Pumpkin Lasagna courtesy of Meg!

Pumpkin Lasagna, whoever would have thought? Well, since I am still avoiding tomatoes I thought I would try my friend Meagan's recipe that I ran into a few weeks ago on her blog.

Meg is awesome, her blog is fantastic. I met Meagan years ago with the Fly Gurlz, she was part of the Durham Chapter same as I and she is loaded with awesome energy, passion and fun loving awesomeness!

Be sure to check her out as she pursues all things good and has a great ability to megify the average recipe into something much healthier while maintaining super yummy flavor!

http://www.megified.wordpress.com/

Here is her recipe and photo from her blog, with my substitutions as I of course used what I had on hand:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 pkg frozen spinach or 2 cups fresh - this I omitted as Bill has reminded me on many occasion that spinach does not belong in Lasagna, I don't agree, however changed this to a pkg of crimini mushrooms (next time will use a minimum of 2 pkgs of mushrooms)1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp dried sage (I used fresh thyme, because I had some)1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 cups pureed pumpkin (I used canned) (used 1 can, 796ml)1/2 brick cream cheese-softened

2 tbsp egg white (used 1 whole egg)1/4 cup parmasean cheese

3/4 cup coconut milk (used 1 can 400ml)1/2 cup skim milk (omitted)1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese (I used 1/2 cup)aprox. 1/2 pkg oven ready lasagna noodles (I used a box of gluten free noodles - it was small, could have used more noodles)

Method:

In frying pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent (aprox 3-4 min)
Defrost spinach and squeeze out excess water and add to pan. (did mushrooms here)Add 1/2 tsp salt, sage, black pepper, and nutmeg.

Stir and remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 400F
In stand mixer add softened cream cheese, parmasean, and egg whites (whole egg). Mix well.
Add pumpkin, 1/2 tsp salt, sage, black pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth. ( I added 1/2 - 3/4 approx can of coconut milk to the pumpkin mixture)In a 9×13 glass baking dish add milk (used approx 1/4 can of coconut milk here) to bottom of pan and top with lasagna noodles.

Spread 1/3 of pumpkin mixture evenly over noodles.
Spread 1/2 of the spinach mixture over the pumpkin, and add another layer of noodles.
Repeat with another layer of pumpkin, spinach, and noodles.
Top with remaining pumpkin, and sprinkle with mozzarella.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 min.
Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and golden.

http://megified.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/pumpkin-lasagna/#comment-44

Now, as I wasn't sure if my family would be so willing to try a pumpkin lasagna I also made a quick beef and mozza regular lasagna as well. Happily, my hubby actually liked the pumpkin lasagna, totally surpised by this and of course happy with how well it turned out. I will certainly be comtemplating this for the next pot luck I have to go to or gathering of sorts.

Next to try (maybe next weekend) will be pumpkin chili, post sure to follow.

Technical difficulties, I copied and posted and apparently blogger does not like wordpress. Feel free to click on Meg's link and grab the recipe there instead.

Happy cooking!

Banana Chocolate Chip Millet Muffins

I was in search of some more healthier snack/breakfast/lunch options for the kids. You know, the kind that they may actually eat.

Turns out that the Pumpkin Chia Muffins that I have been making are a hit with the teenager so I thought I would seek out some more options to try.

I did a google search for millet and banana (or something like that) and found one on the http://www.thecleaneatingmama.com/ site called Banana Chocolate Chip Millet Muffins. I have some millet in the cupboard that I need to use up. It really is a tasty grain, I just haven't experimented much with it, so thought I'd try this.

Reasons why I have adapted the original recipe are:
a) to use a few healthier options than what were listed
b) to use ingredients that I had on hand, since I tend to improvise
c) and simply because I could

Ingredients:
2/3 cup millet
1 1/2 c kamut flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 honey
2 T grapeseed oil (or coconut or olive oil)
1 c coconut milk (or almond, rice, soy, dairy, your choice)
1/2 c carob chips (dark chocolate or cacao would be other options, however I find if there are chocolate chips or any chocolate in the house it calls my name, I used to be able to leave the carob chips alone, however seem to be developing a taste for them as well....what to do!)

