Jan 212013
 

This recipe is gonna blow your mind.

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Oh so cheesy and creamy and SUPER decadent.

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Not only is this dish easy – using the short cut of Victoria Vegan Alfredo sauce with a base of cashews instead of cream – it is healthy with zero cholesterol, vegan and gluten free.

For anyone who says meatless is tasteless, make this up and bring it to them. I guarantee they will be eating their words!

VV

I confess that when I made this recipe and tasted it, I felt so guilty – here I am trying to eat lighter and enjoying a large slab of creamy, cheesy, mouth watering lasagna!  Then I calculated the calories and fat….under 250 calories and only 2.5 grams saturated fat and poof! No more guilt.

This basic recipe can have any veggie subbed for the mushrooms and spinach that you have on hand so feel free to get a little crazy!

Creamy and Cheesy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Creamy and Cheesy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

5oz Brown Rice Pasta Lasagna Noodles, Tinkyada
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ pkgs (15oz) frozen organic mushrooms
½ pkg (5oz) frozen organic spinach
1 Tbsp wheat free Tamari
1 jar Victoria Vegan Roasted Pepper Alfredo Sauce
½ cup non-dairy cheese, Daiya

Directions 

1. Preheat oven 350F. Cook noodles to package directions and set aside.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in pot pasta was cooked in; add onion, cook 5 minutes; add mushrooms, spinach and tamari; cook until softened and well combined; about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Layer in a 9×9 baking dish, ¼ cup sauce, row of lasagna noodles, ½ mushroom mixture; repeat. Top with a third row of noodles, the last of the Alfredo sauce and ½ cup cheese. Cover and bake 45 minutes or until warm and bubbly.

Step by Step Lasagna Layering

Step by Step Lasagna Layering

Estimated Nutrition Info
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 243
Total Fat 10 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 739 mg
Potassium 354.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 30 g
Dietary Fiber 4.5 g
Sugars 3.9 g
Protein 7.9 g

Vitamin A 28.5 %
Vitamin B-12 0.5 %
Vitamin B-6 6.8 %
Vitamin C 8.6 %
Vitamin D 13.5 %
Vitamin E 1.9 %
Calcium 3.3 %
Copper 13.3 %
Folate 8.8 %
Iron 5.9 %
Magnesium 5.5 %
Manganese 12.3 %
Niacin 21.1 %
Pantothenic Acid 11.1 %
Phosphorus 7.9 %
Riboflavin 19.6 %
Selenium 9.6 %
Thiamin 12.0 %

Zinc 3.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy my Outrageously Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna (Healthy and Naturally Vegan and Gluten Free)!

Oct 212012
 

Are you a Mila lover and need some recipes?  This post is for you!

For those of you that are asking – what is Mila?  I am 1000% passionate about this food and the company.  Scroll down below this delicious gallery of recipes to find out….

Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes

Country Apples & Walnuts

Nutrient Packed Mila Cereal

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal with Mila

All Natural Zucchini Muffins with Mila

Mila Almond No-Blender Smoothie

Peanut Butter, Apple, Barley and Raisin Salad

Rustic Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup

Falafel-Stuffed Eggplant withTahini Sauce

Vegan Seven Layer Dip with Mila

Eggplant Leek Soup

Easy Mexican Tortilla Bake with Mila

Garlicky Bean Dip

Pear Apple Salad

Tropical Mila Crumble

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are two kinds of people in the world.

Those that want to treat their ailments with pills and pharmaceuticals that are ineffective or have serious side effects, and those that want to eat real, whole FOODS.

If you, a friend or family member is struggling with any of these issues, I have found something that may be able to help! 

  • sleep problems
  • lack of energy
  • constipation and digestion problems
  • depression
  • excess weight
  • joint problems
  • skin issues
  • neurological disorders and a host of other ailments…

Even better, it’s not a mix of herbs, pill or potion, shake or powder. It’s simply a whole, raw food like apples, sweet potatoes or quinoa. It works with vegan, raw and gluten free diets.

