Stuffed Peppers

This recipe is: gluten free, wheat free, corn free, soy free, nut free, egg free

Contains: beef, pork, rice, dairy

Alterations: This recipe is easily altered. To make the pepper dairy free just omit the cream and cheese ( I did this with the peppers I gave to my son and he said they were delicious), to make this recipe vegan or vegetarian substitute the meat and pork for kidney beans and soy ground.

1/2 cup rice
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 cup minced carrots
1/4 cup minced celery
6 red or green bell peppers
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 lb lightly smoked bacon, diced
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I like Barilla mainly because they don't use soy oil)
1/4 cup red wine, Merlot makes a good pairing
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided

Preheat oven to 375. Cook rice.

Heat 1 tbsp in large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and celery, cook until tender. Add beef and bacon, cook until brown and crumbly. Drain fat. Add marinara sauce, wine and red pepper. Stir in cream, 1/2 the Parmesan and rice. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Cut tops off peppers, take out the ribs and seeds.Rub peppers with remaining olive oil. Fill with mixture and place in baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce into the bottom of the dish. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Plate peppers and drizzle with sauce in the bottom of the dish..

Vegetable Enchiladas

This recipe is: vegetarian, egg free, soy free, nut free, rice free

Contains: corn, wheat, gluten and dairy

Alterations: To make this recipe wheat and gluten free substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten/wheat free flour. To make this recipe dairy and casein free substitute the cheese with a non dairy version. We like daiya.


Enchilada Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
3 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cans (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth
coarse sea salt and ground pepper

Enchilada Filling:
2 cups (16 ounces) grated pepper Jack and Jalapeno cheese
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
6 scallions, thinly sliced,  white and green parts (reserve some of the green part for enchilada topping)

16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

First make the sauce: In a large saucepan heat oil over medium. Add 2 teaspoons cumin, the flour and tomato paste; cook whisking for about 1 minute. Whisk in broth and add 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Next make the filling: In a large bowl, combine about 14 ounces of the cheese, beans, spinach, corn, scallions, 1 tsp cumin; season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 f. Lightly oil 1 16-inch baking dish or 2 8-inch baking dishes; set aside. Stack 4 tortillas, wrap in damp paper towels and microwave for 40 seconds. Repeat, until all 16 tortillas have been warmed and softened. Top each tortilla with 1/3 cup of filling; roll tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with sauce. Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow 5 minutes to cool and garnish with green scallion tops.

Indian stir-fry vegetables

This recipe is: vegan, wheat free, dairy free, nut free, egg free, rice free, corn free, soy free, gluten free, potato free.

Variations: This recipe is incredibly flexible. Just subtract anything that you are allergic to and substitute it with something you love. It's all in the spices!

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 pound diced mixed vegetables (ie. cauliflower, carrots peas, garbanzo beans, potatoes)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
salt

Heat the oil in a large wok or heavy-bottom saucepan. Add onion and gently fry for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, chili powder, coriander, turmeric and a pinch of salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes, add the diced vegetables, and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the lemon juice. Stir well and add a little water. Cover and cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, adding a little more water if needed, to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom.

Serve with rice and/or naan.

* Recipe  from Complete Indian

lentils with white wine

2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
4 small shallots
2 1/2 cups dried green lentils
6 cups vegetable broth (gluten free)
1 16oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup dry white wine (plus one glass for the chef)
A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
pepper to taste

chopped cilantro
limes, halved

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and carrots, saute for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Add the lentils and stir to coat with oil. Add the broth, tomatoes, wine, parsley, bay leaf and pepper. Let simmer over low heat with the lid ajar until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.

Serve in shallow bowls with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and lime juice.

**If you can eat dairy, top with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.

Shrimp Sushi Rolls

It's been just over 5 years since David and I visited Japan, a country which I immediately fell in love with. All these years later my love of all things Japanese has grown into what amounts to a small obsession. It's fair to say that if I get a choice I'll come back in my next life Japanese...or French, but that's another story. So in light of the horrible events the Japanese people have suffered over the past week I decided to pay tribute in one of the only ways I know how - I cooked. Not only was it delicious but it was fun to make. I have to admit that getting Fabrizio to eat the nori was a little challenging but I figure that the more exposure he gets the better. In the end I deconstructed most of his rolls but David and I went to town.

