Running. Cooking. Yoga. Life

I found another mouth-watering vegetarian Christmas recipe that I’m sure would be a hit at any Christmas dinner table.  Lasagna is definitely one of my favorite foods to indulge in every once in a while, and it goes great with some toasted garlic bread and a nice, big salad.  Here it is:

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce

• 1  onion, chopped
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 2 small carrots, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 x 400 g cans chopped plum tomatoes
• 1 pinches sugar, optional

For the filling

• 1 kg frozen spinach
• 300 g cream cheese
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 8-10  lasagne sheets

Method

1. For the tomato sauce: soften the onion, celery, carrot and garlic in the olive oil. It’s best to do this over a really low heat – try not to let them colour. Stir in the tomato purée and continue cooking for another 5 minutes before adding the tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.

2. Using a liquidiser or hand held blender, purée the tomato mixture – it should be pretty thick and well reduced. Add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes taste acidic.

3. For the filling: while the sauce is cooking, put the frozen spinach in a saucepan and heat gently until it has defrosted. Drain off any excess liquid. Set aside to cool.

4. Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

5. Put the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Add the spinach, half the Parmesan and the chopped mint and mix well.

6. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in an ovenproof dish. Follow with a layer of the spinach mixture and top with half the lasagne sheets. Repeat the process, ending with a layer of tomato sauce.

7. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan and bake the lasagne for about 30 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top. Serve with salad and crusty bread.

Yummm!  Enjoy and Namaste,Lyla

Namaste!

Tis the Season my friends, and in celebration of Christmas I will be posting vegetarian Christmas recipes and the like. The first one is this: mini mince pies with lemon icing.  It’s pretty quick, easy, cheap to make, and can even be prepared ahead and frozen so they are ready to cook when your guests arrive.  I stumbled on this recipe today while I was looking for Christmas party ideas, hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 200g plain white flour, sifted
• 100g cold butter, cubed
• 25g ground almonds
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp water
• 410g jar mincemeat
• 50g icing sugar

For the icing:

• 8tbsp icing sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Place the flour, butter, ground almonds, icing sugar, cornstarch, and water in a food processor and whizz until the mixture forms a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very gently. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a 6cm pastry cutter, cut out 36 rounds and line 3 x 12-hole mini bun or muffin tins. (You may have to re-roll the pastry; if you have fewer tins, make the pies in batches.) Fill each case with mincemeat.
3. Bake the pies for 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry is just beginning to brown around the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
4. Mix the icing sugar with just enough lemon juice to make a smooth but thick paste. Cover each mince pie with icing and top with a little lemon zest. If packing into boxes, allow to set first. The pies will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container.  Makes 36 pieces.

Yum!  I will definitely be whipping up some of these soon.  Enjoy and Namaste,

Lyla

I was stumbling around for recipes again, and here’s one I found that looks irresistable.  I’ve got a bunch of my friends’ birthdays coming up, and I think this recipe is definitely one I’ll be trying for them.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cream until dough starts to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture.
2. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing evenly apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Cookies are best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

          Makes about 3 dozen

Yum! Enjoy and Namaste,

Lyla

(Source: marthastewart.com)

I always wanted to know how to make bread.  One of those skills that seemed would be very, very nice to possess.  So here’s a simple bread recipe I found:

Ingredients

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add remaining water, dry milk, oil, sugar, salt, and 3 cups of flour; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Punch the dough down, and divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 9 X 5 x 3 inch loaf pans. Grease the tops of the loaves, and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove bread from pans to cool on wire racks. Brush with melted butter or margarine.

Yum! Enjoy and Namaste!

Lyla

(Source: allrecipes.com)

I have come across another great recipe on my mouth-watering journeys :).  Right now I am seriously craving pasta, and bam! The perfect recipe comes.  Here’s the recipe for this colorful, tasty dish that I will definitely be eating today.

Ingredients

• 1  24- to 25-oz. pkg.  frozen cheese-filled ravioli
• 4  large  tomatoes, such as green zebra, yellow, and/or red, cut in thin wedges and seeded (about 4 cups)
• 3/4  cup  small fresh basil leaves
• 1/4  cup  drained capers
• 1/2  tsp.  ground black pepper
• 1/4  tsp.  salt
• 2  Tbsp.  butter
• 6  cloves  garlic, minced
• 2  cups  fresh baby spinach
• 1/2  cup  shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook frozen ravioli according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine tomatoes, basil, capers, pepper, and salt; set aside.

2. In large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato mixture; cook just until heated through. Remove from heat; gently stir in spinach.

3. To serve, place cooked ravioli on serving platter. Spoon tomato mixture over ravioli. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Makes 4 servings.

Yum! Enjoy and Namaste!

Lyla

French onion soup is one of those soups I’ve actually never had myself but always wanted to try.  It looks so amazing, so delicious, I’ve often dreamt about making it myself.  Well, seems like now is the time!  My friend says that french onion soup is delicious and that I must try it, so try it I will.  Here’s the recipe I’m going to try:

Ingredients

• 2 lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups vegetable broth (32 fl oz)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette
• 1 (1/2-lb) piece Gruyère, Comte, or Emmental
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

• Special equipment: 6 (8- to 10-oz) flameproof soup crocks or ramekins; a cheese plane

1. Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth, water, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

2. While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

3. Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

4. Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.

5. Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a croûte in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane to cover tops of crocks, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

6. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Yum! Sounds great! Until next time, Namaste!Lyla

I know, I know, raw bittermelon?!?!  Am I crazy?  Well, I probably am a bit crazy, but this dish is amazing.  I used to not even like bittermelon, but it has grown on me, and for me this is the best way to have it.  It is surprisingly not very bitter, and it’s just so refreshing and cooling to eat.  Plus, there are many health benefits of eating bittermelon.  It is reported to help in the treatment of diabetes and psoriasis since it helps with blood sugar levels.  It’s packed with antioxidants, and it has shown anti-cancer activities.  It has been shown to help cases of leukemia and melanoma. Bitter melon is also effective against numerous viruses, including the Epstein-Barr, herpes and HIV viruses.

So here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups seeded and sliced (julienned) bittermelon
• 5 shallots, sliced
• 4 plum tomatoes, sliced
• salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the bittermelon with salt and let stand in a strainer for at least half an hour.  Rinse off the salt.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine bittermelon with the remaining ingredients.  Let it stand for 10 minutes so the flavors develops, then serve.

Easy, yeah?  Enjoy and Namaste,

Lyla

Sitting here eating an orange, I thought about how many wonderful fruit there are out there, and how all of should be eating more of them.  Fruit are refreshing and oh-so-good for you, and here are five of my favorites.

5. Oranges

Oranges are a truly amazing fruit.  They are beneficial for asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, arthritis, high blood pressure, and more.  They help prevent kidney stones and diabetes, and they are good for lowering blood pressure.  People addicted to alcohol have also said that drinking orange juice greatly decreased their desire to consume alcohol.

4. Grapefruit

Another citrus fruit, and my personal favorite.  Grapefruit helps in weight loss, cold and cough, and fever.  It can also increase metabolism, aid digestion, and improve complexion.  It is a liver tonic, and helps in the case of gallstones.  If used externally, it is an antiseptic for wounds.

3. Apples

We all have heard the glories of apples being sung, they are so good for you.  Apples help prevent cancer, protect bones, and lower cholesterol.  They can prevent Alzheimer’s, aid in weightloss, and help manage diabetes.  They strengthen your gums and clean your teeth, and they detoxify the body.  When mixed with yogurt, they also help when you have diarrhea.  Also, drinking apple juice three times a day can help prevent virus’s from settling in the body.

2. Papaya

Papaya can aid in the prevention of atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and strokes.  It helps prevent cancer, and it is high is Vitamin C and other antioxidants.  It decreases inflammation, helps with irritable bowel syndrome, and is a good remedy for abdominal disorders.  Rubbing the white pulp of papaya on your face helps bring lustre to the face and remove wrinkles.

1. Kiwis

Kiwis are rich in vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber.  They help prevent colon cancer, asthma, and wheezing (especially in children).  It also helps protect our DNA from mutations, and they are good for cardiovascular health and blood sugar control.   They also protect against Macular Degeneration.

YUM! Enjoy and Namaste,

Lyla

Comfort food! Love it, and chili is one of my favorite foods ever.  Here’s a good recipe for vegetarian chili that I stumbled upon:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
• 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespooon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable stock, or water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked brown rice, accompaniment
• Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish
• Diced avocado, garnish
• Chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Enjoy! Namaste,

Lyla

Lunch is my favorite meal of the day!  ANd with all the time I’ve spent in Japan, Umeshiso sushi is one of my favorite lunches.  It’s vegan, healthy, and yummy, and I’m pretty sure you’ll all love it.  Here’s a recipe for it that I stumbled upon:

Umeshiso Maki Sushi

Tools You’ll Need:
Bamboo rolling mat

Ingredients
1 cup of sushi rice
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
3 sheets of roasted seaweed (nori) which are approximately 8 inches by 8 inches
9 umeboshi picked plums
6 to 7 fresh shiso leaves (they are also called ooba, Japanese basil, or beefsteak)
Soy sauce
Wasabi (optional)
Pickled ginger (optional)

Preparation
Prepare the sushi rice as instructed on the package on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. When done, transfer the rice to a non-metal bowl and allow it to cool and add the rice vinegar, stirring to mix with a wooden spoon. Don’t use a metal spoon as it will react with the vinegar and negatively affect the taste of the rice.

Select a sheet of nori and place it shiny side down on the bamboo rolling mat and make sure the lines in the sheet are parallel to the bamboo pieces. Wet your hands thoroughly with clean water and take about 1/3 a cup of rice and spread it on the lower third of the seaweed sheet. Press it slightly down so that it stays on the sheet. It’s okay if you can see little bits of the seaweed sheet through the rice, it does not have to be a solid block of rice. You also don’t want to press too hard. The same sort of pressure you’d use to seal an envelope is fine.

Take three umeboshi and remove the pits. Tear the plums in half and lay them side by side so that they form a horizontal line from one side of the rice to the other, gently pressing them in. Place two or three shiso leaves on top of the plums.

Now grab the bottom of the rolling pad and with your fingers, hold the seaweed and rice down against the mat while you lift the mat up. Bring the bottom of the seaweed sheet about half an inch below the top of the rice section and form the beginning of the roll. Make sure not to get the bamboo rolling mat caught in the roll! While the seaweed sheet should be in the roll, the now-upturned edge of the bamboo rolling mat should be on top of the roll but not attached to it.

Grab the top end of the bamboo mat which is still lying down and hold it steady by puling upwards. With your other hand hold on to the roll and tug downwards gently to tighten it up. Gently roll upwards, tugging the top end upwards and pulling the roll downwards with each revolution to tighten.

Just before you bring the roll to the end of the seaweed sheet, moisten the ends with some water and then join the top end of the sheet with the roll. Gently roll back and forth on the countertop to seal the seam.

With a sharp knife, cut the roll crosswise into six equal pieces.

Repeat the steps above until you finish the ingredients. You should have three rolls and eighteen pieces. Serve with soy sauce for dipping. Add wasabi if desired and cleanse your palate in between with pickled ginger.

YUM! Namaste and Enjoy!

Lyla