"When the lasagna content in my body gets low, I get mean." - Garfield

Garfield is one correct feline...who doesn't like his empty fuel gauge for lasagan to deplete. In freezing, winter days...when I need that warm, comfort, cheesy, filling food...I must agree that I feel the exact same way.

Like I had mentioned in my earlier posts, I gave up meat for February...which means I am only eating any kind of seafood and trying to concentrate on filling my diet with more vegetables, fruits and whole grains, etc. Sometimes humans put too much focus on meat...yes protein is a vital source for our bodies but people have been overdoing the amount of meat they are putting into their bodies. Red meat is especially a source of protein that should be carefully eaten, red meat is an excellent source of iron and protein but you want to be informed of where this meat is coming from. Stay away from ground meat unless you know it is organic, the best red meats are the leaner ones like filets or strips..the less fat, the better for you. I know guys that means try not to eat so many ribeyes, even though they taste delicious with all that fat rendering into your meat.

Also be wary of other sources of meat, pork, chicken, etc do your homework and find the best meat for your family. Shopping at a local farmer's market is a great way to find healthy, hormone-free meat, also shopping in the organic isle is helpful as well. Unfortunately, FDA does not require that all manufacturers for meat and several other foods tell us exactly what is going into our food. Hopefully this will change, til then the best you can do is shop organically and do your research.

Getting back to my lasagna post... last night I was cold, hungry and craving some cheesy goodness. I decided to whip up some lasagna. Since I have given up meat, I incorporated a few veggies: spinach, eggplant, onions, red peppers, green peppers and yellow peppers.

Lasagna Primavera
1/2 box of whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/2 eggplant
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1/2 large yellow onion

1 jar of tomato basil pasta sauce
2 cloves garlic
bechamel sauce (see recipe below)
1/2 cup havarti jalapeno cheese (can be mozzarella)
1/4 cup colby jack cheese (any cheese you want)
1/3 cup asiago cheese (again any parmesan or romano cheese)
1 can pumpkin
1 egg
1 cup chopped spinach
salt
pepper

Bechamel Sauce
4 Tbsp flour
5 Tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Start off your lasagna by chopping up your onions, peppers and garlic, saute them on medium heat with olive oil. Meanwhile, slice your egg plant and saute them in a separate pan until they are tender. Start boiling your water for your lasagna noodles. Then in another sauce pan, start melting your butter  with the bay leaf for the bechamel sauce...once the butter has melted completey spoon in a tablespoon at a time of the flour, whisk mixture together. Once all the flour has been added to the butter add a cup at a time of the warm milk, continue to whisk. Bring the sauce to boil then lower heat, as you continually whisk. Eventually the sauce will thicken up, add the nutmeg and set sauce aside until ready to use.

Once the water is boiling, add lasagna noodles with a drizzle of olive oil to avoid the noodles sticking together. Once the onions and peppers are tender, add the pasta sauce. In another separate bowl empty can of pumpkin and crack an egg inside, stir mixture together. Slice/grate your cheeses (I used what was in the fridge) and be ready to assemble your lasagna. Use an 9x11 pan and put pasta sauce down first, then top with lasagna noodles, pumpkin puree, bechamel sauce, eggplant, spinach, cheese and then repeat until you've filled your casserole dish to the top. Finish with tomato sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until all the layers have merried together. Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe will be perfect for feeding a large group of people, for any family gathering, holiday or just a cold, wintery day. This lasagna is loaded with healthy carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, calcium, iron and Vitamin E.

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Let's Thai this together!

I love Thai food! Some people may think that different culture's food is hard to make but it isn't. Don't know what to do with your leftover pasta, peanut butter, chicken and soy sauce? I've got the answer for you...a Thai feast.

Thai Chicken and Noodles with Peanut Sauce

1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti noodles (or whatever noodles you have)
6 cutlets of chicken (whatever chicken or turkey you have)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
green onion (for garnish)
peanuts (for garnish)

First thing you need to do is put a pot of water on the stove for the noodles. In the meantime, chop up the yellow onion and garlic, put that into a saute pan with a bit of olive oil. Once the onion is golden, add in your chicken (chopped up). As chicken cooks, push it to the side and start with your peanut sauce. Add in a large spoonful of peanut butter into the pan, as it melts add in a tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir the peanut butter and soy sauce together until it melts then mix with the chicken. Add in the coconut milk to make it creamy. Add in the rest of the peanut butter and soy sauce. Cover and let the chicken mixture sit for 5 minutes on medium-low heat. When the water is boiling add in the spaghetti with a tad of olive oil. Check on chicken and taste sauce, add more coconut milk, peanut butter or soy sauce as needed. The peanut sauce should taste like a salty, peanuty, creamy flavor. Once noodles are done, drain in a colander. By this time chicken should be cooked. Put noodles in the bowl top with chicken and peanut sauce. Garnish with peanuts and freshly chopped green onion.

