Random Acts of Kindess: Martin Luther King Day of Service

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. asked, "What are you doing to help others?"  Our merry band of volunteers celebrated Dr. King's birthday by preparing, cooking and serving 83 hot meals for those in need through a local Community Meals program sponsored by the Pottstown Cluster.  Twenty volunteers of all ages worked together to make this meal a success!

On the menu was a delicious pasta with a creamy butternut squash sauce (see recipe below), made possible by a generous donation of beautiful, fresh butternut squash and onions by Barry Davis Produce Stand.  Be sure to like them on Facebook, and visit their stand for fresh fruit and vegetables.  A huge thank you to Barry and Peggy Davis! ♥

Preparation for this Monday meal started on Saturday, when volunteers arrived at our house armed with cutting boards, peelers and knives.  Six hours later, the veggies were prepped, cooked and the sauce was very close to being ready.  Emmanuel Lutheran Church donated a ham that we diced, pan fried and added to the yummy sauce.

Everyone loved the meal!

Here is the pasta recipe that makes 4 servings.  I multiplied it many, many, many times, using 100 cups of onions and about 14 squashes, although I may have lost track. 

PASTA WITH A CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAUCE
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic (I use the stuff in a jar from Costco)
4 heaping cups peeled and diced butternut squash
2 cups chicken stock (I used the concentrated kind in a jar, also from Costco)
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper, to taste, being sure to taste as you go

12 oz. ham, diced (optional)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream

2/3 lb. pasta, cooked to al dente (I used farfalle)

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Sauté diced onion until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and diced butternut squash and cook another 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove bay leaf and puree in blender until completely smooth. Heat skillet.  Add diced ham and fry until browned.  Stir in ham bits, Parmesan cheese and cream. Toss with cooked pasta, serve and enjoy!

The Pottstown Cluster helps individuals make real progress in moving from dependence to productive self-sufficiency.  In addition to providing hot meals to those in need in the Pottstown community, the Cluster distributes groceries through its Food Pantry, and its Dry Goods program provides clothing, personal hygiene products and cleaning supplies.  Read about these wonderful programs and others HERE.

You can help!  Make an online donation through the secure website, and learn how you can volunteer.  "The time is always right to do what is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

~Merrill ♥

Stuffed Zucchini Boats and 6 Other Yummy Zucchini Recipes

This time of year, when our garden is overflowing, we are always in search of delicious and creative ways to prepare zucchini.  This recipe for stuffed zucchini boats hits a home run.  I have my next-door neighbor to thank for the inspiration.  It's super easy and kid-friendly.  Win win! 

On to our stuffed zucchini boats...    

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Printer-Friendly Recipe

INGREDIENTS
 
2 large zucchini (or 5 smaller), cut in half, insides scooped out (reserve insides)
1 1/2 cup pearl couscous (sometimes called Israeli couscous)
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
3 scallions (green and white parts), diced
1/4 cup portobella mushrooms (or any raw mushrooms you have on hand), diced
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. dried parsley
3 tbsp. crumbled feta (you may substitute a dairy-free cheese, like Daiya provolone, for the feta)
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted (for topping)
½ tsp. salt, or more to taste (add gradually, thoroughly mixing and tasting each time)
¼ tsp. pepper
Juice of 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add vegetable broth to large pot and bring to a boil.  Add couscous and a pinch of salt to pot.  Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook 10-15 minutes, until all veggie broth absorbs.

Trim the ends off zucchini.  Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then scoop out pulp, leaving about 1/2 inch shells.  Finely dice pulp and place in bowl.  Set aside.

Warm a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Once oil is hot, add red peppers and scallions.  Cook and stir occasionally, until peppers soften, about 8 minutes.  Add remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil, mushrooms and zucchini pulp and cook another 3-5 minutes.  Season with cayenne, parsley, salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, then add couscous and mix.

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat, then add pine nuts.  Toast until golden brown, flipping pan occasionally, about 3-5 minutes.

Divide couscous mixture evenly among zucchini. Top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts.

Line two baking sheets with parchment, or lightly spray the baking sheets with cooking spray. Place zucchini on tray then put in preheated oven for 25 minutes until zucchini softens.  Once cooked through, remove from oven.  Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of all zucchini.

Serve and enjoy! 

Here are six additional tried and true zucchini recipes:

Fried Zucchini with Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce (my favorite!  I could eat the dipping sauce with a spoon! 

Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna (without noodles).  (in a word, YUMMMM!)

Taco Pie with Zucchini and a Mashed Potato Crust (great for all ages) 

Quinoa Casserole with Zucchini (super versatile, and it's vegetarian, or vegan, and gluten-free) 

Panang Curry with Zucchini (you'll never miss the meat)

Fresh Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce (a great way to use your garden veggies, and freezes nicely)

If you have a zucchini recipe that you love, please share it with me!

Happy cooking,

~Merrill ♥

Better Than Panera Vegan Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

I love black bean soup!  Today I took a break from making super cute heart-shaped memory matching games to whip up a double batch of my Better Than Panera Vegan Black Bean Soup.  With the addition of pumpkin, it really is the best black bean soup recipe ever.  And, it's gluten-free!  This soup is in our regular dinner rotation, we like it THAT much.

The cutie pie heart memory matching games I have been working on today can be found in my Ivy Lane Designs Etsy shop:  HERE.

