11/24/2019
Happy Thanksgiving everyone I found some recipes on line that are more plant based and I wanted to share them with you!
Lea Michele’s Vegetable Lasagna Roll Ups
Vegetarian Lea Michele crafts a dish loaded with broccoli, Italian herbs and tons of ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. If you want to transform this mouth-watering dish into a vegan lasagna, substitute tofu for ricotta and soy cheese for the mozzarella. Serves 6-8.
Broccoli is an all-star food rich in essential vitamins K, C, B1, B2, B3, B6. Whew! This cruciferous beauty is loaded with minerals such as potassium, zinc and magnesium. All this and fiber, too! Broccoli helps fight cancer, strengthens your bones, reduces cholesterol, improves immunity and helps with weight loss.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large bunch broccoli, stems removed, finely chopped
1 16-oz. bag baby carrots, chopped
1 16-oz. box lasagna noodles
1 32-oz. container ricotta cheese. Use 24 oz. extra-firm tofu for vegan option.
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Swap out ground sesame seeds for vegan option.
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese. Use sliced mozzarella-style rice cheese for vegan option.
2 24-oz. jars tomato sauce. Reserve half for final topping.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté chopped broccoli and carrots until tender, about 7 minutes. Place in large bowl and refrigerate until cool.
Cook noodles, drain, and lay flat until cool.
Mix ricotta with garlic powder, oregano, basil, and salt to taste.
Add ricotta mixture, Parmesan, and mozzarella to bowl of broccoli and carrots; mix well with spoon.
Using a spatula, spread 1/2 cup filling onto length of each lasagna noodle, leaving 1/2 inch at each end so roll-ups don’t overflow; roll each one tightly.
Spread half of tomato sauce on bottom of deep baking pan; place roll-ups seam side down.
Cook in oven for 45 minutes.
Remove and top with remaining tomato sauce; cook for 15 more minutes.
Bobby Flay’s Wild Mushroom Cornbread Dressing
Cook this mushroom-cornbread stuffing in an 8-inch cast iron pan for a golden-brown crust.
Mushrooms are a good source of antioxidants and vitamins. They’re one of the few foods that have vitamin D, which is important for building strong bones, reducing inflammation and improving immune function. Great to eat when you have an injury or autoimmune disorder.
Ingredients:
For the cornbread
1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
For the dressing
2 tablespoons canola oil
1.5 pounds cremini mushrooms
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely diced
Cornbread, broken into small pieces
3 to 5 cups homemade chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth, warmed in a medium saucepan
2 large eggs, whisked
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
Directions
Make the cornbread:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put an 8-inch cast iron pan in the oven for 10 minutes.
Stir together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Remove the pan from the oven and spray with nonstick spray or brush with butter. Scrape the batter into the hot pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and just baked through.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let sit out overnight if using for dressing.
Make the dressing:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a 9-inch cast iron pan over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and their liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a large plate or baking sheet.
Heat butter and oil in large pan over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 1 minute longer.
Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then add a bit of hot stock to temper them; set aside. Add the cornbread and 2 cups of the stock to the mushroom mixture and stir to combine. The mixture should be quite wet; if it appears too dry, begin adding the remaining stock, a half cup at a time. Stir in the egg mixture, sage, thyme and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Scrape the dressing into a large well-seasoned cast iron pan and bake in the oven until firm and the top is golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.
Ina Garten’s Green Beans Gremolata
How easy is that? These green beans are super quick to make with a total time from start to finish of 20 minutes. Ina’s take on a Thanksgiving staple is impressive and downright irresistibly tasty. Gremolata topping made with lemon zest, parsley, and garlic is tossed in at the very end for a nice pop of bright flavor. Pricey pine nuts can be swapped out for almonds.
Green beans are a good source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin K and silicon you need for healthy bones, skin, and hair.
Ingredients:
1 pound French green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes until tender but still crisp. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.
For the gremolata, toss the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, and pine nuts in a small bowl and set aside.
When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat them dry. Add the beans to the pan and sauté, turning frequently for 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through. Turn off the heat, add the gremolata and toss well. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and serve hot.
Camila Alves’s Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
Butternut squash may reduce the risk of cancers including pancreatic cancer, protect against cognitive decline and cut the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation.
Garnish option: Add a thinly sliced cooked pear to top of each bowl.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (or a large package of cut butternut squash)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
1 cinnamon stick
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
On a baking sheet, combine cut squash, sliced onions, and diced pears. Add salt and drizzle olive oil to lightly coat and toss mixture. Bake in oven until onions begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Toss vegetables and continue cooking until squash is fork tender, about another 8-10 minutes.
Remove vegetables from oven. Take half the vegetable mixture and place it in a blender, add 1 quart of stock, and blend until well combined. Pour soup into a large pot. Repeat with the balance of the vegetables and remaining stock and pour into the pot.
Add the cinnamon stick and simmer soup for 30 minutes.
Gordon Ramsay’s Roasted Cauliflower, Quinoa and Pomegranate Salad
Gordon Ramsay’s nutritious roasted cauliflower, quinoa and pomegranate salad is as healthy and tasty as you could wish. Roasting cauliflower intensifies the flavor and it becomes sweet and almost caramelized around the edges. Toss cauliflower in a sharp pomegranate molasses dressing and you have a scrumptious winner. Makes 4 servings.
Cauliflower is another cruciferous wonder that provides antioxidants and phytonutrients to protect against cancer. It also contains fiber to enhance weight loss and digestion as well as choline that is essential for learning and memory.
Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
Olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
Seeds from 1 pomegranate, to serve
For the dressing:
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss in the oil to coat. Transfer to the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, turning the cauliflower halfway through, until browned in places. Remove from the oven once cooked.
Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.
Using a small whisk or a fork, mix the ingredients for the dressing together with a pinch of salt and pepper until completely combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Put the cooked quinoa and the cauliflower into a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and fold in the parsley leaves. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and serve.
