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Saturday, March 8, 2014

Healthy Vegan "White" Lasagne

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The Lasagne Diaries

this lens' photo
I am a big fan of Dr. Oz. And, as a fan, I watched more than one episode that featured "The Hungry Girl".

On one of her recent appearances, she featured a recipe for lasagne. I liked the idea of using vegetables as the "noodles" and using mushrooms as a filling.

This recipes came out delicious, I hope you enjoy it.



Lasagne One -- With Tomato Sauce and Eggplant

The Hungry Girl introduced her recipe for Lasagne on Dr. Oz's program. I was inspired and, while my recipe is based on hers, it's not exactly the same, mostly because it's a vegan recipe, so there is no cheese.

My version is, for the most part, not one of those "measure this" and "measure that" recipes.

Ingredients

  • 5-7 Tomatoes
  • 1 bag frozen peas and carrots (10 oz)
  • 1 medium eggplant sliced thinly lengthwise and grilled
  • your choice of mushrooms sauteed (the more the merrier)
  • chopped nuts (optional; for topping)
  • spices of your liking

Instructions

  1. For the Sauce: Take the tomatoes, broil them in the oven on low-broil until liquid has come out and there are some small burned areas. Take the tomatoes, spill out the liquid, put them in a pot with a good cover, add the spices, cover the pot and stew them on a low flame, poking them occasionally with a fork, until it's a thick, relatively uniform, consistency.
  2. Assembling the pieces: spoon and spread 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of a pan. The next layer is 1/2 the eggplant, laid down like lasagne noodles. Next add a layer of 1/2 the bag of peas and carrots, then 1/2 the mushrooms. Repeat the layers, then end with another layer of sauce and chopped nuts.

Lasagne Two -- With White (Cauliflower) Sauce and Zucchini

Ingredients

  • 1 Head of Cauliflower
  • 1 bag frozen peas and carrots (10 oz)
  • 5-7 Zucchinis sliced thinly lengthwise and grilled
  • your choice of mushrooms sauteed (the more the merrier)
  • chopped nuts (optional; for topping)
  • spices of your liking
  • olives of your choice (I used a can of black pitted olives) chopped
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Tahini
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)

Instructions

  1. For the Sauce: steam the cauliflower until soft (bordering on mushy). When the cauliflower cools enough to handle, put it in a food processor with tahini, nutritional yeast and some sauteed mushrooms and process until smooth.
  2. Assembling the pieces: spoon and spread 1/3 of the cauliflower sauce on the bottom of a pan. The next layer is 1/2 the zucchini, laid down like lasagne noodles. Next add a layer of 1/2 the bag of peas and carrots, the olives, then 1/2 the remaining mushrooms. Repeat the layers, then end with another layer of sauce and chopped nuts.

More of our Vegetarian/Vegan Themed Articles

  • Vegetarianism Getting Started Part 1

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  • Vegetarianism Getting Started Part 2

    Want to go Veg? Here's how

    Now that you have decided to take the plunge, I will give you some advice on substituting. I have managed to make recipes that contain meat, chicken, dairy,...
  • Healthy Vegan Eating

    Healthy Vegan Eating: Quick Cooking

    B"HI remember when I was new to vegetarianism. I didn't know how to handle the cooking. I had learned to cook with meat and chicken and now I was lost.  I...
  • A Healthy Breakfast

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Easy Healthy Vegan Lunch

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My Easy Vegan Lunch

this lens' photo
Most days, I'm home for lunch. I have time to prepare lunch, but I also like to have something I can put in the oven and let it cook for a while. This is the lunch I've been eating recently.

This recipe is a sort of a vegan take on the Fast Food favorite of a burger and fries. I hope you like it. It's got less than 500 or so calories for the entire meal.





Easy Lunch Recipe

Healthy Burgers and "Fries"


  • Serves: 1
    •  
  • Prep Time: 
    •  
  • Total Time: 
  •  Print

Ingredients

  • 2 Dr. Praeger Burgers (your choice of flavor)
  • 4 corn cakes (your choice of flavor)
  • 1-2 red potatoes
  • olive oil spray (I have a pump spray bottle)
  • condiments of choice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Turn your oven on to 350 degrees. Take the burgers and put them on a foil covered cookie sheet. Spray the tops with olive oil. Slice up the potato(es) into french fry strips, then cut them in half. Lay the potato strips on the cookie sheet and spray them with olive oil. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and let it bake. Check on them every 15-20 minutes. Flipping the burgers after about 20-30 minutes and spray the other side with olive oil helps them bake better.
  2. This should be ready by 45-60 minutes if you like the potatoes a bit crispy. Put the burgers between two corn cakes and top with your sauce or condiment of choice (I like my Cauliflower Sauce -- see that recipe in this blog). Take the "fries" on the plate next to the burgers. I hope you like this as much as I do.


