Fluffy Zucchini Cornbread

We love this cornbread!  Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS

 1/2 cup (3 ounces) yellow cornmeal
 3/4 cups (3.75 oz) all-purpose flour

 3/4 cup (3.75 oz) whole wheat flour
 1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) granulated sugar
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
 3/4 teaspoon salt
 1 cup buttermilk or milk
 2 eggs, lightly beaten
 4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
 2 cups unpeeled shredded, drained zucchini (8 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x9 inch metal baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Gently stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter (or coconut oil) and zucchini. Stir just until combined.  Don't overmix.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 30-32 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch and/or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Charred Cauliflower Quesadillas with Taco Slaw

So flavorful and filling.  Yield: 6 quesadillas, serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 small or 1 large fresh poblano chiles
1 small head cauliflower, cored and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking quesadillas
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated Monterey jack cheese
12 small (7-inch) flour tortillas (to make gluten-free, use corn or almond tortillas)

1.  Char peppers: Over a gas burner turned to high, hold the poblanos over the flame with tongs and char them until they are black and blistered all over.  (Or you can use the broiler, turning often).  Put the poblano chiles in a bowl and cover tightly with foil. Set aside to steam and let their skins loosen while you cook the cauliflower.

2. Char cauliflower: In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat heavy 12-inch pan over high heat until almost smoking.  Add cauliflower cook until each piece has a few black spots but is not mushy, turning and moving it frequently to ensure even cooking for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Mix filling: When poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin (with your fingers or paring knife).   Pull out and discard stems and seed clusters, and slice peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add to cauliflower on board and give both a rough chop together, reducing the cauliflower to no bigger than 1/2-inch chunks. Return cauliflower and peppers to the large bowl, add scallions, lime juice and salt to taste. You should have about 2 cups of cauliflower filling.

4. Assemble and cook quesadillas: Put a 1/3 cup cauliflower filling and 1/3 cup shredded cheese on each tortilla. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Cook quesadillas until lightly browned about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with your choice of fixings. 

Cumin-Lime Crema

1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
A few gratings fresh lime zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve alongside quesadillas.

Lazy Taco Slaw

1 bag coleslaw mix or (as used here) 3 cups finely shredded red cabbage and 1 coarsely grated carrot
Coarse salt
Juice of half a lime
2 scallions, sliced thin
A dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt
A dash of hot sauce (optional)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves

Mix cabbage salt and lime together in a large bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes (it will shrink a bit).Then toss together with scallions, then yogurt and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings/ingredients to taste, add cilantro.  

Oven Puff Pancakes

These are Curly's FAVORITE breakfast for dinner*.  When we were in Sweden for her 10 trip she would always order pancakes from the kids menu (the other option was Swedish meatballs).  And she would order the pancake.  What came was always these oven pancakes with strawberries and powdered sugar on the side.  This is our favorite version of this recipe.   To help some picky little brothers try it, we called them"snow pancakes" because of the dusting of powdered sugar and it was snowing outside at the time. 

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup flour (all-purpose or white whole wheat)
1 cup milk

1/2 t vanilla (optional)
1/4 t salt
2 T butter
powdered sugar
fresh strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 400.  Cut butter into small pieces and scatter over the bottom of a glass 9x13 pan.  Combine the eggs, milk and vanilla in a blender and process on low speed until smooth about 15 seconds.  Add flour and salt and mix until just combined.  (See note below for the mixing by hand, non-blender version).  Meanwhile put the pan in oven just long enough to melt the butter (about 2-3 minutes).  Remove from the oven and swirl the butter around to coat the bottom of the entire pan.  Then immediately pour egg mixture into hot butter.  Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned on bottom and edges.  Pancake will "grow" up the sides of the pan.  Cut into slices and top with powdered sugar and fresh berries.


*Serve with some lean chicken sausage, scrambled eggs, and green smoothie to round out dinner.

NOTES:  

Hand-mixing option.  Instead of using a blender, in a large bowl beat the eggs, milk and vanilla with a wire whisk until smooth and thick.  Then add in the flour and salt and whisk until just combined.

Doubling:  This recipe doubles well and we often double this recipe and make two 9x13 pans to feed our family of 6 for brinner.  I just put double the ingredients into the blender and then try to divide up the batter evenly just eyeballing it between the two pans.

