INNOVATIVE ITALIAN
Portabello, White Bean and Swiss Chard Pasta
Serves 8
3 Portabello Mushrooms
1 cup canellini beans (canned or dry cooked)
1 bunch of Swiss Chard
2T Olive Oil
1/2 package whole wheat pasta
1/2 cup white wine
2 garlic cloves minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Splash of lemon juice
Saute mushrooms in olive oil with garlic over medium high heat. After five minutes reduce heat to medium add beans, chard, wine and lemon juice. Heat through and add salt and pepper. Serve over whole wheat pasta (Serves four)
Parmesan Surprise
Serves 2
2 Lightlife Smart Cutlets Original
2 thick Slices of Mozzarella
2 thick slices of Ricotta Salata
2 cups marinara sauce (recipe below or your choice)
1 yellow onion (cut into strips)
Bake Cutlets on cookie sheet for 20 minutes. While baking saute onions in olive oil (medium high) for 15 minutes. Remove cutlets from oven and top with marinara sauce, then onions, mozzarella and ricotta. Bake for another 5-10 minutes (or until cheese starts to brown, I like it real brown, almost burnt). Serve over tri-colored pasta. (serves 2)
Parmesan Party Bites
Makes 24 small bites
3 packages Smart Cutlets Classic Marinara
Shredded Mozzarella
Ricotta
2 Pizza doughs or 3 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
These are soooo great for parties and very easy (and quick to make). If you are making homemade pizza dough make that first while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then cut each cutlet into 6 equal pieces. Next either roll out the crescent rolls so they are triangles (that's how they come) or cut 4 inch triangles out of your pizza dough. Lay one piece of cutlet on each triangle. Add tablespoon of ricotta on top of sauce. Lastly add a tablespoon of mozzarella over the top of the ricotta. Then roll the bottom of the triangle over the toppings (the fatter part of the triangle) and close it up with the top part of the triangle. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Take them out when they are light brown. YUM!
Carbonara
Serves 8
1 package Lightlife Smart Bacon
4 eggs
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 cup parmesan
Black pepper
Thin Spaghetti (cook per directions on package)
Heat oil in saute pan on medium high. When hot put bacon in pan. Flip after one minute, then cook for another minute or two (until crisp). Remove from pan and break bacon into small pieces. Add spaghetti to pan, then coat with eggs and parmesan and grind black pepper. Turn off heat. Don't cook any longer. Serve immediately.
Meatless Meat Sauce
Serves 8
1 package Smart Ground Original
4 cups marinara sauce (recipe below or your choice)
Chopped Garlic
Pasta
Defrost Crumbles
Heat marinara sauce on stove (medium). When hot add crumbles and garlic, heat for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve over pasta.
Eggplant & Ricotta Rigatoni
Serves 8
4 Eggplants
Olive oil
Minced Garlic
1 1/2 cups of ricotta
Bread Crumbs
4 Cups Marinara (recipe below or your choice)
Cut eggplant into circles. Brush with olive oil and minced garlic, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes in over preheated to 350 degrees.In the meantime heat up marinara sauce. Add cooked eggplant and ricotta. Mix and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve over Rigatoni (or your favorite pasta).
Vegetarian Sausage and Peppers over Pasta
Serves 8
2 packages Lightlife Smart Sausage Italian Style
2 Green Pepper
1 Large Spanish Onion
Chopped Garlic
4 Cups Marinara (recipe below or your choice)
Parmesan
Saute (medium high) green pepper and onions for 20 minutes. Defrost sausage. Add marinara, sausage and garlic to onion/pepper mixture. Heat for another 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan.
Artichoke, Sun Dried and Mushroom Pizza
Serves 6
1 can of Artichokes (cut into small pieces)
1 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes
2 cups sauteed onions
1 cup ricotta
3 cups mozzarella
2 cups marinara sauce
1 Pizza Crust
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Top pizza with marinara sauce, then mozzella, put on spoonfuls of ricotta and all other ingredients. Bake for 25-30 minutes (until cheese is bubbling). Let cool for 2-3 minutes before slicing.
Lemon Caper Cutlets
Serves 2
1 package Lightlife Smart Cutlet Original
1 bottle of capers
2 lemons 3/4 white cooking wine
1 vegetable bouillon cube
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Bake cutlets at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. In the meantime dissolve bouillon in 1 cup of boiling water. Squeeze lemons into saucepan and combine with capers, wine, broth and garlic. Put over medium heat. When cutlets are ready pour sauce over them and serve over angel hair pasta or rice.
