QUINOA VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

A friend recently gave me a recipe for a vegetarian moussaka.  She made it with zucchini instead of eggplant and used quinoa in it.  I decided to take the basics of it and make it lower calorie along with some other tweaking.  The DH and I both enjoyed it and I froze several portions for future lunches.

Vegetable mixture in the pan.

Sauce poured over the vegetables.

Just out of the oven.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 clove garlic. minced
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
2 medium size zucchinis, quartered and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
small can of tomatoes or 4 fresh or frozen tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water or broth
pepper to taste

Sauce:
1 cup milk
2 tbsp flour
2 eggs
1 cup shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat and add the garlic and onions.  Reduce heat to medium and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.  Add the zucchini, quinoa, tomatoes and broth.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook until the quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes.  Season with pepper to taste.

In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs and add the flour.  Whisk the eggs and the flour and add the milk.  Combine well and add the shredded cheese.  Add salt band pepper, mix and set aside.

Oil a 9 X 13 inch pan and place the vegetable mixture in the pan.  Spread the mixture evenly across the pan and pour the sauce over the vegetables.  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes until the dish is golden brown.  Serves 6 to 8.

GRANOLA BAR - OHSHEGLOWS

I have collected cookbooks over the years and I do find it relaxing to sit in a relaxing chair and read cookbooks as a way to unwind.  I may not read the cookbook from cover to cover but will read sections at a time.  I also enjoy the books that include pictures.  The challenge is of course when I make a particular recipe, will it look like the one in the cookbook.  The following recipe does look like the photo in the cookbook.

I have been spending time reading the new cookbook I bought, "oh she glows", which I quite enjoy.  I decided to make the classic glo bar which I have paraphrased as a granola bar.  What attracted me to the bar is that I buy protein bars or a healthy 'clean eating' bar for myself and the DH to have as a snack during the day.  These bars filled the bill as a good snack.  I also figured out the carbs, protein and fat content using 'my fitness pal' based on 12 bars.  Each bar contains 191 calories, 24 grams of carbs, 9 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein.  If you don't have dry rice cereal you can substitute with another dry cereal.  These bars are gluten free.  Both the DH and I enjoyed the bars and we ate them over a period of 9 or 10 days.  I will make them again.

I can't the provide the original recipe to you as it is copy right protected and I didn't modify it enough to make it different from the original recipe in the cookbook.

LENTIL NUT LOAF

I have been reading the recipes in the new cookbook by Angela Liddon.  In a previous post I wrote about her new cookbook 'Oh She Glows'.  I really liked this lentil nut loaf and I took it for lunches instead of my usual soups.  The DH also liked this loaf.  The glaze is worth making as it adds to the flavour.   

It is a great loaf to make if you want an alternative to a meatloaf.

Chopping the vegetables in a food chopper.

Mixing the vegetables and the raisins.

Ready to go into the oven.  You can see how the parchment paper  goes over the sides of the loaf pan.

Cooked and being to be sliced.  

Lentil Nut Burger

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup uncooked green lentils

3 cups of water

1 cup mixed nuts, toasted, finely chopped

3 tbsp finely ground flaxseed

1 tsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored, finely chopped

1/3 cup raisins

½ cup flour

½ cup bread crumbs

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic apple glaze:

¼ cup ketchup

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce or apple butter

1 tbsp maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

1.     In a medium size pot, cook the lentils in the three cups of water.  Once the lentils start to boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.  Drain excess water and using a food processor, process the lentils for less than 30 seconds until it is a smooth paste.   Don’t puree all of the lentils and leave about half a cup of lentils intact as they add texture. Put the lentils into a large mixing bowl.

2.     Line a loaf pan, 9 X 5 inches with parchment paper.  The parchment paper needs to come up the sides of the loaf pan and be a bit taller than the loaf pan so that you can lift the loaf out of the pan by the parchment paper.

3.     In a large wok or frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté for five minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the celery, carrot, apple and raisins.  Saute for five more minutes.

The nuts and vegetables should be finely chopped so that the loaf holds together.   

4.     To the processed lentils, add the flaxseed, nuts, flour, bread crumbs, thyme and oregano.  Stir until well combined. Add the sauteed mixture to the mixing bowl and combine all of the ingredients.

5.     Press the lentil mixture firmly and evenly into the loaf pan.  You can use the back of a fork or a wooden spoon to press the mixture down firmly in the pan.

6.     In small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the balsamic glaze.  Spread the glaze over the loaf using a spoon or a pastry brush.

7.     Bake uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.  Gently lift the loaf out of the pan using the parchment paper and place onto a cooling rack. Cool for thirty minutes before slicing.  Makes 8 servings.

Options:

To make it gluten free use oat flour and gluten free bread crumbs. Instead of adding bread crumbs you can add a half cup of cooked leftover oatmeal.

I used unsalted mixed nuts that were already toasted.  You can use just walnuts,  almonds or other nuts.

Modified from The Oh She Glows Cookbook.