Black Bean Quesadillas

My family might be getting a little sick of these by now, but they're so good and easy that they keep appearing almost weekly in our dinner line-up! They make really good leftovers reheated in the oven for lunch or dinner the next day too, so I like to make a few of them to be able to grab out of the fridge for a quick meal.

Black Bean Quesadillas

makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

2 small cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 can organic black beans, drained

3/4 cup fresh salsa, liquid drained

4 medium whole wheat tortillas

2 cups 2% shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 cup red onion, chopped

2/3 cup fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Serve with:

fresh salsa

avocado slices

sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add black beans and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add salsa and cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. On large baking sheet, place 2 whole wheat tortillas next to each other. Top each with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, followed by half of black bean mixture, 1/3 cup red onion and 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle each with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and top with a second whole wheat tortilla. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Gently flip quesadillas and bake for another 10 minutes, or until tortillas are lightly browned and slightly crispy.

4. Cut into quarters and serve with fresh salsa, avocado slices and sour cream.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and lycopene. Garlic is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Cheese is rich in calcium and protein. Choosing whole wheat tortillas, as opposed to white flour tortillas, provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron because they are less refined. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. 

Spinach-Ricotta Tacos

We try to have at least 1-2 vegetarian dinners a week, and this one is going into our rotation! It made plenty for leftovers for dinner the next day, and would also make a nice lunch. We added a little Cholula hot sauce on top for some added flavor. 

Spinach-Ricotta Tacos

makes ~8 tacos

Ingredients

16oz ricotta cheese (room temperature)

2 Tbsp organic cilantro, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

kosher salt

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 yellow onion, sliced thin

16 oz fresh organic spinach leaves

1/2 tsp ground cumin

8 whole grain corn tortillas

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, cilantro and 1 clove of chopped garlic. Season with kosher salt, so taste.

2. Heat canola oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook without stirring until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook onion for another 2 minutes. Add spinach and cumin and stir until spinach begins to wilt. Add remaining 2 cloves of chopped garlic and stir, cooking for another 3 minutes. Season with kosher salt, to taste.

3. Warm tortillas according to package directions.

4. Fill tortillas with spinach mixture and top with ricotta mixture. Serve with hot sauce and/or salsa of your choice!

(Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Spinach is packed with fiber,  vitamins K, A, C, B2, B6 and folate, and the minerals iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Onions are rich in quercetin (a type of antioxidant) and vitamin C. Ricotta cheese is a great source of calcium and protein. Whole grain corn tortillas are a good source of fiber.

Kale & Farro Pilaf

Farro is a rice-like ancient grain that is gaining popularity for its versatility. It is very hard to overcook and doesn't tend to get mushy. It has a slight nutty flavor and is commonly used as a breakfast cereal, added to soups and salads, and also makes really good side dishes, as it takes on the flavor of what it is cooked with. Whole farro needs to be soaked overnight because the grain still retains the entire bran, but semi-pearled farro has had some of the bran removed, allowing it to cook faster but retain some fiber. I used semi-pearled farro in this recipe, and it cooked in about 30 minutes.  This was a really great dish for incorporating kale, and had a nice flavor from the dried porcini mushrooms. The original recipe I used from Vegetarian Times magazine called for a small amount of white wine, but I didn't have any in the house, so I replaced the wine with more vegetable stock. I also left out the red pepper flakes that the recipe called for. It turned out really great and held up well for leftovers!

Kale & Farro Pilaf

Ingredients

1/3 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup organic semi-pearled farro
1 shallot, finely chopped (~1/2 cup)
2 cups organic vegetable stock
2 cups, packed, organic kale, torn into small pieces
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tsp fresh organic thyme, chopped

Directions

1. Grind porcini mushrooms in food processor. Set aside.

2. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add farro and shallot, cook for about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup vegetable stock and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Add ground mushrooms and remaining vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

4. Add kale on top of farro, do not mix in. Cover pan and let simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Fold kale into farro and top with sliced almonds and thyme.

(Recipe adapted from April 2016 issue of Vegetarian Times)

I served this farro as a side dish to go along with baked savory salmon. For my savory salmon recipe, click here.

What are the nutritional benefits of this dish? Semi-pearled farro is an excellent source of fiber and protein, and a great source of magnesium. Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of minerals calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous.

Bean Burritos

We have been trying to eat a lot more beans in place of meat, and this was an awesome recipe to incorporate them.  The bean mixture made a great meat replacement because the consistency had a "meaty" quality to it in that it held together tightly and was very flavorful from the garlic and chili powder. This was also pretty quick to make so was great for a weekday dinner. 

