Zucchini Lasagna

My neighbor gave me some of his zucchini and they were huge. I have always wanted to try zucchini lasagna and I found a recipe on sparkpeople.com. As I looked at it, it really didn't have what I wanted in it, so I changed it a lot and made it my own. So this is my own recipe for zucchini lasagna. I hope you enjoy.

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini (Or one huge one)

2 cups tomato sauce (1 can)1 medium carrot (or 8 small carrots)1 medium onion1 bag of Boca Vegan burger crumbles or you can use TVP for a gluten free option.2 Roma tomatoes, seeded
1 Green pepper

1 Garlic clove, minced

1 Tbs. fresh basil

1 Tbs. fresh sage

1/2 Tbs. fresh cilantro

4 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Method:

1) With a potato peeler, slice zucchini into long strips. 

2) Using a food processor, chop carrots, onion, green pepper and (seeded) tomatoes.

3) Thaw Boca burger cumbles or cook TVP in water, according to package directions. 

4) Mix the burger and chopped veggies,garlic, basil, sage, and cilantro with the tomato sauce.

5) In a baking pan, repeat layers of zucchini strips and sauce until ingredients are gone. 

6) Sprinkle nutritional yeast on top.

7) Bake a 425 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve warm!

Note: For those who like cheese you can add a cottage layer or Ricotta layer and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.  

Number of Servings: 4-6

Cucumber Sandwiches

As I was looking for something to make for supper, I decided that I would use some of my fresh herbs that I am growing on my back deck. I found a recipe that sounded great but I couldn't use half of the ingredients since they called for cheese or milk. So, I tore the recipe apart and created my own. This cucumber sandwich is wonderful and packing a lot of heat. I love things that are spicy hot and fresh. If you want, cut the herb portions in half to take down the heat. I hope you enjoy this sandwich as much as I do.

My Little Herb Garden.

Cucumber Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 Tbs. Lime juice
1 Banana pepper
1 Garlic clove
4 Slices of bread
1Tbs. dairy free butter
1 Tbs. Mayo dressing
1/2 Cucumber seeded and thinly sliced

Method:

1) In a food processor combine cilantro, mint, lime juice, banana pepper and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped.

2) Spread one slice of bread with butter and the other with Mayo.

3) Place cucumbers on buttered side and spread on the Mayo side.

4) This will chill for up to 4 hours.



Makes 2 sandwiches.

I apologize for the pictures as I could not find my camera and had to take them with my phone.

Lavender-Honey Cupcakes

This was a request from a childhood friend of mine. She asked me if I could make these and see if they were any good. To be up front and completely honest. I didn't mind the cupcake itself, it was a soft floral taste, but the frosting was too sweet  and took away from the Lavender. I also made my cupcakes without dairy milk. I used soy milk in its place and really not much different. The cupcake recipe was found from Better Homes and Gardens, bhg.com. Enjoy.

Lavender-Honey Cupcakes

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 recipe Honey Frosting Dried lavender (optional)

Method:

1) Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line forty-eight 1-3/4-inch muffin cups or eighteen 2- 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, the 2 teaspoons lavender, and the salt. Set aside.

I sifted mine. The flour was too heavy and I was afraid the cupcakes would come out that way.

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, honey, and vanilla; beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until mixture is combined.

3) Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.

4) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes for 1-3/4-inch cupcakes (or 16 to 18 minutes for 2-1/2-inch cupcakes) or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

5) Pipe or spread with Honey Frosting. If desired, sprinkle with additional lavender. Makes 48 (1-3/4-inch) or 18 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

Honey Frosting

ingredients

• 5 ounces mascarpone cheese or cream cheese (2/3 cup)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 3 - 3 ¼ cups powdered sugar

directions

Allow mascarpone cheese and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In large mixing bowl beat cheese, butter, honey, and vanilla with mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency. Place in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave n 100% power (high) for 20 to 30 seconds, just to soften (do not melt). Makes 2 1/2 cups.

I used all non-dairy for this recipe, which gave it a different texture. Not recommended. 

