Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Butter Bean Soup


This is such an easy recipe to accomodate to your individual needs and also since I am the only vegetarian in my family, I just reduced the amount of ingredients by half.  I also used vegetable bouillion instead of chicken broth.  No more canned vegetable soup for me. This is a must try recipe.

Source: Taste of Home

Ingredients

3 celery ribs, chopped
1 clove garic, minced
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 zucchini, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Crisco® Olive Oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth, optional ( can use vegetable broth)
2 cans (15 ounces each) butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up ( I just used regular tomato and cut into cube)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method

In a large saucepan, saute the celery, carrots, garlic, zucchini and onion in oil until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add the broth.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until soup is heated through.

Serve with some hot cooked rice.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Strawberry Swirl Bread


This bread is another take on my chocolate swirl bread but this time I am using the Hokkaido Milky loaf recipe for this with slight changes.  The bread is really soft and fluffy with a hint of strawberry in between the swirl. The only thing was to carefully put the strawberry layer on top of the white layer and to roll and fold without having the strawberry filling ooze out.


This is indeed a very interesting bread...each slice has got slightly different swirls...and the exciting thing is, you won't know how the marbling effect will be until you slice the loaf.



Ingredients

Strawberry sheet
20g cake flour
50g sugar
1 egg white
80ml milk (warmed)
Strawberry Emulco and few drop of red food coloring
10g butter

Bread dough

270g bread flour
30g cake flour
5g active dry yeast
15g milk powder
40g caster sugar
4.5g (3/4 teaspoon) salt
125g fresh milk
1 yolk
75g whipping cream ( I noticed that my whipping cream had curdled....so I had to substitute with regular whole milk + 2 tbsp butter)

Method

Making the strawberry sheet

Mix sugar and cake flour into the egg white until smooth.
Place milk in a saucepan and heat till just simmering.
Add egg white mixture into the milk and stir over low fire till mixture thickens and form a thick lump.
Add in butter and stir till incorporated.
Leave to cool. Place in a plastic bag and roll into a square (about 14cm x 14cm). Keep refrigerated before use.


Bread dough

  • Place all ingredients in the bread pan of the bread machine, according to the sequence stated in the instructions of your bread machine. Select the Dough function to knead and proof the dough (about 1hr 30mins).
  • Take out the dough and punch out the gas produced. Roll out the dough into a rectangle (about 45cm x 20cm) on a lightly floured work surface. Place the strawberry sheet on the middle of the dough. Wrap both ends of the dough over to cover the strawberry sheet completely. Take note that the dough should be rolled long enough for both sides to fold over the strawberry sheet, leaving a border edge of about one inch. Seal the edges tightly. The dough should now be about 15cm x 20cm.
  • Roll dough from centre to the edges to form a rectangle (about 45cm x 20cm). Do this gently to prevent the strawberry paste from oozing out. Fold the dough into 3 folds.
  • Repeat step 3 above. (If you want to create more swirls, repeat this step twice.)
  • Finally, roll dough to 30cm x 15cm. Make a cut in the middle (length wise) leaving an inch uncut. Twist and plait. Place plaited dough in loaf pan and let proof for another 30mins or until the dough rise to about 80% of the loaf pan.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees for about 35 - 40 minutes. Remove from oven and unmould immediately. Let the loaf cool off before slicing.


Friday, August 26, 2011

Glutinous Rice & Coconut Pudding

This is one of the most easiest tea time snack to prepare.  If you love coconut milk, palm sugar and glutinous rice then this is it.  The rice can either be steamed or cooked right on the rice cooker.

Ingredients

300 gm glutinous rice
300 ml water
200 ml coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
50 gm sugar

Topping

200 ml coconut milk mix with 1/4 tsp salt and set aside

150 gm palm sugar or brown sugar mix with 2 tbsp sugar and 100 ml water, cook on low heat till the palm sugar has melted.  Cool and set aside.


Thursday, August 25, 2011

Vegetarian Sushi


Who doesnt love sushi. You can make it anyway you want.  I just made a vegetarian version using vegetarian meat floss, spinach, cucumber and pickled radish.

