IT'S GOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET TOO III

You'r right! I missed a week! Last week, I not only had one meatless day, but several "foodless" days, unless ginger tea and dry toast count..no more need be said!!

This week is much better as far as eating and food for the soul is concerned.  We escaped Hurricane Isaac, fresh raspberries were on sale at the market, and I started the introduction to my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I could not be more grateful!!
Now for this week's menu suggestions:

Breakfast
Gingerbread Muffins with Citrus Glaze

Lunch
Spinach and Lime Soup with Tortilla Crisps

Dinner
Curried Whole Wheat Couscous with Lentils
Haricot Vert with Red Onion and Red Wine Vinaigrette
Sliced Fresh Tomatoes

Make Breakfast Relaxing and Peaceful when you can

The Gingerbread Muffins were a favorite with my health conscious clients at the Essex Conference Center. There are no eggs or butter in these moist, delicate morsels! A word of caution though, they only look good while the glaze is poured on warm muffins! Looks aside, they still taste great when cooled.  I made mini-muffins and the recipe made about 36.

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS WITH CITRUS GLAZE

• 2 cups flour (you could use whole wheat pastry flour if you wish)
• 1 teaspoon each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, ground
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  cup molasses
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• lemon or orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind

Preheat oven to 400 (375 for mini muffins)
Coat muffin tins with cooking spray
Sift flour, baking soda and spices together
Add boiling water to brown sugar and molasses and mix
Add flour mixture and stir ONLY enough to dissolve most lumps
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes (10 minutes for minis)

Meanwhile make glaze:
Stir citrus juice into confectioners' sugar until it makes a thick liquid. Add grated rind.
Spoon glaze over warm muffins.

My daughter, Emily gave me the recipe for this soup. It is as easy as it is delicious and healthy! Great if you are feeling under the weather and need vitamin C! She makes it with chicken broth, but you can use veggie broth or Imagine NO Chicken Broth.
Experiment with other greens or a mixture for variety.  This serves 4-6, but if you are "sola" you can make the broth and add the greens and tortillas just before serving and get several meals from the recipe.

Some other greens to consider, beet greens. collards and red leaf

Or maybe some lovely Swiss Chard

SPINACH AND LIME SOUP

• corn tortillas
• vegetable oil
• 6 cups broth (chicken, vegetarian, or Imagine No Chicken Broth)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup choopped cilantro
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 6 ounce bags fresh baby spinach (or greens of your choice)

Slice the tortillas into strips
Toss them in oil and bake them at 450 until crisp. (this can be done anytime)

Bring broth , cumin and cayenne to a simmer. Add cilantro and lime juice. Then add spinach and cook until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper and more lime if necessary.
Serve and top with tortilla crisps.

Couscous is so simple to prepare! Combine it with some veggies and legumes and you have a complete meal and complete protein too! I used black beans in my dish, because that is what I had on hand. Lentils would be a perfect complement to the curry flavor.

Simply wash lentils and cook them in water 1 part lentils to 2 parts water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Add salt after cooking, but you may flavor the water with herbs and spices if desired.
The lentils will keep for a week or so in the refrigerator. I add olive oil, some vinegar and crunch veggies for a great salad!

For the couscous, measure 1/2 cup and place in a heat proof bowl. Saute some scallion and any other veg you want (I used red pepper) in a little oil and add about 1 teaspoon curry powder. Boil 1 cup water or broth and pour over the couscous. Add the veggies and curry and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 5-10 minutes and that's it!!
Combine the couscous with the lentils or beans and enjoy!!

So Good!!

Oh and for dessert, how about  fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate??

Sola Gina 

IT'S GOOD FOR THE PLANET...Week II

Is everyone ready for Week II of Veg Day??
Last week's Puttanesca brought me "down memory lane, to the first time my husband and I enjoyed the dish. It was on the Vomero, a hillside in Napoli at an outdoor trattoria. The colors of the rich, red tomato sauce, green basil and black olives and the enticing aroma and taste of it all bathed in fruity olive oil is a memory etched in my mind forever. Needless to say, I enjoyed that meal last week!
Did anyone else have it?

"Enchanted" Portabella Mushrooms

BREAKFAST

Sauteed Mushrooms on Toast

• sliced portabella mushrooms
• chopped red onion 
• Earth Balance or other vegetable based butter substitute
• dry white wine
• chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, basil, tarragon, sage, marjoram etc. (1 or 2)
• toasted bread or English Muffin

Saute the onions in "butter" until they start to release moisture, then add mushrooms. Continue to cook on medium heat until the mushrooms are a little browned and softened. Add more shortening or a little oil if needed. Add a splash of wine and let it steam a bit. Then toss in chopped herbs. Serve with all the juices over toasted bread. YUM!!

