This was a casserole I made that was so good I had to share it. I made it with the intention that we could eat on it all week and we polished it off in two days. You can do this three ways, one for meat eater, one for vegetarians and one for vegans.
Italian vegetable "lazagna" casserole
Vegetable layers
1 medium eggplant washed and sliced very thin (about 1/8" with skin).
Slice these first and set in a tub of salted water while prepping
the rest of the dish
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 lb package baby portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 Zucchini squash sliced into 1/4' slices
1 small onion (about 1/2 cup chopped fine)
1 handful of fresh basil
1/2 lb spinach, washed with stems removed. Leave whole.
1 tsbp olive oil
Filling
Vegetarian version (this is the version I made):
1 can white canelli beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint ricotta cheese
2 tbsp milk or cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
For the Vegan version
substitute the ricotta cheese and milk for pureed cauliflower
Sauce
1 large can tomatoe sauce
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 375
Make this in a 9X12 covered baking dish that is 4" deep
If you have no cover, aluminum foil will do.
For the filling:
If you are making this with cauliflower, Chop the cauliflower fine and boil in water until soft. Drain, but reserve about 2 tbsp or so of the water to use instead of cream.
Put all filling ingredients in the blender and blend until very smooth. This should be thick like a pudding.
For the tomatoe sauce:
Empty the tomatoe sauce into a bowl, add the seasonings and stir to blend.
For the dish:
Rub bottom and sides of baking dish with olive oil
Arrange spinach leaves to cover the bottom of the dish
Sprinkle on onion
Arrange one layer of eggplant, followed by one layer of zucchini.
Arrange layer of red bell pepper
Layer on all of the filling to form a solid layer
Layer on 1/2 of tomatoe sauce mixture
Add 1 layer of basil, try to cover entire dish with basil
Add the remaining eggplant and zucchini
Add chopped mushrooms
Finish with remaining tomato sauce.
Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese if desired, or nutritional yeast.
Cover and back for 50 minutes.
Serve with salad and garlic bread.
For the meat version
Add 1lb each of cooked italian sausage before the first layer of eggplant and 1 1lb cooked ground beef before the second layer of eggplant.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Do you read tags?
There are tags and labels on everything these days.
Do you still have the tags on your pillows? The ones that say it is illegal to remove the tags unless you are the consumer? What do you thing of those stickers they put on your produce? I usually end up cutting them off because I can't remove them otherwise. When I do, I can see the glue where the sticker was.
What about electric cords? There are so many warning labels and tags on Christmas lights that we have come to see the silvery labels as "bonus Christmas decor".
Then I looked at the warning on the visor in my car about airbags. Man those things can kill a child in the front seat. No calling dibbs on the passenger seat anymore.
Warnings on food wrappers, cans, beverages, alcohol. They are all there. We see them every day.
When is the last time you read one?
I have a waterpick that I got from my Dentist some time in November. I read the instructions, used it daily. I had to unplug it recently and went I plugged it in again, I read the label.
This cord is coated with LEAD. Lead has been shown to cause illness and birth defects. Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
Oh and this... made in China.
Later in the day I read where a product called brown rice syrup (supposedly a healthier alternative to corn syrup) has 5 times the amount of arsenic than the FDA will allow in our water. Arsenic never leaves your system. It just accumulates. The FDA has to allow arsenic in the water or we would not be able to drink it.
Yet again, the same day, I read where some turkey jerkey dog snacks (from China)caused several dogs to die from liver failure just hours after eating the treats.
I remembered when my grandson had on pj's so tight he could barely breathe. The label said, not fire retardant. Clothing meant to fit tight to reduce hazard. So rather than make the product fire safe, my grandson has to sleep in over tight pjs?
I could launch into how unfair it is that other countries can import unsafe products into our country. People or animals have to die before we notice or do anything about it. I could say it is unfair that the USA has to adhere to much higher standards which makes it difficult to compete with other countries. Well I DO think it is appauling that we let countires import their poison into our country and we take it because we want the cheaper product. We are literally destroying our own country by continuing to support foreign countries and not our own people. I am glad we have the standards, or we would start producing products like China all in the name of the greenbacks.
Ok, off the soap box. What the heck do we do?
Well for starters, i am going to wash my hands after using my waterpik.