Sausage and Pepper Dog
Serves 4
1 package Lightlife Smartlife Sausages Smoked Style
1 large white onion
1 green pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 Hot dog buns
Cut onion and green peppers into slices. Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat. When hot add onions and peppers. Cook for 15 minutes, until onions start to burn. Add Smart Sausages to onion and pepper mixture. Cook for 5 more minutes. Put in bun. Serve with ketchup.
Must Have Marinara
Serves 10
1 28 oz. can of organic tomato puree
1 28 oz. can of fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup of parmesan (shredded)
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon salt
Blend all of above and heat on stove over medium high until bubbly! Freeze the left over sauce, it will come in handy with so many recipes.
MEATLESS MEXICAN
(As a group these Mexican recipes are the easiest of them all. Most contain few ingredients and are quick to whip together)
Black Bean Burritos
Serves 2
1 can of black beans
1 large spanish onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 Burrito sized tortillas
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
Cut onion into strips. Heat saute pan on medium-high heat, when hot put in olive oil and onions. Saute until brown and very soft, I like them burnt! At the same time heat the black beans in a small sauce pan on low to medium heat. When onions are ready add them to the beans, along with the garlic. Bring to a quick boil. Heat tortillas and pour a small amount of the black bean mix inside and wrap. You can add sour cream, but I don't the onions and garlic give it enough flavor to say adios to the added calories. (serves 4)
Portabello Fajitas
Serves 4
12 ounces of portabello mushrooms
1 large spanish onion
1 green pepper
3 tablespoons of olive oil
8 Fajita sized tortillas
Cut onion, portabello mushrooms and green peppers into strips. Heat saute pan on medium-high heat, when hot put in olive oil, onions and green pepper. Let cook about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add mushrooms. Cook another 5 minutes. Heat tortillas. Serve together with guacamole, salsa, shreaded cheddar and sour cream.
Gorditas
Serves 4
1 package Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican
8 Gorditas (thick tortillas - most likely found at a Mexican specialty store)
Shreaded Cheddar Cheese or Soy Cheddar
Ranch Sauce (see below)
Preheat saute pan to medium. When hot add Smart Ground. Heat Gorditas and top with Smart Ground, cheese and ranch sauce.
Ranch sauce
(mix equal parts of Ranch dressing and salsa)
Black Beans and Yellow Rice
Serves 6
1 can black beans
1 large spanish onion
1 green pepper
1 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Spanish Yellow Rice
First start cooking the rice. It should take about 25 minutes. Then cut onion into strips. Heat saute pan on medium-high heat, when hot put in olive oil and onions. Saute until brown and very soft, I like them burnt! At the same time heat the black beans in a small sauce pan on low to medium heat. When onions are ready add them to the beans, along with the garlic. Bring to a quick boil. Serve over rice. Yum!
Mexican Pizza
Serves 6
12 ozs. shredded Cheddar or Soy Cheddar
1 can black beans (drained)
10 ozs. raw sliced mushrooms
2 Large Tomatoes
1 small can black olives
1 cup of corn (this is best with fresh cooked corn cut off the cob, but feel free to use frozen too)
Jalapeno peppers (optional)
Chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons of Cilantro
1 Large Bobili Crust
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Put cheese on the crust first, then pile on all the other vegetables. Add as much chili powder as you can handle and sprinkle on cilantro. Bake for 25-30 minutes (until cheese bubbles a bit).
Chunky Cornbread Chili
Serves 8
2 packages Lightlife Smart Ground Original
1 large spanish onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups of tomato sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic
1 can of kidney beans
Cornbread Mix (and ingredients asked for on package)
Preheat pan on medium-high heat and add olive oil to coat pan. Mince onion and add that to the pan. Next add Smart Ground. Pour in tomato sauce.
Add chili powder, paprika and garlic. Lastly put in kidney beans and mix around. Let that simmer on the stove for a few minutes. Prepare cornbread mix according to package. Grease casserole dish and pour in chili. Then drop cornbread mix in spoonfuls onto chili. The spoonfuls should be close by, but don't mix it around. Put dish into over preheated to 375-degrees. Bake for 15 minutes or until cornbread is lightly browned.
Serves Six.
CUBAN CUISINE
SEITAN CAMERONES ENCHILADOS
Serves 6
1 lb seitan (cut into 1/2 pieces)
2T olive oil
1 onion (diced)
1 red pepper (roasted and cut into large dice)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1T vinegar
1t Tabasco
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute onion in olive oil on medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add seitan and garlic cook another 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, wine, vinegar and tabasco. Cover and put on low heat for 20 minutes. Add roasted red pepper, salt and pepper. Heat for 5 more minutes and serve.
My award winning Paella:
THESE ARE THE RECIPES THAT HELPED ME WIN TLC'S REALITY SHOW "DINNER TAKES ALL". ENJOY!
