Saturday, July 31, 2010

Lasagne Recipes

Here is a great recipe for lasagne that may or may not be the best you’ve ever tasted. Either way, it’s sure to be a hit every time you serve it up.

1 package lasagna noodles

1 1/2 jars thick spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 large container ricotta or small curd cottage cheese

2 cups parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 eggs

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 cups fancy parmesan or mild cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 pound Italian sausage, cooked and chopped

1 pound ground beef, cooked and chopped

2 cans mushroom slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix the sausage and the beef together.

In a pan, sauté the peppers and onions in olive oil or butter until soft.

In another bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, pepper and parsley.

In a pot, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Rinse noodles in cold water and drain.

In a large non-stick baking pan, pour in 2 cups of the spaghetti sauce. Add a layer of lasagna noodles on top. Add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the noodles.

Next, add a thin layer of the cottage cheese mixture, followed by layers of meat, onions and peppers, shredded cheese and mushrooms. (note: save enough shredded cheese for the very top).

Cover filling with the final layer of noodles. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on top of noodles, then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top.
Place uncovered pan in the oven and bake until the top is a golden brown color and filling is bubbly.

=> Spinach Lasagne Recipes: Low Fat Spinach Vegetarian Lasagne Recipe

Whether you are a vegetarian or not, this low fat vegetable lasagne recipe is a healthy meal and you won’t even miss the meat.

3/4 pound lasagna noodles

1 pound low fat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups part skim milk mozzarella cheese, grated

1 (4 oz.) jar marinara sauce

1 tablespoon oregano

1 box frozen spinach, thawed, drained and finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 cup onions, chopped

Olive oil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a pan, sauté the onions in the olive oil until soft; drain.

In a bowl, combine the onions, cottage cheese, spinach, oregano and pepper.

Prepare lasagna noodles according to package direction; drain.

Oil a 9 x 13-inch pan and layer about 4 or 5 of the cooked noodles on the bottom.

Layer the spinach/cottage cheese mixture, sauce and mozzarella cheese over the noodles. Add the final layer of noodles on top and cover with remaining marinara sauce.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.

Chicken Lasagne Recipes: Best Chicken Lasagne

If you’re looking for easy lasagne recipes with chicken, give this savory dish a try. It’s loaded with Italian seasonings and, of course, lots of cheese. This chicken lasagne will truly become one of your favorites.

2 (uncooked) whole chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (28 oz) can Italian tomatoes with basil

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons fresh Romano cheese, grated

2 cups grated carrots

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1/2 cup fresh Romano cheese, grated

6 to 8 slices Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute the chicken, mushrooms, garlic, onion, oregano, basil and thyme in the olive oil until the chicken turns white in color. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, the 3 tablespoons Romano cheese, carrots, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes.

Oil a 9 x 13 baking dish and layer half of the lasagna noodles on the bottom. Next, add layers of the tomato sauce, chicken mixture, remaining Romano cheese, mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. Cheese should be melted on top.

Seafood Lasagne Recipe: Royal Seafood Lasagne

If you’ve been searching for the perfect recipe for seafood lasagne, then look no further. Your quest has ended. This lasagna dish is brimming with shrimp, crab, five kinds of cheeses and lots of creamy flavor.

1 (8 oz.) package lasagna noodles, cooked

2 tablespoons butter

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons basil

2 (10-3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 pound shrimp, cleaned and cooked

1 pound crab meat (can substitute imitation crab)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a pan, sauté the onions in the butter.

Combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, egg and basil together in a bowl. Mix in the onion, and salt and pepper to taste.

Layer cooked noodles on bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan. Layer with cottage cheese mixture, and pour the entire can of mushroom soup over the cottage cheese mixture.

In another bowl, mix together the milk, wine, shrimp and crab meat. Spread 1/2 of the seafood mixture over the soup layer. Repeat the layers of noodles, cottage cheese and seafood. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle on the Cheddar and Mozzarella cheeses. Return to oven and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese on top is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Mexican Lasagne Recipe: Ranchero Mexican Lasagne

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2773015816_a155cc5fa7.jpg

Here’s a great tasting mashed potato recipe featuring tangy mustard. You can experiment and try it with honey mustard and any other flavored mustard you enjoy.

