Zucchini Lasagne Recipe

This recipe uses slices of zucchini in place of traditional lasagna noodles. You can use this as a main course or as a side dish, what ever suits your needs. It takes a bit of time to put it together but it's really worth it and people love it.

I'm not giving you a measured recipe here but you'll get the idea. If it's too confusing, let me know and I'll refine this and do it again with measured amounts.  

Ingredients:

Zucchini or yellow squash
Onion, garlic
Salt
Pasta sauce (ideas below if you want to make your own or live in Israel)
Vegan Cheeze (you can buy this or make your own, do an online search for "vegan cheese recipe" or vegan mozzarella)
Olive oil

Optional (the more you add the better!): 

• Chopped spinach  
• Olives (pitted of course) 
• Eggplant 
• Fresh tomatoes 
• Mushrooms

Cut and saute the onions and garlic in a bit of the olive oil. You can add this to the sauce or just sprinkle in the layers.

Wash the zucchini and cut off the ends to discard. 

Slice them lenghwise so you have flat "noodles." The thinner you make them, the faster they'll cook. But you can not really make a mistake here.

Oil the bottom of a 9x13 pan (or what ever size you want to make). 

Layer sauce, "noodles," cheeze, veggies, sauce "noodles," cheeze, veggies, etc until you get to the top when you'll end with "noodles" and sauce. The "noodles" are not uniform. I layer them so that they are lengthwise in the pan for one layer, then crosswise for the next, and so on.

Drizzle with olive oil. The more concerned about your family going for this one, the more generous you should be with the olive oil. Salty, oily foods are comfort foods so if you want to make this one a comfort food, add a double drizzle. 

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 F or about 170 C for about 45 minutes. Check to see that it's cooked all the way through. Some people like crispy vegetables and that's fine. (I've found that it is eaten up faster if the zucchini is very soft.)

Homemade pasta sauce
Start with tomato paste and add water until it is the consistency of a thick sauce. For this recipe you want your sauce thick because the zucchini has a lot of water and as it cooks, it will release the water. 

To the sauce, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, a dash of hot pepper, and a small splash of balsamic if you like.

Vegan Cheese ideas
I want to tell you that when I started making this lasagne, I did not use vegan cheese, I just ground up cashews and sprinkled them in like cheese. It was still good. That said, give these a try...

You can try this recipe. Don't be intimidated. If you've never tried making something like this before, give it a go. You can get anything that isn't in your pantry at any health food store. Most vegan cheese recipes are made with nuts, but here's a recipe that is nut and seed free. 

Easy Cabbage Sauté -- Delish!

This recipe is so simple and fast and tasty! While I give you approximate measurements below, it does not have to be exact at all, you can taste as you go. The only thing you really have to be careful about is the seasoning so be conservative and you can always add more to your own tastes.

Ingredients

Onion, cut in half, then sliced thin
Half a head of cabbage
Rice noodles, about a quarter of a package (eyeball it so you have proportions that you like)
     --these are the noodles you can get in the Asian section of the grocery store
1/4 - 1/2 cup Frozen peas
1 - 2 Tbs Sesame (or any) oil
1 Tbs selon
1-2 Tbs natural peanut butter
Salt
White pepper


Instructions

Start water boiling in a pot (the noodles will be tastier if the water is salted)
Cut up onion and start to sauté in the sesame oil in a big pan
Slice the cabbage in thin strips to kind of match the noodles
Once the onions are translucent, add the cabbage and stir together
Add the peas

By now the water should be boiling
Add the noodles and stir until they are tender
Drain and add to the pan with the cabbage and onions
Stir in the selon and the peanut butter
Add salt and pepper to taste


Variations (can use any or all of these)

use snow peas and add at the same time as the cabbage
add a red pepper sliced into thin strips to the onions
add chopped spinach (adds color and nutrition!)
add some cayenne pepper to taste
add some coconut cream to taste
sprinkle with sesame seeds OR roasted cashews

Carrot, Garbanzo, Basmati Rice Salad

2 cups grated carrots
1 cup canned or cooked or sprouted garbanzo beans
1/2 cup cooked basmati rice

toss together with the following for dressing
1-2 T lemon juice
1-2 T olive oil
Parsley, dried or fresh to add a bit of green
Cayenne pepper, pinch or more to taste
Salt to taste

Alternative: if you love fresh garlic add it to this salad!