Of Course you can add anything you like when making your rolls.

Contains: Rice, Shrimp, Soy

Variations: If you're vegetarian or vegan simply replace the shrimp with some of your favorite veggies, just make sure to julienne them. Or sub the shrimp for tofu. The soy sauce is optional and there are plenty of other sauces out there that you can experiment with. I know it's a little gross but my son liked dipping it in ketchup. I know, I know but I figure it's more important that he has the experience of a variety of foods.

Sushi:

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup short-grained sushi rice

1 1/2 cups water

4 sheets toasted nori

Fillings:

1/2 regular cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks

1 avocado, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise, sprinkled with lemon juice

8 large cooked shrimp, peeled and cut in 1/2, lengthwise

Equipment: Bamboo sushi mat

optional for dipping: soy sauce and wasabi

Mix together vinegar, sugar, and salt.

Rinse the rice with cool water in a colander; drain. Put the rice and water in a rice cooker if you have it. If not, add the rice and water in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to very low and simmer, tightly covered. Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat (don't uncover), and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with a wooden spoon. Spread the rice out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.

To assemble rolls:
Place the sushi mat with the slats running crosswise directly in front of you on a clean work space. Lay a sheet of nori shiny-side down and lined up with the closest edge of the mat. Light moisten fingers with water, and evenly press about 1/4 of the rice onto the nori, with 1 1/2-inches uncovered at the far edge. Line up the fillings about an inch from the closest near edge, evenly across the rice. Leave 1 inch of rice uncovered at the far edge.

Beginning with the near edge of the mat, tightly roll up the nori, rice, and fillings into a cylinder. Firmly tug on the rounded mat over the roll as you pull on the far edge of the mat to tighten the roll. Open the mat, dab unsealed edge of nori with a bit of water and roll the sushi forward to seal. Transfer the sushi to a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining rice and fillings.

Cut each sushi roll, crosswise, into about 8 pieces with a sharp wet knife.
Serve with bowl of soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

*Recipe adapted from www.foodnetwork.com

turkey bolognese -super easy, super good!

1 package fettucine (wheat/gluten free if need be)

1 lb ground turkey

1 jar of pasta sauce, your choice
2 carrots, cut in big chunks
2 celery sticks, cut in big chunks (or cup of broccoli)
½ onion
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper

In your food processor, put the carrots, celery, onion and garlic in and pulse till it’s finely minced into a mush like substance. Heat olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add the veggie mixture and cook for about 5-10 mins or until cooked through. Push it to one side of the pan and add the ground turkey, cooking until browned. Stir the turkey into the veggie mush and add your pasta sauce until saucy to your liking. Meanwhile, cook the pasta as directed by the package. Toss with some pasta sauce and spoon the turkey mixture over the pasta into bowls. Voila, you have a perfect pasta dish your child will surely love.

We put the bolognese on gluten free pizza crust and it was amazing!

Oven roasted pork ribs with honey

This recipe is: gluten free, wheat free, egg free, nut free, dairy free, soy free
Contains: Honey

Easy to prepare and full of flavor, this dish will make you feel decadent!!

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp coarse sea salt

2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

1 1/2 tsps dried rosemary

2 lbs pork ribs, cut into individual pieces

In a small bowl whisk together the honey, oil, vinegar, salt, garlic and rosemary. Place the ribs in a large plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Refrigerate for about 3 hours, turn occasionally.

Preheat oven to 300.

Arrange the ribs in a single layer on a large roasting pan. Bring the marinade to a boil in a small sauce pan and then pour it over the ribs. Place in oven and roast for 2 to 3 hours.

Serve with vegan mashed potatoes.

**This recipe is from the book Lunch in Paris.

Vegan Stir Fry

This recipe is: gluten free, wheat free, corn free, dairy free, soy free, vegan, nut free, egg free

Contains: Rice, Sesame Seeds

Alternatives: If you need to do without the rice, try blanching some baby potatoes and adding it to the mix. Sesame seeds and oil do add to the flavor but if you must do without try peanut oil and crushed peanut to top. (If peanuts are out of the question just add a bit more olive oil. It will still taste great but you may need to add more herbs, salt or peppers.)