1 pound turkey meat

1/2 package taco seasoning

1 tablespoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1 teaspoon hot sauce

3 tablespoons salsa

1 can Mexican chili beans, undrained

1 can stewed tomatoes with chilies

1 teaspoon parsley

4 tortilla shells

Mexican cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, reserve 1/4 cup of the chili beans including the juice; set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the turkey meat. Add in the taco seasoning, cumin, red pepper, hot sauce, salsa, remaining chili beans and stewed tomatoes.

In the bottom of a baking dish, lay one tortilla shell on bottom of dish. Add a portion of the cheese on top, and layer the meat next. Add another tortilla shell and repeat the layering of ingredients.

Sprinkle what’s left of the shredded cheese over layers and add the reserved chili beans. Sprinkle parsley on top. Gently press the mixture down into the pan.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Beware of Fast Food Veggie Burgers

While I applaud the efforts of the fast food industry in attempting to provide vegetarian and more healthful alternatives to the crap they already sell on a daily basis, I have to point out shortcomings and defects in their attempts to provide vegetarian and healthy alternatives that sabotage or defeat the whole purpose of attempting to provide healthier and meat-less (vegetarian) products.

Is health or the wellbeing of the American people the main objective in selling vegetarian products or is it financial gain? Unfortunately for all the people who want to believe the fast food industry is coming around and becoming more health conscious, the fast food industry’s objective in selling vegetarian items such as the veggie burger is strictly commercial, at least right now or presently.

Why? Because until the vegetarian items are completely lacking animal byproducts, the promoting and selling of vegetarian items is to deceive fast food consumers into believing that they have a choice in eating meatless or healthier items and products, which just isn’t true

.
Take McDonald’s, Burger King, and the Habit for example. They all sell a veggie burger. But that veggie burger patty (if the patty itself is not entirely vegetable based) is cooked in ANIMAL LARD number one, and number two, cooked on the same grill that meat (DEAD ANIMAL FLESH) is cooked on.

All meat contains parasites and worms, and the ugliest ones that you could ever see with the human eyes. I know this personally as I have done the personal research (and have been presented research from Doctah B, Bro. Tarik, and others in the Los Angeles area) and have the nauseating photographs to show you. TOTALLY GROSS!

Some people thought they were avoiding animal byproducts by only eating French fries from the fast food restaurant, not knowing that most fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s were cooking their fries in vegetable oil mixed with beef juice. That’s right! McDonald’s add beef juice to its cooking oil for flavor, in addition to spraying the fires with a sugar solution, freezing them and shipping them off to McDonald’s franchises, and after cooking the sugar sprayed fries in beef juice (oil), sodium chloride (salt) is added and you have one of the most addictive products in America – McDonald’s French fries!

Take Subway for example, a place I used to eat at often in my early vegan days and while I was in the Corporate world. I had my places to eat at and menus to choose from. However, eating out was the exception to the rule and not the rule, as I normally prepared my own lunch. But Subway was right across the street from my place of employment and the food was much lighter than the stuff sold at the more general fast food establishments.

However, as I became more spiritual and health conscious, it started to bother me eating at establishments that served vegetarian products alongside with meat or flesh products. I used to order the Veggie Max sub sandwich from Subway. But the soy based Veggie Max patty was in a container or bin next to bacon (pig’s back end). This was not a far distance for the microscopic parasites and worms to crawl from the bacon bin to the veggie patty bin. Also, the veggie patty was cut in two with the same knife used to cut meat with. You see, it really doesn’t matter if you’re health conscious or vegan or vegetarian and the person preparing your food (or product) is not. To the fast food employee, they’re just preparing another product totally oblivious to strict food sanitary preparation ethics and principles.

Another thing to point out about the Subway Veggie Max sub or sandwich is that it was (1) cooked (actually, RADIATED) in a microwave oven, (2) cooked or radiated in the same microwave oven as meat or flesh products (pork worms can’t be killed in heat because of a heat-resistant shell that forms around the worm in very high temperatures, and the only substance that can penetrate or break open that shell is the hydrochloric acid of the human body).