Bean Burritos

Makes ~ 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup water

1 (15oz) can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15oz) can organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 Tbsp mild salsa

whole wheat or multigrain tortillas

3 small vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped (~1 1/2 cups)

1 avocado, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/3 cup green onions, chopped

6 Tbsp organic light sour cream

Directions

1. Heat canola oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chili powder and salt. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add water and beans. Simmer until liquid has cooked off. Stir in salsa and partially mash bean mixture.

2. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Fill  each tortilla with about 1/3 cup bean mixture and top with tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, green onions, and sour cream. Roll up and serve.

(Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Kidney beans provide lots of protein, folate, fiber, and iron. 100% whole wheat tortillas are rich in B vitamins and fiber. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and lycopene. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamins, A,  K and folate, as well as the mineral molybdenum, and is a very good source of fiber, minerals manganese, potassium, copper, and iron, as well as vitamins biotin, B1 (thiamin) and C. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Black Bean Burgers

I finally found a black bean burger recipe that I like! And a bonus - they don't fall apart! They were very simple to make and were perfect with a whole wheat bun, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. You can make these spicy by increasing the amount of chili powder and hot sauce, but I kept these ingredients to a minimum since I'm not big on spicy food.  

These were really good on a bun, but would also be great on a green salad to add some protein in place of meat.

Black Bean Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

1 can (16oz) organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 organic green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 yellow or sweet onion, cut into wedges

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 egg

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp hot sauce (I used Cholula)

3/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil baking sheet with canola oil.

2. Mash black beans in a bowl.

3. Place bell pepper, onion and garlic in food processor and finely chop. Add to mashed beans and combine.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce. Stir into bean mixture. Stir in bread crumbs.

4. Form 4 patties and place on oiled baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes per side, or until firm and fully cooked.

(Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Garlic is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Cheese is rich in calcium and protein. Choosing whole wheat buns, as opposed to white buns, provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron because they are less refined.

Vegetarian Times' Quinoa Zucchini Burgers

Vegetarian Times has a lot of really great recipes, and I have found some of my favorite quinoa recipes on their website. These quinoa burgers were great, and held together really well too. They have so many healthy ingredients in them, and the ground flax seeds mixed in are an awesome way to get omega-3s. To grind the seeds, I just pulled out my little coffee grinder. You could use a small food processor as well, but the amount of seeds may not be enough even for a small food processor. Red onion and tomato were perfect toppings to go with the flavors in these burgers. If I had had an avocado in the house, I would have tossed some of that on them too!

Vegetarian Times' Quinoa Zucchini Burger

Ingredients

2 cups organic vegetable stock

1 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 cup organic canned chickpeas

1 cup organic zucchini, grated

1/2 cup organic pumpkin seeds

5 Tbsp ground flax seeds

4 tsp fresh organic basil, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp fresh organic thyme, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil + extra for oiling baking sheet

Directions

1. Combine vegetable stock, sweet potato and quinoa in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is tender. Let cool enough to handle. 

2. Add remaining ingredients, except for olive oil, to quinoa mixture. Lightly mash chunks of chickpeas and sweet potato. Shape into 8 patties.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat olive oil in large pan and cook patties for 2 minutes per side, or until lightly golden. Place on oiled baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Serve on whole wheat buns with your favorite burger toppings.

(Recipe adapted from vegetariantimes.com - July/August 2014 issue)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin A (one cup provides over 400% of the daily value!) and are a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Garbanzo beans are packed with fiber as well as lots of great nutrients, including protein, molybdenum, manganese, folate, tryptophan, copper, phosphorous, and iron. Zucchini is a good source of  fiber and vitamins A, C and folate. Pumpkin seeds are a very good source of phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, and copper, and a good source of zinc and iron. Flax seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. Quinoa is a whole grain and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source if fiber, iron, lysine, magnesium, riboflavin and manganese. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. 

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

This is by far the best quinoa recipe I have made thus far! The filling is so good, it can be eaten all on its own if you don't have the time to bake the peppers for over an hour. This filling would even work for vegetarian tacos in a soft whole grain tortilla. Or with the right binding agent, it would be great for making quinoa cakes. These stuffed peppers were really good with some steamed broccoli on the side, but any green vegetable or tossed salad would go with these well.