• Preheat oven to 375
• Measure the millet into a food processor or coffee grinder or blender and pulse into a fine flour texture. Pour into a medium bowl.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients, stir with a fork (because this is how I sift!).
• Add the bananas, honey, oil, milk alternative and chocolate chips, stir until mixed well, but don't over stir.
• Grease a muffin tin, fill up each one and bake for approximately 20 minutes depending on your oven. 17-22 minutes to be safe.

 Makes approximately16 muffins.
Note - since you will have empty muffin spots in your pan simply fill the empty ones half way with water so you don't burn those open areas.

Nutritional Highlights:
Millet - another great gluten free grain (under debate as to whether or not this is a safe for those suffering from Celiac disease) which has a higher protein content than wheat, corn and rice. It is hypoallergenic and a good source of fibre.

Kamut - an ancient wheat, with a higher protein content and nutritional value than regular wheat products.

Note - these were a hit with the kids! Bonus! Next time I think I may reduce the honey to 1/4 cup though, I find with carob chips that they tend to have a sweeter taste, therefore I will attempt these again with less added sweetness next time.

Happy Baking!

Coconut Shrimp Soup

This soup was first inspired after lunch at a Thai restaurant, many months ago.

As I don’t normally follow a recipe and often I create something from what I happen to have, this soup is no different. The first time I made it, I tried to make it more “thai”, however tonight’s creation was purely out of what I had and what I needed to use up:

• 3 cups of So Delicious Coconut Milk
• 1 cup canned tomatoes (fresh if you have it, I was simply using up what was leftover from something else)
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
• 4 small pieces of Chinese dried peppers (chilli flakes or cayenne would also work) OPTIONAL
• ½ red pepper, julienne
• 6 green onions, julienne
• 1 cup frozen corn (fresh if you have)
• 1 cup of shrimp (cooked or raw – cleaned, with tails removed)
• Black pepper to taste

1. Place a pot over medium to low heat
2. Add the coconut milk, tomatoes, fresh ginger and dried peppers for approximately 10 minutes
3. Add the red pepper and green onions, corn and shrimp
4. Cook on low for 10 minutes more
5. Serve

This soup reheats beautifully the next day after the flavours have mingled overnight

You can use many variations in this recipe, chicken or vegetable stock mixed with the coconut milk adds great flavor, fresh lime juice, curry paste, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken, to name a few. I just happened to use what was available (and what needed to be used!)

Enjoy!

Nutritional Highlights:

Coconut Milk is non dairy, unsweetened, and a great source of fat - good to note: approximately 50% of the fatty acids provided by coconut is in the form of medium chain saturated fat called lauric acid, a health promoting fat whose only other abundant source in nature is human breast milk. 

Medium chain fatty acids are easily absorbed and preferentially used as an energy source in the body, their burning actually increases the body's metabolic rate. This doesn't mean you can consume more calories and not gain weight, it simply means that of the calories consumer, more are burned. 

Corn,although a complex carbohydrate and a good source of essential fatty acids and fibre, it is one of the most common food allergens; one of the biggest issues with corn is the widespread use of genetic modification on this grain. When purchasing, organic is always best.

Coconut Milk - and I don't mean the kind in a can!

So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

So, I've limited my dairy intake now for the past few years, ever since we had our daughter off dairy. Now, this does not mean that I am dairy free, I was at one time, however am not completely anymore. Will I be again, yes but not right now.

Anyway, I do not drink milk, I will admit that I still enjoy regular cow's milk in tea and there are times that I enjoy being a tea tottler (yes, I am fully aware that caffeine free herbal teas are way better for me than the regular Tetley and when drinking them I do not require milk or sugar, however, again, sometimes its a matter of taste and habit and some things I am just not ready to change.

So, no I do not "drink" milk, however I do still use dairy products, however I often try and limit my intake and frankly some weeks I use them more than others.