This dish had my husband doing the happy dance, he was definitely impressed and very happy! I hope your company feels the same. This dish is loaded with protein from the chicken, peanut butter and healthy carbs with the whole wheat pasta.

Enjoy! xoxo Lo

Kickin' Lake-Style Fare

My husband and I are huge fans of the lake, we try to go as often as we can. Our family has a lake house off Lake Buchanan that we like to call our home away from home. Every time we go, I love to come up with recipes that I can share with our family. This weekend I wanted to make margaritas, deviled eggs, noodle salad and a banana bread. The night before we left I started assembling my dishes that way I didn't have to spend all my time inside at the lake.


Banana-Walnut Date Bread

I usually make banana bread but this time I had chopped walnuts and dried dates in my pantry so I decided to incorporate those.

6 ripe bananas- mashed up
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dried dates

Heat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar til creamy in mixer, add eggs and mix well. Slowly add flour, baking soda, salt. Blend together. Lastly add bananas, nuts and dates- finish mixing. Pour mixture into two greased, floured loaf pans and top with a few dates and walnuts. Bake for one hour- you'll know when the bread is done because if you stick a butter knife down inside and it comes out clean, they are done.

Noodle Salad

1 cup of tri-color rotini pasta
1 cup of tri-color bowtie pasta
3 cups of chicken stock
5 stalks of celery finely chopped
1 yellow onion finely chopped
1 package of frozen peas
5 hard-boiled eggs
3 roma tomatoes
3/4 cup mayo
1/8 cup olive oil
salt
pepper

Bring chicken stock to boil, add in pasta. While that is cooking put another saute pan on the stove to boil a dozen eggs (for your deviled eggs) and an additional five for your noodle salad. Once the eggs are in the boiling water, turn off the heat and set your timer for 12 minutes. Next, start chopping up the celery, onion and tomato. After a few minutes check the pasta you want it to be slightly past al dente (which means it is soft but not mushy), once your pasta has reached that point you want to drain in a colander. Keep the extra liquid, you can use it in the future for soups, stews, making rice or more pasta. Next add in the frozen peas that way they can thaw out, add the chopped onion, celery, tomatoes, salt, pepper, olive oil and mayo.  Once the hard-boiled eggs are done chop them up and add to noodle salad, mix up the salad and taste. You may need to add more salt, pepper or mayo. What you don't want to do is add too much mayo because then it throws off the entire dish. This noodle salad will impress any friends or family, especially on the lake!


Bacon-Tomato Deviled Eggs

1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
8 cherry tomatoes
6 strips of Hickory smoked bacon
1/4 cup mayo
salt
pepper
paprika

Once the eggs are boiled, let them cool and slice in half, scoop out the yolk into a bowl. Chop up cherry tomatoes, fry up bacon. Add cherry tomatoes and crumbled bacon into bowl (save a few bits of each for the garnish). Add mayo, salt, pepper, paprika to bowl. Mix up the yolk mixture til nice and creamy (yet a bit chunky) you want all the yolks to be creamy not chunky, the only chunks should be from the tomatoes and the bacon. Spoon the mixture into the egg white halves, place some of the crumbled bacon and chopped tomatoes on the top plus a sprinkle of paprika. This delicious appetizer will gone in a matter of minutes!


Agave Margaritas

2 Tbs of agave nectar
4 limes
1 orange
1 Tbs kosher salt
Margaritaville Silver Tequila

The first thing you want to do is chill your glasses in the freezer. In your shaker add ice, 1 Tbs of agave nectar, lime juice, fresh orange juice and tequila. Shake it up. Take out your margarita glasses dip the rim in the remaining agave nectar, dip in the kosher salt, fill your glasses and bottoms up!

This lake-style fare will surely impress any company you have or you may be visiting. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave any commentary.

xo Lo