The biggest change I made to the original recipe for these stuffed peppers is that I used vegetable stock for cooking liquid for the quinoa instead of water for additional flavor. I also combined some vegetable stock with the reserved liquid from the diced tomatoes for cooking liquid in the bottom of the baking pan for steaming the peppers. 

Especially with the long baking time, these stuffed peppers do take some time and prep work. I chopped all of vegetables in the morning and then made the filling in the early afternoon when I had a few minutes. Then at dinner time, all I had to do was fill the peppers and toss them in the oven. This recipe makes a lot more filling than is needed, but it can be easily frozen, or eaten on its own as leftovers the next day. 

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 ribs organic celery, finely chopped
3 organic carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-oz package organic frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove water
1 15-oz can organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained - liquid reserved
1 15-oz can organic fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz can organic black beans, drained
3/4 cup organic quinoa
3 cups organic vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups organic pepper-jack cheese, grated
4 large organic red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir in black beans, quinoa and 2 cups vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of cheese.

3. Fill each pepper half with quinoa mixture - about 3/4 cup. Place in large baking dish. Combine reserved liquid from diced tomatoes and remaining 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock. Pour into bottom of baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. 



4. Remove foil and top each pepper half with about 1 Tbsp pepper jack cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered, to melt cheese. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

(Recipe adapted from vegetariantimes.com: Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers from the Feb 2009 issue, p.66)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.  Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Celery provides vitamin K and folic acid. Grapes are a good source of vitamins C, A and K. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Spinach is packed with fiber,  vitamins K, A, C, B2, B6 and folate, and the minerals iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Canned tomato products contain more bioavailable lycopene compared with fresh tomatoes, and are high in vitamin C. Black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Quinoa is a whole grain and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source if fiber, iron, lysine, magnesium, riboflavin and manganese. Pepper jack cheese provides a great source of protein and calcium. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes with Avocado Lime Dressing

I found this recipe on a blog called Mind Body Green, and it was fantastic! The Avocado lime dressing is what drew me to this recipe, and both the dressing and the cakes tasted really good, and went together perfectly. I have had trouble keeping quinoa cakes to hold together in the past, but these ones held together much better, due to the mashed sweet potatoes acting as a good binding agent.    I decreased the amount of crushed red pepper from the original recipe, and there was just enough heat for me. If you like more kick, add more crushed red pepper. I will say that the "dressing" is really more of a whipped "topping" because it is pretty thick, but if you used less avocado or increased the amount of tahini and lime juice, it would be thinner. We had these along with a mixed raw vegetable green salad for a complete balanced meal. Definitely a keeper!

Sweet  Potato Quinoa Cakes

Ingredients

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, baked and skinned

2 cups organic quinoa, cooked

2 green onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place sweet potatoes in in large mixing bowl and mash with fork or potato masher. Add remaining ingredients, except for olive oil, and mix until evenly combined.

3. Using hands, shape mixture into patties and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of cakes with olive oil. Bake for 12 minutes, or until cooked through.

4. Remove from pan and top with avocado lime dressing (below).

Avocado Lime Dressing

Ingredients

1 avocado, peeled and pitted

1 Tbsp tahini

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp fresh organic cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1/2 of a lime

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth.

(Recipes adapted from www.mindbodygreen.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin A (one cup provides over 400% of the daily value!) and are a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Quinoa is a whole grain and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source if fiber, iron, lysine, magnesium, riboflavin and manganese. Green onions are rich in vitamins A, C and K. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Tahini, made from sesame seeds, is a good source of protein, and provides some calcium and B vitamins. Cilantro is a very good source of vitamins A, C and K. Lime juice is packed with vitamin C.

Crock Pot Minestrone

After eating meat-containing (but very good) dinners all weekend, a healthy vegetarian meal was in order last night for a Meatless Monday. This soup was easy, since the crock pot did all the work for me, and tasted great. I loved the flavors of the swiss chard and yellow squash in it. I also made a big mixed green salad with lots of fresh vegetables to go along with it. There were lots of leftovers, so there was plenty for a healthy lunch today. This made quite a bit of soup, so I will be freezing some for an easy dinner in the future!

Crock Pot Minestrone

Ingredients

4 large stalks organic swiss chard
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cups organic vegetable broth
29 ounces canned organic diced tomatoes, undrained
16oz can organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15oz can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 organic yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 organic yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 organic carrot, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups whole wheat rotini pasta, uncooked

Directions

1. Remove stems from swiss chard and chop separately from leaves. In medium sized pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and swiss chard stalks and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients, except for swiss chard leaves and pasta, to slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Add pasta and chopped swiss chard leaves and cook for another 20-25 minutes on low, or until pasta is tender.