GUACAMOLE
Serves 4
Ripe (but not too ripe)
Avocado
1 Plum Tomato
3 Tablespoons of Onion
Cilantro
Salt
Split avocado half. Take out pit. Cut avocado into small cubes while still in skin. Scoop out of skin and into serving bowl. Add finely diced tomato and onion. Add cilantro, use as much as you like, some people like more cilantro, some like less. Same goes for the salt. I add a few teaspoons, but some may like more or less. Serve right away with rice crackers, tortilla chips or soft tortillas. (serves two)
SUNDRIED TOMATO & AVOCADO SUSHI
Serves 1
Seaweed Sheet
Thin Strips of Avocado
Sun dried Tomatoes
Sushi Rice
Lay seaweed sheet flat on sushi mat. Cover with sticky sushi rice. Put a couple small strips of avocado and sun dried tomatoes in a small row 3/4 of the way to the bottom. Roll and cut into six parts.
ORANGE CURRY DIPPING SAUCE (serve with the sushi)
Mix the following: Four Tablespoons Mayonnaise A Tablespoon of Curry Powder A Tablespoon of Orange Juice A Tablespoon of Orange Marmalade A 1/2 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce (serves two)
MUSHROOM PANCAKES
Serves 6
Four Cups of Fresh Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons of Melted Butter
1 Egg
1 Cup of White Flour
2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
Chop mushrooms, saute (medium-high) in olive oil and white cooking wine (15 minutes). Beat milk, butter and eggs lightly in mixing bowl. In another bowl mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add dry ingredients all at once to wet mixture. Stir just enough to dampen flour, but don't over-mix. Add cooked mushrooms. Spray griddle with cooking oil. When griddle is hot enough add generous spoonfuls of the mixture. Flip when light brown on one side. (serves five)
ASIAN SAUCE FOR MUSHROOM PANCAKES
Equal parts Vegetarian Oyster Sauce and Soy Sauce
VEGETARIAN SAUSAGE PAELLA
Serves 6
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Orange Pepper
2 Spanish Onions
2 Cups Mushrooms
2 packages Lightlife Smart Sausage Chorizo Style
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Cut all vegetables into long strips. Put olive oil in pan on medium high. When hot, add peppers and onions. Cook for 20 minutes. Add mushrooms. Cut sausage into 1 inch thick pieces. Add sausage to pan with vegetables. Add garlic and white wine. Cook another 10 minutes. Serve with yellow rice.
BANANA EGGROLLS WITH DULCE DE LECHE SAUCE
Serves 6
6 Egg roll Sheets
3 Bananas
1/2 cup Nutella
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Dulce de Leche Sauce (see below)
Preheat oil in saute pan on medium high heat. Spread center of egg roll sheet with nutella. Put half of a banana on top of nutella. Roll like an eggroll. Put in hot pan. Let cook on each side for just a minute or two, turning it when it's lightly browned on each side.
DULCE DE LECHE SAUCE
Mix together: 1/2 cup Condensed Milk & 1/4 cup Caramel. Heat through.
WHITE LYCHEE SANGRIA
1 Bottle Sweet White Wine
2 Cups Lychee Juice
1 Cup Ginger Ale
1/2 Cup Sugar
Combine ingredients in pitcher of chopped fruit of your choice. Serve with kiwi on the rims of the glass.
RED ORANGE INFUSED SANGRIA
1 Bottle Spanish Red Wine
1 Cup of Sugar
2 Cups of Ginger Ale
1 Cup Grand Marnier
Combine ingredients in pitcher of chopped fruit of your choice. Serve with strawberries on the rim of the glass.
To Start or on the Side Filling:
Mushroom Tartlets
Makes 15 small bites
8 oz. crimini mushrooms
8 oz. white button mushrooms
3T olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley (minced)
1T salt
1t pepper
Heat oil in large saute pan on medium high. Add mushrooms. Saute until nicely browned and soft. Add salt and pepper. Fill tarts (recipe below) and top with parsley.
Easy Tarts:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup olive oil
3T water
Combine flour and salt. Slowly add oil, forming large crumbs. Slowly add water until mixture is combined (you may not need all the water). Kneed briefly and flatten. Use large round cookie cutter to cut big circles. Put in cupcake pan. Bake until lightly browned (about 10 minutes)
Taco Bites
Makes 12 small bites
12 Corn tortillas (small)
3 cups vegetable oil
Salt
Heat oil to 375 degrees in small pot (if you don't have a thermometer drop a little flour in the pot until it sizzles). While oil is heating up cut large circles out of the tortillas. About 4 inches around. Shape tortilla around a long cylinder (forming taco shape). Hold that in the oil (careful oil may splatter). Fry for about 30 seconds or until it hardens. It will harden more after you take it out. Lay on sheet pan and sprinkle with salt.