I am going to read labels better and go for the more expensive product if there is an unacceptable warning label on the cheaper one. For that matter, I am going to make sure that at least 1 in 5 things I buy are made in the USA. I know I can't buy exclusively items made in the USA. For one I am in the market for a flat screen and none are made in the USA!
I will pay more attention to those annoying labels and tags and take heed. I will start readin about the ingredients in food and be wary when I can't pronounce it or know what it is.
I read the labels on some beans when I was at the store today. One can had about 15 products that I could not pronounce. The other said "beans, water, salt". I bought those.
I am going to pay attention to the little stickers on the produce. That is not necessarily a good thing. We know that California has had their share of E Coli in produce the last few months. Lets not forget the Catalope fiasco. However I am going to be more prudent about washing produce before cutting. I bought some vegetable spray just for cleaning vegetables. I bough a colander that sits in a bowl. I can give my herbs a bath then let them drain several times.
As for the pets, I plan to find some recipes and learn to make my own dog treats.
There is a product called Charcoal that one can take to reduce the heavy metals and poisons in the body. The amount to take for a few weeks is about 5 times the recommended dosage. I don't recommend this for pets because I really don't know if it is safe. However if my dog turned ill with liver failure, I might give it a shot.
Do you still have the tags on your pillows? The ones that say it is illegal to remove the tags unless you are the consumer? What do you thing of those stickers they put on your produce? I usually end up cutting them off because I can't remove them otherwise. When I do, I can see the glue where the sticker was.
What about electric cords? There are so many warning labels and tags on Christmas lights that we have come to see the silvery labels as "bonus Christmas decor".
Then I looked at the warning on the visor in my car about airbags. Man those things can kill a child in the front seat. No calling dibbs on the passenger seat anymore.
Warnings on food wrappers, cans, beverages, alcohol. They are all there. We see them every day.
When is the last time you read one?
I have a waterpick that I got from my Dentist some time in November. I read the instructions, used it daily. I had to unplug it recently and went I plugged it in again, I read the label.
This cord is coated with LEAD. Lead has been shown to cause illness and birth defects. Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
Oh and this... made in China.
Later in the day I read where a product called brown rice syrup (supposedly a healthier alternative to corn syrup) has 5 times the amount of arsenic than the FDA will allow in our water. Arsenic never leaves your system. It just accumulates. The FDA has to allow arsenic in the water or we would not be able to drink it.
Yet again, the same day, I read where some turkey jerkey dog snacks (from China)caused several dogs to die from liver failure just hours after eating the treats.
I remembered when my grandson had on pj's so tight he could barely breathe. The label said, not fire retardant. Clothing meant to fit tight to reduce hazard. So rather than make the product fire safe, my grandson has to sleep in over tight pjs?
I could launch into how unfair it is that other countries can import unsafe products into our country. People or animals have to die before we notice or do anything about it. I could say it is unfair that the USA has to adhere to much higher standards which makes it difficult to compete with other countries. Well I DO think it is appauling that we let countires import their poison into our country and we take it because we want the cheaper product. We are literally destroying our own country by continuing to support foreign countries and not our own people. I am glad we have the standards, or we would start producing products like China all in the name of the greenbacks.
Ok, off the soap box. What the heck do we do?
Well for starters, i am going to wash my hands after using my waterpik.
I am going to read labels better and go for the more expensive product if there is an unacceptable warning label on the cheaper one. For that matter, I am going to make sure that at least 1 in 5 things I buy are made in the USA. I know I can't buy exclusively items made in the USA. For one I am in the market for a flat screen and none are made in the USA!
I will pay more attention to those annoying labels and tags and take heed. I will start readin about the ingredients in food and be wary when I can't pronounce it or know what it is.
I read the labels on some beans when I was at the store today. One can had about 15 products that I could not pronounce. The other said "beans, water, salt". I bought those.
I am going to pay attention to the little stickers on the produce. That is not necessarily a good thing. We know that California has had their share of E Coli in produce the last few months. Lets not forget the Catalope fiasco. However I am going to be more prudent about washing produce before cutting. I bought some vegetable spray just for cleaning vegetables. I bough a colander that sits in a bowl. I can give my herbs a bath then let them drain several times.
As for the pets, I plan to find some recipes and learn to make my own dog treats.
