Twice Baked Potato Casserole

I pledged to take pictures of my food from now on, but it was my daughter's first birthday (Happy Birthday Ary!) and between cake baking and present wrapping and dinner, the photographer was busy and the camera, when in use, was on the birthday girl!
This recipe is inspired by a craving for twice baked potatoes and lack of any potatoes but red in the house (their skins don't hold together so well). It was a big hit and even my notoriously slow eaters cleaned their plates pronto!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

12 red potatoes
3/4 cup favorite ranch dressing (I prefer Lighthouse Homestyle Ranch for the flavor and because it's one of the few without MSG)
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
1/2-3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
approx 1 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used mozzarella.) optional
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Wash potatoes, prick skins with knife or fork and place in 400 degree oven for 45 min- 1 hour until they pierce easily with a fork. Remove from oven (reduce oven heat to 375 but leave on) and let cool slightly, then remove all skins and place peeled potatoes in a large bowl. Add ranch dressing, broccoli and corn, 1/4 cup of the cheese and seasoning. Mash ingredients with fork or potato masher until they are well mixed. Place mixture into a medium sized baking dish, top with remaining cheese and place in 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is fully melted.
Serve with a colorful green salad and enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Pasta Salad

This recipe just shouts spring! It turned out really delicious and the only cooking involved is boiling noodles.


Lemon Garlic Pasta Salad

12 -15 oz Whole wheat noodles- I used Hodgson Mills Organic Whole Wheat Penne with Milled Flax Seed
Water for boiling
2 cups chopped broccoli florettes
2-3 diced roma tomatoes or 4-5 campari tomatoes
approx 1/2 cup diced yellow pepper (or sliced mini peppers)
approx 1/2 cup diced red pepper (or sliced mini)
1-2 cups chopped baby bella mushrooms
1/2-1 cup diced seedless cucumber
approx 1/2 15 oz can black olives, sliced

Dressing
1/2-3/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
1/2- 3/4 cup olive oil
4 medium sized garlic cloves, minced or micrograted
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 -1 tsp dried parsley
1/4-1/2 tsp dried basil (this would be so good with fresh!)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. Run under cold water until no longer warm. Drain well.
In small bowl, place dressing ingredients, whisking olive oil in gradually to emulsify.
In large bowl place vegetables and cold pasta. Cover with dressing mix, tossing to coat well.
Serve and enjoy!
Optional: sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese

Crispy Stacks

I couldn't think of a great name for these, so Crispy Stacks will have to do. This is a completely plant-based recipe. It reminds me of an omelet and hash brown breakfast without the eggs and cheese! They turned out really yummy!

Crispy Stacks

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
6-8 red potatoes
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Garlic powder (optional)
paprika (optional)

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 large yellow or white onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
approx 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped into smallish pieces (about 1/2-3/4 inch)
1 red pepper, diced
about 6 baby bella mushroom, chopped
approx 1/2 - 1 cup frozen corn kernels
approx 1-2 cups fresh flat leaf spinach, chopped well
sea salt to taste

Wash potatoes and shred or grate them. The food processor is your friend if you have one, if not, by hand will give you a good workout! Let shreds rest for 5-10 minutes. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Squeeze out excess liquid from shreds and press into palm-sized patties. Place them in the oil (I do 4 at a time), press down with spatula and season the one side. When edges are golden brown and crispy, flip and season again. When both sides are golden crispy, remove to paper toweled plate and repeat until shreds are all cooked.

In separate skillet, heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil over medium low heat. Saute onions until they are soft. Add everything else except spinach and saute until cooked through, but still brightly colored. Stir in chopped spinach and allow to wilt. Salt to taste.
Serve veggie saute over hash brown patties.
Enjoy!

Vegilada Pie with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

I used to make the most scrumptiously bad-for-you enchiladas. Ground beef, white flour tortillas, olives, sour cream and loads of cheese. The homemade sauce put it over the top! It has taken so many tries to get even remotely close to a healthy version, but tonight I think I got as close as I'm going to! The sauce is one thing I kept. This recipe is delicious. You could add mushrooms and /or olives for more flavor and texture.

