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Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

 

The new fave recipe in the Lanjopoulos household (here and Norway!)

vegetarian bolognese sauceServes 4 

Prep Time: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup boiling-hot water
  • 1 ten ounce packet of dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 medium carrots, shredded
  • 2 celery ribs, minced
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced/grated
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 3/4 lb dried noodles of choice
  • 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup) plus additional for serving (optional)
  • Optional…I add a cup of cooked lentils
  • Also optional   8ozs finely chopped baby bella mushrooms

Directions:

      1. Soak mushrooms in boiling-hot water 15 minutes.
      2. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chopped vegetables and garlic (including baby bellas if using), rosemary, salt, and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, about 12 minutes.
      3. Lift mushrooms out of soaking liquid, squeeze excess liquid back into bowl (reserve liquid), and rinse mushrooms well to remove any grit.  Filter the soaking water through a coffee filter to remove any residue. Set aside.  Finely chop mushrooms, then add to vegetables in skillet along with tomato paste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until wine is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir in lentils if using.
      4. While sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water in a heatproof measuring cup, then drain pasta in a colander.

 

Quinoa and Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

quinoa stuffed portobello mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 4-6 Portobello mushrooms
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Black Pepper

Ingredients for the stuffing:

  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 2 cups chopped spinach (frozen and defrosted spinach works nicely)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  •  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Drizzle olive oil over the mushrooms and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
  3. While mushrooms are cooking, prepare the stuffing.
  4. Sauté the diced onions in a bit of olive oil (or Pam) until translucent. Add the spinach, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the cooked quinoa. Stir to combine everything equally.
  5. Once mushrooms have finished roasting, remove from oven. Distribute the spinach mixture among them. Return to oven and bake at 375 for an additional 20 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and serve hot.

Tip: for a different presentation, cook the mushrooms fully, then dice and toss with the spinach/quinoa mixture for a delicious warm quinoa salad.

Enjoy!

Quinoa and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes

With the bounty of tomatoes upon us…try this one outstuffed tomatoes

Quinoa and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes

Baked tomatoes stuffed with a quinoa-spinach mixture and topped with a variety of cheeses.

15 min Prep Time            30 min Cook Time

Ingredients

  • 8 medium ripe tomatoes
  • salt, to taste
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 6 cups fresh spinach
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
  • salt, to taste
  • freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Parmesan cheese  (Optional)
  • shredded mozzarella cheese   (Optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Slice off 1/2 inch of the stem end of the tomatoes and hollow out the inside.
  3. Slice just a small section off of the bottom of the tomatoes so that they will sit flat on a baking sheet.
  4. Sprinkle salt in the hollow portion of each tomato and place hollow side up on a baking sheet.
  5. Set aside.
  6. Place water and quinoa in a saucepan.
  7. Bring to a boil; lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
  8. Heat oil in a frying pan and add spinach.
  9. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until just wilted.
  10. Mix in the garlic and parsley, cook for a minute longer, and remove from stove.
  11. Add cooked quinoa to spinach; mix well.
  12. Taste for salt and pepper.
  13. Evenly divide the filling among the tomatoes.
  14. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  15. Remove foil, sprinkle tops with parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
  16. Bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  17. Serve.

Garlic Parmesan Yellow Squash Chips

Garlic Parmesan Yellow Squash Chipssquash chips reecips

A healthy snack or appetizer that is incredibly flavorful, crispy, and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients for squash chips

  • 4 yellow squash (small to medium), sliced into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch rounds
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup panko crumbs
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • cooking spray (I use Organic Olive Oil by Pam)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450.
  2. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine squash, olive oil, salt and pepper; mix until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and garlic powder.
  5. Dip slices of squash in cheese mixture and coat on both sides, pressing on the coating to stick.
  6. Place the squash in a single layer on the previously prepared baking sheet.
  7. Lightly spray each slice with cooking spray. This will help with achieving a crunchier texture.
  8. Bake for 10 minutes; rotate pan and continue to bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until chips are golden brown.

Moroccan Chickpeas with Roasted Peppers, Parsley and Mint

Recipe courtesy of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Simon’s Fine Foods

Moroccan Chickpeas with Roasted Peppers, Parsley and Mintchick peas

Serves lots!