Compugraph Designs Art Now Site


"Art Now" is another "Print on Demand" site. They have a nice collection of products, including the mouse pad pictured here. Compugraph Designs Arts Now site.
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Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Healthy Vegan Eating: Quick Cooking

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Are You New to Healthy Food?

this lens' photo
I remember when I was new to vegetarianism. I didn't know how to handle the cooking. I had learned to cook with meat and chicken and now I was lost. 
I have been vegetarian since 1977 and vegan since 1989. Outside of my family, most of the people I know and associate with now never knew me before I was vegan, much less before I was vegetarian. When new (kosher) restaurants open up in town, they find out pretty quickly that I'm a "go-to" person to check with if they want to find out if their vegan food tastes good to a vegan.
For the most part, I do my own cooking. But there are times that I'm really busy or really tired, so I have to have all sorts of recipes in my repertoire.

Quick and Easy Chili

When you're new to the world of vegetarianism or if you just want a quick, easy, meatless meal, you need a few ideas to get you started.

I usually do a lot of cooking since I'm the only vegan in the house and if I don't cook, I don't eat. So I keep a number of items on hand for those days that I just don't have the time or the energy to cook a full meal.

Canned beans fill almost an entire shelf in the basement. I use them very liberally. I also try to keep cans of tomato products (fire roasted tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, etc.). I also like to buy hot peppers when they are available in the organic section (I broil them and then freeze them so I can use them months later). Keep a collection of spices you like -- I like curry powder, coriander, fresh ginger and several other spices. Oil is also an important ingredient. I usually use olive oil, but canola, peanut, walnut and almond oil, or other high monounsaturated oils should be on your cabinet shelf. Nuts add healthy fats and crunchy textures. Vegetables, fresh or frozen, round out the important ingredients.

These recipes can save you time:
  • Serves: this makes about 4 generous servings
  •  Print

Ingredients

  • large can of crushed tomatoes (the variety is up to you)
  • 1/2 cup each of raw peanuts and almond
  • bell peppers of any color
  • onions/garlic/leeks/scallions
  • hot peppers to taste
  • mushrooms (your favorite variety)
  • two cans of your favorite beans (I usually use one can of black beans and one can of red kidney beans)
  • spices
  • Frozen vegetables

Instructions

  1. Take a large can of crushed tomatoes (the variety is up to you) and pour it into a pot. I add 1/2 cup each of raw peanuts and almond and cook on a low flame about 1/2 hour. In the meantime, I saute veggies: bell peppers of any color, onions/garlic/leeks/scallions, hot peppers to taste, mushrooms (your favorite variety) until cooked through.
  2. When the peanuts and almonds are cooked through, add two cans of your favorite beans (I usually use one can of black beans and one can of red kidney beans). Add spices you like (I use brown mustard, curry powder and chili powder). Add the sauteed vegetables. After stewing a bit, add frozen vegetables (broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, etc.). Stir it all together and stew until it's all cooked through.

Another Quick Recipe

Another quick recipe --

Ingredients

  • Oil for sauteeing (Olive Oil)
  • Fresh ginger
  • mustard
  • a small amount of sweetener
  • Curry Powder
  • Minced Garlic
  • other veggies you like (onions or other similar veggies)
  • Favorite Beans (canned or cooked dried)

Instructions

  1. Put two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, grate some fresh ginger and add a bit of mustard, a small amount of sweetener (I use stevia or agave nectar), curry powder. Add minced garlic and any other veggies you like (onions or other similar veggies), peppers, etc. When the veggies are cooked through, add a can of your favorite beans (I like black beans) and cover the pan. Cook on a low flame until all the ingredients are heated through.
  2. You can eat this alone or add it to cooked pasta -- you can also use some pasta cooking liquid, mash the beans and add the liquid for a thinner sauce.
  3. Experiment with these ingredients and others, to your taste. Beans and vegetables spiced correctly can make a very filling meal. Enjoy!

Compugraph Designs Printfection Store

Veggies on Parade ApronIn addition to our Cafe Press and Zazzle sites (see modules above), we also have a store on "Printfection" which includes cutting boards (good wedding or housewarming gifts), mugs and cups, tees, etc.

This canvas bag is only one of several Vegetarian themed items at our store:

Compugraphd Printfection site

(Click on the picture to go directly to this product's page)


Vegetable Themed Designs from Compugraph Designs Zazzle

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