Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Dinner together, at the table, as a family is so important.  Its a nightly ritual in our house. The TV is off, maybe some nice music is playing but playing low enough to where we can have family conversation.  The kids are pretty tired by dinner time from their busy days; but I don't want to lose touch, or look back when they are grown and wonder where the time went.  So I try to pry as much as I can from them at the dinner table, and use it as a time for us to pray together to start our meal, to eat good food we can all enjoy, and to get closer to each other through fellowship and conversation.  We have so many cool and hilarious moments together as a family at the dinner table that are frozen in my memory because we make a point to sit at the table and eat together no matter what...unless of course we are eating out then its a miracle from God if we can get through the meal without one or two of them breaking loose from the table and wreaking havoc in the poor establishment we've decided to patronize for that meal.  Half kidding...sometimes...Anyway, I love this dish and you can go totally vegan on it by subbing tofu products for the minimal amount of cheese in the recipe...I just have to enjoy some cheese sometimes, that is the Italian in me that I can't let go of.  Come on.. fresh, quality parmesan cheese slices or hunks with red apple slices...who wouldn't grind that?  Haven't tried it?  Don't hate it 'till you've tried to appreciate it.

Time consuming, multi-step process for preparation in this dish but well worth it if you can afford the time.  It’s light but rich and layered in flavors at the same time.  Its possible to make totally vegan but the Italian in me can’t give up the goodness of cheese entirely.

Roasted Veggies

4 small-med sized broccoli heads- chopped, stems removed

4 red bell peppers- ripped/torn into small pieces

3 carrots- sliced and halved

1 shallot diced

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp coarse sea salt

2 tsp herbs de provence

1tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar

wash, drain, chop and prep all veggies and spread on cookie sheet, dust with spices and dressings and turn/toss for even coating.  Roast in oven @ 450 for about 30 minutes or to your liking.

Sauce/Puree for Lasagna

1 small onion- chopped

1/2 shallot- chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic

3/4 cup jarred roasted red bell pepper- chopped

1 cup of finished roasted veggies 

2 tbsp ricotta cheese (sub tofu ricotta if want to make entirely vegan)

2tsp olive oil

2tbsp torn fresh basil

4 tomatoes chopped

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 can of tomato sauce

put all ingredients in large food processor (or blender) and mix until smooth and creamy.  For a creamier and less chunky sauce add 1/2 cup of almond milk.

Mushroom Saute (for Lasagna filling)

1 small onion- diced

5 cups cremini mushroom sliced

1 tsp salt

1tsp fresh ground black pepper

3-4 tbsp earth balance

1 tbsp olive oil

dash of red wine (any kind, I used the last bit of a bottle that wasn’t drinkable anymore)

Saute onions in earth balance, salt and pepper for 5-7 min (until opaque), add mushrooms and olive oil, saute for 3-4 min, then add wine and simmer for 10-12 min.

other ingredients needed

lasagna noodles

1 can black olives- chopped

1 can favorite pasta sauce

daiya cheese- mozz style

2 fresh zucchini- thinly sliced
1 Tub of Ricotta (part skim) cheese- (sub Tofu Ricotta for Vegan)
4oz Parmasen cheese ( exclude if making vegan)

As you layer it...

When its finished..YUM!

Sophie enjoying..

Ash's Parents in town...

Okay so lots of steps and prep involved in this dish, so I find that what works best is to get done what takes the longest first.  You want to get the veggies in the oven to roast first.  Once those are in, start prepping your puree and have it ready so that when the veggies are done, you just pop the cup of cooked roasted veggies that you need in the processor, and then blend away.  As soon as the puree is prepped and waiting for the veggies to be done roasting, start the mushroom/onion saute.  Once the veggies are done roasting, add the necessary amount to the processor and puree, then get a lasagna dish or casserole dish, and layer the bottom with the other half of the can of tomato sauce left over from the puree, and add a few spoonfulls of your fav pasta sauce to the bottom of the dish as well.  Then, one by one, spread about 1/2 tbsp of ricotta (or tofu substitute) on the lasagna noodles (up to you how you want to go with the noodles, you can go no boil/bake or do the real deal, I find that the no bakers can tend to get gummy), and layer or lay them out to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.  Then you add your fillings to the first layer, add a few spoonfulls of mushroom saute, roasted veggies, your puree, chopped black olives, daiya cheese, and fresh zucchini slices (as thinly sliced as you can make them) to each noodle, then layer with another noodle and repeat.  I like to stack it up till its almost taller than the casserole dish itself, the last layer is just a noodle topper with a mix of the canned sauce, your puree sauce on top with a sprinkled layer of daiya and fresh grated parmesan cheese.  Place in the oven and bake @ 400 for about 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.


