Tag Archives: comfort food

Veggie Lasagna

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I should be studying for my last final of the semester but instead I’m going to share a recipe. It’s not often that I share a recipe that doesn’t contain sugar or butter. Given that I’m a dietitian-to-be and a veggie-lover, I’m making an effort to share healthier recipes. This lasagna recipe contains lots of veggies, fiber and whole grains- and it’s really delicious.

This lasagna has become a highly requested item in the family. I first made it on a whim back in September. My aunt and uncle  really liked it and requested I make it again for Thanksgiving. {We have a pretty non-traditional Thanksgiving spread}. Then, my other aunt asked me to make it for a family dinner at her house.

Honestly, I’m surprised it’s such a hit. You see, there is no meat in this. It is full of veggies and whole grain lasagna noodles. There’s still plenty of cheese though. You can’t have lasagna without lots of gooey cheese! Each time I make the lasagna, it’s a little bit different. I throw in whatever veggies/spices/herbs I have on hand. The recipe below is the most recent lasagna I made.

Start by boiling a bit pot of water and cooking the noodles according to directions. Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and set them aside. The next step is to make the homemade sauce. It’s easy and tastes much fresher than store bought. You start by chopping onion, garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms.

Next, heat olive oil in a big saute pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add all of your chopped veggies. I used zucchini and mushrooms. You could also add eggplant, red pepper, carrots, etc. Whatever veggies you like!

Once you’ve let the veggies cook for about 10 minutes until they are soft, add a can of crushed tomatoes and white wine to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and any spices you have on hand. I used an Italian herb blend. At this point I also added a few handfuls of chopped sun dried tomatoes.

Cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 minutes. The sauce will thicken and reduce a bit. Now you can add fresh herbs and a lot of chopped spinach.

If you like a more “saucy” lasagna, you might want to add another can of crushed tomatoes. As you can tell by the picture below, I like a thicker sauce.

While the sauce is cooking, mix together part-skim ricotta, 2 eggs and Parmesan cheese.

To assemble the lasagna, start by adding a few spoonfuls of sauce to the bottom of a baking dish. Place lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles and then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Add a layer of sauce and repeat.

I think I was able to fit about 5 layers into this baking dish. The last layer of noodles is topped with the rest of the tomato sauce and cheese.

Bake the lasagna at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

This lasagna makes a lot of servings, at least 12 big pieces. Perfect for a family dinner. You can also make this ahead of time and then freeze the lasagna before baking. This might be a good item to keep in your freezer during this time of year. You never know when you will have unexpected guests. Or be too tired to cook after shopping.

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Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3-4 small zucchinis
  • 8 oz mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup sun dried tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Italian spices
  • 8 oz baby spinach
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 32 oz ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 8 oz shredded parmesan cheese
  • 8 oz shredded mozzarella
  • 16 oz whole grain lasagna noodles

Instructions

  1. Bring a big pot of water to boiling. Add lasagna noodles and cook according to directions.
  2. Chop onion, garlic, zucchini and mushrooms.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high.
  4. Add onion and garlic. Turn the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
  5. Add zucchini and mushrooms, cooking for about 10 minutes until soft.
  6. Stir in crushed tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, and wine. Bring heat back up to medium high until sauce begins to simmer.
  7. Season with salt, pepper and Italian spices.
  8. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  9. While sauce is simmering, mix together ricotta, eggs and Parmesan. Set aside.
  10. To the sauce, add fresh basil and spinach. Mix until the spinach wilts then take the pan off the heat.
  11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  12. To assemble the lasagna begin by adding a few spoonfuls of sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by the ricotta mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and then a layer of sauce. Repeat until you have 4-5 layers (or as many as will fit in the dish). Don't be afraid to press on the layers to pack them tightly.
  13. For the final layer, top the lasagna noodles with tomato sauce and cheese only.
  14. Cover the lasagna with foil.
  15. Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.
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Alright. It’s time to cram a semester’s worth of statistics into my head. By tomorrow afternoon I will be done with my first semester of grad school!

Butternut Mac & Cheese

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Butternut squash is a versatile squash that can be enjoyed both sweet or savory. I personally love buying a whole squash, dicing it into cubes and roasting it in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. I’ve also had success using it in soups and eating it mashed with cinnamon and maple syrup.

A few weeks ago I bought canned butternut squash puree with the intention of making this butternut squash lasagna. Unfortunately I never got around to making it, however, the idea of combining butternut squash and pasta never left my mind.

I based my version off a few different recipes I found. The recipe starts with a basic rue of equal parts of flour and butter.

I then whisked in milk, pureed squash, and spices. I remember watching Rachael Ray a couple years ago where she said butternut squash is complemented by a pinch of nutmeg. At the last minute I decided to add a pinch of cinnamon as well.

Once the sauce thickened, I added two kinds of cheese. I used mozzarella and cheddar cheese for extra cheesy flavor.

Macaroni or shells would be ideal- but all I had in the pantry was spaghetti. I garnished the pasta with a sprinkle of nutmeg and Parmesan cheese.

This is one of those recipes that turned out way better than expected. The pasta is creamy and cheesy. The orange-colored squash blends in so well in both taste and looks. I think it is really hard to detect the squash unless you are a super taster.

Take this as an opportunity to sneak a serving of vegetables into your kids’ (or any other picky family member’s) food.

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Butternut Mac & Cheese

Butternut Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon flour
  • 15 ounces butternut squash puree
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 16 ounces whole grain pasta
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Bring water to a boil and prepare pasta according to the package.
  2. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  3. In a small pan, heat butter and garlic over low heat until melted.
  4. Whisk in flour and let cook for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Whisk in milk, butternut squash, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  6. Continue to whisk until the mixture comes to a simmer.
  7. Remove from heat and mix in the cheese, continuing to whisk until melted.
  8. Stir into pasta. If the sauce seems to thick, add a little milk to thin it out to desired consistency.
  9. Garnish each portion with grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
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Happy Weekend :-)

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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I know this soup is probably going to scare people away but I promise you it is delicious. Half of my family members will not come within 10 ft of the soup. That said, if you like broccoli I really think you will like this soup!

 

 

Ingredients: (makes 8 cups)

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2lbs frozen broccoli
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • pinch of red pepper flakes & black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional, for garnish)

Note: You want to cook the broccoli down so that it is falling apart, and that’s much easier to achieve with the frozen version.

Start by heating a few tablespoons of olive oil in a medium size pot. Add garlic and onion and saute until brown. Add frozen broccoli, cooking for 5 minutes until the broccoli is no longer frozen. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Carefully add vegetable broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn stove off. Transfer soup by ladle to a blender (or use an immersion blender) to puree the soup. BE CAREFUL!! Hot liquid expands so depending on the size of your blender you may want to puree the soup in batches. Make sure your blender is only half full or else you will bright green soup all over your kitchen! Once you have a smooth soup, transfer it back to the pot and turn the stove on to reheat soup. Add shredded cheese, mixing until it melts. To serve the soup, garnish with greek yogurt and extra shredded cheese. Don’t forget a piece of bread.