Sausage Stuffed Appetizers( From New Year's) & Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Just a few recipes I found delicious when I made them on New Year's Eve.
Hope you all enjoy!

" Sausage' stuffed mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, one turn of the pan
24 large gourmet stuffing mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved brushed with damp towel
Salt and pepper
Stuffing:
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, half a turn of the pan
3/4 pound sweet bulk Italian sausage( I used Turkey sausage or ground' turkey"( It has less fat) )again you can use whatever you want though)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
20 stems mushrooms, finely chopped
1 rib of celery and green, leafy top from the heart of the stalk, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 slices white bread, toasted and buttered, chopped into small dice( I used whole wheat bread, but you can do either)
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, 2 handfuls
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and mushroom caps and season caps with salt and pepper. Saute caps 5 to 7 minutes, until they are lightly browned and tender on edges. Turn caps up and let juices drain away from caps. Transfer caps to a small nonstick baking sheet. Wipe out skillet and return to heat. Add a touch of oil and sausage to the hot skillet. Brown and crumble sausage for 3 minutes. In a food processor pulse and chop the garlic, add mushroom stems and pulse to chop the mushroom stems. Add celery, onion and red bell pepper to the mushrooms and pulse to chop. Remove mixture from the processor and saute veggies and mushrooms over medium high heat another 3 to 5 minutes. Add dry, defrosted spinach and stir into stuffing. Add chopped bread and cheese to the pan and toss stuffing until bread is moist and stuffing is combined, 2 or 3 minutes. Fill caps with stuffing using a small scoop or large spoon. Place caps in hot oven and reduce heat to 450 degrees F. Bake 6 to 8 minutes to crisp edges of stuffing and set stuffing in mushrooms. Transfer stuffed mushrooms to a serving plate.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe.html?oc=linkback

" Lemon Ricotta Cookies" 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

Per Cookie: Calories: 113; Total Fat 3.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 2 grams; Total carbohydrates: 19 grams; Sugar: 13 grams Fiber: 0 grams; Cholesterol: 20 milligrams; Sodium: 76 milligrams
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Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-ricotta-cookies-with-lemon-glaze-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Veggie Calzones, Cheese-Stuffed Pizza, & Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Hey fellow bloggers, how has your month been going? January has been a pretty awesome month for me so far- but it's going by faster than I expected! It started with an truly awesome New Year's Day, which I spent relaxing and writing Christmas thank you cards to my grandparents. For New Year's Eve, I made "Sausage' stuffed mushrooms( made with fake turkey sausage) and lemon ricotta cookies both of which were divine. My mom had made this delicious" Bubble Pizza", with Pillsbury crescent rolls, cheese, and turkey pepperoni. I had already planned my New Year's Eve dinner, and so I didn't have that much of it that night- but the next day I tried more of it- it was so yummy! Anyway, I had Mrs. T's potato & cheese stuffed pierogies- my favorite as mentioned in previous blog posts. There just so great though- I could talk about them for hours- lol! they're low fat, low calorie, and so creamy and satisfying! I eat them a variety of ways when I decide to treat myself to them( usually about once every 2 or 3 months). sometimes I like to take some salad greens, place them on a large plate, then bake the frozen pierogies for 18- 20 minutes. I like to drizzle 1 tsp- 1 tbsp or more of extra virgin olive oil over them to make them golden and puffy. Or, if I feel I want a lower fat option, I'll spray some fat- free olive oil cooking spray on the bottoms and tops of them and then stick them in the oven. After they're done cooking, I layer 3- 5 of them over the salad greens. Next, I top them with a small amount of light sour cream and some organic, all-natural salsa. It's a light, satisfying lunch or dinner + it's naughty food made healthy( well- slightly anyway) I got the idea of making " naughty" food ( or unhealthy ones basically) healthier from Carrie Underwood( another great thing about her!). And I really just love it- when I'm having a day where I'm really craving something that isn't exactly that good for me, but don't want to end up being really bad, I take her tip and make it as healthy as possible. For example, I found out she loves cheese pizza and quesidillas. But like me, she feels there not the healthiest thing to eat( even though there not as bad as soda or donuts) all the time. So, she cooks some spinach, onions, and tomatoes and then tops her quesadilla with this, + 1 slice of fat-free cheese + 1 slice full fat cheese( for added creamyness). It's a excellent solution for her- she gets to indulge in her favorite meal & know it's good for her at the same time! Let's just say I've taken this idea and run with it- now I make quesidillas at least once a week, if not more- and I don't have to feel like I'm being bad anymore! It's the same with these two recipes I'm about to share- long story short, I've always loved pizza( who doesn't) but again, when I eat it too much ( which is common for me since I don't eat much meat or seafood) I feel like I'm totally butchering my diet. So, I make it as healthy as it can get. ( Whole wheat dough and I also add some mushrooms, tomatoes, or spinach). I used to not enjoy topping one of my favorite foods with vegetables, but not I love it! I've truly come to love these so- called," super" foods, just because I know they're good for me. I'm not kidding though that I actually love the way they taste- I don't just scarf them down in order to eat a slice of pie afterward. I season some cooked spinach with salt and pepper, place it on the side with my quesadillas or on my pizza and it really helps to fill me up! 
Tonight I made cheese-stuffed pizza- it was so scrumptious & easy- I ate like two slices + a little sliver on the side( It was that good). It's one of those meals that is just so unbelievably divine that you can't believe it's healthy, low fat, and light as can be!