Mini Corn Muffins

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet...probably because I have it essentially memorized.  This is a staple especially that became popular around here from back in our egg-free days 8 years ago.  These little corn muffins are a great crowd pleaser for picky eaters.  They're the perfect keep-the-peace companion for less popular dinners of soup and chili.  Plus they cook up super fast (faster then regular cornbread) which is why I love them.  Adapted from the Favorites cookbook.

2/3 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cups flour (I often do 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 white flour)
1/3 cup sugar (can do as little as 1/4 cup)
1 T baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk (can use soy or almond milk for a vegan option)

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.  Add the oil and milk and stir with a wooden spoon until just moistened and no dry streaks remain.  Scoop into mini-muffins pans sprayed with non-stick spray filling just over halfway.  I find my small cookie dough scoop works perfectly.  Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown.  Makes 24-32 muffins.

Grilled Corn Salsa

Grilled corn salsa with perfectly grilled corn, fresh tomato, red onion and cilantro, a little lime juice to bring all together, and a dash of heat from a jalapeno.  This recipe has been on repeat all summer here.  My kids love the corn in the pico de gallo.  I usually grill 5-6 ears of corn, and use half for the recipe and serve the others on the side.  Adapted from Minimalist Baker and Bobby Flay.

INGREDIENTS
2 large ears corn grilled and removed from the cobb
1/4 red onion, diced
4-6 ripe tomatoes, seeds slightly removed and diced
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
juice of one lime
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS
To grill corn gently pull back the husk, leaving it still attached at the bottom and remove the silk.  Put the husk back on and soak the ears of corn in cold salt water (1T of salt in a large pitcher of water works well for me).  Soak for 10-15 minutes while the grill preheats.   With the husks on grill the corn for about 12 minutes, rotating it a quarter turn every 3 minutes or so.   If you want more color or char marks on the actual corn, carefully pull the husk back put it back on the grill for a little color for a couple of minutes rolling to heat all sides.

Once grilled, slice corn off of the cob and add to bowl with remaining ingredients and stir.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or lime juice for added flavor.
Serve immediately or cover and put in the fridge.

Wisconsin-Style Potato and Cheddar Soup

Adapted from a blue apron recipe, this has become one of our favorite spring soups perfect for fresh sugar snap peas.

Ingredients
3 T butter
1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes (about 4)--peeled and medium diced
1 leek--trimmed and small diced
1 1/1 t smoked paprika
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried thyme
salt
pepper
2 T flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 3/4 cup water
6 ounces yellow cheddar cheese
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed and chopped to 1/2 pieces
1 bunch of chives, chopped

1.  Peel and cut the potatoes.  Then cut off and scared the root ends and upper dark-green leaves of the leek.  Talk it lengthwise and rinse thoroughly in between the layers with cold water.  Dice the leek into small pieces.
2.  In a large pot, melt the butter on medium-high heat until hot.  Add the potatoes, leek and spices.  Season with salt and pepper.   Cook, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes or until the leek is softened and fragrant.
3.  Meanwhile grate the cheese.
4.  While the vegetables continue to roast, add the flour to the pot and cook stirring constantly 30-45 seconds or until well combined.  Add the water and heavy cream.  Use the liquid to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.  Stir about 1 minute or until well-combined, season with salt and pepper.  Heat to boiling on high.  Once boiling, lower the temperature to medium-high and simmer 11-13 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife or fork.
5.  While the potatoes cook, cut off and discard the ends of each sugar snap peas.  (Optional: pull off and discard the tough string that runs along the length of the pod.)  Cut the sugar snap peas into 1/2-inch pieces.
6.  When the potatoes are done, turn the heat off.  Then using a fork, mash half of the potatoes against the side of the pot.  Stir to combine.  Turn heat back on and cook on medium-high for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally or until slightly thickened.  Season to taste.
7.  Add the cheese and sugar snap peas to the pot; stir until thoroughly combined.  Garnish with chives.
 

Kale Salad with Pecan Parmesan Topping and Lemon Vinaigrette

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.   Ideally the massaged kale and dressing sit for an hour or so, so plan ahead.  But if you make all the dressing and pecan parmesan topping ahead of time it comes together quickly at the end.