(Recipe adapted from April/May 2014 issues of Taste of Home Magazine)

What are the nutritional benefits of this soup? Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of minerals calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.  Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Canned tomato products contain more bioavailable lycopene compared with fresh tomatoes, and are high in vitamin C.Kidney beans provide lots of protein, folate, fiber, and iron. Garbanzo beans are packed with fiber as well as lots of great nutrients, including protein, molybdenum, manganese, folate, tryptophan, copper, phosphorous, and iron. Yellow squash is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, iron, folate, beta-carotene, and lutein. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Compared to white pasta, whole wheat pasta provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. 

Fresh Veggie Pita

This is my version of one of my favorite meals from a restaurant called Yours Truly in my hometown of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. It is a really healthy lunch or dinner and an easy and delicious way to get in some fresh leafy greens. When I was working full time before my son was born, I used to make these stuffed pitas for my husband and myself to take for lunch. It takes just a few minutes to get them all stuffed and toss some dressing in a little to-go container. To add some protein to these, I will sometimes add some cheese or hummus to them.  The original version from Yours Truly uses Muenster cheese. For dinner at home, these are great on their own or alongside a bowl of soup.  It's not warm out quite yet, but this is a really nice quick and healthy meal on a hot summer day!

Fresh Veggie Pita

Ingredients

1 whole wheat pita
2 cups fresh organic spinach leaves
1/4 fresh avocado, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 fresh organic cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 fresh organic tomato, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp fresh balsamic vinaigrette, or your favorite dressing

Directions

1. Cut pita in half so you have 2 "pockets." Place avocado and cucumbers in bottom of each half, then stuff with spinach. Place tomatoes on top of spinach. 

2. Serve with dressing on the side, for dipping.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Compared to white pitas, whole wheat pitas provide more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. Spinach is packed with fiber,  vitamins K, A, C, B2, B6 and folate, and the minerals iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Cucumbers are an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of vitamin C. Tomatoes are high in fiber, lycopene and vitamin C.

Mushroom & Onion Whole Wheat Pizza

Making a homemade pizza is a really great way to use up vegetables that are just sitting in your fridge that would otherwise go bad. When I opened my fridge this time, I had some red onion and mushrooms that needed to be used up, so onto our pizza they went! I had some of this whole wheat pizza dough in the freezer already, and I find that if the dough has been frozen, it actually rises again as it thaws, and is much easier to roll out, as compared to when I have just freshly made the dough. I have found some really good canned organic pizza sauces, and some brands, such as Muir Glen, use BPA-free cans. Canned and jarred tomato products provide more bioavailable lycopene, as compared to fresh tomatoes, which is great. But just beware of what brand you are buying so that you can be sure that it is not in a canned lined with BPA. Here is a link for a list of companies whose cans are BPA-free: 

http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-canned-food-brands/

Mushroom & Onion Whole Wheat Pizza

Ingredients

Whole wheat pizza crust (use 1/3 of dough and freeze the rest)
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
6oz fresh cremini mushrooms
1 cup organic pizza sauce (I used Muir Glen because their cans are BPA-free)
1 1/2 cups organic mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Grease rectangular cookie sheet with olive oil and roll out pizza dough until thin and in rectangle shape. Place dough on top of cookie sheet and remove excess dough around edges of pan with a knife.

2. Place pizza dough in preheated oven and bake for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and top with pizza sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and place vegetables on top. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Whole wheat flour is less refined than all purpose flour so provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. Canned tomato products contain more bioavailable lycopene compared with fresh tomatoes, and are high in vitamin C. Red onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Mushrooms  are an excellent source of minerals selenium and potassium as well vitamins riboflavin, and niacin, and are the only item you will find in the produce section that supplies some vitamin D!  Mozzarella cheese provides lots of protein and calcium.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

I like a good lasagna, and I tend to always make the usual traditional lasagna with ground grassed beef and cheese. This time, I wanted to try to re-create a roasted vegetable lasagna that was made for us by a friend when our son was born. I didn't have a recipe, so I loosely followed one I found on the Taste of Home website, and it turned out really great! We ended up freezing most of this because we knew we wouldn't have any opportunities to eat leftovers in the following days, so we have a future dinner or two waiting for us in the freezer!