So, finally here's the recipe:
Cheese-Stuffed Pizza
 ( Note: You have to own a bread machine to make this pizza) It makes two round medium pizzas and serves like 15- 16 people!)
Pizza dough :
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 cups whole wheat flour + 2 cups all- purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. organic cane sugar
3 tsp. regular active dry yeast
Pizza toppings:
pizza sauce- 1/4- 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup mozzarella( reduced fat)
1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 tsp. Italian pizza seasoning
about 1 cup of  low fat mozzarella string cheese( 7 cheese sticks basically = 7 oz.)
2 tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese
 1/2 cup turkey pepperoni & sausage(optional)
Place all dough ingredients in bread machine( inside the bread pan)  and select cycle 9- press start( It takes about an hour and a half for mine to knead the dough properly.)
Next, grease two round cookie sheets & preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Divide the dough( once it's done) into two even- sized balls. Let them sit for 10 minutes on the cookie sheets. Then, with oiled fingers roll them each out into round circles ( size varies). Spoon 1/4- 1/2 cup tomato sauce on each- sprinkle with some sweet basil if desired. 
For the cheese- stuffed pizza, place seven cheese sticks around the outer portion( edge) of your crust, leaving a little room for the dough to fold over then. Then fold a good amount of dough over each stick, pinching the ends firmly( you really want to make sure you completely cover each stick with enough dough or the cheese will leak out too much & make a mess). Then top with desired toppings( I used 1/2 cup mozzarella and a little bit of parmesan cheese for this one). 
Finally, sprinkle some italian pizza seasoning on the edge of the pizza, if you want to. 
cook for 18- 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

For the regular pizza: spoon pizza sauce onto the dough & top with 1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Place this pizza on the middle rack of your oven & the cheese-stuffed one on the bottom rack of your oven( or vise versa) switch halfway through the 18- 20 minutes they take to cook.

Serve with additional pizza sauce, if desired. 
Doesn't it just make your mouth water?! 

Next is my mushroom and veggie calzones, which are officially one of my favorite things to eat once or twice throughout a month. They're easy, simple, low- fat and truly good! 
To be honest, I like calzones better than regular pizza( because I find them to be a little more filling than eating 2 or 3  slices of thin pizza to get satisfied) 
My love of them really started when I first had one about 10 months ago, back in the summer of 2013. I was traveling home from Missouri with my friend, Michelle- and we stopped at a local pizza place so Michelle could get some gluten- free pizza( she found out she's allergic  to gluten and has to follow a special meal plan. Back then, I was a hard- core vegetarian and so the only thing I could really find to eat was a calzone( because, obviously, getting a whole pizza for myself was out of the question= lol!). I was totally unprepared for what awaited me( getting a little dramatic here- drum roll please :) 
When I finally tasted dinner, I couldn't get enough of it. Soft,  white, golden dough with creamy mozzarella cheese filling the insides of it and spilling off the sides. ( sounds a little nuts- right!) 