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:
12-14 ounces kale (about 2 bunches), stemmed and finely shredded or choppedPinch of sea salt or coarse kosher salt1/4-1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries3-4 slices cooked, crumbled bacon (optional)

Dressing: 


3 tablespoons olive oil3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juicePinch coarse black pepperPinch of coarse kosher salt1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey

Pecan Parmesan Topping: 
1/2 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese1 tablespoon olive oil1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

DIRECTIONS For the salad, place the chopped kale in a bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Rub the salt into the kale for 2-3 minutes. You'll notice the kale starting to soften and darken in color.

For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients until well-combined. Pour over the salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour (you can serve it right away but I think it tastes best if the kale and dressing have time to sit for an hour).

For the pecan parmesan topping, pulse the pecans in a blender or food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the Parmesan, olive oil and salt and continue to pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs but not totally smushed.

Add the craisins and bacon to the salad and toss.  Sprinkle the pecan topping over the salad. Serve immediately.

Massaged Kale and Craisin Salad with Feta Cheese

This is a favorite salad adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  The first time massaging Kale was a bit unusual, but it makes all the difference.

INGREDIENTS
6-10oz bag of kale greens, pre-trimmed*
pinch of salt
1/4 cup finely diced red onion, optional
1/4-1/3 cup dried cranberries/craisins (the cherry flavored ones our my favorite)
3/4 cup small-diced apple
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese

DIRECTIONS
 Place the kale in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle salt over the top and massage it into the kale with your hands for two minutes. You’ll notice the kale start to turn a darker green and the texture of the kale will begin to soften. Toss in the red onions if using, craisins, apples, sunflower seeds, and feta.

Notes:  I love this salad without dressing.  But it's also great with a store-bought white or red vineagreete or make your own.  In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

*If you don't buy pre-trimmed and washed Kale you can prep it the following way for this salad:
 Wash the kale and pat it dry. Slice off the stiff stems below the leaves and continue slicing the stem away from the leaf until you have cut a thin v-shape into the kale leaf and removed the tough stem all the way up. Stack the kale leaves two or three at a time, roll them up, and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.

Quick Black Beans

A quick and tasty way to serve black beans!  From My Predilections.

1 can black beans rinse and drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon olive oil generous
dash of cumin (to taste)
red pepper flakes (optional)

 Place the beans in a small bowl. Microwave on high for one to two minutes or until heated through (microwave times vary). Stir in the garlic salt, olive oil and cumin (and optional red pepper flakes).

Vegan Banana Flaxseed Muffins

These are some of the tastiest egg-free, whole wheat muffins I've ever had!   They crumb is light and not gummy like so many egg-free muffins.  They have a great blend of spices and just the right hint of sweetness.  Adapted from this recipe: http://joythebaker.com/2014/09/vegan-banana-pecan-muffins/

Ingredients

For Flax Seed Egg
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

For the Muffins
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil  (or coconut oil, melted)
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Streusel Topping
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans (optional)
• 2-4 T dark brown sugar
• 1 T margarine  (I used dairy-free margarine)

Instructions

1. First make the flax seed egg. In a small bowl stir together ground flax seeds, water, and baking powder. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease muffin pans with non stick spray.  (This recipe made about 12 regular size muffins and 12 mini muffins for me).
3. Mash bananas in ziplock bag with a rolling pin.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, flax eggs, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, and  oil until thoroughly combined. 
5. In a separate medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Stir in the pecans. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir until  no flour bits remain at the bottom of the bowl.
6. In another bowl mix the oats, nuts, brown sugar.  Then cut in the margarine using a pastry cutter.
7. Divide the batter between the muffin cups in the prepared baking pan. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of streusel topping.   Bake for 9-10 minutes for mini muffins, 18-20 minutes for regular size muffins.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for few minutes before putting on a cooling rack to cool completely.  

Bright Green Smoothie

slightly adapted from weelicious.com.  A favorite for Saint Patrick's Day!

Ingredients
3+ cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
1 large banana
1 orange
1 cup orange juice, water, or other liquid

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.

Guacamole

This is my favorite homemade guacamole.  It's definitely the chunky variety--more like a pico de gallo mixed with avocado.  Soaking the onions is genius!  It's delicious!  From Martha Stewart.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup minced white onion 

3 ripe avocados, coarsely chopped 

1 jalapeno chile (seeds and ribs removed), minced 

1 plum tomato, seeded and diced 

1/4 cup chopped fresh, cilantro 

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

Coarse salt 

Tortilla Chips

DIRECTIONS

Place onion in a small bowl. Add enough cold water to cover. Let soak 20 minutes; drain.