Toss this all together and serve. This salad will travel well--if I go on a day trip, it's one of my favorites to take. The carrots stay crisp and the garbanzo beans and rice feel very substantial.  I have even frozen leftover salad because I didn't want to throw it away and I was traveling. It was still good thawed a couple of weeks later.

Veggie Salad Slaw

I don't really use so much lettuce but I do love salads and this has become a staple at my house. It is really just a mix of any veggies you love and have redly available and fresh. The dressing is super simple.

White cabbage, chopped or grated

Red, yellow, orange peppers (what ever shape and size you like)

Purple cabbage, chopped or grated

Add any of the following as you like:

Cucumbers, small cubes

Kohlrabi, small cubes

Garbanzo beans

Tomato, chopped OR cherry tomatoes

Olives

Hearts of palm

Pumpkin or sunflower seeds

Fresh frozen peas (they will thaw if you put them in the bowl first and then cut the veggies for the rest of the salad

Dressing:

2-3 T Lemon juice (I use the juice of one average size lemon to a serving bowl of salad)

2-3 T Olive oil, cold pressed is always the best

Grey salt to taste

Toss it all together, no need to make the dressing first.

Tip: The timing of when to dress this salad is something to consider. I usually dress salads at the last possible minute so that they don't wilt. This one needs a bit more time (not much) so that the larger salt crystals have a chance to dissolve.

If you are not used to grey salt, it's a wonderful flavor that is most satisfying. The salt is grey because it still has all the minerals so I'm told it's so much better for you! You can find it easily at the health food store.

Alternative

You can add some prepared tahini to this salad, on the side, drizzle on top of individual servings, or toss right in. YUM!

Aunt Laya's Purple Salad Delight

This is a completely unique salad that I haven't seen anywhere else. It adds color to the presentation of your meal and table. I love a blend of flavors and this one is really delicious.

Ingredients
5 cups shredded or chopped purple cabbage
2 small red apples, cored and cut into bite sized pieces, I think Gala are best but any kind is fine
1/8 cup dried cranberries
1/8 cup almonds OR pecan pieces (or chopped)

Dressing
2 T cold pressed oil of choice (sesame, olive, or even coconut)
1 T apple cider vinegar
1T lemon juice
2 T honey
pinch of salt

All in one bowl and toss so the ingredients of the salad and dressing are a nice blend.

Substitutions: of course you know you can play with this. If you really like sweet you can try candied pecans.  I have also used selon (date honey) in place of the bee honey--a great alternative if you want it vegan (it will make the salad darker).

Easy Zucchini Recipe

Simple to make and looks like a party! Yum!

This one is easy shmeasy, just the way I like though it does take a wee bit more time.

First, peel your zucchini or yellow squash (or not, how ever you like). Leave the thick stem on! Then slice the long way up to the stem.

Place the prepared squash in the baking dish. Now add slices of peppers or onions or any other veggie you want in between the slices of zucchini. This adds color and flavor. You now have a kind of fan.

If desired: drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and crushed hot pepper or any other herb blend that you like. (I do love Mrs. Dash!) In the photo above I added cherry tomatoes for the added color and decoration.

Bake uncovered until tender in a medium oven.

Makes a great presentation and delicious too.

Enjoy! <3

Non-dairy "cheese cake" recipe

I found this recipe on the Internet. It's all over the place so I hope it's ok that I'm jumping on the band wagon. It's a great recipe. I've made it a number of times and it's always a hit. I've changed some things in the recipe so it's actually a little different than the original. The photo is a "cheese cake" I made with a blueberry topping (used frozen blueberries). The first year I made it my daughter also made a chocolate cheese cake and side by side they disappeared at the same rate. :-) (Also I have substituted walnuts or pecans for the crust.)

Just Like Cheesecake
- by Emily Lee Angell

Makes: 24 slivers
Special Equipment: Food Processor

For the Crust:
2 cups raw macadamia (or walnut, pecan, or almond) nuts
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1/4 cup dried coconut (optional)

For the cheese:
3 cups chopped cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
3/4 cup lemon juice (or lime juice)
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt (optional--I never use this)
up to 1/2 cup water as needed for the "cheese" filling

For blueberry sauce:
1 bag frozen blueberries
1/2 cup dates

DIRECTIONS
To make the crust, process the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor. Sprinkle dried coconut onto the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Press crust onto the coconut. This will prevent it from sticking OR line the pan with parchment paper. This will make wavy wrinkles in the sides of the cake but I think they look nice. Put this in the freezer while you make the filling.