I knew I had to find out how to make a healthier version of this amazing concoction- but it didn't actually happen till a few weeks ago. I wanted to make a special, quick Friday night dinner for my family. I finally found a calzone recipe in our bread machine cook-book and went for it. I made six individual calzones for each member of my family. Noah's & Dad's were of course dairy-free( they're not fond of cheese), so there's were topped with some pizza sauce, and a little turkey pepperoni and sausage. For me and mom, I filled the calzone with chopped mushrooms( about 1/4 cup) and two of my favorite cheeses, 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 ricotta + pizza sauce of course. After making them, I brushed them with a little bit of a low- fat egg( whisked up first to give them that golden, crusty look I loved at the restaurant without packing on unnecessary pounds when I eat them( what I mean by this is that pizza places usually use a ton of  butter or olive oil to get this look).
Then I simply cooked them for about 20 minutes & tada- a easy and healthy meal that's satisfying but keeps me light on my feet( as Giada says:) )
Here's the recipe: 
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
4 1/2 cups bread flour( I used half whole wheat)
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. regular active dry yeast
Remove bread pan: attack kneading blade.Place all dough ingredients in bread pan in order listed. Insert bread pan, close lid and plug in. Press select until setting number 9 is displayed. Press start. Heat oven to 375. Grease two cookie sheets. Divide dough into 6 equal parts. Roll each part into 7- in circle on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin. Spread 1/4- to 1/2 cup sauce on each calzone( as much as you want). Layer 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup chopped cremini mushrooms, and 1/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese on the calzone( If you're making the vegetarian version:). Be careful not to put the sauce too close to the edge, or it leaks out and makes a big mess. If making the meat- eater version, spoon desired sauce over the dough and layer 10 slices of low fat turkey pepperoni on top, along with sliced links of turkey sausage( if desired.   Fold dough over filling: fold edge up and pinch very securely to seal. Place on cookie sheets. Brush with 1 organic egg, beaten ahead of time.
Bake 25- 30 minutes or until golden brown.

For dessert, I made Giada's Avocado- Chocolate Mouse with Raspberries( at first glance it sounds & looks kinda've weird, right). It really isn't- my family all loved it & it was a great way to start the weekend & end our Friday night meal. ( And nobody knew there was avocados in it but me & mom- hehe) It's a lot like chocolate pudding, but it's more natural and healthy + it's so simple and fast. You could whip it together in a matter of 15- 20 minutes. Leftovers can be refrigerated and indulged in at a later time:) 

Giada's Avocado- Chocolate Mousse: ( copied from Giada's Feel Good Food Cookbook, Copyright 2013)
Here's the recipe: 
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips( I used semi- sweet but you could do either)
4 very ripe large avocados, chopped( It's very important that there as ripe as possible
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. seas salt
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
fresh raspberries, for garnish

Put the chocolate chips in a heat- proof medium bowl. Set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the melted chocolate, the avocados, cocoa powder, agave, vanilla, salt, and almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon into glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours( or less) or up to 1 day. Garnish with raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries before serving( optional)
this was my brother's face when he was finished.
I think he liked it- lol!:)