In a bowl, combine avocados, onion, jalapeno, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt, and mix to combine, mashing slightly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Granola

Baldy said this granola is unlike anything he's ever had--it's amazing!  I love the idea of adding a little quinoa to the oats to up the protein too.  Adapted slightly from skinnytaste.com.  I usually triple the recipe and it fits nicely on two large baking sheets in my oven.  I just rotate which one is on top and which one is on bottom when I stir the granola.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and pat dry with paper towel

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup ground flaxseeds

1/4 cup pepitas (or other seed)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp canola oil or melted coconut oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

dash of ginger

pinch kosher salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° F.  Spread oats and quinoa out on a parchment lined baking pan. Toast in the oven 10 minutes, stirring once.

Remove the oats from the oven, pour the toasted oats into a large bowl and add the ground flaxseeds, pepitas, and pecans.  Mix.

In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, pumpkin puree, oil, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.

Pour over oat mixture and stir together with a spatula. Spread back onto a baking sheet and bake an additional 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15-20 minutes or until golden.  Add dried cranberries after it has cooled a bit.  One batch makes 3 2/3 cups.

Acorn Squash with Apple

"Peeling an acorn squash is the key to this delicious dish that's cooked in a microwave. A fast and easy delight for busy families."

 PREP TIME  20 Min:    COOK TIME  15 Min:     READY IN  35 Min 

INGREDIENTS

1 acorn squash

2 apples, cored and sliced

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

To easily peel the acorn squash without losing a lot of vegetable, gently drop the squash in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 15 minutes. Pour off the boiling water and fill with cold water and let sit 5 minutes to cool. When cool enough to handle, use a knife to slice off the peel on the ridges and use a teaspoon to dig out the peel in the valleys. Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds and stem. Then slice the halves into sections and finally cut into 1 inch chunks.

Place the squash chunks into a large microwave-safe bowl along with the apples. Dot with pieces of butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar, walnuts, salt and cinnamon over the top. Cover with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in it for ventilation. Cook in the microwave for 7 1/2 minutes on full power. Remove, uncover, and stir. Return to the microwave, and cook for another 7 1/2 minutes on full power, until tender. Serve hot.

Variations

You could use butternut squash for variety. Pecans work well in this recipe instead of walnuts. Honey or maple syrup can used with or instead of the brown sugar.

If you prefer roasted squash, you can place the squash and apples (uncovered) in a 9x13 pan in the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for just under an hour. But be sure to add 1/4 cup of water to the recipe before baking.

Eggplant Parmesan

This is not your typical gloopy eggplant parmesan casserole.  This recipe is life-changing!  So take advantage of eggplant available at the farmers market or farm stands and try it!  It's hearty enough to please even the most die-hard of carnivores, yet lightened up enough by baking and using Panko bread crumbs to be diet-friendly too.  Serves 2 (can double).  Slightly adapted from Cooks Country August/September 2010.  Photo from the bittenword blog.

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup shredded provolone cheese

1.CUT EGGPLANT*. Cut two ¾-inch planks lengthwise from center of eggplant, halve each plank crosswise, and cut remaining eggplant into ½-inch dice.

2.  SET UP DREDGING STATION.  You will need 3 shallow plates/bowls.   Place flour in shallow dish. Beat egg in second shallow dish. Combine bread crumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in third shallow dish. One at a time, coat eggplant slices lightly with flour, dip them in egg, and dredge in bread-crumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer to wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet and let sit 5 minutes (or refrigerate up to 1 hour).

2. COOK EGGPLANT. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat ½ cup oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook -eggplant slices until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to wire rack set inside baking sheet and bake until eggplant is tender and deep golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

3. MAKE SAUCE. Meanwhile, pour off oil and wipe out skillet with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chopped eggplant and ¼ -teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining oil, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 -seconds. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until eggplant is tender and sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper; cover and keep warm.

4. ASSEMBLE. Combine remaining Parmesan and provolone in medium bowl. Top browned eggplant slices with cheese mixture and bake until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Transfer half of sauce to platter and top with eggplant slices. Spoon remaining sauce over eggplant. Serve.