To save some time, you can roast the vegetables ahead of time and toss them in the fridge until you are ready to assemble your lasagna.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Makes ~9 servings

Ingredients

1 medium-sized organic eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices

8 oz fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 small organic zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices lengthwise

2 organic red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch slices lengthwise

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

15oz organic ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated organic parmesan cheese

1 organic free-range egg

26oz jar organic marinara sauce

12 lasagna noodles

8oz organic mozzarella cheese, shredded

3 Tbsp fresh organic basil, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2 baking pans with olive oil. Place eggplant and mushrooms in a mixing bowl, and zucchini and red peppers in another mixing bowl. Combine olive oil and garlic powder and pour half of mixture in each bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix until vegetables are evenly coated. Place eggplant and mushrooms on one baking pan, and zucchini and red peppers on the other. 

2. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, turning vegetables over halfway through. Remove eggplant and mushrooms. Roast zucchini and peppers for an additional 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles as directed on package.

3. In small mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan and egg. Mix until evenly combined. 

4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

5. Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with 4 lasagna noodles, followed by half of ricotta cheese mixture, half of vegetables, a third of remaining marinara sauce, and a third of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with half of fresh basil. Repeat layers and top with remaining 4 noodles, pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese.

6. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

(Recipe adapted from tasteofhome.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal?  Eggplant provides fiber, B vitamins and folate. Mushrooms  are an excellent source of minerals selenium and potassium as well vitamins riboflavin, and niacin, and are the only item you will find in the produce section that supplies some vitamin D! zucchini is a good source of  fiber and vitamins A, C and folate. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses are all excellent sources of protein and calcium. Jarred tomato products contain more bioavailable lycopene compared with fresh tomatoes, and are high in vitamin C.

Spinach & Zucchini Frittatas

Ted's mom got us a book called Feed Zone Portables for Christmas - a book of recipes for portable "real" food to use for fuel during endurance exercise, as opposed to pre-packaged shakes, bars, gels, etc. This book has some really great looking recipes in it, and has a section in the beginning of the book that provides in-depth explanation of what the body needs for fueling activity and how the body uses nutrients, specifically from food versus supplements.  If you are an athlete, this book is a great resource to pick up.

Here is the first recipe I made out of Feed Zone Portables - spinach & zucchini frittatas. I made them for dinner at home, but they would also make a nice breakfast on the go. Ted heated up a leftover frittata the morning after for breakfast and he said it still tasted really good. 

Spinach & Zucchini Frittatas

Makes ~6 frittatas

Ingredients

2 cups zucchini, sliced into small "matchsticks" (about 1 whole large zucchini)
1 cup fresh organic spinach leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 organic free range eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups day-old multigrain bread, cubed with crusts removed
(I just let bread sit out for a few hours to "stale" a bit)
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add zucchini and spinach and cook until zucchini is tender.

3. In medium mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add bread, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Fold in zucchini and spinach.

4. Lightly oil muffin tin (6 forms) and fill with egg mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, or until centers are firm.

(Recipe adapted from Feed Zone Portables: A Cookbook of On-The-Go Food for Athletes by Biju Thomas & Allen Lim)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Eggs are an excellent source of high quality protein, and are also one of the best food sources of choline. Spinach is packed with fiber,  vitamins K, A, C, B2, B6 and folate, and the minerals iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Zucchini is a good source of fiber and vitamins A, C and folate. Multigrain bread is high in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, magnesium, copper, iron, and B vitamins.

Potato & Pea Soup

Here is another delicious and healthy soup with a creamy consistency that is completely dairy free! This is the first time I have made a recipe out of our Vitamix cookbook, and it was really great.  And the best part, aside from the soup tasting really good, is that there are not very many ingredients in it, and I had everything in the house already to make it. This was a really nice hot soup to have on a cold winter day. We ate it with some fresh egg salad sandwiches on toasted multigrain bread and some raw carrots - quick and easy for a weeknight!

Potato & Pea Soup

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
4 organic russet potatoes, quartered, with skin
1 cup frozen sweet peas
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4-inch piece lemon peel

Directions

1. Place potatoes, peas, onion, and 4 cups chicken stock in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Place cooked ingredients, remaining chicken stock and lemon peel in blender and blend until smooth.

(Recipe adapted from Vitamix: Create Recipes cookbook)

What are the nutritional benefits of this soup? Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Peas are high in vitamins A, C and K, as well as B vitamins, and are also high in fiber. Onions are rich in quercetin (a type of antioxidant) and vitamin C.