Vegilada Pie

1 tbsp olive oil
6 gardenburger patties (or boca burgers or whatever vegan or vegetarian burgers you can find)
Homemade enchilada sauce (recipe below)
2-3 flour tortillas (whole wheat for health, whatever you have will work)
1 can black beans, rinsed
approx 3-4 cups fresh flat leaf or baby spinach
approx 1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels
approx 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (omit or subsitute soy cheese for vegan recipe)

Enchilada Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp flour
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin

Heat oil in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add chili powder and flour and stir with fork or whisk. allow to cook for one minute, stirring frequently. Add tomato sauce, water and other seasonings. Bring to bubble, reduce heat and let simmer stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.


Preheat oven to 375 F.
In large skillet, heat olive oil and cook patties according to stove top directions. When they are done, remove them from pan, let cool slightly and dice into small crumbles. In prepared baking dish (mine was a 2.2 qt 7x11 pyrex), spread a little sauce in the bottom and begin layering in the following order: Tear tortillas into large segments and use enough to cover bottom of pan. Add half of the fresh spinach, spread to cover. Add a thin layer of black beans, then half the burger crumbles and a thin layer of corn. Cover with half of the sauce and top with half of the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the cheese on top. Cover with foil and place in oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly on the edges. Let cool slightly and serve with a colorful green salad.
Enjoy!

Easy Quinoa Casserole

If you toss the quinoa in the rice cooker ahead of time, this one whips up pretty fast. I knew it was a keeper when my 4 year old called dibs on the leftovers before dinner was even over! This is definitely a new favorite! It is vegetarian, but can be made vegan by omitting the mozzarella or substituting soy cheese.

Easy Quinoa Casserole

2-3 cups cooked quinoa (don't forget to rinse before you cook)
2-3 tbs olive oil
1/4 white or yellow onion, diced
3-4 large cloves garlic, minced
6-8 baby bella mushrooms, cut in half and sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2-2 cups frozen corn kernels
approx 4 semi-loosely packed cups fresh flat leaf or baby spinach
1 can diced tomatoes
approx 3/4-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In large skillet, heat oil to medium heat, add onions, garlic, mushrooms, corn and red pepper. Saute until onions are soft. Add spinach and cover pan until spinach wilts a little and is easier to stir. Stir occasionally and keep covered until spinach wilts all the way down. Add can of tomatoes with juices and heat through (1-2 minutes). Add sea salt to taste.
In prepared casserole dish (I used an 11x7 Pyrex), spread about half of the quinoa to cover the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with sea salt and a thin layer of cheese. Spread entire vegetable saute mixture (with liquid from pan) evenly over the quinoa layer, then top with remaining quinoa and cheese. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes until cheese is melty.
Serve warm and enjoy!
SO YUM!

MMMmmmmm Paella!

We went Spanish tonight! In honor of two of my brothers who served missions there, a lovely Shrimp Paella. This could also be vegan/vegetarian by skipping the shrimp. Delish!
Pre-cook your rice ahead of time, and this becomes a quick meal as well.

Delicious Paella

1/4 cup olive oil (and a little more for drizzling)
1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, mashed and minced
approx 10-15 spears asparagus, chopped in 2-3 inch segments
approx 1/2 cup diced red peppers
approx 1/2 cup diced yellow peppers
approx 2-3 cups frozen pre-cooked, de-veined, tail-off shrimp, defrosted
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 can diced tomatoes
approx 3 cups pre-cooked brown rice
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
Sea salt to taste (about 2 tbsp)

Pre-cook brown rice according to package instructions. Defrost frozen shrimp in warm water bath.