Ingredients:

  • canola oil, for cooking
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp raisins
  • 1 Tbsp chopped dried apricots (we used more!)
  • 4 cups cooked chickpeas (keep the cooking liquid)
  • 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (we used more!)
  • juice of a lemon

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, saute the onion in a skiff of canola oil over medium-high heat until soft.
  2. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg and cayenne and cook for a minute.
  3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, raisins and apricots and a splash of cooking liquid (or tomato juice) and bring to a simmer – it should be saucy.
  4. Add the chickpeas to the pan and stir to coat. Cook for a bit to cook off any excess liquid if need be.
  5. Add the red pepper, mint and parsley and squeeze over the lemon.
  6. Toss to combine and serve warm or refrigerate until chilled – allowing the mixture to marinate for a few hours (or a day) will help the flavors improve.

Enchilada-Stuffed Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Enchilada-Stuffed Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 4

portobello mushrooms

Ingredients:

  • 4 portobello mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup corn kernels
  • ½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon flour (important…helps absorb mushroom juiceness)
  • 1 cup mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons chives

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat your barbecue to medium-high heat.
  2. Using a small spoon, scoop the gills out of the mushrooms.
  3. Brush mushroom exteriors with olive oil and place on a large plate.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce, salt and flour until no lumps remain.
  5. Spoon around 2 tablespoons of corn and black beans into each mushroom. Drizzle with the sauce. Top with shredded cheese.
  6. Grill over direct heat (on a veggie grilling plate, or directly on clean grill) for 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
  7. Sprinkle with chives and serve with a side salad.

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressinggrilled corn

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 2 ears of fresh sweet corn
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped(optional)

Directions:

Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy. Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

HONEY LIME DRESSING

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
  • 1 clove garlic,minced
  • Dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:

  1. Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  2. Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the avocados.
  3. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle.

 

Low-Carb Cauliflower Creamed Spinach

Low-Carb Cauliflower Creamed SpinachLow-Carb Cauliflower Creamed Spinach

This has all the rich creaminess of something sinful, but all the healthy goodness from being low carb! Try it today!

Ingredients

  1. 5oz baby spinach
  2. 1 small cauliflower head [cut into florets]
  3. 1 small onion [diced]
  4. 2 tbsp cream
  5. 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella [plus a little more for on top]
  6. 1 tbsp butter [plus a little more for sauteing the onion]
  7. 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  8. Pinch of ground cloves
  9. Salt and pepper

Directions:low carb

  1. Turn on broiler.
  2. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil. Once it boils rapidly, add the cauliflower florets and boil for 10 minutes.
  3. When the cauliflower is cooked, use a slotted spoon to scoop the florets into a food processor. Blitz the cauliflower until smooth with the cream and butter.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. While the cauliflower boils, saute the onion in a little bit of butter until soft and and then add the spinach, nutmeg and cloves and cook until wilted.
  6. Now mix the cauliflower, spinach/onion and cheese together, adjust seasoning if needed, and scoop into a cast iron pan or small baking dish.
  7. Slide under the broiler until the cheese is golden brown.

Thanks to Linda K from way up north for this recipe….. they are seriously yummy!!!!!

Pesto Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Asparagus

Pesto Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Asparaguspesto pasta

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces medium shell pasta
  • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
  • 1/3 cup diced mozzarella cubes
  • Fried egg, for serving (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
  3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
  4. Place asparagus in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste; gently toss to combine.
  5. Place into oven and roast for 8-12 minutes, or until tender but crisp. Let cool before cutting into 1-inch pieces.
  6. In a large bowl, combine pasta, asparagus, pesto, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella.
  7. Serve immediately with a fried egg, if desired.

Thanks to Linda K from way up north for this recipe….. they are seriously yummy!!!!!

SOUTHWESTERN QUINOA AND VEGGIE CASSEROLE

SOUTHWESTERN QUINOA AND VEGGIE CASSEROLE 

serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 ounce) can Rotel Tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can  whole black beans, drained
  • 1⁄4 cup sliced jalapeno(optional)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1⁄2 cup vegetable broth
  • 3⁄4 cup quinoa
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • sour cream (optional)

 Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 400.
2.     combine all ingredients except cheese and sour cream in a 2 quart casserole.
3.     cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
4.     remove and stir.
5.     bake for another 20 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender.
6.     cover with cheese and broil till cheese is melted (usually around 1 or 2 minutes).
7.     serve with sour cream.
recipes for quinoa