Quiches & Cleanses

Hey everyone! How's your Sunday going? Mine is going pretty well. Yesterday I did a cleanse that I might add- was really hard. I'm a little ignorant about fasting for health reasons; unfortunately I made a  big mistake the night before my cleanse I ate somewhat of a large dinner: pierogies( pasta with potatoes and cheddar cheese)  and a half- wheat cinnamon roll with honey and cream cheese ( not the healthiest dinner I know, but tasty) Well, I learned that eating a dinner like that right before a cleanse= extreme hunger throughout the cleanse. It was pretty tough due to that-  but good for my body and for being SO thankful for food when I was done. I tried to slowly ease back into eating again this morning- which is also difficult- I woke up feeling nauseous, sick, and weak in the knees, most likely because I got a headache last night and was just recovering fro.  And hunger + a headache is not a good combination, I'll have you know- lol.  I was so hungry I couldn't wait to get up and have breakfast- I started with slowly munching on some strawberries and then had a couple of pieces of a quiche later on. For a snack, I had some whole grain crackers and peanut butter.   Drinking juice and water seems to be a good trick when I can't stop eating after a cleanse, because of how hungry I am.  But it was a good way for me to know somewhat of how starving people feel everyday- and worth it considering how good it's supposed to be for your body.

Enough talk on that now.
I have a delicious quiche recipe for you guys, that's so simple and delicious it's hard to believe, considering how little time it takes to put it together. But that's the great thing about quiches- my aunt says there really hard to mess up.  They have become my new crave- lol! But see, When I first became a vegetarian- I didn't eat eggs at all- sure i'd have them in pastries or other foods- what what I mean is i'd never eat just a egg. I still don't like scrambled, fried, boiled, or poached eggs; nor omelets; so the quiche is the only delicious form I enjoy.  I used unsweetened almond milk( only because I'm cutting a little back on dairy products). But you can use regular milk as well. If you are going to use almond milk, you want to make sure it's unsweetened and not regular almond milk. Otherwise your eggs will taste sweet; and that's not something most people particularly enjoy.

Yield: 1 9" quiche

Ingredients:

• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. garlic powder( I only did half of an 1/8 a teaspoon; i'm not big on garlic
• 1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
• 6 ounces dairy-free cheese alternative of your choice, such as Follow Your Heart's Vegan Gourmet Cheddar
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed( I didn't use spinach this time, but you can do whatever you want

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until pale yellow in color. Add the freshly ground black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy milk, whisking until well combined. Set aside.

3. Using your fingers, crumble a little more than half of the dairy-free cheese into the bottom of a 9" pie plate, covering as much of the surface area as possible. Crumble the remaining dairy-free cheese into the egg mixture. Add in the spinach, mixing until evenly distributed, and gently pour the mixture into the pie plate. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the tope is golden brown and the center is slightly risen but not jiggly. Allow quiche to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

( Picture coming soon) :) 

My breakfast: October 27th, 2013

Hey guys! Hope you're having a great weekend- I sure am! Yesterday I ended up not being able to go to my brothers football game because I will still cooking for today's end of the year football party and my dad didn't have room for me in the car. I was very bummed to miss my brother's game, but  it turned out I got to enjoy had a nice, relaxing quiet night at home by myself. I finished my dairy- free pumpkin pie squares with almond milk, finished up my salad for today, cleaned up, cleaned the bathroom, and then had broccoli and carrot salad and a cheddar cheese sandwich on rye bread for dinner. The rye bread came from this awesome local bakery near us that makes home- made, healthy bread that's fresh and contains all natural ingredients( it's delicious!) Then, I watched Giada At Home( she made a delicious pasta dish with mascapone cheese and pumpkin cheesecake muffins) and then had a little house on the prairie marathon, did a pumpkin facial mask, and ate pumpkin with organic sugar for dessert:) Yep, that's right I did a PUMPKIN facial mask- (I know I'm weird!) I love pumpkin so much I'll even put it on my face and look like a freak- lol! ( Well, there was no one to see me so to be honest I didn't really care). But, seriously, pumpkin is really good for your skin, it helps to moisturize it and there's lots of vitamins in it too. 

here's the simple recipe I used: 

2 tbsp. raw or cooked pumpkin( raw pumpkin is apparently more healthy, but you can use either)

1 tbsp. raw honey( unheated) 

 stir with a spoon to combine( or if you're using raw pumpkin blend in a vita mix or food processer)  

Then, today, I was up at 7:00am and left around 10am to help my mom prepare for the outdoor football party. There was a ton of yummy food- it was an exercise in self- control for me to make myself just have salad and two of my pumpkin bars. tempting  hot mac and cheese, white crackers, Doritos, the list goes on and on.... lol. One thing that  hardly ever fails to help me out in resisting unhealthy food is thinking, " how is this going to make me feel after I eat it?" It is the only trick I can use to help me feel light and happy:)

It was pretty cold, anyway, so we were all bundled up in coats, gloves, and layers, shivering over our plates of food- lol, but it was fun though it was a pretty quick party, considering the chilly fall weather. 