BETTER THAN PANERA VEGAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Printer-Friendly Recipe

INGREDIENTS

3 - 15 1/2 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 15 1/2 ounce can drained canned tomatoes
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves minced (Tip:  I use the stuff in the jar)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 stick (2 tablespoons) Earth Balance butter
4 cups vegetable broth
1 - 16-ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dry Sherry

DIRECTIONS 

Using a food processor, coarsely pureé black beans and tomatoes.  In a large pot, cook onion, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in Earth balance butter over medium-high heat, stirring until onion is softened and beginning to brown.  Stir in bean pureé.  Stir in veggie broth, pumpkin and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
 
Taste.  Season soup with salt and pepper.  Taste again.  Serve with a dollop of Tofutti sour cream and crusty bread.

This is even better the second day.  I plan to make a big pot to take to a Lenten supper at our church.

Enjoy!

~Merrill ❤

5 Fabulous Costco Favorites

Costco is one of our favorite shopping meccas.  In one stop, we can get our eyeglasses adjusted quickly and for free (and, everyone in the optical department knows Justin, who has autism, by name!), bump into friends, enjoy an inexpensive lunch and pick up most everything we need (plus some!) for the week ahead.

Here are five favorites from our weekend haul.

1.  Sweet Kale Salad.  I love this salad and have it for lunch at least once a week.  Each bag contains broccoli, Brussels (which is plural ... I did not know that) sprouts, cabbage, kale and chicory, with dried cranberries, roasted pumpkin seeds and poppyseed dressing.  Yum!

 
 2.  Silk Pure Almond Milk.  Vegan and gluten-free.  We use this, and the wild blueberries below, in our cereal every morning.  A good price.

3.  Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus.  Vegan and gluten-free.  Quick and easy healthy snack, as a dip with cut up veggies or with black bean and quinoa tortilla chips, also from Costco, natch!  It makes a nice spread for sandwiches, in place of mayonnaise.

4.  Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves.  These are also vegan, which is perfect for my husband.  I am hobbling along the vegan path, with cheese remaining my downfall.  I am convinced that there really is such a thing as a cheese addiction.  Cheese and super spicy food.  These grape leaves are handmade and stuffed with seasoned rice, tomatoes, onions and red peppers.  We enjoy having them for dinner with a salad.  Yummy and 0g saturated fat and trans fat.  Oh, and they're gluten-free.

5.  Wyman's of Maine Wild Blueberries.  We visited Maine last summer where we celebrated our wedding anniversary while falling in love with their wild blueberries.  Every morning these top our cereal.

Happy shopping!

~Merrill ♥

Quinoa Casserole

Well, hello there!  I have been as busy as a bee with the grand opening of TimeCycled, my awesome vintage shop on Etsy.  It's been great fun scouring thrift shops, yard sales and auctions to find neato merch to include in my new shop.  Ivy Lane Designs is still going strong with 5,669 sales, offering handmade recycled nifty gifties.  Check them out!  

Tonight I made a healthy quinoa casserole that we thoroughly enjoyed.  It's vegetarian, or vegan, and gluten-free.  Feel free to substitute whatever veggies you have on hand for those listed.  This recipe is super versatile.  I included cilantro because we love it!  If you're not a fan, just omit it.

QUINOA CASSEROLE

Printer Friendly Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 onion, chopped (I use a large white one)
• 1 green or red pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup zucchini, cubed (about 2 small)
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Salt

• 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded (we use dairy-free Daiya brand) - this will go on top, so do not mix it in with the rest

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375º F.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse throughly with cold water for at two minutes.  Drain.  In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for one minute.  The quinoa will begin to dry out and pop a little.  Add the vegetable stock.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and zucchini and cook 3 more minutes.

Transfer quinoa to a large bowl.  Add onion mixture, beans, green chiles, tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, lime juice and salt to taste.  Mix thoroughly and transfer to prepared baking dish.  Bake 30 minutes, top with cheese and bake 10 minutes more or until melted and just beginning to brown.

Serve and enjoy!

~Merrill ♥ 

 

36 Diet Cookbooks: Lose Weight and Feel Great!

I love cookbooks!  Healthy vegan cooking is my latest interest, ever since my beloved jumped feet first into a plant-based diet.  He's now lost 40 lbs. without even trying!  Rather than take my chances and buy cookbooks that I may never use, I audition them, thanks to my local library.  Test drive before you buy.

Click on the titles listed below for a description of each cookbook.  Our library allows us to reserve books online for free, which is one of the best deals around!

Stack #1:

• The Kind Diet 
• You Won't Believe It's Vegan
• This Crazy Vegan Life
• Blissful Bites 
• The 30 Minute Vegan
• Vegan Indian Cooking 
• New Vegetarian Cooking
• Vegan Cooking for Carnivores (this is the first book from those auditioned that I bought.  It's written by Ellen's personal chef.  Other than it being a little light on the spices, everything I have made has been delicious).  
  

Stack #2:

• Vegan Holiday Kitchen
• Short-Cut Vegan
• Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons
• The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of the East 
• The Vegan Table 
• Simple Vegan 
• The Inspired Vegan

Stack #3:

• The Accidental Vegan
• Refresh 
• Vegan Family Meals 
• Sweet Vegan 
• Babycakes Covers the Classics 
• How it All Vegan 
• Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale 
• Appetite for Reduction 
• The Sexy Vegan Cookbook (This is my daughter's favorite of the bunch.  She made the pumpkin roll, which is to die for!)
• Vegan Soul Kitchen 
• Vegan Lunch Box

Stack #4:

• 125 Best Vegan Recipes 
• The Vegan Family Cookbook 
• The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet 
• Main Street Vegan 
• Let Them Eat Vegan 
• Sweet & Easy Vegan 
• Speed Vegan 
• Gluten-Free Vegan Comfort Food 
• Great Chefs Cook Vegan

Here's to healthy cooking and eating!

~Merrill ♥