Serves 5-7
13x9x2 dish utilized

coffee

I love black coffee and if you are a coffee lover you have to try Stumptown Roasters coffee.  They are based in Oregon, Ashley's family ships it down to us all the time...think you can order online...if you live near LA their is a vegan bakery called BabyCakes (lots of good, sweet, gluten free, vegan, refined sugar free eats in this place http://www.babycakesnyc.com/locations.html) that sells it by the pound and serves it.

 More important than the beans I've found is the quality of the coffee maker.  The way it filters the water over the coffee is important, I think.  Spent $80 one time on one of those target all in one grinder/coffee makers and it produced absolute undrinkable mud, no matter how much I spent on fancy beans.  We own a Capresso brand (older model 441) simple coffee maker (think you can google shop it for around $180-230) and it makes the most amazing coffee.  I can put cheap Safeway brand grounds in it and still get a decent cup of coffee.  So, combination of quality coffee maker, good natural, organic coffee beans (whole beans, always grind your own) and always make sure to use filtered, cold water for brewing.

Forgot about Sleepymonk Coffee it rocks just as much as Stumptown, its another Oregon roasted bean and crazy good, haven't found anything that even gets close to touching either of these two brands.


Coffee
http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/

http://www.sleepymonkcoffee.com/



Capresso coffee maker links
http://www.a14electronics.com/product-p/capresso-mt500-440-441.htm

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbm=shop&source=hp&q=capresso+coffee+maker&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=b9ea6ed042ff5ffb&biw=1024&bih=895

The Beginning

Ok so history on my family and eating habits...Meat meat meat...raised in Italian family where meat was part of every meal.  My wife Ashley and I have been married about 8 years now and we've always had meat be a part of our diet, Ashley is an exceptional baker, so baked goods have also been one of our weaknesses.  Rewind to a year ago, and Ashley snuck in some vegan dinners 3 or 4 nights in a row- without really telling me- and I didn't notice.  Friday night rolls around and its taco night, I am in the kitchen buttering some tortillas in a skillet; and Ashley arrives home from picking the kids up at soccer practice and is like, "Oh I am not eating that stuff anymore."  I flipped out...literally flipped out, once I clarified what "that stuff" was (which turned out to be anything dairy or meat related.  Oh, you know, ALL THE CRAP I LOVED AND COOKED WITH EVERY MEAL, EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE UNTIL.... now!)...I told her that was a blow equated to the blow that would be felt in telling me something like, "we are changing religions to <insert whatever religion that would horrify you the most, I will refrain as not to offend anyone, even though I hate that PC minded BS we are all concerned with now a days.  I mean is it really PC if you are purposefully saying something that just sounds nicer and isn't what you would normally say?  Come on people, let's just be real.>."  The Italian in me lost it, thoughts ran through my brain like, "how the heck am I going to cook without butter," a tear welled up as I thought, "no more BBQ'd pork tenderloin," "no brussel sprouts braised with bacon!"I loved to cook pork a million different ways and was having a hard time reconciling life without pork at that particular moment.  But I got over it (after 24 hours or so), told Ashley to keep cooking that way and that I would eat it; but I wasn't sure I would get totally on board with a full lifestyle/diet change.  A year later, and I am meat free (fish only from time to time) and I feel great, probably the healthiest I've been.  My cholesterol dropped like 90 points from my previous physical, I lost like 30 lbs from my heaviest weight and I still enjoy food as much as I did when I was a carnivorous freak.

I've always enjoyed cooking and kind of had a passion for food.  Ash always says I cook comfort food, I would have to agree, though I have tried to branch out to the lighter and less comforty, type foods (I know that's not really a word..grammar Nazis).  I love to try new things and eat at new restaurants that I've never been to or heard of before.  My cooking style has always been kind of improvisational, I like to look in the fridge or cabinets and throw something together; or I will get an idea in my head and try to imagine what sounds good to me to eat, and then go to the store for the ingredients.  I only recently started to try my hand at following recipes and actually measuring ingredients.  Some of the stuff I've thrown together has turned out to be edible so I finally decided to put it in print, and maybe friends and family will try some of this stuff out and enjoy.

Hoping I can get my wife Ashley to put some of her recipes on her as well, she's a great cook, not afraid to try something new, which I think is huge and risky, especially when you are cooking it for people besides yourself or spouse.  And she is an AMAZING baker, that's where at least half of those 30lbs I lost came from, pies, cookies, crumbles, muffins, tortes, you name it she can bake it.

anyway not exactly sure what this will develop into or if this will be the last post I ever post but we'll see..

