Recipe of the Week: Asparagus Lasagna

There's a short window of time each year when Asparagus takes center stage in the garden, at the farmer's market, and even in grocery stores. During this Asparagus time (usually March and April), I buy it weekly and try to incorporate it in as many meals as possible. These tender green stalks suddenly become the centerpiece.This year I'm buying my asparagus from Farmer & The Dale. 

I recently started reading a book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. In the chapter, "Waiting for Asparagus," I learned that "the asparagus plant's life history sets it apart, giving it a special edge as the year's first major edible." It's actually a perennial and comes back year after year. I also learned asparagus is considered an aphrodisiac.

Pass the asparagus. Enough said on that.

I recently created this recipe for an Asparagus Lasagna. We were having my husband's workout buddy over for dinner. Andrew is pretty serious about Crossfit workouts and he helped train my hubby for his recent competition. Andrew is also trying out a vegetarian diet to see how effective it is for athletes. For me as the chef that meant trying to find something hearty and yummy. Of course, I threw in some other veggies too but asparagus hogged the real stage for our meal. Four servings later I realized asparagus could be the "hearty" I was after.

What are your favorite ways to serve Asparagus? Do you snap off the ends and saute it in olive oil? Arrange it in quiche or frittatas? Maybe you mix it in with pastas or couscous? We'd love to hear your suggestions. Leave us a comment.

Asparagus Lasagna

Ingredients:

Marinara Sauce:
-2 15-oz. cans organic diced tomatoes (I buy this in bulk from Costco when tomatoes are not in season.)
-1 6-oz. can organic tomato paste
-1 small onion, diced
-2 large garlic cloves, minced
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1 teaspoon sea salt
-1 tablespoon honey

-1 package lasagna noodles
-1 16-oz. container ricotta cheese
-1 12-oz. package shredded mozarella cheese
-1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
-3 cups of other chopped organic vegetables (ideas: zucchini, summer squash, corn, butternut squash, spinach, carrots, etc.)

Directions:
1. Make the marinara sauce first. Saute onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil until translucent and tender.
2. Saute garlic with onions until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and spices.
4. Simmer approximately 10 minutes and begin chopping vegetables.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Spoon about half a cup of sauce into the bottom of a 13x9x2 glass pan or rectangle cake pan. Place the first layer of noodles over that sauce. (You do not need to boil the noodles ahead of time.)
7. Spread 1/3 of remaining sauce over noodles.
8. Add about 1/3 of the ricotta cheese over the noodles in small spoonfuls.
9. Add 1/3 of asparagus and other vegetables over the noodles and cheese.
10. Sprinkle 1/3 of mozarella cheese on top.
11. Repeat steps 6-10 with two more layers. Top with extra mozarella cheese.
12. Cover with foil. Bake in oven for 1 hour. (I like to remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to let the cheese turn a golden brown color.

Recipe of the Week: Dorina's New & Improved Tortilla Soup

There's something about pureed soups that warms my soul. Tortilla soup is a recipe that comes in many versions and deserves to be passed around. This is a more updated version of my Tortilla soup posted in 2008. The original was created about 8 years ago and our family has changed up our diet pretty significantly since then. I've reduced the salt and substituted for some more healthy ingredients. Feel free to make your own modifications according to your family's needs. We've passed on the recipe to many other families and it seems to be a universal fave. I always make a double batch and freeze some for lunches or to share with friends. This tortilla soup is a thicker pureed version compared to the broth-based version a lot of restaurants serve. If you have problems with dairy, skip the sour cream and you have a hearty, dairy-free meal.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 organic boneless chicken breasts,
1/2 jalapeno, minced (1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
6 organic corn tortillas (7”)
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fresh sweet corn (or 2 - 16 oz. cans of organic white corn or 1 bag frozen organic sweet corn)
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1 - 28 oz. can chopped organic tomatoes)
1/3 cup organic tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups water
1 quart organic chicken stock

Garnishes:
Sour cream
5 corn tortillas cut in strips (or substitute organic tortilla chips crumbled into pieces)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large Dutch oven-type pot. Cut chicken breasts into small bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with minced jalapeno or crushed red pepper. Sauté in pot.

2. Chop onion. Add to pot and sauté until onions are translucent.

3. Meanwhile, add three tablespoons oil to a large frying pan. Cut tortillas into one-inch strips. Add half the tortilla strips to the soup pot with the chicken. (This gives the soup a thicker base when it's pureed.) Brown the other half of the tortilla strips in the frying pan for garnish. (Fry until crispy and dry on paper towels.)
4. Add garlic and jalapenos/red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it) to soup pot. Add two cups corn and tomatoes to pot. Mix.