Peach Pecan Muffins

Alright folks! Unfortunately this recipe was made while my dear little angels were napping, but Olivia sits on my lap now as I type. I bought some peaches from the store today that were on sale because they were getting really soft. I knew that I could make something really yummy so I decided to pick them up. I found a recipe on yummly.com for Almond Peach muffins. Since I didn't have any almonds, I decided to use pecans. WOW! These muffins are super good. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Ingredients

112 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 34 tsp salt 1 cup brown sugar 12 tsp baking soda 2 eggs 12 cup vegetable oil

12 tsp vanilla extract 114 cups peaches (chopped peeled fresh) 12 cup chopped almonds (I used pecans)

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, salt and baking soda.

2. In another bowl, beat eggs, oil and extracts; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in peaches and almonds (pecans).

3. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Candied Lemon Peel

A friend asked me to do this one for her. I had a great recipe for it and can't find it among all the boxes in this house. I actually looked this one up on the internet from allrecipes.com submitted by StevenRN. Hope you all enjoy. This was a sweet treat.

Candied Lemon Peel

Ingredients

3 Lemons
2 cups water,
2 cups white sugar

Method:

1) Cut lemons into slices, and remove the fruit pulp. Scrape off as much of the white inner layer as you can, this part is bitter.

2) Bring water to a boil in a small pan, and add lemon peels.

3) Boil for about 5 minutes, until tender. Remove peels from water, and stir in sugar.

4) Return to a boil, add peels, and boil until transparent.

5) Drain, and allow to dry before storing.

Blueberry Muffins

As I prepare to go on vacation, we are trying to finish eating everything in the fridge. In our house, the bread was the first to go, as this is the girls' favorite. I usually make our own as it is cheaper and dairy free. I looked in the flour bin to see if I have enough to make more bread, nope, I have about 2 cups. What can I do with 2 cups, dairy free, and something similar to bread? Muffins, or as my daughters would call them, "fuffins!" I had some left over frozen blueberries, so this was going to be great. I found my recipe online at www.egglesscooking.com. So, without anymore delay, here are vegan blueberry muffins. Enjoy!

VEGAN BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Lemons For Lemon Zest
• 3/4 to 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Milk, any (I used Soy Milk)
• 1/3 cup Canola Oil
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Extract (I did not use it)
• 1 tablespoon White Vinegar (I used Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 1 and 1/2 cups Fresh OR Frozen Blueberries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375F for 15 minutes. Lightly grease a muffin tin. 

In a medium bowl, combine together flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest

 Opps, Olivia got the salt on her foot.

 

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, milk, oil, extract, and vinegar. Mix well.

 Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stir until just combined. Don’t over stir.

Gently fold in the berries using a rubber spatula.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3rds full.

Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. After that remove the muffins from the tins and cool on a wire rack.

Pinto Bean Burgers

If there is a time where you have a lot of pinto beans left over, here is a great recipe to use them up. I was so impressed with this that I will be making this recipe as a dip for parties and gatherings. Love that it is vegan too. I found the recipe off of yummly.com, to be honest, I just googled pinto burgers and this was one of the first sites to pop up. Hope you enjoy it and if so, share my blog with others. 


Pinto Bean Burgers

Ingredients


15 oz pinto beans (rinsed and drained- if in a can).
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chipotle chile (adobo minced)- I omitted this as my husband does not like too much of the smoky taste.
1/2 cup salsa
1 slice jalapeno pepper (pickled pepper cut and minced)
2 Tbs. olive oil
5 Tbs. Breadcrumbs- Plain dried ( These can be gluten free or vegan) 
4 hamburger buns
4 lettuce leaves
cilantro

 Olivia trying the beans before mashing them. 

 My Juliana.

Method:

1) In medium bowl, with potato masher, mash pinto beans until smooth. Stir in cumin, chipotle, pickled jalapeno, 2 tbsp salsa, and 2 tbsp breadcrumbs until combined.

2) Place remaining 3 tbsp breadcrumbs on sheet of waxed paper. With floured hands, shape bean mixture into four 3-inch round burgers; coat with breadcrumbs.

3) In nonstick, 12-inch skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Add burgers and cook until slight browned on both sizes, about 8 minutes, turning burgers halfway through cooking.

Note: The burger on the left, I flipped too early and it broke. 

4) Spoon remaining 1/2 cup salsa on bottom halves of buns. Top with lettuce and burgers. Serve burger with cilantro, onion, and sour cream if desired.

Olivia loves the burger.

**Note- This makes a really great bean dip for chips. **