Having these lasagnas on hand makes everything about entertaining so easy. I have had many of my meat-eating friends tell me they absolutely love this lasagna, so it has passed the “non-vegetarian dinner guest test” at my home. And this is in Texas, where that test can be a tough one!

Bake this lasagna in a 13 x 9 x 2 dish.

Serve this with salad and crusty, whole-grain bread.

Ingredients

8 oz. whole, sprouted-grain lasagna noodles
2 eggs (preferably organic, humanely raised, and pasture raised)
1 16-oz. container ricotta cheese (preferably from cows or goats that are grass fed and humanely raised)
2 c. mozzarella cheese (preferably from cows or goats that are grass fed and humanely raised), grated
1 c. Parmesan cheese (preferably from cows or goats that are grass fed and humanely raised), grated
½ c. parsley (fresh), chopped
1 c. red onion, chopped
1 T. extra virgin, pure coconut oil
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. broccoli, chopped
½ c. baby spinach, chopped
3 c. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
pinch of garlic salt
pinch of onion powder
1/8 tsp. basil (dried)
1/8 tsp. thyme (dried)
1/8 tsp. parsley (dried)
1/8 tsp. savory (dried)
1/8 tsp. sage (dried)
1 tsp. miso
1/4 c. non-chlorinated water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Combine cayenne pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, basil, thyme, dried parsley, savory, and sage and set aside.
3. Dissolve miso in the ¼ c. of water and set aside.
4. Boil a pot of water and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. (This means they are soft, but not too soft; there is a tiny bit of hardness to them.) Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
5. Beat eggs.
6. Combine eggs with ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, the herb mixture, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
7. Sauté onions in a large skillet with coconut oil until almost translucent, then add the mushrooms and minced garlic and sauté a few more minutes.
8. Add miso water to the skillet with onion mixture carefully, so it doesn’t splatter.
9. Quickly add chopped broccoli and spinach, and sauté a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
10. In the baking dish, layer the lasagna: Start with 1/3 of the tomato sauce, followed by a layer of noodles, then half of the cheese mixture, spread evenly, then half of the vegetable mixture, spread evenly. Repeat the layers. Finish with the last 1/3 of the tomato sauce and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top.
11. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
12. Serve warm.

Notes:
1. I love to use roasted tomato sauce with this recipe.
2. Garlic salt can be found in the spice area at the grocery store. You can also simply mince some garlic and add it to some sea salt to make your own.
3. You can use Vegan egg and cheese options. I have resources and recipes for those in my cookbooks, like “How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian,” 2nd edition.

4. I make this herb mixture in a larger version, store it in a glass jar, and use it frequently in many of my recipes.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

When the early English colonists arrived in North America, the only apple tree they found was crab apple. However, there are now over 7,000 varieties growing in the US. The colonists brought many seeds and seedlings with them over the years, but the first apple trees the colonists brought didn’t bear much fruit, because there were no honeybees in North America. The colonists started bringing over hives of honeybees as early as 1622 to pollinate the trees.

A New York Publication in 1670 stated: “You shall scarce see a house, but the South side is begirt with Hives of Bees. The Native Americans loved the new apples that the colonists brought with them and cultivated them extensively throughout the US.

The apple is one of the most nutritious foods with remedies dating back to the earliest times of history. The apple is a member of the rose family and the blossom looks very much like a wild rose. One medium apple, fresh, raw, and with the skin, has high levels of vitamin C, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, boron, and folate. All of those nutrients are packed into a small fruit with only 81 calories. Boron is a trace element, which has been shown to strengthen bones.

Pectin is a soluble fiber in apples which removes cholesterol, toxic metals such as lead and mercury, and the residues of radiation. In addition, the fiber content of one apple is equivalent to a serving of bran cereal. The malic and tartaric acid found in apples inhibits growth of disease-producing bacteria in the intestinal tract.

The American Cancer Association says that the apple is a lung strengthening food and can lower the incidence of lung cancer, while studies have also shown that the liver and gallbladder benefit from the cleansing properties of the apple and apple juice. Furthermore, the antioxidant phytonutrients found in apples helps fight the damaging effects of LDL, which we know as bad cholesterol.

The physical benefits of apples have also been noted. A poultice of grated apples placed over the eyes for up to 20 to 30 minutes can help with swelling, sunburn, and “pink eye.”

This simple recipe is much like the Waldorf Salad recipe I learned from my mother. This recipe makes a great light lunch to pack for school or work.

Recipe

Apple Salad

Salad Ingredients:

3 large red apples cored and cut into bite size pieces.
2/3-cup pineapple (fresh is the best choice) crushed or cut into cubes.
1/ 3 cup celery, diced
3 Tablespoons Raisins
3 Tablespoon pecan pieces

Dressing Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons plain yogurt
2 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon pineapple juice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the salad ingredients.

In a small bowl mix together the dressing ingredients and then mix the dressing in with the fruit.

Variations I add grapes to this salad when available. Walnuts can be used instead of pecans.

For more information go to: www.organichealthylifestyle.com

You may like to see Nancy’s international award-winning cookbooks on her author page on Amazon.

copyright@nancyaddison2012.