5. Add spices: cumin, salt, black pepper and chili pepper. Add tomato paste.

6. Finally, add 3 cups water and 1 quart chicken stock. Stir ingredients together well.

7. Bring soup to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender (or transferring to regular blender) and puree the soup. (You can skip this step if you prefer a chunky soup.)

8. Allow soup to continue cooking at a low heat for 10 minutes. Continue to puree until large chunks of chicken and tomatoes are blended into the soup.

9. At this point, you can decide about the consistency. If you like a thicker soup, leave as is and allow to cook longer. If you want to thin out the soup add 1/2 cup water until you are satisfied with the consistency.

10. Add two remaining cups of corn to pot, stir and serve.

11. Put garnishes in separate bowls. Allow your guest or family to add garnishes their soup themselves for fun or you can do it and wow them with the presentation.

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Chip Zucchini cookies - Zookies

Zucchini is starting to appear at the farmer's markets and in my friends' backyards here in Fresno. What to do with this abundance of zucchini? My friend Brandy Freeland shared this recipe for "zookies" with me. I changed it up to make it my own. These cookies are light and buttery in taste with the consistency of a coconut macaroon. These are a great way to sneak some squash into your kids' snack time. And who can go wrong with some dark chocolate morsels to feed your chocolate cravings?

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic butter, softened

1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup

1 cage-free, organic egg

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups organic zucchini, shredded

1 cup oats

3/4 cup coconut, shredded

1 cup dark chocolate chips


Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and maple syrup.
2. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat well.
3. Sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until incorporated.
4. Stir in the shredded zucchini, oats and coconut.
5. Stir in dark chocolate chips.
6. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with spatula.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes until golden brown on the edges.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Recipe of the Week: Gouda Mac & Cheese & All Your Leafy Greens

We tried out this recipe for our "Deceptively Delicious" Cooking Club on Saturday. All the recipes had to include some kind of "hidden" veggies. This one is my kicked-up version of an old classic. Some restaurants might call this "Adult Mac & Cheese" because of the fancy cheese and greens. I say feed it to your kids and let them enjoy the tasty benefits of a homemade comfort food. Our family could eat off this dish for days - great leftovers for lunches.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or 1 cup Trader Joe's Fried Onion Pieces (These onions are like the kind used on green bean casserole but TJ's brand doesn't use all the nasty preservatives like MSG and other chemicals found in other brands.) do.

1 8-ounce package uncooked whole wheat pasta (We love rotini - the curly noodles - because they hold the sauce well.)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup shallots or green onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups milk

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed, optional

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup smoked gouda cheese (or cheese of your choice), shredded

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

3 cups spinach, kale or swiss chard, coarsely chopped (frozen or fresh)

Olive oil spray

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Boil water for pasta, cook and strain.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet melt butter of medium heat.

4. Add chopped shallots or green onions and garlic and cook about 1 minute until translucent.

5. Add flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in flaxseed, salt, pepper and milk.

6. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking until thick.

7. Remove from heat and add gouda and parmesan cheese. Stir until melted.

8. Spray 2-quart casserole dish with olive oil spray. Mix cooked pasta and greens in casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over top.

9. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs or fried onions.

10. Bake approximately 15 minutes until breadcrumbs/onions are browned and sauce is bubbly.

Serves 8-10.

Recipe of the week: Marinara Sauce

This sauce is great over whole wheat pasta or tortellini and also what we use as a base for our Eggplant Parmesan.

Salsa de pomodoro

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 large cloves garlic
1 28-oz. can organic whole tomatoes with juice (when tomatoes are not in season) or 4 cups fresh tomatoes, quartered
1 28-oz.can organic crushed tomatoes with juice or 3 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4-5 leaves fresh basil

Other necessities:
Large saucepan or stock pot
Wooden spoon

1. Add three tablespoons olive oil to a large saucepan or stock pot. Heat oil at a medium-high temperature over the burner.
2. Chop onion and mince garlic. When oil is hot, add ½ chopped onion. Sauté until onion becomes translucent. Add the two cloves minced garlic. (Do not add the garlic before the onion because it will cook faster and may burn.) When the garlic begins to turn a golden color, add one can of whole tomatoes with juice to the onions and garlic.
3. Add one tablespoon salt and one teaspoon honey to the tomato mixture. Add one pinch (approximately ½ teaspoon) crushed red pepper. (Crushed red pepper can be found with the spices at most grocery stores. This type of pepper is commonly served at the tables of most Italian pizzerias as a topping for pizza along with parmesan cheese.)
4. Wait until the mixture comes to a boil and then turn down to low and allow it to simmer approximately 30 minutes.
5. You can taste the sauce throughout the cooking process and add salt and red pepper, depending on your own tastes. When the mixture comes to a furious boil, cover the saucepan and lower the heat further.
6. After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, add 4-5 basil leaves. Tear with your fingers or crush in an herb grinder.