Now that I'm summed up my weekend for you, I'll finally get to sharing my breakfast recipes for today. I recently found this delicious vegan protein pre- workout shake that I absolutely LOVE! It's simple, healthy, and frankly a easy great way to start my day. 

1/2 cup almond milk( vanilla or plain will work) I used's Silk soy & gluten- free brand

1/2 cup water

1/2 a banana 

dash of cinnamon

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

ice

2-3 drops of stevia or honey or organic sugar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes one serving.

Along with this, I had a dairy- free omelet made with almond milk and a little salt( it was so easy and fast!). 

Recipe: 3 large eggs 

2 tbsp. almond milk 

1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste

mix eggs, milk, and salt with a whisk. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil (I used non- fat cooking spray) over medium- high heat. When the pan sizzles when water touches it, it's ready. .Cook until the top of the omelet has slightly set (it's okay if it's still a little runny). Loosen the edges from the pan with a rubber spatula and very carefully fold over one side of the omelet onto the other to form a crescent shape, pressing the edges slightly to seal.( I accidentally burnt mine a little bit but ended up liking this way:) )

Vegetarian Omelet with Almond Milk, Vegan Oatmeal, & Portebello Cheese Pizza

Hey everyone at Blogger world! How's your week going? Wanted to share some more new recipes with you. I'm working on making my food plan even healthier-  I'm currently weaning myself off milk and yogurt right now, so right now I'm into all recipes that use almond and not cow's milk. I found out that almond milk has 50% more calcium than cow's milk- so cool. It's going to be hard- I've loved milk and yogurt for a long time- especially chocolate milk, but I'm determining to work towards cutting it completely and permanently out of my diet( which means not just no drinking it but not having it in any form in soups, pancakes, oatmeal, pumpkin pie- other foods- exc. ). I know it's still a little too early to be thinking about Thanksgiving- but hey- November is just around the corner so it doesn't feel that far away to me. I'm already working on planning my first vegetarian Thanksgiving- so excited! I want to make pumpkin soup and of course a non-dairy version of pumpkin pie( I'll make it with almond milk)
What are your plans for the weekend?
I'm making a vegan version of my favorite pumpkin oatmeal( which I'm sharing at the end of this post) pumpkin pie bars with almond milk, salad for the end of the year football party, and another mushroom veggie burger with oats. Busy weekend coming- lol. I've found so many cool recipes since I went vegetarian- here's some more if you want to try them- enjoy!

Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal( delicious and so healthy!)
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups almond milk( of course you can use dairy if you want too)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup steel cut oats( You have to use this kind, not regular oats, or it won't turn out right in the crockpot!)

place all ingredients in a crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 5-9 hours. sprinkle with brown sugar to sweeten if desired( optional) and enjoy!
Note: you may want to put the oatmeal in the crockpot right before bed, but you'll have to be up early to turn the crock off so it won't burn)

Next is a delicious idea I obtained from my grandma. So, my mom was telling my grandma about how I tried my first veggie burger- my grandma told her that she'd heard how some vegetarians make pizza from portobello mushrooms. I tried it for the first time and loved it!! If you love mushrooms, you'll love this easy and equally healthy recipe! It's so much better than regular pizza- as a lover of pizza I find this so much more filling than it!