Ingredients

3 cups sushi rice
4 cups water
5 tbsp rice vinegar
5 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Vegetarian Meat Floss ( can purchase at the Asian Grocery )
This is how it looks inside
Filling

Avocado, sliced
Spinach, blanched in hot water
Cucumber, sliced thinly
Vegetarian Meat Floss, optional

Cook the sushi rice in a rice cooker.  Once done, add the vinegar, salt and sugar mixture and mix thoroughly.
On the sushi mat, put a piece of seaweed and arrange the vegetarian floss,cucumber, spinach and radish. Roll the sushi like how you would roll a swiss roll.  Slice1/2 inch thick and enjoy...



Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Chocolate Swirl Bread


This bread tastes almost like a chocolate babka bread but the only difference is that it is done with melting chocolate and using egg white for the filling.  I did not do too well with the spirals.  Should master the technique of folding, rolling and folding of the dough...:{

The ingredients and also method of doing is quite long but if you love to challenge yourself to some serious bread making, then you should give it a try.


Ingredients


(A) Sponge Dough
2 tsp yeast
2 tbsp water

420g bread flour
½ tbs sugar
220ml cold water

(B) Main Dough
50g sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg

120g plain flour
60g bread flour
1 tsp yeast
40ml cold water

60g margarine/ butter


Method


Mix yeast and water and leave aside for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients from (A) and knead to form dough. Cover and rest for 2 1/2 hours.

Add sugar, salt and egg from the main dough. Mix till well blended. Then add flour, instant yeast and water. Knead till all ingredients well combine and form dough.

Add in margarine and knead to form smooth and elastic dough. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then it is ready for making bread.

Chocolate filling

(A)
50g cooking chocolate
20g margarine/ butter

(B)
20g bread flour
10g cocoa powder
5g corn flour

(C)
60g milk
20g sugar
1 egg white

Method For Chocolate filling

Melt the chocolate and margarine via double boiler method. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift in all the flour from (B). Then add in milk and sugar. Mix well. Follow by melted chocolate, margarine mixture. Lastly add in egg white. Whisk till all well combine.

Cook the mixture on stove at low flame. Do whisk constantly while heating up the mixture. The chocolate filling is ready once the mixture turns thick (obvious lines appear on mixture surface as you stir).

Transfer the chocolate filling on cling wrap. Cover with cling wrap and leave aside to cool (about 3-5minutes).

Roll out the filling into square (about 18cm x 18cm). Wrap and keep in the fridge to set.

Shaping

Roll out the dough into square (about 2 times bigger than chocolate filling).

Remove the chocolate filling from fridge and place in the center of the roll out dough. Wrap the filling like parcel.

Then roll out the parcel 2 times bigger than the original size. Fold 1/3 to the middle. Fold the other 1/3 on top. Repeat the same process for another 2 times.

 After the folding process, roll out the dough into rectangle shape. Cut the dough into 3 equal strips (with the top still attach).

 Braid the strips into plait. Place inside a grease mould and leave to rest for 45 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven 170C about 25-30 minutes. Do cover with aluminium foil if the top brown too quick during the baking time.

 Remove and cool on wire rack.


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Mini Granola Bites


I love the chewiness of the oats, the sweetness of the cranberries and coconut and the crispy rice cereal, flax and sesame seeds work great in this recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 C. quick oats
1/2 C. crisp rice cereal
1/2 C. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. brown sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. canola oil
1/4 C. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp sunflower seed, optional
* optional: ground flax seed and/or wheat germ (I use 3 heaping Tbs. or so of each).

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) really well. I used a wooden spoon. Take your time to make sure everything is really blended. Taking your time also allows the wet ingredients to sort of soak into the dry components. If your mixture seems dry after mixing then you may need to add a little more oil and/or honey - a teaspoon at a time - until it starts to clump up a little.

When your granola mixture gets to a point, not too wet, not too dry, then stir in the chocolate chips.

Spray the mini muffin pan liberally with cooking spray, scoop the granola mixture in and form the mound compactly. I use a rounded tablespoon to help form them, a small cookie scoop would work too.

Press the remaining granola into your baking pan (if you are making bars). Make sure your baking pan has been sprayed well with non-stick spray!  Press mixture firmly, compacting it as well as you can.