Roasted Veggie Rice Bowl

Roasted Vegetables and Brown Rice Bowls

Brown Basmati Rice (or just plain brown rice)

1.5 cups brocoli cut in small bunches shaving stems to no longer than an inch to an inch and a half

1.5 cups brussel sprouts sliced in halves

1 cup red bell pepper chopped coarsely

2 avg size carrots sliced

1 zuchini sliced in halfmoon pieces

1/2 bunch of kale rinsed and chopped coarsely

1 shallot diced

1-2 cloves of garlic

1-3 tsp crushed red pepper (to give fire, use to your preference)

2tsp of coarse sea salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

2-3 tbsp of olive oil

1tbsp honey ginger white balsamic (from “Olive Oil & Beyond”)

-sub 2tsp of honey, 1/2 tsp minced ginger, 2tsp white wine vinegar

1tsp worsteschire

2tsp agave nectar

1 avocado

sesame seeds

Rice:

Measure rice as desired and add water according to instructions on box/container (if recipe calls for 2cups of water, use half water and half vegetable stock, this will give the rice a bit more flavor), add pinch of salt, add tsp sesame oil, tsp olive oil, 2 pinches dried parsley, 2 pinches cumin seed, 4 or 5 fresh sage leaves and bring all to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer and let cook according to the time on the rice box.  Check rice every 20 minutes or so and add water and or vegetable stock as necessary until rice is cooked to your liking.  (I’ve found not all boxes give accurate cooking times)

Roasted Veggies:

Toss all veggies and veggie ingredients, except kale, until everything is lightly and evenly coated and spread over a baking sheet, cook on 400 degrees for about 45 minutes (or cook as long or as little as desired).  10-15 minutes before veggies are done   roasting toss kale with juice of 1/2 a lemon, 2tbsp olive oil, 2 pinches of salt and throw in with other veggies to roast for the remainder of the time.

Serve veggies over rice and garnish with sliced avocado and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Drizzle with terriyaki glaze if desired for added flavor.

Serves 3-4

Quinoa Veggie Curry

Quinoa Veggie Curry

Quinoa-

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

mix all ingredients in small-med saucepan, bring to a boil and cook on low for 20-30 minutes (or per box instructions)

Veggies-

2 cloves garlic- minced

1 onion chopped coarsely

2 cups kale chopped

1 red bell pepper chopped

1/2 cup dried shitake mushroom chopped

4tbsp earth balance

1/2 tbsp olive oil

2.5 tbsp muchi curry (yellow)

1.5 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt (preferably coarse sea salt)

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp brown rice mellow miso

1 cup zuchini matchstick sliced

1 cup fresh brocoli chopped

1/2 cup snap peas

2tsp sesame seeds

1/4 cup veg broth

1.5 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 avocados, sliced

saute on med heat garlic, onions, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in the olive oil and earth balance for 8 min, add bell pepper, mushroom, snap peas, miso, veg broth, rice vinegar (you can whisk veg broth, vinegar and miso in separate bowl before adding to ensure miso is broken down), kale, and curry and saute for 10-15min.  Add zuchini and brocoli and saute for another 5 minutes.  The longer you let everything saute or simmer on low heat the more all the flavors and their complexities will have to mesh, but always add the zuchini and brocoli last and cook no more than 5-7 minutes to ensure they stay crisp and fresh and don’t become mushy and soggy, if you don’t mind mushiness then it doesn’t matter when you add the zuchini and brocoli.  Plate up the quinoa, spoon the veggie curry mix over the quinoa, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with fresh sliced avocado.

Serves 3-4

Kale Salad

Fresh Kale and Radicchio Salad

1/2 head of radicchio chopped

4-6 cups of fresh kale chopped

1/2 cup fresh thin or early season asparagus chopped diced finely

Dressing-

1/2 clove garlic minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 tbsp white balsamic

1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

cayenne pepper to taste

1 tbsp dulce flakes

1tsp dried onion powder

1/2 tsp italian herbs

1tbsp fresh grated parmasean

whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl then toss in salad mixture and voila.

Serves 3-4

Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca

2 cloves garlic sliced

2 small onions chopped coarsely

coarse sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

2 tomatoes chunky diced

1 can artichokes hearts (in water) chopped coarsely

2 tbsp capers

1 can black olive chopped coarsely

1/4 cup kalmatta olive chopped

1 pinch dried oregano

2 pinch crushed red pepper

2tbsp minced sun dried tomato (in oil)

1/2 cup diced roasted red bell pepper

1/2 cup frozen green peas

3/4-1 cup fresh basil

1 box pasta of your choice

saute garlic and onion with all spices on med heat for 8 min in large chef pan (almost like a wok).  toss in the rest of all the ingredients and stir and bring to rolling simmer, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for at least 20 minutes (the longer you simmer, the more the flavors will meld).  You can plate up the cooked pasta and then spoon the sauce on top or if your sauce pan is big enough to house all the pasta and the sauce you can just dump the cooked pasta in the saute pan with the sauce, stir and then serve.  

Pasta- I always add 2 tsp olive oil and 1tsp salt to my pasta water, when the pasta is done, I like to rinse with cool fresh water to prevent from over cooking, I always (whether putting a sauce on the pasta or not) like to toss in 1/2 tbsp of earth balance when finished to keep it from sticking together.

Serves 4-5