Portobello Vegetarian Pizza

Ingredients: 2 portobello mushrooms
                   1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato sauce
                    1/2 cup or more mozzarella or cheddar cheese( as much as you like- I like a lot of cheese on mine.#cheeseaholic.:) 
 tomatoes, basil, or other vegetables if desired.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out all the  mushroom gills with a spoon and cut off remainder of the stem( it's in the center of the mushroom). Wash the mushrooms in cool or warm water. Place mushrooms on cooking sheet and spread with tomato sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!


Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal( this is basically just a dairy- free version of the oatmeal I made last month- it was delicious- so much better than with regular dairy and so much healthier too:) ) 

Here's what you need: 2 cups water
                                  2 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk ( you can of course use dairy if you want to)
                                 1 cup pumpkin puree
                                 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
                                 1 cup steel cut oats( you have to use this kind- or it unfortunately won't turn out right in the crockpot).  
Place all ingredients in a crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 5-9 hours ( I usually put mine in overnight- but you have to be early to turn it off in time.) Sprinkle with brown sugar to sweeten it up if you like. Enjoy!

                                 

New Recipes: October 21st, 2013

Hey everyone, sorry it's been such a long time since I blogged. I recently became a full- fledged vegetarian( I went from Pescatarian to vegetarian) - I at first started off not eating any meat, but eating seafood. Now I'm being a little more strict, which for me means- no meat of any kind and no seafood( fish or shrimp). I wanted to share a couple more recipes I'm enjoying with my somewhat new lifestyle.

So, recently, I read a article about Carrie Underwood and her food plan for each day. She is a vegetarian and also a vegan( which means no animal products at all). Anyway, she gave me the idea to try stir- frying some vegetables for lunch( instead just the same old salad every day). I tend to eat more cheese, yogurt, and bread than I should- because I get tired of the same veggie salad. Not any more! I now look forward to lunch and enjoying some succulent mushrooms, carrots, and tomatoes cooked in vegetable broth. This is just a recipe I'm kinda throwing together last minute( you can change it around for whatever suits you). It's a little like pasta salad( you use as much of something as you like)
But's here's what I usually do for my stir-fry(  this is just estimates of how many vegetables and broth I use). I'm also sharing some other  delicious recipes I've been enjoying later- so here's what I'm cooking up ( sorry if this post is a bit overwhelming!)

5 to 6 mushrooms
1/2 an onion
up to seven carrots or less
three or four grape tomatoes
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth( I use Rachel Ray's brand:) )
salt and pepper to taste
dijon mustard for dipping( optional)

wash mushrooms over sink in cool water( pat dry with a napkin or towel if desired- it makes them not as soggy when they cook, though I personally like them a little wet). Cut up carrots, tomatoes, and mushrooms into small bite-size pieces. Spray a large skillet pan with cooking spray or use butter or olive oil- heat over medium- high heat. Add mushrooms when pan sizzles( a good trick is to get your hands wet and drop water on it to test if it's ready).  Pour vegetable broth over veggie and stir frequently to prevent burning. Spice it up with a little salt & pepper or spice of your choice. Cook for approximately 6- 8 minutes & enjoy! ( Thank you Carrie Underwood for a delicious idea- better than salad! lol!) 

Mushroom Veggie Burger: 
Just made these recently- they are delicious- though I must warn you- complicated and take a while. But they are so worth it when they're done. The texture is a lot like meat and they taste just as yummy as a normal burger( in my opinion at least) :)

1 small potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 portabello mushroom
12 cremini mushrooms
10 shiitake mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup cooked barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steam or boil the potato until tender. Mash with a fork. Trim off the stem of the portabella mushroom and scoop out the gills. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the crimini and shitake mushrooms. Preheat oven to 375° F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook the portabello mushrooms and dried thyme for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to soften and sweat. Add the crimini and shitake. Cook for 10 minutes, until the mushrooms have sweat off their moisture and it has dried up in the pan. Deglaze with the vinegar, scraping off browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Transfer mushrooms to a food processor and coarsely purée. (Alternatively, chop the mushrooms finely by hand.) Combine the mushroom mixture with the potato, barley, salt, pepper, and mushroom mixture in a mixing bowl. Shape into patties.