Its small so my little one had fun holding it and munching...
Baking Times

Granola bites: 12-15 minutes ( sometimes it takes less than that, keep checking)
Granola bars: 17-22 minutes
They are ready to remove from oven when the tops are golden.  If they don't cook long enough they may not hold their shape. If they cook too long they will get too dry (not to mention they can burn) and may not hold their shape.  (I've found granola bars to be finicky.)

Let the granola bites cool completely.  Then, they are done to be munched on as a healthy nutritious snack.


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Spicy Potato and Tempeh Stir Fry


Honestly I am not a big fan of Tempeh.  I have never eaten it till today. I dislike the pungent smell that the tempeh gives but this has all changed when recently I got a box of tempeh from the Whole Foods.  Man oh man, you cannot imagine what people do with regular tempeh.  Lemon Pepper, Sweet Sour, Spicy Buffalo...so I went ahead and got the regular one.

Anyways, I made a spicy stir fry tempeh with potatoes with an addition of another popular bean "Petai".  This bean has a very unique stinky smell even after you cook them. Tempeh, potatoes and petai are deep fried till golden and crunchy. Prepare the chili paste, as vibrantly and spicy as you can possibly handle. Stir-fry the paste using some oil, add sugar and cook till the paste turns brown and fragrant. Toss in the tempeh chips and coat them all with the chili paste. Yup, that sounds about right.

This is how the beans look like before you take it off the skin

Ingredients

200 g tempeh, cut into small and thin slices
3 / 500 g potatoes, cut into small and thin slices
25 g sataw beans, or petai
30 g red chilies
3 shallots
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
1 lemongrass, cut into half
50 g palm sugar, or brown sugar
1 tsp / 5 g tamarind pulp
2 cups water
2 tbsp sweetsoy sauc, optional
1/4 cup cooking oil, for stir-frying
Cooking oil for deep frying tempeh and potatoes

Note:  If you do not want to get into the hassle of grinding or pounding the chilli, you can use the Sambal Oelek which can be purchased the local grocery store. Just add shallot and garlic to the oil before adding the sambal.


Method
  • Dilute brown sugar and tamarind pulp in water. Set aside for later use.
  • Deep fry potato slices and tempeh chips till golden and crunchy.
  • Grind chilies, garlic, shallots and salt in a mortar and pestle to fine paste.
  • Heat cooking oil in a wok and stir-fry stinky beans over medium heat for 30 seconds of less.
  • Add chili paste, salam leaves and lemongrass into the wok. Stir-fry till the chili paste turns slightly darker, about one minute.
  • Pour sugar and tamarind mixture into the wok. Add kecap manis. Simmer for 2 minutes, keep stirring.
  • Add tempeh and potato chips into the wok. Stir well.
  • Serve with warm rice.
Petai
Tempeh
Potato

Stir fry all the pounded ingredients

Add the fried petai, potato and tempeh.








Saturday, August 20, 2011

Vegetarian Pau


I was craving for pau and since now I am vegetarian, a small change had to be to my usual roast pork pau, this time I made these beauties with vegetables.  I paired up chives, tofu, shitake mushroom and napa cabbage. Really, I have never fancied using vegetables either for dumplings or pau but when you are craving for something, slight change makes a lot of difference.



Pau Dough

300 gm pau flour
1 1/4 tsp yeast
150 ml water
60 gm sugar plus 1 tsp sugar
25 gm shortening

Method

Froth the yeast with the lukewarm water and 1 tsp of sugar.  Leave aside for about 5 minutes.

In a clean bowl, add the flour, sugar, shortening and the yeast mixture.  Knead till the dough is smooth. Set aside in a warm place till double in size.  Divide the dough into golf ball size.  With a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle; put in the filling and pleat the top of the dough. Put on a wax paper.  Let the dough rise again for about 20 minutes.  Steam for about 10 minutes.

The vegetables used for the filling can vary upon each person's preference.