In large skillet bring olive oil to medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions start to soften. Add asparagus and continue to saute for 2-3 more minutes before adding the peppers. Saute for a few more minutes to allow the peppers to soften. Add shrimp, some sea salt and lemon juice. Stir frequently until shrimp is heated through (4-5 minutes). Add corn and diced tomatoes. Mix in well. Add in brown rice and stir well to allow rice to soak up some of the juices. Season with parsley and a generous sprinkling of sea salt. Drizzle a little extra olive oil and stir in. Once everything is well incorporated and heated through, serve and enjoy!

Veg n' Mash Pie

This is kind of a variation on the Veggie Shepherd Pie. My family loved it!
I used what I had (we were getting down to the dregs- time to go grocery shopping!), but you can add carrots, broccoli, whatever.
This sounds long and complicated, but really everything can be going at once and it doesn't take that long.

Veg n' Mash Pie

2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1/4 large onion, diced
1 yam or sweet potato, thinly sliced
1/3 cup vegetable broth
approx 2 cups frozen green beans
approx 1 1/2 cups frozen corn

6-8 large red potatoes, mostly peeled and diced
3-4 garlic cloves
Water for boiling
sea salt
approx 1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp butter or vegan margarine

Gravy:
approx 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
approx 1 cup rice milk or soy milk (or a mix)
1 tbs sea salt
1-2 tsp vegan chicken base or chicken boullion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp bouquet garni herbs (sage, thyme, basil)
3 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In large skillet heat oil over medium heat and saute onions. Add yam slices (and sliced carrots and broccoli if you are using them) and 1/3 cup vegetable broth. Cover and let simmer/steam until yams are mostly soft. Add corn and green beans just long enough to defrost and heat them. While your yams are steaming, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes, garlic cloves (smashed a bit) and salt. Boil until potatoes are soft. Drain out water. Add broth, milk, butter and salt to potatoes in the pot and mash them well.
For the gravy:
In a small pot, place vegetable broth and rice/soy milk and and seasonings. Bring to a low boil. In a small jar or cup with lid, place 1/4 cup water and cornstarch and shake it up. Whisk in to boiling liquids, turn down heat to low and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

Put it all together:
In baking dish place sauteed/steamed veggies, cover them with gravy and spread mashed potatoes to cover the top. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool a bit and ENJOY!

Delicious Quinoa Tabouleh

This year my family decided to have a Middle Eastern evening for a more authentic Christmas experience. It was awesome. We all lounged around on blankets around the food, dressed in galabeas and robes. We enjoyed hot lentil soup, dates, almonds, grapes, boiled eggs, hummus with pita bread, and I volunteered to bring the tabouleh. Taboubeh (tab-oo-lee) is a very light and fresh tasting salad made traditionally with bulghar wheat. I chose to make it even lighter by using quinoa. (I love quinoa.) I made a huge batch- that fed 20 people generously, so I am going to cut it in half for this recipe.

Delicious Quinoa Tabouleh

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed in hot water
3 1/2 cups water
1 medium/small bunch parsley, finely chopped, stems discarded
2 tbsp fresh mint (or 1 1/2 tbsp dried)
1 medium-large cucumber seeded and chopped
(if you leave the peel on, wash it well- the peel is where the vitamins are!)
approx 1- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
Sea salt to taste (about 2 tbsp)

Place water in rice cooker or pot. If in rice cooker, add quinoa and a little salt and set to cook. If in pot, bring salted water to boil, add quinoa, cover, turn to low heat and cook for approx 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.
Transfer cooked quinoa into a large bowl and let cool.
Once cool, add parsley, mint, cucumber, tomatoes and onion. Mix well. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and sea salt in a bowl or magic bullet and whisk or blend. Pour over quinoa and vegetables and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve cold.
For presentation, I lined my serving bowl with romaine lettuce.
Enjoy!

We had baklava for dessert... YUM!

Yummy Yam Pot Pie

Perfect for a cold winter night. It was hard to remember and measure what I put in this one- it was very on-the-fly. My family LOVED it though, so I had to try!
The crust can be substituted with puff pastry sheets for convenience.