Who doesn't love stir-fry? But when you have a soy allergy getting your fix can be a little bit of a challenge. So after a little research I began to see ways of getting around this pesky ingredient. Thankfully not much trial and error was involved since the majority of the ingredients are bursting with flavor.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 scallions, finely chopped (white and green parts)

1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb fresh asparagus, woody ends removes, cut into 3 inch strips

10 oz sugar-snap peas

1 small orange bell pepper, chopped

1 package bunapi mushrooms (white beech mushrooms)

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

2 handfuls chopped cilantro leaves

1 handful chopped mint leaves

Add salt and red chili peppers to taste

Heat both the oils in a wok over high heat. Add scallions and cook, stirring continuously, about 1 minute. Add the ginger, bell pepper and garlic. Stir in asparagus and cook, stirring continuously, 1 minute.

Add the snap peas and mushrooms, cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Finally stir in the chopped herbs and sesame seeds. Add salt and red chili flakes to taste. Serve over rice or rice noodles.

**Recipe adapted from A Cook's Bible

Roasted Pork with Black-Eyed Pea Salad

This recipe is: wheat free, gluten free, rice free, nut free, dairy free and soy free
Contains: Corn

I found this in Everyday Food and like all the recipes I've found in this cookbook it didn't disappoint.

For the pork:
1 tbsp paprika
1tsp dried thyme
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 pork tenderloins (10 to 12 ounces each)
1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the black-eyed pea salad:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can (15 ounces) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

For the pork, preheat the oven to 450. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, thyme, cayenne, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with oil. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over and rub in gently. Roast about 20-25 minutes; let cool for a few minutes before slicing. thinly

For the salad, in a medium bowl whisk the mustard, vinegar and oil. Add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Green Chili Pork Burritos (aka, Carnitas)

This recipe is: dairy free, soy free, nut free, egg free
Contains: gluten, wheat

Alternatives: If you're allergic to wheat or gluten like my son is substitute the beer for water.

This is a recipe contributed by my dear friend Jennifer and I can't thank her enough. It is flavorful, juicy and just plain delicious!! She sent me this recipe a few weeks ago and I was saving it for when we were on our ski trip in Colorado. For some reason I just new that this would be the perfect place to try it out. It worked perfectly for our post ski meal and I'm pretty certain it would be great on a hot day with a couple of margaritas.

2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into chunks
1 bottle of beer
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
1 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped

Serve with:

3-4 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped

1/2 small white onion, finely chopped

2 limes, cut into 8 pieces

1-2 avocados, sliced

1 cup cooked rice

corn tortillas, warmed

1 can black beans, rinsed

salsa

Cube the pork into chunks that will allow them to brown evenly in a sauté pan. Coat the pork chunks with olive oil, salt and pepper. Preheat a sauté pan until very hot. Evenly brown the pork on all sides to a dark caramel color. Place the pork, beer, diced green chiles, fresh chopped garlic, and fresh cilantro into a slow cooker and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low or 4 hours on high. When done, remove the pork from the cooker and reserve the liquid. Shred up the pork and spoon sauce over pork. Fill tortillas and serve with rice and beans! Great with guacamole and sour cream!

It can also be served as a bowl, which I did with the leftovers...muy bueno!



Rice Pasta with Spinach and Raw Garlic

This recipe is: vegan, vegetarian, soy free, dairy free, wheat free, gluten free, nut free, egg free

Contains: Rice

This recipe was a creation on hunger with little in the kitchen. Sometimes these are my favorites because you never know what exciting meal you will create.

1 package brown rice noodles ( I like the Trader Joe's brand)

4 to 6 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

juice from half a lemon

1 10oz package fresh baby spinach

4 cloves of garlic, good size (use more if smaller)

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile in a large pan sautee the onion in 2 tbsp olive oil; about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook down; about 2 minutes. Add the pasta, juice from half a lemon and another 2 tbsp olive oil, toss. If the pasta seems dry add a little more olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, mix well. Serve and top with raw garlic

Moroccan Turkey Meatloaf

This recipe is free of: soy, dairy, nuts, gluten, wheat, beef

Contains: egg and rice

Substitutions: If egg is an issue try subbing the egg for 2 tbsp oil. You can also sub the rice for quinoa or couscous (couscous contains wheat and gluten).