Filling


Tofu, use your finger and crush it a bit
Napa cabbage, shredded
Chives, cut small
Dried Shitake mushroom, boil in water till soft and slice thinly
Carrot, shredded
Vegetarian flavored stir fry sauce
Salt and pepper
1 garlic, minced
1 shallot, slice thinly

Avocado Strawberry Quinoa Salad


This super easy and delicious salad is such a perfect meal.  With slight tart and sweetness from the strawberries, creaminess from the avocado, spice from onion and crispness from lettuce accompanied by sprinkle of feta cheese and dressed with a hint of lemon juice and olive oil is all that you need for this.

The amount given below is just for one serving.  Add more or remove any vegetables you want.

Ingredients

1/4 cup cooked quinoa
4 strawberries, cut into quarters
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4 lettuce leaves, torn
5 grape tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp feta cheese
1/2 lemon, squeezed for juice
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Method

Mix the lemon juice, olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  In a big bowl, add the vegetables and strawberry, sprinkle with feta cheese and drizzle dressing.  Refrigerate.




Friday, August 19, 2011

Mango and Black Bean Quinoa


This is a super delicious and light meal and its one of my favorite ways to enjoy quinoa as the base for a salad. With summer just around the corner the markets have been full of fresh fruits and vegetable, I have been experimenting with using fruits in my salads and my current favorite, the mango, had to make an appearance in a quinoa salad. I have also been adding beans to my salads. The mango and black bean quinoa salad worked out well. The sweet and cool mango tempered the heat of the jalapeños and the beans rounded the salad out with a nice creaminess. The quinoa salad was good when it was still warm from cooking the quinoa and the leftovers were good straight out of the fridge.


Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cumin
 pinch of salt

1 large mango (stoned, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup black beans (rinsed)
1 jalapeño pepper (chopped)
1 onion (sliced)
1 tomato, cubed
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cook the quinoa with the water, salt and cumin.  Let it come to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer and cook for about 15 minutes till the water has evaporated.
Mix the quinoa, mango, black beans, jalapeño, onion, tomato and cilantro in a bowl.
Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in another bowl.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
meal. 

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Browned Butter Brownie with Walnut

As you know, I am a chocoholic and when I saw this post, I thought to myself,  I needed to try this. It has a little hard crisp top and soft inside with a little crunch from the walnuts.  This brownie is a must try.  Make sure to use a good butter for the best flavor.


Source: Sweet Pea Kitchen

Ingredients

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces

Method:

Preheat oven to 325F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 8 inch metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts.
Spread into prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (with a few moist crumbs attached). Cool on a wire rack.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Quinoa and Vegetables Stir Fry



I had some leftover quinoa so I added it to my vegetable stir fry for an added protein  and served with some jasmine rice.You can use either regular or royal red quinoa for this dish. As with all stir-fries, once all the ingredients for this one are prepped, the cooking takes less than five minutes.

Ingredients

1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
2 broccoli crowns, broken into florets
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce (regular or low-sodium)
2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon of stir fry vegetarian sauce ( can be bought at the Asian Grocery Store)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
3/4 pound (2 medium) baby bok choy, trimmed, washed and dried, cut in 1-inch lengths
1 bunch scallions, sliced very thin
1/2 cup cooked quinoa

Method

  • Place the tofu slices on paper towels. Place another paper towel on top, and prepare the remaining ingredients.
  • Cut the tofu slices into 1/2-inch dice. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and add the broccoli. Boil one minute, and transfer at once to a bowl of ice water. Drain and dry on paper towels.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce,and sesame oil. Combine the garlic and ginger in another small bowl. Have all the ingredients within easy reach of your pan.
  • Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in a tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting the pan. Add the tofu. Reduce the heat to medium, and stir-fry one to two minutes until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the pepper and bok choy, and stir-fry for one minute. Add the broccoli, and stir-fry for one minute.
  • Swirl in the remaining oil, and add the scallions, quinoa and the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry, scooping the ingredients up from the bottom of the wok, for about one minute until heated through and fragrant. Serve at once.
  • Advance preparation: Cooked quinoa will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Coconut Quinoa


This time around I made this dish using quinoa with an Indian twist.  I added coconut to give it some richness. I have also added peanut and cashewnut to give an extra bite.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quinoa, thoroughly rinsed in a strainer, under running water
2 1/4 cup water
1 cup shredded coconut
10-12 cashews, chopped into pieces
20 peanuts
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tbsp urad dal
A generous pinch of asafetida (hing)
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
2 green chilies, slit through the middle
1 tsp vegetable oil, like canola

All the measurement above can be reduced according to your need.