1 head of romaine lettuce
1 cup black beans
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
Fill tacos with lettuce, top with a teaspoon of black beans and sprinkle with cheese
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Serves 15
1 package frozen spinach
1 can Artichokes
1 cup lowfat mayo
1 cup parmesan cheese
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Defrost spinach and chop artichokes into small pieces. Combine all ingredients in a small casserole pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
Orange Beet Salad
Serves 4
1 can of whole beets
1 small can of mandarin oranges
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup goat or blue cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Cut beats into quarters. Mix beets, oranges and pecans together. Crumble cheese over mixture and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.
Sun Dried Tomato Toast
Serves 15
1 bag sun dried tomatoes
6 oz. whipped cream cheese
1 package small toasts (bruschetta type crackers)
Put half of the sun dried tomatoes aside. Cut the other half into very small pieces. Mix with the cream cheese. Spread onto toast. Cut the remaining sun dried tomatoes in half. Please halves onto toasts and serve.
Crisp Green Beans
Serves 8
1 lb. fresh green beans (wash and trim ends)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Put green beans in pot and cover with water. Heat on high and let boil for 5 minutes. In the meantime heat olive oil and garlic in a pan on medium heat. Add beans when ready and almonds. Serve immediately.
Sweet Potato Pie
Serves 10
3 large cans of sweet potatoes
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
1 bag of Marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Puree sweet potatoes in electric mixer (adding one can at a time). Add all the other ingredients (except the marshmallows) slowly and one at a time into the mixer. When the mixture is smooth pour it into a 9 X 11 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Then if you like marshmallows cut them in half and add to the top. Bake for another 10 minutes. (NOTE: if you are making this for a holiday along with a bunch of other dishes you can make the sweet potato mixture the night before and just pop it in the oven the next day when you are ready)
Noodle Pudding (Kugel)
Serves 10
1 lb. wide egg noodles (cooked)
4 eggs
1/4 lb. butter softened
8 oz. whipped cream cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins
In an electric mixer beat eggs, butter and sugar together until they are nice and creamy. Add cream cheese and sour cream and mix. Add extract. Mix the noodles in by hand until all noodles are covered. Add raisins and mix around (some people may like more or less raisins, I like lots!). Spray 9 X 11 pan. Put in noodle mixture and bake for 40 minutes.
Corn Souffle
Serves 10
1 Bag of frozen corn (defrosted)
3 cans of cream-style corn
4 eggs
5 tablespoons of half and half
5 tablespoons of flour
5 tablespoons sugar
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into casserole dish. Pop in an oven preheated to 375 degrees. Bake for an hour and a half.
SIMPLE SANDWICHES
PORTOBELLO & PROVOLONE MONTE CRISTO AVOCADO & PROVOLONE
Ingredients are per serving
English Muffin
1 Large Portobello Mushroom
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 quarter red pepper
1/4 cup of fresh spinach
Take stem off large portobello mushroom. Wash carefully and take off stem. Marinate in olive oil and balsamic and put in the fridge for one hour. When that time is up stick it on a hot grill for 10 minutes (If you don't have a grill use a grill pan and keep flipping. If you use this method it will cook faster). Also cut a couple wide slices of red pepper, brush with olive oil and stick that on the grill. You'll need to cook the pepper for a few minutes on each side. When it's ready put the mushroom and red pepper on a lightly toasted english muffin. Add a handful of fresh spinach. Then drizzle balsamic and olive oil and close the sandwich with the other side of the english muffin.
Ingredients are per serving
3 slices Lightlife Smart Deli Ham
3 slices Lightlife Smart Deli Turkey
2 pieces of wheat bread
3 small slices of brie
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar
Raspberry Jam
1/2 cup soy milk
1 egg
1 Tablespoon butter
Place a few slices of ham on bottom piece of bread. Add brie. Then add a few slices of turkey. Add top piece of bread. Whisk egg with a soy milk. Dunk sandwich in egg mix. Place in pre-heated pan on medium high heat with a tablespoon of butter coating pan. Fry sandwich, turning often. Sprinkle powdered sugar over sandwich and serve with raspberry preserves.
Ingredients are per serving
1 3 inch wide slice of focaccia
6 sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup broccoli sprouts
1/2 avocado
2 slices of provolone
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Cut a 3 inch wide slice of focaccia. Cut in half lengthwise. Cut avocado into long slices and place a few slices on the bottom of the focaccia. Add a slices of provolone. Stack on sun dried tomatoes. Top with broccoli sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Put on top of focaccia and put a skewer through sandwich to keep it together.