To make the cheese, blend the cashews, lemon, honey, gently warmed coconut oil (do not use microwave), vanilla, sea salt (if using), and 1/2 cup water. Blend until smooth and adjust to taste.

Pour the mixture onto the crust. Remove air bubbles by tapping the pan on a table.

Place in the freezer until firm. 

For the topping, put most of the blueberries in the food processor with the dates until creamy, then mix with the whole berries and pour the mixture over the firm cake, back to the freezer until you're ready to defrost for serving.

Remove the whole cake from the pan while frozen and place on a serving platter. Defrost in the refrigerator. 

Once the cake is defrosted, it does not need to go into the freezer again. 

Breakfast!

There is nothing as refreshing and enlivening as a living breakfast. This is one of my current favorites. Skip the corn flakes and give this a try for a while.

Change this according to the season. As it is it's delicious and so yummy.
2 apples
1 banana
3 dates
2-3 tablespoons of raw (shelled, unsalted) sunflower seeds
dash of cinnamon
diluted apple juice (optional) or water (or even yoghurt)

cut up the fruits, add the rest

It is great to add other healthy ingredients like chia seeds as well. Nuts are a bit heavier but also a delicious and healthy addition. If you add water, the dates will very quickly turn the water sweet when you stir it up some.

To your health!
Love,
Aunt Laya

Sweetie, quickie, healthy candy

When I get a sweet tooth and I need something in a hurry, I whip up these yummy treats. 

I use a hand blender that has an attachment to make it into a mini food processor. Be creative, maybe the blender or your regular food processor will work.

Sweetie, Quickie, Healthy Candy

1/3 cup almonds
4 big medjool dates, pitted
heaping teaspoon of carob powder

Process until it looks like a fine, almost powdery consistency. It's possible it could lump together which is fine too. The "dough" will be warm to the touch now.

In rounded teaspoons, compress into the palm of your hand and roll into little balls.
Refrigerate or, better still, freeze for a chewier consistency. Serve. That's it.
Yeild: 12-14 candies

Extra tip:
If you want to make this in the regular food processor in a larger quantity, freeze on sheets of baking parchment to keep them from sticking together in storage.

Wonderful minerals, fibers, vitamins and healthy oil. To your health!

Love ya,

Aunt Laya 

Raw Carob Fudge Cake Recipe

Serve this without guilt to any kids (without nut allergies of course!).
My take on this raw cake.

Raw Carob Fudge Cake
2 cups walnuts or pecans
12-15 medjool dates
1-4 ripe bananas
4 heaping Tbs of carob or cocoa powder
pinch salt

Optional: dried shredded coconut, whole nuts or banana slices for garnish

With the S blade in the food processor, process the nuts first until they are very fine.
Add the pitted and checked dates (no worms or insects in my cakes!), carob powder, and bananas
If you have a super duper processor, you can add the bananas last but if yours is wimpy like mine, add them together.

Line a spring form pan with plastic wrap.
Spread the "batter" out into the pan and freeze for about four hours.

Sprinkle your cake plate with shredded coconut if you like to keep the cake from sticking.
Turn the cake onto your serving plate.

Garnish with shredded coconut, decorate with whole nuts, or, if you're not going to leave it out of the freezer for a long time, slices of bananas.

Optional glaze: mix a small amount of honey (2 Tbs) with carob powder and drizzle over the cake for a beautiful effect. (Do this just before serving because it won't stay so elegant once it's been out for a while and put back in the freezer. It will still taste divine though!)

Some people like to soak the nuts for a few hours first to take off the bitter taste and the enzyme inhibitor. It's the healthier option but this recipe is fine if you don't. If you do, be sure to drain the nuts well, even let them dry for a while before processing.

Remember that this is a raw recipe so you can taste it as you go... add more banana or dates as you like. Add honey or agave if you want to make it sweeter. Try processing all ingredients at the same time for a crunchier version. My family likes it creamier so I make sure to process the nuts well at the start.