*How to Cut the Eggplant
This recipe deviates from the traditional round circles you normally see in eggplant Parmesan.  Instead it uses heart ¾-inch planks to reduce the amount of batches you need to pan fry before baking.  Turn the eggplant so it is standing up tall and using a serrated knife, slice off the curved side of eggplant (reserve).  Then cut two ¾-inch planks from the center.  Cut planks in half crosswise so they’ll neatly fit into the pan for frying in a single batch (making 4 pieces).  Chop reserved side pieces into strips, then into ½-inch cubes, and set aside for building the tomato pan sauce.   (This website has great step by step photos but note they cubed the entire eggplant for a different recipe.)

Tortilla Pie

This is a favorite vegetarian recipe.  It’s great because you can use to turn leftover fresh salsa and guacamole into something new. But you can also use prepared salsa (from a jar) and *guacamole (frozen) and easily have all the ingredients “on hand” for a last minute dinner—Preparation time is only 10-15 minutes, baking time 25 minutes. From Easy Weeknight Favorites.

Ingredients
• 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
–OR- drained black beans
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 eight-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup chunky salsa (fresh will work—just drain extra juices) mild or medium according to preference
• 2 (4-6 oz) cartons of *guacamole or about 1½ -2 cups fresh guacamole
• 1 (8 oz) package of shredded Mexican cheese blend cheese or cheddar cheese
• Garnishes: sour cream, chopped lettuce or spinach, additional salsa or guacamole

1. Combine beans with chili powder and cumin, set aside (I prefer black beans over refried beans). Line a 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
2. Place 1 tortilla on the bottom and spread with half of the bean mixture, top with another tortilla. Spread with ½ cup salsa, and top with another tortilla. Spread with half of guacamole, and top with another tortilla. Sprinkle with half of cheese, and top with another tortilla.
3. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, except cheese. (Pan will be quite full).
4. Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake uncovered an additional 3-5 minutes until cheese melts. Cut into wedges to serve. Garnish, if desired. Yields 6-8 servings.

*Note: you can make your own guacamole, but I prefer to buy “fresherized” guacamole for this recipe that is available at grocery stores in the same section as baby carrots. It tastes great, has no preservatives, and can be frozen (thaw before using it in this recipe). Also it is usually the same price or cheaper than buying avocados! I’ve found it both at Wegmans and Aldi.

Black bean, Corn, and Quinoa Salad

My friend put this recipe on her food blog that she adapted from here.  Below is my take on it.  It is delicious!    This is the perfect side dish to any Mexican meal.  But I also LOVED it as a filling with our tacos/burritos.  I would choose this anytime over rice and beans.  It's so good and good for you!

1 Tbl. oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1  1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 c. frozen sweet corn
1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and garlic and saute until lightly browned.

Add quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in frozen corn and black beans until heated through. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro. Serve warm, room temperature or cold (I liked it just barely warm).

Quinoa Chili

So yummy and filling.  The flavors just blend together perfectly.

3 cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained (or whatever beans you like)
1 T canola or olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced (or 2 small/medium onions)
2 sweet green or red peppers, chopped
3 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup quinoa, rinsed in warm water &amp drained;
1-1 1/2 cup frozen corn
16 oz of tomato sauce
2 cups water

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, and sauté until tender and starting to caramelize 5+ minutes. Add salt, garlic, pepper and spices; sauté for 5 more minutes. Add rinsed quinoa and stir in. Add corn, tomato sauce, and water.  Simmer together 20 minutes. Add beans to the pot and simmer another 10 minutes. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, sliced avocadoes or whatever else you like to put on chili.  Makes 6-8 (1 Cup) Servings.  From Feed Your Family.  Excellent served with corn chip dippers or corn bread.

Baked Manicotti

This really is an amazing recipe. It's innovative because it uses no bake lasagna noodles to roll up the cheesy yummy filling instead of trying to stuff the tricky manicotti tubes. The homemade tomato sauce is amazing.  We love it so much that we have also used it for plain spaghetti or on pizza.   Serves 6 to 8 Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen and My Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS
Tomato Sauce
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil (I usually use 1/2 teaspoon dried basil)
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (I use the Barilla brand – apparently they are supposed to be the most similar to homemade pasta and I love them, both in this and in lasagna)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan chese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.

To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.

Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.