[Tip: Go to google, type in the issue you are struggling with and Omega3's and Medical Studies - see what you can find!]

Please, please, please don’t be fooled by those folks that are representing supplements and calling them food. When have you ever pulled a leafy plant out of nutrient dense soil and seen a bunch of pills hanging off the roots?

Mila 

How did I come across it? My mom has Multiple Sclerosis and it was her nurse practitioner, Megan, at her neurologist that sent me a sample – she loves to treat disease through whole foods instead of pills. After a few questions and some research, I became so impressed with the nutrition of this food that I agreed to try it out and fell in love. My mom is now eating Mila daily and the difference has been phenomenal. She can go for walks when she used to have to lay down and her energy lasts much longer throughout the day. This is the BIGGEST reason I’m now personally backing it and have even started a business that revolves around it. As for me – the first things I noticed were increased energy, even better digestion and, after three months, I was able to get off my antidepressants.  Little did I know that the high dosages of these pharmaceuticals was causing my hair to fall out, so it is now growing back in crazy amounts.

Ok great, so what is Mila?

It’s a special blend of raw seeds that are cleaned and sliced to make them super easy for your body to suck up all the nutrients.

Gram per gram comparison.

  • This seed blend has 2x the potassium of bananas
  • 6x more calcium than milk
  • More antioxidants then blueberries
  • 2x the fiber of bran flakes
  • 15x more magnesium than broccoli
  • 4x more selenium than flax seed
  • 6x more protein than kidney beans
  • 9x more phosphorous than whole milk
  • 8x more omega 3s than salmon
  • 3x more iron than spinach

The FIBER in Mila is what helps with weight loss. AND, it absorbs tons of water to help you feel full and regulate blood sugar.  As for the other ailments – it has 3000 mg of plant based Omega3′s and that is the key!

Talk about a PERFECT food to get tons of nutrition into our kids. Especially for busy moms like myself.

It is the best fuel for workouts. Do me a favor, next time you go to eat a protein bar, mix up a shake, eat something with a name like “goo”, read the ingredients.  How many ingredients are there? Do you know what each ingredient is?  No?  Then why are you putting that in your body?!

Ask my fellow yogi, ultra-runner and friend Jen Vogel who just finished a 508 mile bike race a few weekends ago! No that is not a typo. Yes 508 miles. She rocks. You go Jen!

Mila is also amazing for pets!

According to Dr Guy Arad, Veterinarian “I am a passionate Veterinary Practitioner with special interest in orthopedic surgery, critical care and cardiology who nurtures the human-pet bond. I love using Mila in my patients, as I see a dramatic improvement in cases of arthritis, recovery from orthopedic surgery, weight loss, skin diseases, diabetes, GI diseases and more. Mila is the healthiest whole raw food and best vehicle of Omega 3s. It is easy to introduce to our companions’ diets, as it has no taste or odor.”

It’s got lots of backing from the medical world.

Dr. Bob Arnot, Dr. Gutierrez, Dr. Clement, Dr. Ford, Dr. Lamm are all behind this little seed.

In comparison to standard organic bulk bin chia, Mila wins out, hands down, every time. See this new research showing that this open blend is better than whole seed. I did a bunch of research to convince me of this but the reason I’m so confident is that I used myself as the guinea pig. In fact, I had been eating both flax and bulk bin chia daily and never noticed a difference until I began eating this seed blend.

Want to try some for yourself? Click here.

Supporting the small farmer is what it’s all about. REAL FOOD is what it’s all about. As you may already know, I’m all about promoting health and nutrition – hence all the CSA/farm share events I do. I volunteer to do that because I LOVE it and I want to make not only my family, but your family healthier too. This company gives back to the farmers that grow this seed along the equator.  “The long-term World Vision consists of a program, called Farmer In A Box™, that will educate families and villages to sustain themselves by teaching them to grow the healthiest whole, raw food for themselves.  Our access to this extraordinary seed gives us the opportunity to affect the well-being of those all around the world. Our goal is to not only change their health but also create an economical infrastructure for the benefit of their future generations.”