Healthy and wonderful. Always a hit at the table.

Chili recipe

My beautiful friend Felicia requested a few of my recipes so there's the reason for the bunch of them in a row.

I make this several times a month because it's so yummy. You can use either a slow cooker (crock pot) or a regular pot on the stove. I always made chili but my recipe is tweaked because of another wonderful friend, Martha, one of the best cooks I or anyone else knows.

This chili is made with pinto beans so the color will vary on the beans you use.
All beans are good so use what you have or what you love.

Mexican Chili
Beans of your choice: 500 gr package (a 1 lb. package is a little less and that's fine)
Soak the beans between 12-24 hours for healthiest results. It will still make up fine if not.
Pour off the soak water and put into a pot with boiling water. Just boil them until soft before you add anything else! (If you do this in a crock pot, put them on high to start so they really boil for a while.)

In a frying pan:
2 Tbs oil
Medium-large onion chopped up

As the onion becomes translucent, add the rest of the ingredients:
1 green pepper (or yellow or red, or all three!)
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes cut up

Spices:
Salt to taste
Cumin (approx 1/4 to 1/2 tsp I just use a couple of good shakes)
Oregano (approx 1 Tbs, or something else green will work according to Martha and she knows!)
Cayenne pepper (hot pepper in Israel) to taste
Love and prayers for your and your family's well being!

When the beans are soft, add the veggies and seasoning.
If you need to add more water at any point, make sure it's boiling water so it doesn't interfere with the cooking of the beans.

For best food combining health serve beans with rice either on the side or mixed right in.

Best blessings!
Aunt Laya

Optional: you can add  1/3 cup of rice to the boiling or just add cooked rice at the end. Rice and beans together make a healthy combination.

You can add ground beef if you want to, or keep it veggie and serve with sour cream or shredded cheese. If you live in the US serve with corn bread!!

Black bean, butternut, and tomato soup recipe

Here’s the newest experiment from my kitchen.

It was a big hit and didn’t last very long at all, I didn't even have time to photograph it, sorry. Maybe I'll add a photo when I make it again.

Black bean, butternut, and tomato soup:

Water to cover all the veggies below

Onion-med, garlic-two cloves (best if sautéed first)

Butternut squash-small (peeled & seeded of course)

Tomatoes-plum are best, any will do (about 3, cut up)

Can of black beans with the liquid

Boil until everything is soft.

Add:

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Lemon (2-3 Tbs.)

Parsley (about 1 Tbs.)

Cumin (two shakes)

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

When all the veggies are soft:

Puree with a hand blender

You could garnish this with a dollop of sour cream or bits of parsley, or even a few pumpkin seeds. 

Yummiest Smoothie Recipe

This is a refreshing, filling, healthy, raw, smoothie you can make with a blender. 

It takes a little bit of planning if you want it thick and frothy and cold because you need peeled, sliced (or broken up by hand) ripe bananas frozen in advance. I buy bananas in big bunches so that we can eat some and I always have a ready supply frozen in a big zipper baggie. Here's the recipe:

1/8-1/4 cup raw, shelled cashews or sunflower seeds per person (or serving) or a combo of both.
1-2 pitted Medjoul dates per serving
1 teaspoon of carob or cocoa powder per serving (when I make a full blender full, I use two heaping tablespoons)
water
frozen banana pieces

This is the part of the process that will get you the creamiest texture:

In the blender put the sunflower seeds with enough water to generously cover them. Blend on high for a bit. Add the dates and carob powder and blend again until there are not chunks of dates, probably less than a minute depending on the power of your blender. You can really use any kind of date. If you have hard dates, soak them first and use the soak water for the shake because it will be sweet. Adjust the amount of dates you use to make it sweeter if you like. They are so good for you anyway!

Slowly add the banana pieces, about 2 small bananas per serving. Adding the ingredients in this order has given me the smoothest of smoothies. This seems to really amaze people (even the chocolate lovers have loved the carob!).

I am using less cocoa powder since I saw the documentary "The Dark Side of Chocolate."
There is only one brand that I'm absolutely certain of as free trade and that's Holy Cacao which is a very small company (so far). Cocoa powder is very bitter. Carob powder is actually sweet in comparison.

To your health!
Let me know how you like this or if you do something different and love it.

Love,
Aunt Laya