1 1/2 cups raisins

1 small red onion, chopped

1 cup cooked rice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pint grape tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine 1 cup of the raisins, half the onion, the rice, salt, curry powder and 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon. Add turkey and egg; mix well. Pat mixture into a foil lined greased 8x8x2 inch baking pan. Bake in the top third of the oven for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile for the chutney, in a saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup raisins, half of the onion, remaining cinnamon, the tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. Cook, covered, over medium high heat, until tomatoes pop. Lift meatloaf from pan with foil. Cut into slices and serve with tomato chutney.

* Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

German Potato Salad

This recipe is: gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, soy free
Contains: eggs, bacon, potatoes
Alternatives: To make this egg free chose a vegan mayonnaise, to make it vegan omit the bacon


At the local farmers market I came across an stall selling locally made sausages. While I am not a bratwurst fan, my boys are and at being gluten and casein free I was sold. The potato salad made a perfect pairing.

1 1/2 lbs potatoes, scrubbed
1 tbsp olive oil
4 strips bacon, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
2 to 3 tbsp relish
1 stalk celery finely chopped
1 tsp Dijon or German mustard
3 tbsp dairy free/soy free mayonnaise
2 tbsp chives, chopped (red onion also works)
1 tbsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste


Cook the potatoes in a pot of salted water for 15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes, then slice thickly and set aside in a bowl.
Meanwhile, in a fry pan cook bacon until crispy. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
In the fry pan keep 2 tbsp bacon grease, add lemon juice and olive oil then pour over the sliced potatoes. Add the celery, onion or chives and half the bacon. Mix well. Let cool.
Blend the mustard in a small bowl with the mayonnaise, parsley and salt and pepper. Add to the potatoes and toss well to coat. Spoon the potatoes into a serving bowl or onto plates and top with remaining bacon.

Rice Noodle Wraps

This recipe is free of: soy, gluten, dairy, meat, wheat, nuts
Contains: rice

This recipe came out of pure and total creativity...and a little boredom but it works. Better than that my son LOVED it!!



1 avocado sliced

1 small yellow bell pepper, julienned

1 medium carrot, julienned

1 small cucumber, julienned

a handful of mint

a handful of broccoli sprouts

16 pieced rice paper for rolling

3 oz rice noodles



optional sauces for dipping:

sunflower butter (for the kids)

Asian Coconut stir fry by World Foods (selected because it's soy free)

Cook noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Soften rice paper if bought dried.

Assemble by adding a little of everything to the middle of the rice paper. Fold over edges and roll tight. Serve.

...the fried version is easier to eat since the rice paper gets a little crispy!

Risotto

This recipe is: Gluten free, Wheat free, Dairy free, Soy free, Egg free, Nut Free,Vegan

Contains: Rice

1 cup arborio rice
1 32oz container of Gluten Free Vegetable Broth
1 zucchini -sliced and cut into half moons
1/2 onion -finely chopped
1 leek -sliced thin and cut into half moons
1/2 package button mushrooms - stems removed and sliced
1/2 cup peas
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine (plus a glass for yourself)

In a medium sauce pan heat the broth over low heat. In a large heavy bottomed pot heat olive oil. Add onion, cook on medium low for a few minutes until translucent. Add leeks and mushrooms cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it turns clear. Add the wine and cook until it is absorbed. Then add a ladle of broth. Stir occasionally. When absorbed add another ladle. Repeat. When you've used half of the broth add the zucchini and peas. Mix together. Add more broth and repeat as before until finished.

**The best thing about risotto is that you can add just about any vegetables that you want. It's a delicious way to make use of left over veggies.

creamy fettuccine with leeks, corn and arugula

This dish is: Vegetarian, Nut Free, Soy Free
Contains: Dairy, Wheat, Gluten, Corn and Egg

Alternatives:To make this dish wheat/gluten free use a gluten free pasta. I prefer Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta over a rice noodle. Unfortunately, I don't really think there is a good way to make this dish dairy free but am open to suggestions!

Last night I wanted a creamy rich pasta and remembered this delicious dish. Thankfully, I had all of the ingredients on hand. At first the arugula seems like an odd twist but it works. As my husband says it reminds him of a meal that we would most likely get in Ticino, minus the corn.