Find out even more reasons I have fallen in LOVE <3 with the company. Click here to watch a short movie.

I’ll admit, at first I was skeptical, but from what I’ve learned since I started this business in May, never have I met a more genuine and supportive leadership group and corporate support/customer service group. This movie was actually filmed to be part of another video and the emotional parts were to be edited out – but when the owners watched all the footage they changed their mind. The stories are what it’s all about, so they decided to bear their hearts and just let it all hang out.
My own experience. I have had to call in to customer service several times – once for an event I had WAY overpaid on accidentally. A real person answered the phone and they refunded my money on the spot – no questions asked. Why can’t all companies be like that?

For so many years I have wanted to start my own business so I can eventually work for myself. Should I open a food truck? Have a farmers market store front? You name it, I thought of it. When I found this food and the business behind it, I jumped at the chance.  It may not be for you, but it could be huge.  Do you want the next three years to look like the last three?

I am 1000% passionate about this food and the company. Questions?  Contact me at chefdawn@hotmail.com

Dec 302011
 
First the veggies.  Isn’t this why you are visiting after all?

Eggplant and Daikon

Edible Flowers (a present from Vivian) and Carrots

Beets, Cilantro, Spinach and three types of Lettuce

 Purple Onion, Broccoli, Collards, Peppers

 Butternut and Citrus  

  

Cauliflower 

A while ago I had a Crockpot Disaster.  I tried to make a vegan lasagna with it and the result-crunchy, uncooked lasagna noodles on top and super mushy filling-was disgusting.  This is one of those instances where an altered recipe totally flopped.


Luckily persistence paid off as I gave it another go with my very own recipe and was met with success!  I made a few changes-the lasagna cooked in the oven rather than the Crockpot, tofu wasn’t used as a replacement for cheese and the filling was made with fresh kale from the farm.  By topping the lasagna with only a bit of vegan mozzarella instead of all the heavy cheese baked inside, the flavor of the fresh veggies really shone through (feel free to top with regular shredded mozzarella if you eat dairy.)

Somehow this lasagna manages to be both comforting and light and flavorful-the perfect combo in my eyes-and a great way to use fresh CSA produce.

Kalesagnia
Serves 6
Gluten and Dairy Free, Vegan



Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch kale, washed and de-stemmed
1 pkg Baby Bella mushrooms
Sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder, to taste
1/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil – drain well)
1 jar pasta sauce of choice
1 10 oz pkg no boil, gluten free rice lasagna noodles, such as De Boles

1/3 cup shredded vegan mozzarella, such as Daiya

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 350F; preheat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

2. Quarter onion and add to food processor and pulse to chop. Add chopped onion to preheated skillet, season with dash of salt and stir. While onion cooks, add kale, garlic and mushrooms to processor and pulse to chop. ** Add to skillet with onion, add sundried tomatoes and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder-taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray, spoon a thin layer of pasta sauce on bottom of pan, top with a layer of noodles, breaking as needed to fit. Top with half the kale mixture then repeat layers. Bake for 45 minutes, top with cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. **

**Half can be frozen by dividing mixture into two 8×8 pans, letting half cool and covering well with foil.  Do not add cheese until baking.  Freeze for two to four weeks. To bake, bring to room temp as the oven preheats to 350F.  Bake as directed.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving


Calories 241.1
Total Fat 2.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 223.1 mg
Potassium 478.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 54.7 g
Dietary Fiber 3.6 g
Sugars 2.6 g
Protein 7.4 g

Vitamin A 177.5 %
Vitamin B-12 0.3 %
Vitamin B-6 10.0 %
Vitamin C 51.2 %
Vitamin D 9.0 %
Vitamin E 3.2 %
Calcium 9.2 %
Copper 15.2 %
Folate 5.6 %
Iron 25.4 %
Magnesium 5.8 %
Manganese 19.7 %
Niacin 23.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 8.3 %
Phosphorus 7.7 %
Riboflavin 16.8 %
Selenium 7.5 %
Thiamin 29.4 %
Zinc 3.4 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.