Crock Pot Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Crock Pot Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna
  I got this from a great yahoo group: Vegetarian_group

This vegetarian lasagna is assembled and cooked in the crock pot--a
perfect solution for people on the go.

1 10 oz frozen box of spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 small onion
1 8 oz fresh mushroom
2 tablespoon dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8 oz tomato sauce
1 6 oz tomato paste
2 cups spaghetti sauce
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Milk
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 dash fresh ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add garlic, mushroom, onion, salt
and wine let simmer for about 10 minutes or until mushrooms and onion
are tender. Next, add tomato paste, tomato sauce, and spaghetti sauce
cooking at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix egg, spinach, ricotta
cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper. Add enough milk to make
ricotta cheese mixture creamy. I add 3 to 4 tbsp milk, (it depends on
whether you like it creamy). Spread a layer of spaghetti sauce over
the bottom of a 4 to 6 qt crock pot. Layer 4 noodles, broken into
pieces to fit, then add a layer of spaghetti sauce mixture followed
by a layer of ricotta cheese mixture, sprinkling half of mozzarella
cheese over ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on
low setting 4 to 7 hours.

Number of servings: 6

Pan -Seared Black Bean Dumplings

Pan-Seared Black Bean Dumplings

Marilu Henner's kids love these so much she featured them in her bestselling
book, Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover. If you can't find the chili garlic
paste, you can replace it with 2 teaspoons of Thai chili paste and 1 teaspoon of
chopped garlic. These can also be steamed for a more traditional presentation.

1 cup canned or cooked, drained andmashed black beans
1/2 teaspoon ponzu sauce or fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons trimmed and thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon chili garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
12 tablespoons round wonton wrappers
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce

In a mixing bowl, blend all the ingredients together except for the wonton
wrappers.
Lay out the wrappers on a flat clean surface. Add approximately 1 teaspoon of
mixture in the center of each skin. Brush a light coating of water around the
edges of the skins and fold over to form a half moon. Repeat with the remaining
wrappers and filling. Seal tightly with your fingers or use a fork to pinch the
ends together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 350�F. Spray a nonstick skillet with canola oil spray, set
over medium heat, and cook 6 dumplings at a time. Brown each side 2 to 3
minutes. Finish cooking on a baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes to warm the
centers.
Makes 4 servings12 dumplings.

Egg-Free Chocolate Banana loaf

I got this from Vegetarian Times March 2008.

Makes 1 loaf, 3 mini loaves, or 12 muffins.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
3/4 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions.
1. preheat over to 350º. Coat 9x5 loaf pan, 3 6x3 mini loaf pans or 12-cup tin with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, mashed banana, oil, and vanilla in separate bowl. Fold the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture.
3. Scoop batter into prepared pan(s). Bake large loaf 50 to 60 minutes, miniloaves 35 to 45 minutes, or muffins 18 to 22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan(s). Unmold, and cool. Drizzle with Chocolate Drizzle of desired.

Chocolate Drizzle

Melt 1oz chopped bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler or in microwave at low(20%) power. Drizzle over cooled loaf or muffin.

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

Homemade Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients:

1 cup whole macaroni noodles
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 cups soy milk
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
black pepper to taste(and any other seasonings you like)
1 can of black olives, drained
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese(we use the fiesta blend)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350�

Boil the macaroni until it is undercooked, drain and set aside. Meanwhile in
a saucepan melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Whish in the milk. Add
the onion, green pepper and seasonings. Stir and cook for 15minutes. Don't
let it boil. Add to the macaroni(I just add it all back to the pan that the
noodles were cooked in). Add green pepper & black olives and 2 cups of
cheese. Pour half into a greased casserole. Sprinkle the last bit of cheese
over it then add the rest of the macaroni. In a small skillet melt the
butter, add the bread crumbs and toast. The spread over the macaroni. Bake
for 30 minutes.

serves 5 as a side dish. If you double it it will fit in a 9x13 pan.

Bagels-for-Breakfast Spread(Savory)

This is another recipe from my favorite cookbook Vegan Planet.

Ingredients:
4 ounces soft silken tofu, drained
1/3 cup tahini(sesame paste)
1/4 cup miso paste
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients until well blended. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3-5 days.

Makes about 1-1/4 cups

Three-Way Sesame Tofu with Spicy Broccoli

I got this from Vegan Planet. This is my FAVORITE cookbook ever! I have yet to try a recipe from this book that wasn't a huge hit in my family.


Three-Way Sesame Tofu with Spicy Broccoli (I will add pictures once I make it)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbs tamari or other soy sauce
1/3 cup water, or as needed
1 cup sesame seeds
One 16-oz package extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch-wide by 1/2-inch-thick strips
2 Tbs peanut oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Directions:
1. Steam broccoli until crisp-tender. 2 to 3 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.
2. In a small, shallow bowl, combine tahini, 1 tablespoon tamari, and enough water to make a smooth paste. Place sesame seeds on a plate. Dredge tofu strips in the tahini mixture, then coat with the sesame seeds.
3. heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the tofu strips and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.
4.Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes and broccoli and stir-fry until hot, about 2 minutes. Splash with the remaining 1 tablespoon tamari and spoon the broccoli over the tofu. Drizzle the sesame oil over all and serve hot.

"Snake" Sub

Here is a picture of our before trick or treating meal yesterday.

I made a sandwich snake. I used Pilsbury french bread and tinfoil balls to make the snake shape. We also scored the top to make the 'scales'.
After it was baked I cut it like a sub and made a roasted eggplant sub with the works. The kids loved it. It was very good.