Apple Pie

I got this recipe from my mom. Well, I changed it just a little.

Ingredients:

CRUST:
2 c flour
3/4 c Crisco (or any combination of crisco and butter, or just butter)
1/4 tsp salt
8-10 T ice cold water

PIE FILLING:
6 apples (assorted), cored and chopped (no need to peel)
1/2 c sugar
4 tsp flour
1/4 tsp each nutmeg and cloves
3/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Pulse crisco, flour, and salt in a food processor until crumbly (or cut together with knives). Add the water 1 T at a time until the mixture becomes more doughy (but not too doughy). [Note: When I have made this before I've cut the flour/salt and crisco together with knives and used 8-10T of water. This is the first time I've made it with a food processor and I think it only took 4T of water.] Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (This makes 2 pie crusts... a top and a bottom. If you only need 1, like for pumpkin pie, halve the recipe. I divide it in 2 before refrigerating.)

Mix together all filling ingredients.

Roll out pie dough and place in pie pan. Pour in filling, and top with the other crust. (Leave as one whole piece, or cut into strips for a lattice crust.)

Wet the top crust slightly with cold water (use your fingers) and add additional sugar/cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 and continue baking for 45 more minutes.

Makes 8 slices.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 380

Fat: 18.5g

Saturated: 4.5g

Carbs: 51g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 3.5g

Mushroom Gravy

This recipe is from the side of a Tofurky box!

Ingredients:
4 oz mushrooms, sliced (I used white mushrooms but you could use other kinds)
2 tsp + 1 T oil
1/4 c unbleached white flour
2 c vegetable broth
1/2 T soy sauce
Pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Directions:
Lightly saute the sliced mushrooms in the 2 tsp oil. In another pan, combine and bubble the flour and 1 T oil together over low heat for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth along with the soy sauce, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Cook until thickened, whisking out any lumps. Stir in the mushrooms and serve.
Makes about 2-3/4 c.

Nutritional Information:(per 1/4c)
Calories: 30
Fat: 2g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 2g
Protein: 0.5g

Stuffing

This is the stuffing that Dave makes me for Thanksgiving. It is about my favorite food on the planet- no joke. He makes the best stuffing ever- just like his grandma! He makes his also with onions, and chicken broth. I can't tell the difference between the vegetable broth and chicken broth at all. Neither could any of my family when we took this to Thanksgiving at my aunt's yesterday.

Ingredients:
1 loaf of bread (this year we used Bimbo brand, which is 60 cal/slice- obviously the bread you use is going to determine how many calories... but white bread is a must)
2 c chopped celery
1/2 c butter, melted (I used Bestlife Buttery Spread, 60 cal/T)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) vegetable or no-chicken broth
onion powder, paprika, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Directions:
Tear the bread into small pieces in a large bowl. Add chopped celery. Pour in the melted butter and the broth and mix well. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 350, covered, for an hour and a half. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional 15-30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 250
Fat: 7.5g
Saturated: 2g
Carbs: 37g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 6g

Veggie Pasta Salad

I got this recipe from a Light & Tasty magazine (Aug/Sept '06). I changed it just a little by putting in onion powder instead of green onions, garlic powder instead of garlic, and omitting the parmesan cheese. (I have made it with the cheese in the past, but I honestly liked it better without!) The recipe also calls for tomatoes, which I include, but in the form of cherry/grape tomatoes, so that I can easily pick around them without having to have yucky tomato bits in my salad. :) I'm not including them in this recipe & nutritional info since I don't eat them. :) I took this to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it.

Ingredients:
8 oz tricolor spiral pasta
1 c each chopped celery, green pepper, zucchini, and carrots
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 T sugar
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
garlic powder & onion powder to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into vegetable mixture.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours prior to serving.
Makes 10 (1 cup) servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 130
Fat: 3g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 22g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g

Veggie Cavatini

This is based on a family recipe. I've made some changes to my grandma's cavatini!! Hopefully that's not a mortal sin... ;-) I used vegan "sausage" instead of real sausage, omitted pepperoni and cheese, and added extra veggies. Feel free to use whatever sounds good to you! I just chose from what I had on hand.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 c pasta (I used rotini, but use whatever shape you want!)
4 oz Gimme Lean Sausage
3 oz mushrooms
3 oz green pepper (1/2 of a green pepper)
3 oz zucchini (1/2 of a small zucchini)
2 oz artichoke hearts
1-1/2 c pasta sauce (I used Meijer Naturals Tomato Basil sauce, which was delicious!)
Season as you wish (I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cook pasta as directed.
Meanwhile, brown the sausage. Add the vegetables and saute, seasoning to taste.
Mix together the cooked pasta, sausage/veggie mixture, and pasta sauce.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 180
Fat: 2.5g
Carbs: 30g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 9.5g

Pita Pockets

This recipe came with my bread machine. It's very simple and very good!