My dad taught me to do this. It can be breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you feel you need protein, add some tofu to the pan after you remove the mushrooms and sauté briefly.  If you want to be a regular VEG instead of a VEGAN, have a scrambled egg on the side. Don't mess with the mushrooms..they are great as they are!!

LUNCH

Veggie Burger with Muffaletta Condiments, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion

• Boca Burger or other veggie burger
• Giardeniera mix, 1/4 cup
• chopped black and green olives, 1/4 cup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or to taste, I like more vinegar!)
• salt, pepper 
• oregano (optional)
• salt and pepper

Chop the Giardiniera and olives very finely or put in a food processor. Add the oil, vinegar, salt,  pepper and oregano if using.
Heat veggie burger in skillet and place on bun. Top with above mixture, sliced tomato and onion. Drizzle with a little more oil and vinegar if desired and add some greens. I added some sliced pepperoncini too!

Doesn't this look yummy??!! It was!

Bob loved our veggie burgers for lunch too.

DINNER

Orzo Salad with Chick Peas and Veggies in Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

• cook and drain orzo  (whole wheat if possible)
• toss with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice whisked together with salt and pepper
• add some freshly chopped dill
• toss in veggies of choice (onion, cucumber, scallion, artichoke hearts, tomaotes, olives, carrots, zuccchini, broccoli, etc.)
• can of drained and rinsed chick peas

Serve room temperature.

Enjoyed this too! Artichoke Hearts, Olives, Cucumber and Chick Peas

This is also wonderful with feta..I guess you could use sheep's or goat's milk feta and still call this meatless day..or even add shrimp or chicken...there you go! But try it this way too..delicious, refreshing and satisfying.

DESSERT

You'r on your own..fruit sorbet with fresh fruit and a ("vegan" cookie, perhaps?!)??

Sola Gina

IT'S GOOD FOR YOU, THE PLANET AND IS EASY!!

Jerusalem Artichoke (sunflower root), Apple and Butternut Squash

I read an article this week which got me thinking...cironline.org, The Hidden Costs of Hamburgers. It was about how much energy it takes to produce one pound of hamburg and the facts are astounding. If we all gave up meat or cheese for one day a week, according to this article, it would be equivalent to taking 7.6 million cars off the road for one year!!!  How easy it would be to accomplish so much, and there are health benefits to humans too! It is not a sacrifice, just an thoughtful process for one day a week..

I am NOT a Vegan and have no intention of becoming one, even though I admire those who enjoy and adhere to the diet. I do eat vegetarian very often, for no particular reason other than my love for vegetables! It is just not for me full time, and we do still have the right to eat as we please, I hope!!

I would, on the other hand, like to contribute to the current trend of "meatless Mondays" or whatever you wish to call it and offer Vegan style menus for one day a week on this blog. My hope is that it will encourage people to eat this way once a week if the work of selecting a menu is done for them!  I will try to give instructions for some of the items on the menus.  The menus and "recipes" may not meet all Vegan standards, so please do not send in criticisms for not following "strict" Vegan practices. I only mean to help people tend in this direction, one day a week, have fun, and eat well.

Discussions, suggestions, etc, in the comment section would be most welcome. Let's get a dialogue going and help ourselves and our planet at the same time..and our local economy too, by buying local produce and products.

Polenta with Berries

BREAKFAST

Polenta sauteed in vegetable oil, with Fresh Fruit and Maple Syrup

LUNCH 

Pita with White Bean Puree, Roasted Red Pepper, Red Onion, Avocado and Cucumber

(beans pureed with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic)

DINNER

Pasta Puttanesca with a Salad of Wild Greens (spinach and arugula included) with Garbanzo Beans, Artichoke Hearts and Carrots in Red Wine Vinaigrette

(Puttanesca is a marinara type sauce with capers and black olives added. Sometimes hot red pepper flakes, basil and anchovies too..we'll omit the anchovies here!)

Add some Bruschetta Bread with some of the Bean puree from lunch with chopped tomatoes.

In cooler weather, the ingredients in the initial picture would make a nice soup made with vegetable stock to accompany the sandwich!

Sunchoke and Apple Soup with Shiitake Mushroom Garnish

Local Peaches and Berries

DESSERT

A Fresh Fruit Crisp and (Soy Ice Cream if you must)

(made with cut up fruit;  oatmeal, flour, sugar, cinnamon and vegetable oil or shortening for the topping)

Happy Vegan Eating!!  Sola Gina

SOLA GINA nella CUCINA: Cooking on my own: EVERYONE KNOWS THE BEST THINGS COME IN LITTLE PACK...