Recipe of the Week: Classic Banana Bread with a Healthy Twist

My friend Kristi requested a healthier banana bread recipe. We concocted this one by reading a few classic recipes and adding our own substitutes. If you have an abundance of bananas at home, try it out.

1 cup organic evaporated cane juice (or honey or sugar)
1/2 cup butter, softened (or 1/4 cup butter & 1/4 cup plain yogurt)
2 large eggs, cage-free
1 1/2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed (approx. 3)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or other flour of your choice)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Garnish: chocolate chips, chopped nuts, various seeds

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease bottoms of 2 loaf pans (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 or 1 9x5x3 or 4 mini loaves) with butter or olive oil spray.
3. Mix evaporated cane juice and butter/yogurt in large bowl.
4. Stir in eggs until well blended. Stir in bananas, buttermilk and vanilla; beat until smooth.
5. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until moistened.
6. Divide batter evenly among pans. Sprinkle chocolate chips, chopped nuts or seeds on the batter for garnish. Bake 8-inch loaves for about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf for 1 hour & 15 minutes and mini loaves approximately 45 minutes. Use toothpick inserted in center to test. Make sure toothpick comes out clean to determine if it's done.
7. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack. Loosen sides of loaves and remove from pans. Cool completely.

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Manicotti with Tomato Meat Sauce

Looking for a show-stopper holiday meal for your family or company? Why not serve our famous Italian meat sauce over spinach-stuffed shells. Here's the recipe - and don't share it or one of our mafia uncles might have to kill you...

Maria Lazo's Famous Italian Meat Sauce

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 12-oz. cans tomato paste (Contadina, organic)
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce (Contadina, organic)
6-8 cups water
1 lb. ground beef (organic)
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 tablespoon garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons basil, chopped or 4 leaves fresh basil
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon organic sugar (important to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup ground flaxseed (optional)

Instructions:
1. Saute onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil in large Dutch oven-style pot.
2. When onions look translucent, crumble meats into pot. (You do not need to brown the meat. It will fully cook while your sauce is stewing and comes out more tender this way!)
3. Add remaining ingredients (water, spices & cheese) and stir.
4. Bring to a boil for approx. 10 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer. Approximately 2 hours (especially if you are putting meatballs in the sauce).
6. Serve over your favorite pasta, ravioli or for another dish like lasagna or chicken parmesan.
7. SAVE SOME FOR LATER: Let sauce cool and freeze half in ziplock bags or containers.

Dorina's Spinach-stuffed Shells (Manicotti)

Ingredients:
1/2 pot Maria's Italian Meat Sauce
1 12-ounce jumbo shells pasta (could use manicotti shells but they're harder to stuff & don't look as fancy)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey, crumbled & sautéed
1 onion, chopped
1 15-ounce container of ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 16-ounce package frozen spinach
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Makes about 3 dozen shells.

1. Boil large pot of water. Add dash of salt and olive oil. Cook shells about 8 minutes (a few minutes less than package says) and cool, running cold water over the top. (Be careful not to overcook or the shells fall apart.)
2. In a frying pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, sauté meat and onions.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Mix together ricotta & cream cheeses, spinach and spices. Add meat and onions to the mixture. Blend well.
5. Put a 1/2-inch layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 13x9-inch pan.
6. Stuff shells with as much stuffing as you can get in there and place them carefully in rows in the pan.
7. Drizzle with more meat sauce.
8. Top with mozzarella & parmesan cheese.
9. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese turns a light golden brown. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Buon Appetito!

Lip-Smackin' Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey-Lime Soup with Quesadillas

If you're anything like me, you're dreaming about turkey leftovers even before you get to the real Thanksgiving feast. I decided to post my fave recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers so you could get the extra ingredients when you make your rounds to the grocery store before the holiday. Are you in the mood for something to warm up your cold winter day? I created this recipe using ingredients we had in the pantry/fridge after Thanksgiving. Haven't you always wondered what to do with that turkey carcass? Here's a way to use it! This one would even work in the crockpot. Enjoy!

Turkey-Lime Soup
inspired by Chicken-Lime Tortilla Soup served in the Yucatan

Turkey Stock ingredients: (Or skip the stock and just add boxed organic chicken broth)
1 turkey carcass
8 cups water
2 cups chopped celery
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Soup Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
turkey stock (or 2 quarts organic chicken broth)
1 chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 diced red bell pepper
1 29 oz. can organic diced tomatoes (or use fresh ones if they are available and in season)
2 cups chopped turkey
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 thinly sliced limes
2 cups chopped turkey
1 diced jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1/4 cup cilantro (garnish)
tortilla strips or chips (garnish)

FOR STOCK:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot.
2. Simmer 2-3 hours until meat falls off bone and vegetables are soft.
3. Strain broth as a starter for soup and discard bones, etc.

