to taste
1/2 cup dry roasted cashews (I omitted these)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Wash potatoes and add them with the onion into the slow cooker. Mix coconut cream (or milk), red curry paste, sugar and soy sauce together and pour over potatoes. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours (potatoes should be a little tender when pierced with a fork).

Add sweet potato, cover and cook on low for about 2 1/2 hours or until all potatoes are tender. Add peas and salt to taste and cook uncovered for 15 minutes longer. Add cashews and cilantro to each serving. 

I serve it with rice but, you could also eat on its own. 

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zucchini orzo

This Meatless Monday post comes from a book I read two years ago. It is an awesome book about local and seasonal food called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barabara Kingsolver. Novelist Kingsolver recounts a year spent eating home-grown food and, if not that, local. This is one the recipes featured in the book me and my family enjoy. The kids even like it!

Zucchini Orzo

1 lb. package orzo pasta
3 large zucchini
1 chopped onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

garlic to taste (I use 3 cloves minced)
olive oil for saute
thyme
oregano
vegetable or chicken stock (optional can just use water)

Bring 6 cups of water, vegetable or chicken stock to a boil and add pasta. Cook 10 minutes. Use cheese garter to shred zucchini; saute briefly with onion and garlic until lightly golden brown. Add spices to zucchini mixture, stir thoroughly and remove from heat. Combine zucchini mixture with cheese and cooked orzo.  Serve cool or room temperature. Add little extra Parmesan cheese to garnish.

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scrumptious carrot cake

I baked a super scrumptious carrot cake from scratch for Easter. Baking isn't my forte so, I'm super excited when a make a dessert that turns out this good. I found this carrot cake recipe on allrecipes.com, my "go to" place for recipe hunting. I changed a few things based on comments on the original and here is my version:

Cake Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of applesauce
• 1 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (could even be reduced to 3 cups IMO)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour or line with parchment paper (2) 9 inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, white and brown sugars and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To make frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the first layer, then add the second layer and frost.

This cake turned out super moist and just the best carrot cake ever!  Of course, I am a little bias since I'm extremely happy it turned out okay but, really it was so good. Enjoy!

lentil stew

I haven't posted a Meatless Mondays recipe in awhile because I haven't made anything new, until now.  I made my first stew ever, Lentil Stew!  I love lentils but have only ordered them when out, I never cooked them myself. I am reading Alicia Silverston's cookbook The Kind Diet and adapted this recipe from her book. This stew is hearty, healthy and so yummy! I have to admit neither my husband or I missed the meat. You'll see below I was out of a few ingredients. I didn't let that stop me from trying it though, it still turned out delicious.

Lentil Stew
Serves 6
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika (I was out of paprika so I omitted this)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large onions, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, diced (I was out of celery so I omitted this too)
1 carrot, sliced
1 potato, cut into chunks (I substituted 3 red potatoes)
1/4 cup shoyu (soy sauce)
5 cups vegetable broth
3 tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks (I was out of tomatoes so I omitted these)
1 1/2 cups brown lentils

Combine the garlic powder, paprika, salt, cumin, oregano and basil in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat, and add the garlic, onion, celery, carrot and potato. Stir in half the seasoning mix and the shoyu (soy sauce). Cook stirring frequently for 7 minutes.

Add 5 cups of water, the broth, tomatoes and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer with the lid askew for 30 minutes. Add the remaining seasoning mix and cook for 20 minutes longer or until the lentils are soft.

avocado and bean burrito

This Meatless Monday post comes from a book I just finished reading, Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss by Mark Hyman. I have tried a bunch of recipes from this book and wanted to share the ones I liked best. I substituted some things because it was what I had on hand and the recipe still turned out great. 

Avocado and Bean Burrito

2 cups shredded lettuce
2 Tbsp yellow onions, chopped
1/2 avocado, peeled pitted and chopped
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (I substituted parsley & mint since that is what I have in my garden)
4 Tbsp chunky salsa (I substituted tomatoes, chopped)
1/2 cup re-fried beans
2 sprouted corn tortillas (I substituted whole wheat tortillas)

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl except for the beans & tortillas. Smear 1/2 the beans on each tortilla, fill with vegetable mixture and wrap burrito style.  Enjoy!

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curried waldorf salad

This Meatless Monday post comes from a book I just finished reading, Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss by Mark Hyman. I have tried a bunch of recipes from this book and wanted to share the ones I liked best. I substituted some things because it was what I had on hand and the recipe still turned out great. 

Curried Waldorf Salad

1 large red delicious or gala apple, skin on cored and diced
1 cup extra firm tofu (I omitted this)
1/2 cup celery
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 Tbsp flaxseeds, ground
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp curry power
1 Tbsp walnut oil (I substituted olive oil)
head endive, separated and washed (I substituted mixed greens)

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the endive or mixed greens.  Arrange endive or mixed greens on plate, spoon the mixture on tops and serve.