There is a product called Charcoal that one can take to reduce the heavy metals and poisons in the body. The amount to take for a few weeks is about 5 times the recommended dosage. I don't recommend this for pets because I really don't know if it is safe. However if my dog turned ill with liver failure, I might give it a shot.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Revelation and Resolutions
My brother and son have both been living with us for the last few months. We let this derail us considerably. Our predominately vegan diet is somewhat time consuming as I will use my Sunday to prepare flax crackers, salads, beans, soups and the like for the week. We don't have much time during the week as we get home from work just a few hours before we need to retire for the next day. We now spend that time preparing meals and cleaning the kitchen. I have no time on Sunday to prepare things ahead for more than a day or two I suppose all of this sounds familiar to everyone as it is likely the norm for a family. However Harry and I are often content to come home and eat a can of beans with some fresh tomatoes and onions for dinner. I can't expect my brother and son to eat like that. They are truckers and used to more hearty fare.
My truckers finally went out on a run and we had three days to think about things. We have both gained back all the weight we lost, Harry doesn't feel well and I have constant headaches. Now that my headaches are on the road, we decided to renew our diet and continue it even when they are here. When they return, they are going to be surprised to find a diet of 95% fruits and vegetables, mostly raw. Why? Outside of us both wanting to resume getting our health back, my truckers both found they have high blood pressure. My brother actually went to the VA hospital to get his blood pressure checked out and they admitted him because it was so high. 170 over 105. Before I went on the detox diet, mine reached 200/100. Now it is mostly normal but sometimes it registers pre-hypertension. No telling what their cholesterol is.
Well this revelation frightened my brother. Having high blood pressure or even taking medication for it could affect his job. This made my son take notice as his high blood pressure was almost as high as my brothers. Before now, my son didn't pay any attention to his blood pressure much less know the risks.
My son also ratted on my brother and told me that every meal my brother eats on the road is at McDonalds! Every meal! I need to find the movie "Super Size Me" for him to watch. He explained that stopping on the road cost time and money.In addition, McDonalds is cheap while truck stop meals open run $15 to $20. Well now more than ever, both of these guys need to be on our diet. So be it.
I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas. What a wonderful device. Well I found a book call EAT TO LIVE by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. This has been a good read and I learned a few things. For example, even lean animal protein contributes to high cholesterol, even more so than saturated fat. Another that just bought me some time is that vegetables, especially lettuce and greens have protein! I don't need to create a protien combination with every meal, the vegetables are sufficient! I may have to supplement B12, but I should get all of my protein, carbohydrates and fats from vegetables and fruits! I have not finished reading the book and I'm already putting it to good use. You can read more about his program at http://www.drfuhrman.com/default.aspx. Dr. Fuhran recommends eating two HUGE salads a day making salad the mainstay of the diet. And while this is not a diet but a lifestyle change, weight loss will come quite naturally with it.
So our New Year's resolution, 15 days late, is to make the lifestyle change as though there is no choice. It should be much easier now that I know I can grab a bag of pre-made salad for a quick meal when I don't have time. I am not a slave to the extensive food prep anymore. For the record, my husband is back up to 230 and I weigh 205. I am excited to start seeing weight loss again but I am also looking forward to regaining our energy and health. The added benefit of course is lowering our chances of getting cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia and a myriad of other life threatening diseases.
Until next time.
My truckers finally went out on a run and we had three days to think about things. We have both gained back all the weight we lost, Harry doesn't feel well and I have constant headaches. Now that my headaches are on the road, we decided to renew our diet and continue it even when they are here. When they return, they are going to be surprised to find a diet of 95% fruits and vegetables, mostly raw. Why? Outside of us both wanting to resume getting our health back, my truckers both found they have high blood pressure. My brother actually went to the VA hospital to get his blood pressure checked out and they admitted him because it was so high. 170 over 105. Before I went on the detox diet, mine reached 200/100. Now it is mostly normal but sometimes it registers pre-hypertension. No telling what their cholesterol is.
Well this revelation frightened my brother. Having high blood pressure or even taking medication for it could affect his job. This made my son take notice as his high blood pressure was almost as high as my brothers. Before now, my son didn't pay any attention to his blood pressure much less know the risks.
My son also ratted on my brother and told me that every meal my brother eats on the road is at McDonalds! Every meal! I need to find the movie "Super Size Me" for him to watch. He explained that stopping on the road cost time and money.In addition, McDonalds is cheap while truck stop meals open run $15 to $20. Well now more than ever, both of these guys need to be on our diet. So be it.