One day while out on the town with my children here in Glendale, California, my daughter wanted some noodles or Chow Mein and I think some vegetable-fried rice or egg rolls from Panda Express, I really can’t remember exactly the items, but I do remember asking the Panda Express employee to prepare an exclusively vegetarian plate – NO MEAT OR MEAT-BYPRODUCTS WHATSOEVER, i.e. vegetable-fried rice, Chow Mein, steamed vegetables, and to my utter shock, the employee honestly told me that NOTHING at Panda Express was vegetarian. Absolutely nothing! I said, “Even the vegetable-fried rice, noodles, and steamed vegetables?” He said “That’s right, Sir!” With a discombobulated look on my face, the employee then told me that Panda Express pours chicken juice on all of its items. So now I’m thinking about the time when time compelled me to get something on the go and I got what I thought was completely vegetarian from Panda Express.

And of course, I’ve heard similar accounts from my good Vegan comrades as well. So if you want to know a thing, ask. And by all means, don’t presume.

If you think those vegetarian corn dogs at Hot Dog On-A-Stick are vegetarian, think again! They contain egg whites (in the bread batter).

I also used to eat the vegetarian burritos at Baha Fresh Mexican Grill. I started getting headaches. Why? White flour tortillas cooked on the same grill as the slaughtered flesh (meat). So what did I do to cure the problem? I Left those burritos alone and I have been fine ever since.

I remember my early vegan days of 1997 and 1998 and thinking I was not eating any animal parts or byproducts whatsoever only to discover that those black beans I was eating from El Pollo Loco contained chunks of chicken. One day while eating these black beans, I noticed a strange substance in them. When I picked the substance up and closely analyzed it, I was disgusted to be holding a piece of chicken in my hand. Boy did I feel nauseated at this revelation and discovery. I had to let those beans go no matter how good they tasted. I refuse to let taste disillusion me into a state of poor health and into an early grave.

Vegetarian does not mean vegan! Vegan means “completely animal free, including dairy products and eggs,” whereas vegetarian means “meat-free but not dairy/eggs-free.” A vegetarian burrito at a fast food restaurant may contain cheese and sour cream (congealed cow snot or mucus). Some veggie burger patties may also contain cheese. Cheese is from an animal so how can it be animal free? While many health conscious folks and would be vegans enjoy Boca Burgers, some brands contain egg whites and cheese, so start reading the ingredient list on the box.

So although McDonald’s now has a veggie burger, just know that its veggie burger is cooked in beef oil, in addition to the fact that the veggie burger is centered between two white, refined grain buns, conventionally grown iceberg lettuce (the worst lettuce to eat and the most nutritionally deficient plant to eat) and genetically engineered tomatoes (if you want lettuce and tomatoes on your veggie burger). The same thing can be said of Burger King and the Habit’s veggie burgers.

However, if you’re on the road or out and about in society and must make a choice to eat something that is not so insalubrious, it would be a good idea to experience around with a major fast food chain’s veggie burger rather than give in to the traditional crap that has been served over the years and that you always bought and ate. However, it is better (and wiser) to seek out vegan restaurants before you actually hit the town (if you’re a health conscious individual or vegan).

I know how difficult it is to be vegan (at first) and to not have vegan eateries so easily and readily accessible, especially if you live in a small town. I’m thankful that the Greater Los Angeles area and Southern California in general is loaded with vegan spots around town to get something wholesome and nutritious to eat. The same is true for other big cities around the nation such as New York City, Atlanta, San Diego, San Francisco-Oakland Bay area, etc.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Veggie Burger Recipe

You don't necessarily have to be a vegan to enjoy a great veggie burger recipe. They can be enjoyed by vegans, vegetarians and just about anyone that loves a healthy lunch or dinner. You can buy the expensive ones you find in the frozen food section at your local health food store that cost about a dollar each, or you can easily make them yourself in your own kitchen.

Veggie burgers usually contain a mixture of vegetables and other ingredients such as onions, lentils, black beans, walnuts, almonds, rice, sprouts, mushrooms, oats and other ingredients such as dairy, eggs, cheese that are not considered vegan.

