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Dr. Charmaine’s 16-layer VEGGIE LASAGNA

Dr. Charmaine’s     16 layer VEGGIE LASAGNA

I roast a variety of veggies…..onions, broccoli, cauliflower, yellow and green squash,
Mushrooms  and whatever else you can find.
  1. Layer sauce, veggies, cheese, noodles, rinsed, canned cannelloni beans and Italian seasoning, salt and pepper whichever way rocks your boat until you have as many as 16 layers or as few as you want to have.
  2. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes till nice and bubbly.
I have even been known to substitute sliced potatoes for noodles…also very yummy.    Young kids may love the idea of trying to see how many veggies etc you put in the dish.
lasagna

 

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER or BROCCOLI

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER or BROCCOLI serves 4
The new veggie candy…roasting creates magic!!!!!

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head cauliflower /2 good stalks of broccoli  (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide florets (8 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

 Directions

  1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Toss cauliflower/broccoli with oil and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep)
  4. Roast, stirring and turning over occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.roasted cauliflower

 

Asparagus Risotto

Prep time: 10 minutesAsparagus risotto
Cook time: 35 minutes
 Yield: Serves 2-3 as a main course, or 4 as a side

Ingredients

  • About 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallots
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 3 Tbsp water)
  • 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed, tips cut off, tough skins of the spears peeled (if working with thick apparatus spears), and the spears cut into thin disks
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Heat the stock in a small saucepan until it comes to a low simmer.
  2. In a separate 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or two, until translucent. Add the arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.
  3. Add the white wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of hot stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  4. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20-25 minutes. With the last ladle of stock, add the asparagus. Turn off the heat.

Note the stock amount given is approximate. You may need a little more or less. If you end up needing more stock and you find yourself without, just use water.

     5.Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

NEW SEASON ASPARAGUS AND PEAS RISOTTO

aspargusServes 4-6

  • 6 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, stalks cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 1 cup fresh/thawed frozen peas
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish
  • 2TBS fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  1. Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in another saucepan. Cook onion, stirring frequently, until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add rice, cook, stirring, until edges are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring, just until evaporated.
  3. Add 1/2 cup hot stock; cook, stirring, until almost absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup stock in this manner until liquid is creamy and rice is al dente, about 20 minutes total (you may not need to add all the stock). Add asparagus with the last addition of stock, and the peas about 5 minute before risotto is done if using fresh or 1 min for frozen.
  4. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice, parsley, cheese, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional cheese and lemon zest.

SPICY ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

I LOVE BRUSSELS SPROUTS ….DR. C

brussels sproutsToss together cleaned and sliced in half Brussels Sprouts (about 1 ½ lbs) with 2 Tbs  Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/4c white wine vinegar,1/4c honey and 4 Tbs Sriracha sauce (more if you like spicy).

Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spread on a tray…… cut sides down and pour any leftover sauce over the top.

Roast till golden about 20 -30 minutes

Thanks to Sonia M for this recipe.

Traditional Eating: Spring Butter

Spring is coming and soon it’ll be the time to get one of the healthiest foods on the planet: spring butter. In some cultures, it is considered sacred.

 spring butterWhat is spring butter?

Spring butter is different from regular butter because the cows in the spring cow eat new growing grass filled with healthy growth enzymes full of lots of minerals and vitamins. The butter looks different – golden yellow as opposed to pale yellow or the straw colored you see in the supermarket. It also tastes much better.

 Where can you get it?

Ideally you get it from a local farm where the cows spend their days in the fields eating the various plants that they are attracted to. The cows’ milk is rich in butterfat and the butter is a nutrient dense “superfood.”

Don’t live near a farm? It would be worth traveling to one; the butter can stay in your freezer all year.

