Non-Cook "Lasagna"

Ok ... I realize this photo looks odd. Like, perhaps something you would like to NOT put in your mouth !! BUT ... it is yummy and I assure you, once you make it, you will not be able to stop putting this in your mouth !! I love it. We had it for a light dinner tonight. Rory had it on fresh white crusty bread. I had it on whole wheat rice crackers.

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1/2 a zucchini, finely sliced
2 cups tightly packed fresh spinach, processed til finely chopped
1/2 cup avocado, mashed
AND
1 ripe tomato, seed and chop (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup red bell pepper
2 tbls olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
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Process everything under the AND ... til smooth.
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Layer zucchini, spinach, avocado, tomato sauce. Do a few layers. I think I got three in a rectangular tupperware and four or five in a square tupperware ... It's best if you leave it set a few hours in the fridge before you eat it. The flavors really develop !

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See ... it is edible !!

Labels

Hello blog authors,

I've added "labels" to the side bar. If you wouldn't mind giving your post a "label" when you do it, I think it will make searching for recipes easier when we have them by the hundreds and thousands !! :) You can give more than one label ... for example, I gave the Artichoke and Cumin dip the labels Artichoke and Dip. Just separate them by a comma. Easy. If you don't know how to label, just let me know !

Bon

Artichoke and Cumin Dip

The photo isn't the best ... but this was TASTY !!!

2 x 400g (14oz) cans artichoke hearts, drained

2 garlic cloves ( I'm pretty sure I used 4)

1/2 tsp ground cumin

olive oil

ground black pepper

This is so easy. Add first three ingredients and a generous drizzle of olive oil to your food processor. Process to a smooth puree and season with black pepper to taste. The recipe I used said to drizzle with olive oil when you serve, but I didn't. Come to think of it, I didn't use any pepper either.

I served with whole grain rice crackers. The recipe said to serve with vegetable crudites, for dipping. I think that would be good too !! Am going to try them when I get eatin' on the leftovers !!

The yummiest thing you'll put in your face

The famous Spicy Chicken Upside-down Whole Wheat G. St. Lasagna:

Whole wheat lasagna noodles (uncooked)
1/4 lb chicken breast, chopped into little pieces (the size you'd use for Thai Chicken Soup)
2 T pesto
1-2 squeezes of chili pepper paste (to taste)
1/2 cup Romano (or Parmesan), finely shredded
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Cook chicken with chili paste, when chicken is cooked through, stir in pesto. Set aside.

Stir together spinach and cottage cheese. Set aside.

In a meatloaf pan, spray non-stick spray. Layer one of the noodles, spread on chicken and pesto, sprinkle Romano cheese on top. Layer 1 or 2 more noodles, to cover chicken, spread on spinach mixture. Layer 1 or 2 more noodles, to cover, then sprinkle on mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 375 for 35-45 min. (I could be making that temperature up...so check it often) until the cheese is browned on the edges and noodles are al dente.

Flip pan upside-down onto a plate and let sit for 5-10 min. Remove from pan and enjoy!

Makes 3 Servings.

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

I know you all have this recipe (especially since it was Shay who gave it to me) but I thought I'd post it to start us of. I only had to cut and paste so it was easy ! Tonight I am trying a new recipe. Lentil Shepherd's Pie. If it's good, I'll post it!

INGREDIENTS :
3/4 cup quinoa
1 tbls canola oil
2 onions finely diced
3 carrots finely diced
2 zucchini finely diced
½ cup corn
1 red bell pepper finely diced
1 tbls minced garlic
2 tsp salt
12 cups vegetable stock
28 oz can of tomatoes ( I like them diced but you can use any )
1 tbls cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/3 cup fresh cilantro

METHOD:

Rinse and drain quinoa. Add quinoa to a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir 10 minutes til starts to crackle and turn golden. Transfer out of pan and set aside.
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In a heavy stock pot on medium/high – heat oil. Add onion, carrot. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or til onion is translucent. Add zucchini, corn, bell pepper, garlic and salt. Cook 3 minutes or til begin to soften. Add stock. Cover. Bring to the boil over high. Stir in quinoa. Simmer over med/low heat 10 minutes or til quinoa is tender (this always takes longer than 10 minutes … ) Add tomatoes and juice from can. Stir in cumin and ground coriander. Simmer uncovered over medium heat 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro.
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Serve with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado and corn chips.
I put the cheese, sour cream and avocado on top and then let everyone choose what to do with the corn chips. Some crush on top … some dip. Some, like me, do a bit of both !!

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YUMMY !!! The whole family loves this soup. Even my kids, who are 5 and 3 ...

First Post ...

Having become very discouraged with trying to find healthy recipes that I KNOW WILL BE GOOD ... I've decided to enlist the help of my Mom, two of my cousins and my best friend Shay. All are great cooks and amazingly healthy eaters ... I keep getting emails about all the great things they are cooking. So ... here is my attempt at getting all of those recipes and ideas and hints and tips and nutritional discoveries at my fingertips. Actually, it's more about me feeling like I'm a part of it all but we'll just keep that to ourselves !!