Method
  • Place the quinoa and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until most of the water is absorbed. Then slap on a lid, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook another 15 minutes.
  • In a larger saucepan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and asafetida. When they sputter, add the curry leaves, the dals, the nuts, and the green chilies.
  • Stir-fry until the nuts and dals are lightly golden-brown.
  • Add the coconut and quickly stir-fry until it takes on a golden color. You don't want to leave the coconut unattended because it will burn fast.
  • Dish out and garnish with cilantro.

    Sunday, August 14, 2011

    Sweet Potato Knot Rolls


    This rolls are so moist and tender even after 3 days. I did not refrigerate it or microwaved it and it kept moist probably because of the sweet potatoes.  The rolls itself does not have the sweet potato flavor, maybe the next time I would use freshly mashed sweet potatoes.

    Source: Myrecipes

    
    
     Ingredients

    1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
    1 cup warm milk (100° to 110°)
    3/4 cup canned mashed sweet potatoes
    3 tbsp sugar
    1/2 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon
    3 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
    1 1/4 teaspoons salt
    2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
    5 cups bread flour, divided
    Cooking spray

    Method
    • Dissolve yeast in milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
    •  Add sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon butter, salt, and egg yolks, stirring mixture with a whisk.
    •  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 4 1/2 cups flour; stir until a soft dough forms.
    •  Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel very soft and tacky).
    •  Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press 2 fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down. Cover and let rest 5 minutes.
    •  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into 24 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), shape each portion into a 9-inch rope. Carefully shape rope into a knot; tuck top end of knot under roll. Place roll on a prepared pan.
    •  Repeat procedure with remaining dough, placing 12 rolls on each pan. Lightly coat rolls with cooking spray; cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
    •  Preheat oven to 400°.
    •  Uncover rolls. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes with 1 pan on bottom rack and 1 pan on second rack from top. Rotate pans; bake an additional 7 minutes or until rolls are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped.
    •  Remove rolls from pans; place on wire racks. Brush rolls with 2 tablespoons butter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Friday, August 12, 2011

    Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts


    Once you have tried this doughnut there is no way you would want to go to store bought.  It takes some time for the dough to rise and frying but the end result is a soft fluffy doughnut that is right from your kitchen.

     Ingredients

    3 cups all purpose flour
    2 tsp yeast
    3 tbsp shortening
    200 ml lukewarm milk
    1/2 tsp salt
    3 tbsp sugar
    1/4 cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon

    Method

    Mix the yeast and milk. Let it froth.

    Add the flour little at a time, most of the time you would not need to use all of the flour. Knead till soft and let rise for 1/2 hour. Roll out and cutout into circle. Fry it and drain in a paper towel. Glaze with  cinnamon sugar topping.

    Thursday, August 11, 2011

    Vegetarian Lasagna


    If I go out to an Italian restaurant, this is my absolute favorite dish to order but of course its with the meat sauce.  This time I made the sauce with vegetable meat crumbles which can be bought at the local grocery store in the frozen food aisle. This is too good to be true....yay. The taste of the crumbles combined with the marinara sauce is almost the same as meat minus all the fat.


    Ingredients

    12  lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
    2 teaspoons olive oil
    12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped, optional
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
    1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
    1 egg, lightly beaten
    Freshly ground black pepper
    Pinch ground nutmeg
    1/2 tsp italian seasoning
    1/4 cup grated Parmesan
    3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)
    4 cups Easy Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store bought marinara sauce

    Method
    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.
    • Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
    • In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, italian seasoning, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.
    • Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a dish by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.





    Marinara Sauce

    1 tablespoons olive oil
    1 medium onion, finely chopped
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    vegetarian meat crumbles, 1/4 cup
    2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained, tomatoes chopped
    3 tablespoons tomato paste
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 bay leaf
    Salt and pepper


    Method
     In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. add the vegetarian meat crumbles and let it cook for a minute or two. Then add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.