FOR SOUP:
1. Saute onion, celery, carrot and garlic in olive oil.
2. Meanwhile, dice red pepper and prepare limes.
3. Set burner to medium-high heat. Heat broth in large pot. Add tomatoes and lime peel and juice.
4. Add sauteed vegetables and red pepper.
5. Add turkey and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Reduce to a simmer and add the jalapeno/red pepper flakes.
7. Cook an additional 30 minutes. Add lime slices.
8. Serve with cilantro or sauteed tortilla strips on top.

This soup goes great with quesadillas for lunch or tacos for dinner. A wonderful winter treat!

Recipe of the Week: Cindy's Inspired Meatloaf

When even a touch of cooler weather hits, it triggers that desire for comfort food. I decided to try out an American classic that we've never really made before in our house. (Ok, I made it once the first year we were married and Ericlee didn't like the recipe and told me so. I've never made it since!) My best friend Cindy in Florida made us this scrumptious meatloaf a few months ago and it rekindled all of our love for the classic main dish. The crispy edges and lean meat had us all digging in the pan (and later the fridge) for more. Of course, Cindy cooks like me. She looks in her cupboard and fridge and makes it up. She sent me a list of random ingredients she *sometimes* uses for the meatloaf. I made it into a recipe. Our family loved it and gobbled it up in no time. Here's a great way to get some veggies and whole grains into your family without them noticing. Feel free to experiment and make it your own recipe.

"More Please" Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 pound lean, organic meat (look for the leanest you can find!)
5 eggs
1/3 cup Trader Joe's Smoky All-Natural BBq Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 large or 1 small red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup wheatgrass, oat bran, bulgar or other grain of choice (optional)
olive oil spray

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray olive oil in 1 loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs.
4. Add spices and veggies to bowl.
5. Blend together mixture with meat, using fingers.
6. Add wheatgrass and BBQ sauce. (The mixture will be very wet)
7. Plop into loaf pan and pat evenly. Cook approximately 1 hour or until edges are crispy brown.
8. Serve with more BBQ on the side for those who like to slather it on.

Makes 1 loaf, serves 4.

Suggested sides: Mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, spinach salad with peaches and goat cheese

Recipe of the Week: Simple Summer Pasta

Move over Rachael Ray. We've got a new 20-minute meal that's healthy and doesn't have 20 ingredients. This easy-to-whip-up whole wheat pasta dish makes use of fresh produce from the garden or farmer's market. We liked this vegetarian version but you could always add an Italian Chicken Sausage or other organic meat of your choice. Serve it with a nice loaf of crusty wheat bread and a glass of berry lemonade or white wine. It's a perfect end-of-summer patio meal.

Buon Appetito!

Ingredients:
-1 package whole wheat penne or other pasta
-2 cups cherry tomatoes
-1 can black olives, sliced
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 8-oz container fresh ovaline mozarella, cubed
-10 fresh basil leaves
-salt & pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package. Be sure not to overcook the pasta. Go for al dente, not mushy.
2. While hot, stir in olive oil, tomatoes and black olives.
3. Add mozarella cheese cubes (and bite-sized pieces of sausage if desired).
4. Rip up basil leaves with fingers and sprinkl on top.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. (My hubby also likes it with those red pepper flakes that people often use on pizza.)
6. Serve.

Recipe of the Week: Falafel sandwiches with Yogurt sauce & Cucumber-Tomato Salad

We've been experimenting with some protein-packed vegetarian meals. These Middle Eastern pita sandwiches are hearty for the family and light on the budget. Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are a great source of energy and they're very inexpensive to buy. You might try out the bulk section at your local grocery store or find them with canned beans. This fresh salad uses summer produce straight from the garden or farmer's market.

Ingredients:
Falafels:
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (can use dried, soak overnight)
1 egg
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 cups panko bread crumbs
olive oil

Yogurt Sauce:
2 cups plain yogurt
salt, pepper, paprika to taste

Cucumber-Tomato Salad:
1 small cucumber, cubed
1 small tomato, cubed
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon parsley

1 package whole wheat pita bread

Directions:
1. In a food processor or blender, combine chickpeas/garbanzos, egg, lime and lemon juice and spices. Pulse until blended but do not overmix or the mixture will turn runny like hummus.
2. Spread out panko breadcrumbs in shallow dish.
3. Form bean mixture into small footballs or patties. Press onto breadcrumbs until coated on both sides. Refrigerate if soft for about one hour.
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Brown patties on both sides.
5. Meanwhile, mix yogurt sauce. Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
6. Combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onions in a bowl. Mix in parsley and olive oil.
7. Slice open pita breads. Add browned falafel to each pita bread and serve.
8. Allow guests to add yogurt sauce and cucumber mixture to pitas or serve on side.

Side Dish suggestion: Couscous