Gluten-Free Dinner

You know I am always trying out new things as far as health and food go.
Tonight I made a gluten-free (as far as I know), vegetarian dish that was really much tastier than the original.

I switched up a few for me.  I made the "real" recipe for the fam and a small dish for me.

The original recipe: Well, the Christine version of the original with noodles.

Penne Bean (sausage) Bake
1lb. penne or medium tube pasta
1 small onion chopped
1 TBL olive oil
1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 lb. turkey Italian sausage, casings removed)
3 cups (or more) fat-free meatless spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan chesse

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  In large skillet saute onion with oil, add sausage until no longer pink or beans.   Drain, in needed.  Add sauce and noodles.
  Transfer to a 3-qt. casserole dish coated with oil spray.  Cover and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses.  Bake until cheese in slightly browned.

Yields: 9 servings

The Gluten Free Version
Enough Quinoa to equal 1 cup pasta. 
(I just made a small amount and spooned the onions, garlic, beans, and sauce over about 3/4 cup Quinoa.)
1 small onion chopped
2 heaping tsp. crushed garlic
1 TBL olive oil
1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 lb. turkey Italian sausage, casings removed)
3 cups (or more) fat-free meatless spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan chesse

Cook quinoa according to package directions; drain.  In large skillet saute onion with oil, add sausage until no longer pink or beans.   Drain, in needed.  Add sauce and noodles.
  Transfer to a 3-qt. casserole dish coated with oil spray.  Cover and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses.  Bake until cheese in slightly browned.  For vegan, leave off cheese.

Enjoy!

My Everyday Smoothie

This is really for my mom, but you can enjoy too!
For a few months now I have been drinking this for lunch (sometimes dinner).
You have heard me talk about it a few times.
It is really a create your own smoothie kind of thing.
Which I love.
Here are the goodies I put into my shake.  (Sometimes the fruits vary.)

Here's the basic goodies for the smoothie-yogurt, milk, banana, kale (or spinach).

I don't measure, ever.

It will all blend better done in this order.  The fruit weighs down the kale.

I cut up my own papaya and any other fruit about to over ripen.  I LOVE blueberries on here too.

It usually makes more then this.  I usually completely top of the cup.

Some tips/notes:
Mangos make the smoothie thick.
Apples, grapes and skinned fruit don't get all of the way smooth.
You can add vanilla extract if you need to sweeten it up.  (I use unsweetened yogurt.)
Depending on the fruit you may need to add more milk.
Spinach blend smoother.
Kale tastes more "green".

Vegetarian Cooking

So, you all know that hubby and I are part-time vegetarians, right?
Well, I have been trying new recipes here and there.  We are getting some favorites too.
Here's one from Three Cooks Too Many.
Reuben Burgers

It was good at the first few bites.  Then you had to keep eating because, golly, it's good for you.
All-in-all it got one BIG thumbs down from son who hates anything bean and three this was okay but don't make it again.

So, I am sending the recipe off to my mom.  She is much more vegetarian than we are.

veggie food

back to the eating vegan/vegetarian...well, we are definitely more vegetarian than vegan.

we have eaten meat (boy did it taste good!).

hubby has been better ate not eating meat then me.

i actually think i was getting a bit sad.  i had heard you have to be careful about that.

so, i happily enjoyed a burger with the kids, etc.

 however, i still want to share with you the things we do eat that are vegetarian.

here's a pizza daughter and i made.

took a french bread loaf, cut it in half and topped it.

 

son made these all by himself!  he saw these in the vegan cookie cookbook and wanted to try them.  NY Black and White cookies.  i must admit i had never heard of them, but after doing some researching discovered theta they are quite popular.  they are huge and super sweet, too sweet in fact.  it helps if you fold them in half so they chocolate helps cut the sugary taste of the white side. 

my own creation.  i have found that adapting our own food to vegetarian is much easier and tastier.  here's your basic broccoli and cheese baked potato with black beans.  it was really good.  the cheese was hubby's idea and a good one at that.

Merry Christmas to all of my readers!

are you serious?

can someone tell me, where did this year go?

i haven't meant to not write for so long, but b.u.s.y. is what i've been.

so, here's goes a random catch up for you.

thanksgiving was great!  the weather so nice we ate outside.  (first time ever.)

unfortunately this is the only photo i was able to take.  we were just setting up.

we had so much leftovers that i actually had to throw some out.

onto our venture into vegetarianism.  we are much more vegetarian then vegan.

i want to show you a couple of recipes i have made this week.

this one i'll call veggie stack.  (taste better then it looks.)

sliced eggplant, sauteed in olive oil, garlic, chopped onions and balsamic vinegar.

sliced blanched tomatoes

sliced zuchs, sauteed like the eggplant

layered with feta

topped with salt and pepper

warmed in oven

served with wild rice with browned pinon nuts

YUM!

This one is from Two Peas and Their Pods.   LONG name which basically tells you everything that's in it.

canneli (sp?) beans

spinach and fresh basil torn

artichoke hearts, drained and cut

sourdough flute bread (everything tastes better with sourdough bread)

feta, 1 tbls lemon juice, salt and pepper

cut and brush with olive oil the bread (i sprinkled them w/garlic powder), toast for ten minutes

mix the rest of ingredients in bowl and serve over warm bread.

i loved this one.  wasn't sure about the fresh basil, but loved it.  hubby liked this one too.