 

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 large red pepper, chopped, seeds removed
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups red enchilada sauce
9-10 small corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until vegetables are coated. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove vegetables from oven and let cool to room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease an 8×8 square baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine roasted vegetables, black beans, cumin, chili powder, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Stir and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortillas, to completely cover the bottom of the pan. You might have to cut the tortillas to make them fit. Top with 1/3 of the vegetable/bean mixture and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, enchilada sauce, vegetables/beans, and cheese. Top with a layer of tortillas, enchilada sauce, vegetables/beans, and cheese. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the pan.
  4. Bake enchiladas for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the enchiladas are bubbling. Remove enchiladas from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm.

30-Minute Quinoa Enchilada Skillet…..very yummy

recipes for quinoaThis entire quinoa skillet dish is cooked from start to finish in 30 minutes, all in ONE pot! It’s a healthy, nutritious & flavorful family-friendly dish!

Related: Quinoa: Health Benefits, Nutritional Profile

 Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce
  • 1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
  • ½ cup corn kernels
  • 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 ¼ cup shredded cheese
  • Optional toppings: avocados, sour cream/greek yogurt on top, parsley for garnish

Directions

  1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a lid, heat 1 tablespoon of oil (I used coconut oil, you can use the oil of your choice) over medium heat and add the sweet potato and garlic, stirring together with the oil to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring and watching the garlic so it doesn’t burn.
  2. Add the quinoa, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, ground cumin, paprika and chili powder and stir to combine.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature to a simmer, cover, and continue to simmer to 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the quinoa and the quinoa has popped and begins to look fluffy.
  4. Add the enchilada sauce, black beans, corn kernels, and diced tomatoes. Stir in and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.
  5. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dish and cover the skillet so that the cheese melts.
  6. Serve with optional garnishes such as parsley, avocados and sour cream/greek yogurt on top. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. This dish freezes well, but I would not add the cheese if I was freezing. After thawing, add the cheese when reheating the dish.
    2. This dish tastes even better as leftovers!
    3. Feel free to add in your own ingredients. You can add diced bell peppers, onions, anything in your fridge you need to finish!

Make it and tell us how you liked it! Post pictures too!

Sweet Potato Lentil Chili

sweet potatoes

    Makes one large pot (5 quarts) — serves about 8 to 10

Ingredients

  • 1 32oz container veggie broth
  • 1.5 C water
  •  3 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 16oz package dried lentils, rinsed
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  •  2 sweet potatoes, cubed
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 green pepper, sliced
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • Huge handful kale/spinach
  • 2 Tbsp cumin
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • Hot sauce (optional — to taste

Directions

  1. Place the veggie broth, water, diced tomatoes, and rinsed lentils into a large pot Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes (to soften the lentils) while you’re chopping the garlic, carrots, sweet potatoes, celery, and green pepper.
  2. Throw the garlic, kale, carrots, and sweet potato into the simmering pot, followed about 5 minutes later by the celery and green pepper and your spices. The room will now proceed to smell awesome.
  3. Let the mixture continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until it reaches the level of cooked consistency you prefer. This shouldn’t take long (maybe 10 to 15 minutes more) — just make sure the carrots, sweet potatoes, and lentils are soft.

Do you have a favorite lentil soup recipe? Share it below!

Crispy Seasoned Cauliflower

cauliflower

Serves 2-4

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets, stem cut into small pieces
  • 2 Tbsp potato starch
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder or paprika
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, optional
  • 1 Tbsp neutral, high heat oil of choice (avocado, sunflower, grape seed, canola, etc)
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle tablespoon of oil over metal baking sheet.  Spread cauliflower over sheet, toss in oil, and sprinkle with remaining ingredients, potato starch through chili powder/paprika. Make sure cauliflower is in an even layer with as much space between pieces as possible. If needed divide between two sheets.
  2. Bake for 20-30 minutes, tossing once about halfway through. When crispy and golden brown it is done. Serve by itself, over rice, pasta, with potatoes, or as a filling for tacos, burritos, wraps, etc. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, tahini dressing, if desired.
  3. Enjoy!

Tell us if you’ve made this recipe and how you liked it!