Recipes: No Meat

Many of these recipes I have found on other websites/blogs.  Sometimes I change them up a bit, sometimes I don't.  

Creamy Mac N Cheese

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces elbow macaroni or small shell pasta
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed*
• 20 cranks of black pepper (or 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 12 ounces (3 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
• Additional cheddar, parmesan, or bread crumbs** for topping

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Place pasta in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. In a large sauce pan, combine cayenne, garlic, crushed mustard, black pepper, and butter over medium heat. When butter starts to sizzle, add the flour and stir until mixed and bubbly.
3. Add 2 cups of the milk and whisk with the butter mixture over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Whisk constantly to avoid lumps or scorching.
4. Turn off heat and whisk in remaining 1 cup of milk and the cup of cream, along with the parsley and salt.
5. Crack eggs into a separate mixing bowl and whisk briskly, until they are no longer very "stringy". Whisking constantly, pour a half cup of the hot creamy sauce in with the eggs. Continue whisking and adding sauce to the eggs, until you've added about 2 cups of the sauce in with the eggs. Then pour the eggs into the saucepan with the rest of the sauce, whisking to incorporate.
6. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in shredded cheeses. Spread into a lightly greased baking dish.
This recipe makes a very full 9x13-inch dish, so you can also divide it between a couple dishes for a thinner layer (I like to do a 9x13 dish and an 8x8 dish).
7. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, or bread crumbs. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
This casserole can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a couple days before baking. If it's been in the fridge a couple days, however, you may need to drizzle about 1/2 cup of additional milk over top before baking, as the pasta tends to absorb more liquid as it sits.

Spinach Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

• 9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon dried onion (or 2 tablespoons of fresh, minced onion)
• 1 cup cooked rice (measurement is after cooking, not before)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  

Instructions:

1. Place spinach and water in a large pan or skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until spinach leaves wilt.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients. Add the wilted spinach and stir. Pour into a greased 8x8-inch square baking dish.
3. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until set in the middle. (Test with fork.)

Black Bean Wraps

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 cup corn
• Juice of one lime or lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Tortillas
• Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, grated cheese

1. Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil, add the rest of the ingredients and heat through. 
2. Serve on tortillas. Add toppings as desired.

Black Bean Veggie Couscous

Robert and I threw something together last night to use up leftovers and veggies that we'd had for a while and needed to get eaten. It was YUMMY! We'll call it Black Bean Veggie Couscous. Here's what was in it:

Black beans

Sautéed diced potatoes and onion in olive oil

Steamed yellow squash and zucchini

Whole wheat couscous

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

We already had some cooked black beans and couscous, so all we did was sauté the potatoes and onion, steam the veggies, then throw it all together in a pan and let it simmer (on 1 or 2) for 10 minutes or so mainly to warm the couscous because we had just pulled it out of the fridge. It turned out really yummy, and we will definitely do this again! :)

Cheese and Lentil Loaf (from The Baby Cookbook)

• 1/2 lb shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cooked, drained lentils (see p. 148 baby cookbook)
• 1/2 cup small onion, chopped
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs, packed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp butter

Stir in all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Grease loaf pan well, add mixture, and bake on 325 for 45 minutes.

Cheesy Baked Squash (from The Baby Cookbook)

• 2 summer squash
• 1 small zucchini
• 5 mushrooms
• 1/2 onion, peeled
• 1 red pepper, seeded
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
• 1/4 tsp each oregano and basil
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Wash and slice all veggies and steam together until tender. 
2. Meanwhile, combine olive oil, garlic, oregano, and basil. 
3. Transfer veggies to a casserole and cover with olive oil mixture and then with the grated cheeses.
4. Cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. 
5. Remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes.

Cuban Black Beans (from The Baby Cookbook)

• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
• 1/4 cup bean cooking liquid
• 1 cup chopped seeded green peppers
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 bay leaf

1. Place beans in pan with their cooking liquid and heat gently. 
2. Sauté peppers and onions in oil for 5 minutes, or until tender. 
3. Drain any excess oil and add mixture to beans with the bay leaf. 
4. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
5. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Zucchini Casserole

• 3 large zucchini (cubed with peel on)
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 can cream of celery (or mushroom) soup
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3 cups bread crumbs

1. Steam zucchini and onion, just until slightly tender.
2. Place in bowl and add next 5 ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour into 15 X 11 X 2 casserole.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.

Couscous "Salad"(don't have measurements on this; I'll list the ingredients)

1. Saute diced zucchini, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, onion, and minced garlic in olive oil, salt, and pepper (I would have included yellow squash if I had any!)
2. Make couscous (I used organic whole wheat and cooked it with some salt and olive oil)
3. Top the couscous with sauteed veggies.