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black bean confetti salad

This Meatless Monday post comes from a book I just finished reading, Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss by Mark Hyman. I have tried a bunch of recipes from this book and wanted to share the ones I liked best. I substituted some things because it was what I had on hand and the recipe still turned out great.

Black Bean Confetti Salad


1 15 oz. can of black beans
1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained (I used fresh corn cooked and cooled)
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup scallions (I omitted this as I didn't have it in the house.  Didn't miss it)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (Again I substituted parsley and mint from my garden)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

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easy pesto pasta

Pesto is great.  It uses lots of basil, tastes delicious on pasta, garlic bread and sandwiches, it is super easy to make and uses ingredients you probably have on hand.  I found this Easy Pesto Recipe on allrecipes.com

 Easy Pesto

• 1/4 cup almonds
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place almonds on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
2. In a food processor, combine toasted almonds, garlic, basil, olive oil, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Process until a coarse paste is formed.

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roasted veggie pasta salad

I haven't done a Meatless Monday blog in awhile and a friend recently asked me if we still have meatless meals.  We certainly do!  I think we just got a little lazy, we weren't doing it every Monday and many of the dishes were simple or dishes I have already blogged about so, I stopped writing about it.  It may be the warmer weather but, I have been craving veggie meals lately!

I made this roasted veggie pasta salad for a play date picnic recently and it was good so, I made it again for dinner.  I found this on the Taste of Home website.  This dish has all my favorite veggies: eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow peppers and onions. I omitted the squash and substituted the spiral pasta for penne since that is what I had in the house.  However, I prefer the spiral pasta, that is what I used for the picnic and it does a great job of holding onto the dressing.

See Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad Recipe

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rainbow spotting!

As much of the country has been hit with snow we in sunny Arizona have been on the rainy side. The rain is a rare treat for us and with it I hold memories of where I grew up. And I love it. Having so much rain this year has reminded me just how much I love it. My creativity yesterday was flowing and I know it had to do with the soothing sounds, smells and sights of rain. Always clears me + we saw this beautiful full spectrum rainbow in our backyard! Hudson was very excited and wanted to know when were going to ride down it. Precious.

So what did I do that was so creative yesterday? Well ... I made 3 pairs wire wrapped earrings for gifts, 2 wire wrapped gift tags (a soon-to-be free project idea on Soft Flex Company's website) and I made whole wheat strawberry muffins! Yum.

luscious lemons

Today, we picked up 5 fresh picked lemons for $1 from a nearby home. They were huge and looked and smelled delicious! Those luscious lemons made some homemade lemonade and fresh lemon bars. mmm ...


Perfect Lemonade Recipe found on Simply Recipes.

Fresh Lemon Bar Recipe is from the cookbook 365 Favorite Brand Name Cookie Recipes.

Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (although I usually add another 1/4 cup)
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
• grated peel of 1/2 lemon
• 1 and 1/4 cup flour

Lemon Layer:

• 4 eggs
• 1 and 2/3 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• grated peel of 1/2 lemon
• juice of 2 lemons (6 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• confectioner's sugar

To make crust, in a bowl blend butter, sugar and lemon peel. Gradually stir in flour to form a soft crumbly dough. Press evenly into the bottom of an aluminum foil lined 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to prepare lemon layer. In a large bowl whisk eggs well. Stir together sugar, flour and baking powder. Gradually whisk sugar mixture into eggs. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour over hot baked crust. Return to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool. Using foil on two sides, lift out the cookie base. With a wet knife cut into bars or squares. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy!

vegetarian shepherd's pie

Last Monday, we tried a vegetarian shepherd's pie recipe I found on allrecipes.com. I find all my recipes on that website! "This meatless comfort food is packed with high-antioxidant vegetables, plus curry's anti-cancer curcumin." by USA WEEKEND columnist Jean Carper.

Bert & I enjoyed this recipe (the kids just ate the topping). The flavors blended well, the mashed red potato topping with peas was fabulous and it had my favorite ingredient, eggplant! The curry suggested was a tad overpowering but, as it cooled the flavor mellowed. I still think I may cut the curry in half next time.

See Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie Recipe

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pumpkin fritters

This fritter recipe was passed along to me by my good friend Erica. It has become a recipe I look forward to making each year during pumpkin season. I took this recipe to a pumpkin picnic last weekend and the kids gobbled them up. The fact that I called them pumpkin donuts instead of fritters I think made the kids want to try them. My kids get giddy whenever donuts are mentioned.

I use real pumpkin but, you could try it with canned pumpkin and that would be yummy too.