In a large oven-safe skillet or nonstick sauté pan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patties and cook until browned on each side, 6 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the burgers are firm and cooked through.
I enjoyed this burger on a whole wheat english muffin with organic ketchup( I know I'm weird- it was only because we didn't have any whole wheat hamburger buns).but of course you can put it on whatever bread you have or want to use( whole wheat hamburger buns are what I'm planning to use what I make it again.)

Giada's Turkey, Kale, & Brown Rice Soup 

I know, I know- you're thinking why would I be eating this- it has meat in it. But wait, I have an equally good substitute for the turkey. Thanks to a sweet friend who used to be a vegetarian, I was supplied with TVP( textured vegetable protein) instead of the turkey. I added this to the soup & it was- P E R F E CT! Succulent, hearty, and so healthy. The herbes de provence is a little difficult to find, but it's delicious and really spices this up.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 to 6 large shallots, chopped
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
8 ounces ground white turkey meat, broken into small chunks( Instead of turkey I used 1 cup TVP) 
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed( of course being a vegetarian I used vegetable broth instead- but you can use either)
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped (about 4 packed cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional
Directions
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, carrots and bell pepper and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground turkey and stir until the meat turns white and begins to color very slightly around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence and stir, 1 minute. Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes and rice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the kale and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and Parmesan, if using, and serve.



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/turkey-kale-and-brown-rice-soup-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake: This is also just a recipe I made up last minute- you can change it around depending on how many people you're serving. 

What you Need: 

2 cups pumpkin ice cream

1 cup  almond or dairy milk 

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

fall sprinkles & fat- free whipped cream

blend ice cream and milk together until smooth. Garnish with whipped cream topped with pumpkin pie spice, or sprinkles. Enjoy!

Here's a recipe for home made pumpkin ice cream, if you want to be a little healthier. This is what I used for my milkshake- this stuff is awesome- it tastes just as good as the stuff bought from the store- without all that unnecessary  processed junk in there. 

1/4 cup low fat dairy or almond milk( I'll be using unsweetened or sweetened almond milk next time I make this but you can use either)

1 cup pumpkin

1/4 cup light cream cheese

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

6 cups ice cubes.

Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix or blender & enjoy!

" Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes" 

this recipe is just amazing! I can enjoy guilt free- it's whole wheat, with a very small amount of sugar and so much more filling than regular pancakes. 

• 2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tbs. Brown Sugar
• 1 tbs +1 tsp. Pumpkin Spice (Or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Milk (I used whole but 2% would work or even non-flavored almond or soy)
• 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
• 1 Egg
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Vegetable oil or butter for frying

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix.
4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Not too hot or your pancakes will burn on the outside.
5. Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake and spread out with a spoon.
6. Wait till large bubbles start to appear in the middle and flip.
7. Brown on both sides and serve hot. 
8. 
   
9. Enjoy!  These have been such a hit with my brothers- I've made them twice and plan on making them again- they all love them- such a great, nutritious breakfast! and last of all, I'm sharing with you guys  an truly spectacular quiche that I found a few weeks ago.1 6-oz. bag of baby spinach
   2 tablespoons olive oil
   2 cups chopped mushrooms (1 8-oz. package of mushrooms yields about this much coarsely chopped)
   1 garlic clove, minced
   Salt and pepper
   3 large eggs
   1 cup half-and-half
   1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese( I used 1/4 cup cheddar and 1/4 cup swiss instead)

   DIRECTIONS:

   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.

   2. Place the spinach in a large skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and spoon into a strainer set over the sink or a bowl. Allow to cool.

   3. Using the back of a spoon, press on the spinach to remove most of the moisture, then squeeze it in your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Move to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Place between two layers of paper towels and press to remove moisture. Set aside.

   4. Using the same skillet that you used for the spinach, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until any remaining moisture has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

   5. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until light. Stir in the half and half. Spoon the spinach mixture evenly into buttered pie dish. Sprinkle with the cheese. Pour in the egg mixture.

   6. Bake the quiche until puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.