When I bake and cook something that requires "milk", I generally use Almond Milk, which is great, however I personally do not enjoy the unsweetened one and therefore only use the "Vanilla flavored" one which has added sugar, so I've been trying different dairy free alternatives over the years to try and find something that does not have that added sugar, since none of us need it.

Tada, I have found So Delicious Coconut Milk, unsweetened, and loving the total wholesome goodness it contains! There are very few items listed on the ingredient listing, they are: Organic coconut milk (water, organic coconut cream), carrageenan, guar gum....and thats it, simple.

So far I have used the coconut milk in pancakes, potato soup, in oatmeal, on cereal (this I'm not completely sold on, however I will keep trying), really it can be used in any recipe that calls for milk. One thing to note is that I have a friend who tried to use it in their protein shake and it thickened way too much, to a pretty much undrinkable, undesireable state! It would be great for curries or any sort of thai dish as well. There is not a strong coconut flavor at all, it is a fairly simple flavor, so easily substituted in any milk requiring dish.

Costco sells a 6 pack for $6.97, good deal.

Pumpkin Oats - Breakfast

 A girlfriend of mine sent me this recipe the other day, its healthy, its yummy and I had all of the ingredients in my cupboard, which meant it was a total had to try kind of recipe.

Pumpkin Oats Recipe:

1/2 cup (uncooked) steel-cut oats

1/4 cup greek yogurt (or plain full fat yogurt)

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk

1/4 cup no-sugar added pure pumpkin puree

1/4 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin spice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix everything together in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. In the morning heat it up in a saucepan and than add your choice of:

1/4 cup fresh fruit of your choice

1 Tbsp of nut of your choice

Splash of Almond Milk

1 Tbsp brown sugar 

 (I diced a small apple and added a few raisins. I used full fat plain yogurt and coconut milk as that is what I had in the fridge). One thing to note is that I looked on the side of my steel cut oats container and 1 serving is actually 1/4 of a cup, so this recipe may be heftier than what some may want, I ate the entire amount for breakfast and found it kept me full until lunch (which doesn't usually happen). Hearty, healthy, whole grain goodness!

Some nutritional highlights:

Steel cut oats are a total different texture from regular oatmeal, they have not been subject to the same processing as regular oats, they have a coarse consistency.  

Oats are low in gluten, high in fibre, and have beneficial effects on blood sugar levels, studies have also shown that people with high cholesterol levels benefit from consuming oat fibre as it helps to lower cholesterol levels.

Pumpkin is a winter squash, as it is richly coloured it is an excellent source of carotenes. Carotenes are found in all plant foods, however the greater the intensity of color, the higher the level of carotenes. Carotenes act as antioxidants and enhance the immune functions, excellent for this time of year (any time of year really, however even more so with the change of the seasons). Pumpkin contains Vitamin C, B1, folic acid and potassium.

Greek Yogurt has been very popular lately, it is naturally made, for anyone without a dairy issue it provides a great healthy source of protein (please note that most people do have issues digesting dairy)

Coconut milk - unsweetened (not the kind in a can but the one in the box – really, does it sound better to be in a box instead of a can?) is a great non dairy substitute. It is a good source of fat (medium chain fats have thermogenic (fat burning effects)– the excess energy provided by medium chain fats is generally burned and not stored)

Cinnamon has antibacterial and antifungal properties, is helpful to warm your internal organs, can help to treat diarrhea, indigestion, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, cramps, coughs, lower back pain, respiratory complaints and helps to increase blood circulation - really, what’s not to love!

To be honest, I never ate oatmeal as a kid, or certainly not that I remember. I started eating it about 10 years ago and originally it was the prepackaged, sweetened kind. I still buy it on occasion as my kids do ask for it, however it is way better to make it yourself and season to your liking, preferrably without all of the added sugars. Steel cut oats are something that took a longer time to get used to, now I prefer them, however not everyone does on their first try. So, just keep in mind that sometimes new foods take a while to become accustomed to and then you may wonder what it was that kept you away from it originally.