Yummy Yam Pot Pie

Filling:
3 yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and dice in 1/2-1 inch cubes
3 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
approx 1 cup chopped carrots
2-3 tbsp flour
approx 2 cups mushroom broth and/or vegetable broth (I used a mix)
approx 5-6 spears asparagus, chopped in 1/2 inch long pieces
approx 1 cup frozen whole green beans, chopped in 1/2-1 inch pieces
approx 1- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1-2 tsp dried bouquet garni (basil, thyme, sage, oregano mix)
Sea salt or Realsalt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Steam yams in steamer or steamer pot until soft- approx 10-15 minutes.

Heat oil over medium high heat. Add diced onion and carrots and saute for a few minutes until onion is soft. Whisk in flour and then broth a little at a time. Add asparagus, green beans and corn. Simmer over medium low for approx 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cooked yam cubes and stir well. Add more broth if needed. Let simmer until carrots and asparagus are mostly soft.

Crust
1 1/2 -2 cups flour
1 tsp sea salt
2-3 tbsp butter (might be able to substitute with coconut oil for vegan)
approx 1/2 cup cold water

Mix flour and salt in bowl. Dice cold butter. Cut butter into flour or mash in with fork. Add water gradually, stirring until soft dough is formed. Add more water if needed. Divide into two sections (one slightly larger than the other) and roll out thin on floured surface. Line greased baking pan (9x9 or similar) with larger dough sheet. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Add pie filling and cover with other dough sheet. Make two small cuts in top and bake in oven for about 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Let cool slightly and enjoy!

Whole Wheat and Veggie Mini Calzones

These were a hit with the kids. My nephews tend to be picky about their veg, so hiding it in a "pizza pocket" let them munch happily and be well nourished as well. You could leave out the mozzarella to make it vegan.
The crust is the same as my whole wheat pizza crust but I give it a little less rising time to keep the pockets compact and contained.

Whole Wheat and Veggie Mini Calzones

Crust:

1 cup warm water
2 tbsp agave or honey
1-2 tbsp active yeast
1 tsp realsalt or sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
approx 2 cups whole wheat flour

Place warm water in a mixing bowl and dissolve the agave or honey in it. Sprinkle in the yeast and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. Add the salt, and oil and gradually mix in the flour until a soft dough forms. All the flour may not be mixed in yet. Dump it all out on a clean surface and mix in the rest of the flour by hand, kneading well for about 5-10 minutes. Should be slightly firm and not sticky. Lightly oil a clean glass bowl and set the dough in, rolling to coat lightly with oil. Cover and set in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Dough shouldn't quite be double in size.
Divide into 6-8 balls.

Sauce:
1 small can tomato sauce (if you like a slightly thicker sauce, toss a can of diced tomatoes in the blender and pulse a bit instead)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Topping possibilities:
shredded mozzarella
Chopped fresh spinach
diced red, yellow or green peppers
corn kernels
grated carrot
diced red onion
chopped mushrooms
sliced olives
(For tonight's dinner I used sauce, cheese, spinach, red pepper and grated carrot for the kids, and added red onion for the adults.)

Putting it all together:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Take one of your dough balls and roll it out into a circle. stretch it with your hands as well and get it nice and thin. Place a fairly generous amount of sauce in the middle and spread it around, making sure to leave about an inch of edge clean. Place cheese on half of the sauce. Add your toppings to that half in layers, then top them with more cheese. Fold your sauce-only half over the topped half and pinch the clean edges to seal. Gently slice a couple little cuts in the top to let air escape during baking. Place on a baking sheet prepared with cooking spray and a light sprinkling of cornmeal. Repeat until all are done. Place in oven and let bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve with a colorful green salad and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Spinach Ravioli

This was another experiment gone right! The dough rolling takes some time and effort (which is way easier if you have a pasta roller) but they turned out to be worth it! If you wanted to cheat or you don't have the time, get some wonton wrappers or pre-made pasta sheets.