I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas. What a wonderful device. Well I found a book call EAT TO LIVE by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. This has been a good read and I learned a few things. For example, even lean animal protein contributes to high cholesterol, even more so than saturated fat. Another that just bought me some time is that vegetables, especially lettuce and greens have protein! I don't need to create a protien combination with every meal, the vegetables are sufficient! I may have to supplement B12, but I should get all of my protein, carbohydrates and fats from vegetables and fruits! I have not finished reading the book and I'm already putting it to good use. You can read more about his program at http://www.drfuhrman.com/default.aspx. Dr. Fuhran recommends eating two HUGE salads a day making salad the mainstay of the diet. And while this is not a diet but a lifestyle change, weight loss will come quite naturally with it.
So our New Year's resolution, 15 days late, is to make the lifestyle change as though there is no choice. It should be much easier now that I know I can grab a bag of pre-made salad for a quick meal when I don't have time. I am not a slave to the extensive food prep anymore. For the record, my husband is back up to 230 and I weigh 205. I am excited to start seeing weight loss again but I am also looking forward to regaining our energy and health. The added benefit of course is lowering our chances of getting cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia and a myriad of other life threatening diseases.
Until next time.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy new Year
I am ashamed to say I have not written since October 18th. Part of my New Year's resolution is to not let that happen again. I will at the very least post once a week.
In October, I suddenly had a rush of house guests. Since then I have had anywhere from 1 to 9 persons in my home at one time. Needless to say, our program was completely derailed. It is impossible to plan meals when I don't even know how many to cook for and I am working a full time job. Just before this happened, I had some wonderful soups already made that simply went to waste. Servings for two just can't stretch that far.
Of course Thanksgiving and Christmas were in the middle of this. I still made all of our favorites and the detox program seemed like a far away dream.
My trucker stayed on her program about a month then simply stopped without a word. Her world was turned upside down as the employment situation changed for her husband, my son and house guest. She was suddenly driving a truck alone and did not have the option to have someone circle the grocery store while she opted for healthier fare than the truck stops had to offer. She is looking for local work now and I think that will offer her a life where she has more control over the situation.
It is a crying shame in this country that it is exceptionally easy to get something eat that is full of grease and toxins and totally devoid of any nutritional value but it takes time and planning to eat right.
Vegetables,fruits, nuts and grains are generally cheaper than meats and cheeses but the later is expected at every meal in one form or another. You can't go through a drive through and get steamed veggies in a cup. At least we have our brewers yeast shakes and our Juice Plus supplements.
So should my guests continue to stay, they will learn how to prepare vegetables for the tagine or put together some salads or soups. We can really tell a difference when we eat that way and it is our resolution to get back to it.
I will start posting again on a regular basis with a progress report.
Here is to a prosperous and healthy new year.
In October, I suddenly had a rush of house guests. Since then I have had anywhere from 1 to 9 persons in my home at one time. Needless to say, our program was completely derailed. It is impossible to plan meals when I don't even know how many to cook for and I am working a full time job. Just before this happened, I had some wonderful soups already made that simply went to waste. Servings for two just can't stretch that far.
Of course Thanksgiving and Christmas were in the middle of this. I still made all of our favorites and the detox program seemed like a far away dream.
My trucker stayed on her program about a month then simply stopped without a word. Her world was turned upside down as the employment situation changed for her husband, my son and house guest. She was suddenly driving a truck alone and did not have the option to have someone circle the grocery store while she opted for healthier fare than the truck stops had to offer. She is looking for local work now and I think that will offer her a life where she has more control over the situation.
It is a crying shame in this country that it is exceptionally easy to get something eat that is full of grease and toxins and totally devoid of any nutritional value but it takes time and planning to eat right.
Vegetables,fruits, nuts and grains are generally cheaper than meats and cheeses but the later is expected at every meal in one form or another. You can't go through a drive through and get steamed veggies in a cup. At least we have our brewers yeast shakes and our Juice Plus supplements.
So should my guests continue to stay, they will learn how to prepare vegetables for the tagine or put together some salads or soups. We can really tell a difference when we eat that way and it is our resolution to get back to it.
I will start posting again on a regular basis with a progress report.
Here is to a prosperous and healthy new year.
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