Ingredients:
1-1/3 c warm water
2 T + 2 tsp olive oil
1 T + 1 tsp sugar
1-1/4 tsp salt
2 c bread flour
1-1/2 c whole wheat flour
1-3/4 tsp bread machine yeast (or Red Star Quick Rise yeast, or 2-1/2 tsp Red Star active dry yeast)

Directions:
Put all ingredients in bread machine on dough program. When finished (mine takes 1:20), place on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 10 pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball.
Place 5 balls on a large baking sheet. Place the remaining 5 balls on another baking sheet. Let rise 20 minutes. With fingertips, flatten each ball into a 6" circle.
Bake at 500F for 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown.
Makes 10 pita rounds.

Nutritional Information: (one whole pocket)
Calories: 140
Fat: 4g
Saturated: 0.5g
Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
Monounsaturated: 2.5g
Carbs: 24g
Fiber: 2.5g
Protein: 4g

Tu-Nut Sandwiches

This is supposed to be a vegan version of a tuna sandwich. It's not supposed to TASTE like tuna, but have the same texture. I have NEVER liked tuna sandwiches, but this is good. Original recipe is here.

Ingredients*:
1 c raw unsalted almonds
1/4-1/2 c reserved water
1/2 c marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 T liquid from marinated artichoke container
1 T grape seed oil
3/4 T maple syrup (or agave)
Season as you wish: I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and parsley
1/4-1/2 c celery bits


Directions:
Soak your almonds overnight - at least 6 hours. Add a few pinches of salt to the soaking water.
When you are ready to process the almonds, add 1 cups of the soaked nuts to a food processor. Add about 1/4 cup of the soaking water as well. Next add the maple syrup, grape seed oil, garlic powder and a pinch of the salt and pepper.
Blend on medium/high until the mixture becomes blended into fine flaked scraps. Add more water if too dry. You do not want to over-process the nuts for this recipe because you want them to resemble a flaky tuna-inspired texture.
Next, add in the artichokes and artichoke marinade liquid. 
Blend the almond/artichoke mixture until you are happy with the texture. Pulsing is a good food processor setting to use. Do a taste test and adjust salt/pepper/sweetness/spices/water to your taste buds.
Serve in pita pockets.
Makes about 2 cups.

Nutritional Information: (per 1/2 c serving)
Calories: 256
Fat: 21.5g
Saturated: 1.5g
Polyunsaturated: 7g
Monounsaturated: 12g
Carbs: 12g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 8g


*The original recipe called for marinated mushrooms, but my store didn't have any. The artichokes were good and mushrooms would be equally good.
The mixture was a little sweet for my liking. Next time I make it I will omit the maple syrup.
You could use any type of oil in place of the grape seed oil- olive/sunflower/canola oil would be fine. Peanut oil might also be really good.
That said, it was very good!

Vegetarian Stew

Original recipe is here. I changed it slightly just based on what I had. Here's what I did.

Ingredients:
2 c apple cider
2 c vegetable broth
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into large chunks
4 apples, cut into large chunks
1 parsnip, sliced
4 ribs of celery, sliced
2 potatoes, chopped into large chunks
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
5 small carrots, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, sliced into large chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Makes 12 1-cup servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 152
Fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 38g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 6g
Protein: 3g

I also sprinkled my individual bowl with cinnamon and nutmeg. Yum!

Garlic & Roasted Veggie Ravioli with Veggies & Tomato Sauce

Welcome to edition 1 of "What I Had For Dinner Tonight". Some things aren't so much recipes as just putting things together. Here's how I spiced up frozen ravioli tonight. (Amounts are included just for calorie count, use whatever amounts you like!)

Ingredients:
1/2 c Rising Moon Organics Garlic & Roasted Veggies Ravioli
3/8 c Meijer Organics Tomato Sauce
Fresh mushrooms, green pepper, and zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
Non-stick spray
Seasoning (I used salt, pepper, and onion powder)
1 tsp Vegan Grated Topping, Parmesan Flavor

Directions:
Cook ravioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, spray a small skillet with non-stick spray and saute the veggies. Season to taste. Add tomato sauce and heat through.
Serve sauce and veggies over ravioli and top with grated topping.
Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 312
Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbs: 64g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 6g