Whole Wheat Spinach Ravioli

Dough:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp realsalt or sea salt
2 tbsp butter or vegan butter spread
3/4 cup boiling water

Place dry ingredients in food processor or blender and pulse until coarse (looks like cornmeal). Slowly add hot water while mixing. Dump out on clean floured surface and knead until you have a stiff dough. Add water by the drop or flour as needed. Separate into 3-4 balls and roll out with rolling pin as thin as you can get it (about 1/8 inch or thinner). Use 2 1/2 to 3" round cookie cutter or cup and cut out as many circles as you can, gathering scraps and rolling out again. Place dough that is not being worked with (cut outs as well) under a damp cloth to keep from drying.

Filling:
1-2 tsp olive oil
1/2 red pepper
3 cloves garlic
3-4 cups fresh spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1-2 Tbsp dried basil
1-2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp realsalt or sea salt

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Rub red pepper and garlic cloves in a light coating of olive oil and place on a dish or baking sheet in oven. Remove garlic after approx 5 minutes and red pepper after approximately 10 minutes. Turn off oven. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until finely chopped and mixed well.

Press thumb in center of 2 dough cutouts to make them curve a bit and scoop approx 1 tbsp filling into the center of one. ( I used my melon baller to scoop.) Cover with second dough round and pinch edges together tightly to seal. Repeat until all cut outs are used.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Gently drop in 5 or 6 ravioli at a time and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Ravioli will float consistently when they are done. Remove from water with slotted spoon and place in a bowl or dish. Drizzle with olive oil.

Sauce:

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced or micrograted
1 can tomato sauce
1 can petite diced tomatoes with sweet onions
(you can use regular diced tomatoes, this is just what I had and your sauce won't be as sweet. You can add a little agave and onions if you want it sweeter)
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsp dried basil
1/2 -1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt

Heat oil on medium low in sauce pan. Saute garlic for about 1 minute, then add all other ingredients, stirring occasionally until heated through. Serve over raviolis.

Serve with a colorful green salad and enjoy!

Red Pepper and Lime Hummus

This was an experiment with a happy ending!

Red Pepper and Lime Hummus

1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans mostly drained
2 tbs olive oil
juice of 1 small lime
1 large clove of garlic
1/4 red pepper
2-3 drops sesame oil
dash of cumin
approx. 1/2 tsp sea salt

Put it all in the blender or magic bullet and blend until smooth.

This is an awesome dip or spread for chips, veggies, pitas, wraps, sandwiches... you name it!
I slathered it on a whole wheat tortilla and wrapped it around leftover salad for lunch.
So good and so healthy!

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Burritos

When I need a quick and easy dinner, this one is my fallback. It's quicker without the chopped veg, but quick is a relative term. ;) Health is worth the time.

Quick and Easy Burritos

1 can vegetarian refried beans
2-3 tbs lighthouse ranch dressing
2-3 tbs favorite salsa (optional)
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
optional:
1/4-1/2 red pepper, minced
about 1/2 cup corn kernels
about 1/4 cup grated carrot
about 1/3 cup grated fresh mushrooms
finely chopped spinach
1/2 can rinsed black beans
precooked brown rice
shredded mozzarella cheese

Whole wheat or white flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine all ingredients except rice and cheese in a bowl and stir well.
Place a few tablespoons of rice and a large pinch of cheese in the middle of a tortilla. Top with a large dollop of bean mixture. Fold in ends and roll. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until filling is gone. Bake for about 15-20 minutes depending on burrito size.
Serve with a colorful green salad and enjoy!

Vegan Split Pea Soup with Hearty Whole Wheat Mini Loaves

Flavorful split pea minus the ham hocks. This one takes some time on the stove, but very little prep time.

Vegan Split Pea Soup

1 medium sweet onion, diced
2-3 tbsp coconut oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or micro-grated
1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped carrots
1 lb dried split green peas, rinsed and picked through
2-3 cups vegetable broth
approx 3 cups water
2 tsp paprika
approx 3 tsp sea salt
approx 1/2-1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1-2 cups frozen corn kernels

Heat oil in bottom of large pot. Saute onions, garlic and carrots until onions are translucent. Add broth, water, peas and seasonings. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally, then cover and reduce heat to medium low. Let cook for approximately 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour half of soup mixture into blender and blend until smooth, then mix puree back into pot. Add frozen corn in separate bowls just before serving to help cool soup and for flavor.