Those that are vegan would not eat any of these burgers that contain any kind of animal products. Of course the main thing about burgers made this way is that they don't contain any meat of any kind, thus being nearly devoid of cholesterol and being healthier than the burgers you'll find at your local fast food restaurant.

Even those of you who enjoy burgers the traditional way with bacon, cheese, mayo and of course enjoy all the meat in a burger, will enjoy a good veggie burger. There are even some of these kind of burgers that if you didn't know what you were eating, you probably couldn't tell the difference. Yes, they are that good and by the time you add the usual condiments such as organic ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado or guacamole and other healthy topping, the only difference is a greasy piece of meat.

So what is a good veggie burger recipe and how do you make them? The biggest trouble people might think you'd have in making one of these burgers is getting them to stick together. That problem is solved by drying out the preformed burger patty slightly in a dehydrator such as the Excalibur Dehydrator. The specific ingredients in our burgers are sprouted wheat berries, celery, onions, carrots, walnuts, sunflower seeds, Bragg's Amino Acids, and herbamare added as a seasoning.

We then take all those ingredients and mix them up in our Vita-Mix blender, take the finally mixture and form them into patties and place them on teflon sheets (so they don't stick) that come with your dehydrator. You then dehydrate the patties for a few hours at a couple different temperatures, flip them over once in the process and when they're done, you have delicious and healthy burgers. The recipe we use makes 6 patties and we store them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh, because they are not totally dehydrated.

To heat them up again you can let them sit out before you eat them for a couple of hours and then put them back in the dehydrator for a few minutes. This is essentially a raw food recipe so we don't usually heat them up again in a skillet or griddle because food cooked over 118 degrees is no longer considered raw. Above that temperature, life giving food enzymes begin to be destroyed and the nutrition is cooked right out of food.

Once you eat delicious burgers that aren't really cooked and are made of only vegetables and other healthy natural ingredients, you may never go back to the traditional hamburger. And if you already enjoy raw and mostly raw food then this veggie burger recipe can be just another healthy recipe to add to your already healthy lifestyle.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Simple and Unique Salad Recipes

Sometimes a nice chilled salad is just the thing to hit the spot. Other times, a salad makes a great compliment to a main dish. Whether you just want a quick snack or a unique course for a meal to impress friends or family, you should start by opening your mind to new recipes. What better way to impress your friends' tummies (and your own!) than to serve something different? To get you started, this article has four recipes for simple yet unique salads that you are bound to love!

Spinach and Cranberry Salad

1 lb spinach, rinsed and torn into pieces
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp minced onion
3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Heat a small skillet at a medium heat and melt the butter. Add the almonds and cook until toasted. Allow the almonds to cool. In a large bowl, mix together the spinach, cranberries, and almonds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, white wine vinegar, vegetable oil, cider vinegar, poppy seeds, onion, paprika, and sesame seeds. Just before serving, toss the spinach in the dressing mixture.

Broccoli Salad with a Twist

1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 tbsp mayonnaise
4 bacon strips, cooked and chopped
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/3 cup mandarin oranges

In a large bowl mix together the broccoli, bacon, onion, and cheese. In a separate bowl, combine the mayo, sugar, and vinegar-mix well. Pour the sauce over the broccoli mixture and mix together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour. Just before serving, sprinkle chilled mandarin oranges over the top.

Pear and Pecan Salad

1 bag Italian salad greens
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 pear (peeled, cored and diced)
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing

Toss all ingredients (except for dressing) in a bowl. When ready to serve, drizzle a bit of Italian dressing over the mixture and toss well to ensure an even coating. Garnish with lemon or mandarin oranges.

Pistachio Fruit Salad

1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping
1 package instant sugar-free pistachio pudding mix
1 can fruit cocktail, drained
1 can crushed pineapple
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup maraschino cherries
handful of mini marshmallows

Drain the pineapple juice into a large bowl. Whisk in the pudding mix for about two minutes. Add pineapple, oranges, fruit cocktail, cherries, and marshmallows. Carefully fold in the whipped topping to keep it fluffy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.