SOLA GINA nella CUCINA: Cooking on my own: EVERYONE KNOWS THE BEST THINGS COME IN LITTLE PACK...: Little Package/Big Treat!! I know I am way behind in joining the "Cupcake" craze. I don't object to eating a really good one, o...

EVERYONE KNOWS THE BEST THINGS COME IN LITTLE PACKAGES: Lasagne Cupcakes

Little Package/Big Treat!!

I know I am way behind in joining the "Cupcake" craze. I don't object to eating a really good one, of course, but why take the time to repeat the effort a dozen times, when one big cake will do and be stunning!

I did embrace the Meatloaf Cupcake a while ago.  The inspiration came from a blog by my friend Susan Filson, stickygooeycreamychewey. The recipes are great and the writing informative, entertaining and often humorous.  It is one of my favorites!
Anyway, I made the meatloaf from my own recipe and topped the mashed potato "frosting" with brown gravy to mimic "chocolate" sauce! We loved them and even had a few left over to freeze for another day. It was a whimsical and fun meal, and one that could be prepared "sola", because of the ability to freeze some for later. Try diluting ketchup for a "berry" sauce look!!

 Lasagna is time consuming to put together, and is generally prepared in a large quantity.  The benefit is that once the work of preparation is done, it is simple to bake, it feeds a crowd and everyone loves it!
For a person living alone, the large pans of lasagna (it's hardly worth making a small pan!) get cut up into freezable portions which exist in the freezer forever if you do not want to eat lasagna frequently.

Enter Lasagne Cupcakes center stage...

No, they're not new and you will find recipes all over the internet, but since they do have special appeal to the "sola" person, (and are really good!) I need to give you a recipe.

They too, are labor intensive, even if you use the won ton wrappers I suggest for the pasta. The plus side is that, as a "sola" you can control your portions, have a simple bite of lasagna when you wish, or even have some with a friend, if so minded.  There are no huge portions in the freezer to either tempt or repulse you!

The truth is, you can make savory "cupcakes" out of any layered casserole dish you enjoy; taco cupcakes, eggplant parmesan or moussaka cupcakes, seafood or vegetarian lasagne cupcakes, etc.
They all have great appeal to us as "sola" meals for the same reasons as above.   Get creative and
get to work! Vary the proteins, veggies and cheeses and have fun. How about spinach and feta lasagna, or shrimp, dill and alfredo lasagna, or chicken pot pie lasagna with phyllo, for example?

BASIC  LASAGNE CUPCAKES (12)
1/4-1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
salt, pepper and Italian herbs to taste
olive oil
1 1/2 cups marinara or good tomato sauce
1/4 cup beef broth
(1 cup chopped portabella mushrooms - optional, for some!)
24 won ton wrappers* (really!)
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 cup chopped fresh basil (or parsley or spinach)
dash of nutmeg

For the sauce:

Saute the onion in olive oil for a few minutes, add beef and brown, add garlic.  Season with salt,
pepper and herbs. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Add beef broth and tomato sauce and simmer for about 5minutes. (you can use a good quality jarred sauce of your choice, or your own tomato sauce).

• Cook the mushrooms in a little olive oil, slowly, until browned and no longer exuding liquid.
• Mix the ricotta with egg, 1/4 cup Parmigiano, nutmeg and chopped basil.

Won Ton Wrappers, Ricotta with Eggs and Basil, Mushrooms, Tomato Meat Sauce

Now the experiment begins. Some recipes call for cutting the wrappers or lasagna noodle into circles with a biscuit cutter, and some call for using the squares as is. I tried both to see which I prefer. The remains of the cut outs I froze for use in soup.

Spray the muffin tins with cooking spray. Press the wrappers into the tins. Sprinkle with parmesan, add about 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture, a few mushrooms,  about 1 tablespoon meat sauce and some mozzarella.

stages of the process

The first two are one layer completed. Then, one with the cut out for the second layer. Then 3 with the second layer on top of the circle.

The next row is the second layer with the full won ton wrapper.

Here are the completed little cuties being put into the oven

I know these 2 little bites look lonely but..

I wanted to show you the difference. The one on the left is the circle pasta, the other one is the double layer of the whole won ton wrapper. Both were easily picked up and hand held or cut with a fork, but the whole wrapper was a nicer overall package. The ends were crispy and the proportion of filling to pasta was better. 

As with all casseroles, soups and stews, they were more delicious the next day!
OH, and I forgot the best part...they are NOT MESSY!!

Worthwhile work..."Sola Gina"

*you can use cooked lasagna noodles and cut them to fit the muffin tins..more work, your choice.
Check out my Kuri Squash Ravioli with Sage and Pecans made with won ton wrappers jdcater-adventuresofahappycooker.blogspot.com ADVENTURES OF A HAPPY COOKER, my other blog. 10/26/10