My kids decided it was 'Swamp Soup' good enough for any little ogre.

Whole Wheat Mini Loaves

1-2 tbsp active yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp agave or honey
1-2 tsp sea salt
1-2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
approx 2 cups whole wheat flour

Place warm water and agave in mixing bowl and stir together. Add yeast and let sit for approx 10 minutes until foamy. Add salt, oil and gradually add flour, mixing well until soft, but dough ball is formed. Knead well for about 5 minutes, then place in oiled bowl. Roll dough so that it's coated lightly in oil, then cover with a towel and let sit in a warm place for 40-60 minutes or until doubled. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from bowl and divide to form 4 mini loaves. Place loaves on oiled cookie or baking sheet and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving with soup.

From my Mama's book of tricks- Zucchini Pizza

This one, I am sure, my mother came up with from summers of late nights, hungry kids and piles of extra zucchini. Even people who don't like zucchini like this recipe. It's quick and easy.

The recipe is for one pizza, which will feed 1-2 people depending on the size of tortillas and the size of appetite.

Zucchini Pizza

2 large tortillas
about 1 - 1 1/2 cups grated or shredded zucchini (patted between paper towels to remove moisture)
approx 1/2-3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
sprinkling parmesan cheese
Sauce:
1 small can tomato sauce
2-3 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together sauce ingredients in bowl.
Place one tortilla on a baking sheet or pizza pan and spread with a thin layer of sauce. To this, add a 1/2-1 inch layer of shredded zucchini and cover that with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Top with other tortilla. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the top tortilla and top this with a generous sprinkling of parmesan.
Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until edges are crispy and cheese has melted. Let cool slightly, slice like a pizza and enjoy!


Make it more healthy:
Add corn kernels, mushrooms, shredded carrots or spinach on the inside.

Red Potato Millet Hash and Baby Bella Green Beans

These ones turned out SO yummy!

Red Potato Millet Hash

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, micro-planed, minced or pressed
about 10 medium sizes red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2-3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 red bell pepper, chopped (I used about 4-5 mini red peppers and threw in a couple orange ones just for color)
approx. 1 1/2 cups precooked millet
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tbsp paprika
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes until soft.
Add potatoes and mix in well, then add vegetable broth, millet, red pepper and corn.
Season with paprika, salt and pepper. (This will take a little more salt than you think, since potatoes absorb salt.)
Stir well, reduce to medium low heat and cover pan with lid. Let cook, stirring occasionally to keep potatoes from sticking, until potatoes are soft (about 30 minutes).

Baby Bella Green Beans

3 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced or micro-planed
approx 8 baby bella mushrooms cut in fourths.
approx. 3-4 cups fresh or frozen green beans
Sea salt to taste.

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms and green beans and saute until green beans are cooked through. Season with sea salt to taste.

Enjoy!
These two recipes together make an awesomely yummy and healthy dinner and leftovers that are in high-demand.

Veggie Pad Thai

My family is not big on spicy, so this one is super mild and really tasty.

Veggie Pad Thai

16 oz rice noodles (not too thin)
2-3 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 White or yellow onion, coarsely diced
1 cup chopped red and yellow bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped carrots
about 8 asparagus spears chopped in 2 inch pieces
about 2 cups fresh broccoli
about 8-10 baby bella mushrooms cut in quarters
Sauce (Recipe below)

Soak noodles according to package instructions.
Make sauce (see below).
Place broccoli, mushroom and asparagus in steamer and steam lightly.
Heat coconut oil on medium high heat in the bottom of a large skillet or pot and saute onion, peppers and carrots on medium heat until onions are translucent.
Add noodles and sauce to pot and stir fry for about 3-5 minutes- til noodles are al dente. Add steamed veggies and combine well.
Enjoy!

