the two Ls

the two Ls

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Blueberry Lime Ice

Another one from the Golden Door.
Get out the Vitamix or food processor quick! You will want this delicious treat right away. Unfortunately you have to wait until it sets up in the freezer before to can whip it into shape.

3 pints of fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (2 oranges)
3 TB thawed frozen apple juice concentrate
3 TB fresh lime juice (2 limes)
6-12 orange slices for serving (optional)
6 springs of mint of serving (optional)

In a shallow glass pan combine berries and juices. Stir well and cover. Place in freezer for 3-6 hours. (I used frozen blueberries so it only took 1 1/2)
When the mixture is frozen, remove and let stand for 10 minutes. With metal spoon, break up the frozen fruit into smaller pieces. Transfer the mixture to food processor or Vitamix. Process till smooth and creamy. 5-8 minutes.
Serve immediately or freeze for up to an hour and process again.
To serve, place a scoop or two in a martini glasses and garnish with blueberries, orange slices, and mint.
My husband gave it a 10. (on a scale of 1-10) That is a very rare thing!

PS i think it would taste awesome with some whipped coconut cream by its side.



Thursday, June 22, 2017

Light & Easy, Not So Cheesy Spinach Lasagna

This recipe is taken from quick-fix vegetarian by robin robertson. She calls it beat-the-clock spinach lasagna. I've never made lasagna before. It just seemed like too much trouble but this recipe is really simple, light & tasty. You don't even have to cook the noodles or chop anything!

Ingredients
8 lasagna noodles (the regular kind)
1 - 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 pound of firm tofu, drained & crumbled (I pressed it for a short time, while I gathered the other ingredients)
1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 - 24 oz jar of marinara sauce
1/2 cup of grated soy mozzarella or grated soy Parmesan

Method
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the noodles in a shallow dish & pour in just enough hot water to cover the noodles. Set aside. Squeeze the water out of the spinach & place in a large bowl. Add the tofu, lemon juice, basil, oregano, salt & pepper. Mix well. Drain the noodles. Do not blot dry.
Spoon a layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking dish. Top with half of the noodles. Spread half of the tofu mixture evenly over the noodles. Repeat with a layer of the remaining noodles. Top with a thin layer of sauce and then the remaining tofu mixture, ending with the remaining sauce. Top with the cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil & bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil & bake for 10 minutes or more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4-6.

Healthy Cherry Bean Salad

Meal Salad for 1

Ingredients:
Greens- your choice, I used baby spinach
Beets- roasted
10 or so cherries cut into pieces
Handful of cannelli beans
 half of an avocado
 a splash of Cherry balsamic vinegar
 a sprinkle of Sunny Spain- salt free lemon pepper
I also threw in a tiny piece of vegan creamy pepper cheese. It was minuscule so it doesn't count.

When I was in Evanston I had the pleasure of visiting the must amazing spice place appropriately named The Spice Shop. What was supposed to be a two minute zip -in and out turned into an hour exploration. Not only were the products interesting, but the staff was super knowledgeable.  Raynard helped me. He had so much information on the spices their uses and combinations. (He gets a ten star rating from me!) I brought so many small packs home with me! Do check out their website- linked above. It is another wonderful resource for not only their products but also recipes. I can't wait to try them all.