Pumpkin Fritters (aka Pumpkin Donuts)

• 1 small pumpkin (2 cups mashed pumpkin)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 - 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt
• oil for frying
• confectioner's sugar

First remove seeds and peel the pumpkin. To easily peel the pumpkin I roast it in the oven for about 15 min covered until the skin easily peels away or is at least soft enough to easily cut away. Then chop, boil, drain and mash the pumpkin. Combine 2 cups of mashed pumpkin with sugar, whole wheat flour, vanilla and salt. Heat oil in tall saucepan, spoon in mixture and fry. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

This year I decided to make 3 small pumpkins at once. After I prepared the pumpkins I portioned out 3 containers with 2 cups of mashed pumpkin in each. I fried one batch up right away, refrigerated one for the following day and froze one to save for Thanksgiving. This way, I just combine the ingredients and fry without the hassle of preparing a whole pumpkin each time.

Hope you are enjoying pumpkin season! I sure am.

acorn squash with apple

Yay! We're back on track with Meatless Monday. Tonight we tried an acorn squash recipe I found on allrecipes.com. It was warm and sweet and felt more like a dessert then a meal. I must confess, I added ice cream to mine because it tasted a lot like apple pie! Probably a little too sweet to make again for dinner but, I would keep this recipe around for a healthier alternative to apple pie.

See Acorn Squash with Apple Recipe

If you missed it, the Meatless Mondays Campaign website featured my simple Spinach Berry Salad recipe a couple of weeks ago. Pretty cool!

veggie frittata

This was an easy all-in-one meal! The southwest hash browns have a kick and made the dish hearty enough for dinner, the broccoli gives it a nice crispness and the rosemary gives it a savory earthy flavor.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups simply potatoes southwest shredded hash browns
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 4-6 oz of your choice of shredded cheese
  

Directions:

In skillet drizzle some olive oil and add hash browns, broccoli, onions and rosemary. Cook over low-medium heat until the hash browns are golden and the vegetables tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and place into an oven safe dish approx. 8 inches. Beat eggs, water, salt and pepper; pour over hash browns mixture. Top with cheese and paprika. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until eggs are completely set.

pizza night!

My sisters are visiting and instead of cooking we decided on take-out pizza last night. We ordered our favorite pizza from Red, White and Brew - Eggromato. It has eggplant, fresh tomatoes, garlic & mushrooms. We paired that with a simple berry salad.

To make the simple berry salad we mixed together the following:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Fresh Spinach
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Gorgonzola Cheese
  
• Red Wine Vinaigrette
  

Mmm ... Magnifico!

cheese crisp and veggie rice

Tonight I had planned to make a recipe I received in the meatless monday e-newsletter. Zucchini Stuffed Peppers. Sounds so good! I began cooking the vegetables but, soon realized my oven door was jammed and therefore would not turn on. So I went for plan B. I switched gears and made the stuffing into veggie rice and paired it with a cheese crisp.

For the cheese crisp I used:

• whole wheat tortillas
• 1 slice of american cheese
  
• grated mild cheddar cheese

Place 1 tortilla in pan, add cheeses and place a second tortilla on top and lightly press together. Cook over medium high heat for a minute or two, flip over the and cook on the other side for a minute of two.

For the veggie rice I used:

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
  
• 1 zucchini diced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 5 carrots diced
  
• 1 tbsp butter
  

Place butter in a skillet, add zucchini, onion and carrots. Cook for about 10 minutes. Mix in the brown rice. salt and pepper.

This actually turned out well, the only change I may try is to cook brown rice with vegetable broth instead of water to add a bit more flavor. Thank goodness we had some tortilla and cheese handy to complete the meal.

bean quesadillas with salsa

I made bean quesadillas with mango, peach and pineapple salsa tonight! I found the mango, peach and pineapple salsa on allrecipes.com. This was so good I could eat it as a fruit salad just by itself. The bean quesadillas recipe is from my friend Carrie.

For the quesadillas you need:

• tortillas
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can pinto or refried beans
• rice of your choice
• shredded monetary jack
• shredded cheddar cheese
• corn
• onion
• fresh cilantro

Lightly oil skillet, place 1 tortilla in pan, and layer with rice, beans, corn, onion, cilantro, and cheese. Place a second tortilla on top and lightly press together. Cook over medium high heat for a minute or two, flip over the quesadilla and cook on the other side for a minute of two. Top with toppings of your choice; avocado, sour cream, salsa, picante.

This was really yummy, thanks Carrie! I forgot the rice and replaced the pinto beans with refried beans and it still came out great. We love making quesadillas, they are easy and you can put just about anything in them!

easy pesto spaghetti

Tonight I'm making Easy Pesto Spaghetti. Pesto is an aromatic herb paste that has its origins in Italy, where people have been making it for hundreds of years with the brilliant green basil that grows wild on the hillsides. I found a super easy recipe online. It's not exactly traditional since it doesn't use Parmesan cheese or pine nuts but, you could certainly add those ingredients if you wanted.

See Easy Pesto Recipe.