Sauce

4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 red bell pepper
1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
juice of 1 lime
5-6 small/medium cloves fresh garlic
1/2 to 1 tsp powdered ginger
1/8- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on your heat preference)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 c water
3 tbsp corn starch

Put sauce ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, then bring to a simmer in small pot, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

This one is another slight adaptation from The Original Fast Foods book. I must give credit where credit is due!

Creamy Broccoli Soup

2 1/2 cups chopped carrots
2 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 medium yellow onion
2 tsp sea salt
3 cups water
2 cups organic vegetable broth
3/4 cup raw cashews
2 tbsp Vogue instant chicken base (msg free)
5-6 cups fresh broccoli
1-2 cups frozen corn kernels
Salt and Pepper (always fresh ground)
(The OFF recipe calls for nutritional yeast instead of chicken base to give a cheesy flavor- I had none, but I would love to try it that way as well. This also renders the recipe vegetarian/vegan friendly)

Combine 1 cup carrot, one cup potatoes and all of the broccoli in steamer and cook to desired firmness.
Bring 3 cups water and salt to a boil in a large pot, add 1 1/2 cups each of potato and carrot as well as the onion. Cook until soft and pour the whole thing (water and all into blender with cashews and chicken base (or nutritional yeast). Blend until smooth and return to pot. Stir in vegetable broth. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add steamed vegetables to blended mixture along with corn. Stir well and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pasta

This is a new creation that got the family approval. Healthy and delicious.

Sweet Potato Pasta

approx 12 oz whole grain pasta (I used spaghetti, but other types would work)
3 medium or 2 large sweet potatoes or yams
2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1/2 medium sweet yellow onion, diced
approx 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 14 oz can coconut milk
approx 1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp garlic powder
sea salt to taste (approx. 1-2 tsp)

Cook pasta according to directions, drain well and toss with a little olive oil.

Peel and chop sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch to 1 inch cubes. Steam until soft (about 15 minutes).
Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft.
Add corn and spinach to oil and onion and mix to coat.
Place steamed sweet potatoes and coconut milk in blender and blend until smooth.
Add smooth mix to pan with spinach and stir well.
Add basil, garlic and oregano. Stir over medium low heat until heated through.
Serve over cooked pasta.
Enjoy with a colorful green salad!

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

A vegetarian twist on a cozy, hearty comfort food.
If you have kids that are picky about the way their food looks, you may have to talk fast. The gravy is delicious, but quite green and oozy! It'd be a great one for St. Patty's Day.
For ease and convenience, you could use a frozen veggie mix and add the onion and whatever else.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

1 - 2 cups broccoli florettes
1 cup carrots
1/3 onion (white, red or yellow)
about 8 spears asparagus
1-2 cups cauliflower
1-2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn kernels

Gravy:
1 tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 can coconut milk
1 large clove garlic
a little but of grated onion
about 1 cup finely diced mushrooms
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 red pepper
2 tbsp corn starch or other thickener
sea salt

8 red potatoes (or whatever you have- adjust the numbers for approximate potato size)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup rice milk or coconut milk
2 tbsp butter or vegan spread
sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash and/or peel potatoes. Chop and put on to boil with whole garlic cloves.
If using fresh veg, chop coarsely and steam lightly (not too much or you'll end up with mush).
Place steamed veg or veggie mix in bottom of baking dish.
When potatoes are soft, drain, mash and mix with rice milk, butter and salt.
To make sauce:
Heat oil on medium heat in skillet or pan.
Saute mince garlic, onion and mushrooms in skillet for about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and stir well. Whisk in corn starch. bring to a low boil and then turn down heat to simmer, stirring frequently.
Place spinach and red peppers in food processor or blender and puree, adding a little water if necessary. Mix puree into gravy mixture in pan. Sea salt to taste.
Pour gravy over vegetables in baking dish, cover with mashed potatoes, top with a little sea salt and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

(I told my kids the gravy was Halloween ooze.)