12 oz fettuccine (3/4 box)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into thin half moons

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups baby arugula

1/4 grated pecorino

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir occasionally until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the corn and wine. Simmer another 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the cream.

Add the pasta to the pan and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine, then fold in the arugula. Sprinkle with pecorino before serving.

Italian Beef Stew, alla Famiglia Pala

Beef stew recipe:

1 1/2 pounds of stew meat cubed.
1 pound Italian sweet sausage
1 14 oz can of dices tomatoes
3 medium size carrots sliced cross(round not length wise) wise.
3 medium size zucchini sliced cross (round not length wise)wise.
1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms
1 medium size onion diced
5 or 6 cloves of garlic diced
16 oz of light beef bouillon
1 10 inch fry pan


5 or larger quart stew pot....(should be bigger than the pot you have at home)


cooking instructions
Cut stew meat into cubes if not already done so.....coat with flour. Slice sausage (round not length wise).

Put in equal amounts into frying pan olive oil and butter....enough to sufficiently cover the bottom of the pan. Heat oils and put in meats...brown both sides. Remove meats from frying pan place in stew pot.

Take 1/2 of the beef bouillon and put in fry pan put on high heat bring to boil. You are deglazing the pan.

Place the bouillon from fry pan into stew pot....

NOW.....same fry pan (don't wash between) on medium high heat saute diced onions, diced garlic and sliced mushrooms until all is soft and onions have a 'little' color. When finished saute put into stew pot on top of meat.

Open can of tomatoes put into stew pot
add Carrots and zucchini as well to stew pot.
Add remaining beef bouillon.

Cover stew pot and simmer(don't boil) for 3 hours.... after cooking 1 1/2-2 hours check for flavor...you may need to add salt and pepper to taste..(your judgement). If liquid in pot seems thin then half way cover stew pot(turn lid cross wise so pot is not completely sealed) and continue cooking...If liquid appears thick then cover pot completely with lid and continue cooking.

Polenta.... There are no exact measurements. You start with a lot of boiling water (about 8 cups) and then add polenta a little at a time and stir as it thickens you keep adding water until it is creamy. you don't want it to get dry....we add chicken broth for flavor to the boiling water. Remember if you think it is too runny you can always cook it down or if too thick you can always add more water to bring it to where you want it to be. If you aren't comfortable cooking polenta from scratch you can always buy instant. Also, you can serve the stew with mashed potatoes.

*Mamma Zen's Recipe

Mamma's Note: A perfect Sunday meal.

Moroccan Couscous with Saffron

This recipe is: dairy free, nut free, vegan
Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten

Alternatives: To make this recipe soy free sub the vegan butter for oil. To make wheat/gluten free try serving over rice.



2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 " cubes (I buy a bag of them in the refrigerated produce section at Trader Joe's)

2 cups yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups carrots, cubed

1 1/2 cups zucchini, cubed

2 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt

1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp Earth Balance butter

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375.

Place squash, onion, carrots, and zucchini on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once midway through cooking.

While the vegetables roast, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter, cumin, saffron, salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and steep for 15 minutes.

Scrape the roasted vegetables and their juices into a large bowl, add the uncooked couscous. Bring the vegetable broth back to a boil and pour over the couscous mixture all at once. Cover tightly with a plate and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Add the scallions, toss the couscous and vegetables with a fork and serve.

* Recipe adapted from The Kind Diet

Mamma's Note: This is a family favorite! Even my carnivorous husband lights up when we have this.to

Baked Penne with Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
14 oz. crushed tomatoes
28 oz whole tomatoes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 bag penne
5 oz baby spinach
2 cups grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan


Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, stir for 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes. Break up whole tomatoes with your fingers and add to pan. Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir. Reduce heat to simmer, stir occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until nearly done (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain pasta and return to pot.
Add spinach to sauce. Mix in until wilted, about 1 minute. Pour sauce over pasta and mix.

Pour half of the pasta mixture into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella. Top with remaining pasta. Finally add the 2nd cup of mozzarella and the parmesan to the top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until top is bubbling and beginning to turn brown.

*Recipe from Real Simple Magazine