Vegetarian Thanksgiving Lasagna

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I can't believe we are already at Thanksgiving and December and the holidays are just around the corner.  I hope that everyone is having a great time with friends and family today and that you all eat some seriously delicious food and enjoy!

I made a Vegetarian Lasagna to have around in honor of Thanksgiving.  My husband is a vegetarian and thanksgiving food is typically not his favorite.  Sure he likes the sides, but the main course is obviously not for him.  So, I tried out this recipe I saw from The Kitchn and it turned out fantastic! I subbed a few different things in so here is my variation:

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Lasagna

Ingredients:
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 large butternut squash
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
8 oz creme fraiche
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp salt, plus more
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 oz baby arugula/spinach mix
1 lb fontina cheese, shredded
fresh sage leaves
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 and lightly grease a few baking sheets.
2. Peel the butternut squash, cut off the ends, and then thinly slice the rest.  Place the slices of squash on the prepared sheets, sprinkle with some salt and bake for 20 minutes.
3. While the squash is baking, in a medium bowl, mix the pumpkin puree with the creme fraiche, dried sage, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
4. In a 13 by 9 inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of sauce.  Place 4 lasagna sheets down then place some butternut squash pieces on top.  Spread more pumpkin sauce over the top, sprinkle 1/2 of the arugula/spinach mix, and 1/3 of the fontina cheese.  Place 4 more lasagna sheets on top and repeat the same process.  Top with the final 4 sheets, more sauce, and the rest of the fontina.  Place some sage leaves over the top and sprinkle with the parmesan.
5.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Perfect Chicken Breast with Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

So I am working really hard to be healthy and get in tip top wedding shape.  I am feeling good about my workout routine, but people keep giving me desserts!  I have some serious issues saying no to free desserts...

This weekend I had a wedding shower, and the hostesses gave me the leftover cake to take home.  It was HUGE!  So, I brought the cake into school and my fellow teachers ate it for me.  It was a really tough decision, but I feel like it really shows growth on my part for doing that...

This dinner is another way that I am working at being healthy and awesome.  This dinner is also crazy yummy so that is even better!  I made some perfectly cooked chicken breast and then I roasted some broccoli and cauliflower.  It was an overall great move on my part!  

Pan Seared Chicken - take a chicken breast and sprinkle both sides with some salt and pepper.  Then, place it between two sheets of saran wrap and pound it with a pan so that it flattens.  Then, heat some olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes.  Flip the chicken, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Test the chicken and continue to cook if it is not done.  It should be 160 degrees on a meat thermometer or have NO pink in the middle.  

Roasted Veggies -  Place veggies on a pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Toss and place in the oven at 400 for 20-30 minutes.  

That's it!  This dinner is simple, good for you, and quick!  Go home and make it!

Enjoy :)

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Is it summer yet?  I feel like I am just trudging my way towards summer. I swear each school day is a little longer than the previous one.  Any other teachers out there feel me?  I know you do because this facebook link keeps getting shared:


Now, don't get me wrong, I love my job and I love my students and I love my fellow teachers.  I just am also super freaking excited for this summer.  I have a pretty big summer ahead of me and with my first wedding shower (there are 3) this weekend, I just can't focus on anything else.

The weather is also (finally) getting nicer and that makes it extra hard to focus.  The longer days and warmer weather are making me so much happier.  I have also been cooking more because when it is lighter out I just feel less tired.  This lasagna happened because of one of those nights.

You are going to love this.  You roast a TON of vegetables and then you layer them with some pasta and a TON of cheese.  Then you bake it and someone it magically becomes a crazy good lasagna.  Even the vegetable haters out there are going to love this!  I was inspired by How Sweet It Is and then I just used my own vegetables and cheese and had way too much fun with it.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:

8 oz sliced portobello mushrooms
10 oz broccoli florets
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, quartered
1 pint red grape or cherry tomatoes
1 pint yellow grape or cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups light ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 burrata ball
1 8 oz container of pearl mozzarella balls
1 8 oz container shaved parmesan cheese
8 oz smoked provolone cheese, shredded
1 24 oz jar of marinara sauce (your favorite)
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles

Directions:
1. Line 3 pans with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425.
2. Place mushrooms, broccoli, onion, pepper, and zucchini into a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil, and salt and pepper (to taste).  Spread out the veggies onto two pans.
3. Place all the tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Spread these guys out on the third pan.
4. Place the pans in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes.  Take out from oven.
5. While the veggies are roasting, in a medium bowl, mix the ricotta with half the parmesan, half the provolone, and the basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. In a 13 by 9 inch pan, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce.  Place three long lasagna noodles on this.  Spread some ricotta mixture on top and then sprinkle a few mozzarella pearls.  Then, take about 1/3 of the veggies and sprinkle on top.  Drizzle with marinara sauce, and in a few roasted tomatoes, and then shred about 1/3 of the burrata ball and sprinkle over the top.  Place more lasagna noodles over this and repeat with two more layers.  For the final layer, drizzle some marinara sauce on top and then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and provolone.  Also add the remaining tomatoes on top.
7. Reduce the heat of the oven to 400 and bake the lasagna for 45 minutes.  Let sit for about 30-60 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Pot Pie

On this snowy Tuesday, all I want is something warm and comforting in my tummy.  So, I decided to make a pot pie.  I wanted Bri to be able to eat it and so it became a veggie pot pie with tofu instead of chicken.  It was super yummy and crazy simple.  Here is what I did:

I mixed a bunch of delish veggies in a pot.  Then, I poured said delish veggies into a 9 by 13 inch pan.  Then, I put unrolled crescent rolls on top and baked it in the oven for 15 minutes.  The result:  A Vegetarian Pot Pie Casserole.  Yes, I am serious.

This was super easy and now I have some awesome comfort food that incorporates a bunch of vegetables and some solid protein.

Today, I keep looking out the window while at school and I am not looking forward to my drive home in all this snow.  At least I have a yummy dinner ahead of me!

Vegetarian Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup chopped tofu
6-8 small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
8 crescent rolls

Directions:
1. Melt the butter over medium-low heat and add in the celery, carrots, and onion.  Let cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add in the garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.  Add in the potatoes and tofu.  Let cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add in the veggie stock and increase heat to medium-high.  Add in the frozen peas.  Let cook until mixture starts to boil.
4. In a small bowl, place flour.  Ladel some veggie stock from your vegetable mixture into the flour and whisk to combine.  Then, pour the flour/veggie stock mixture back into the pot and stir to combine.
5.  Let cook while simmering for about 5 minutes or so.  Pour the mixture into a 13 by 9 inch pan.

6. Lay the crescent rolls on the top and cook at 350 for about 15 minutes or until crescent rolls are cooked and browned.

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Paella

I decided to take a blog-cation.  I'm not sure that is a real thing, but I am officially making it a thing.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed with how much I have going on in my life and I just couldn't keep up.  It happens.  All the stuff is really good and I totally kept cooking up a storm, but I just didn't feel like writing.  However, I am pretty pumped to tell you about this Vegetarian Paella:

Here is a quick re-cap on all the good stuff that is keeping me occupied.  First, school is busy.  I am teaching the AP Calc and Precalc groups right now, so I have a lot to plan for.  I have never taught these classes before this year and so I need more time to plan and prepare myself.  Plus, this math stuff can be really difficult!  I give these kids a lot of credit because they are learning some tough stuff and doing a really nice job! Then, I also have cheer practice or basketball games after school.  On Saturday, we attended a college basketball game and talked to the cheer team there.  It was really fun and the girls had a great time meeting the college cheerleaders.  We are also getting ready for a winter pep rally and that means lots of practice.  On top of all that, I also had a meeting on Monday with the park district to start preparing for my summer job.  Summer seems really far away, but now is the time that we start planning/hiring for summer camp.  Finally, Bri and I have been doing a lot of house shopping.  We think we found our condo and are getting ready to make an offer!  And, all of this is in addition to wedding planning and marathon training.  Jeez!  

So, needless to say, I just have a lot on my plate.  

I also found out that next year I will be teaching 12th grade.  For any of you who keep up with my life, I am currently teaching 11th grade and this means I will be teaching the same kiddos next year! I am turning into Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World!  This is just awesome since Mr. Feeny is the best! 

How can you not love that guy???  

Well, now that you are all mostly updated on my whirlwind life, here is a fabulous recipe for Vegetarian Paella.  I made this on a weeknight, which means that it takes like no time, and it was crazy yummy.  Please make this and enjoy!

Vegetarian Paella

(adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice

1/4 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp paprika

5-6 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 red peppers, sliced

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tbsp hot paprika

1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved

1 can artichoke heart quarters, drained and roughly chopped

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1/4 cup frozen peas

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and the brown rice, and boil for 20 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

2. In another pot, bring the broth to a simmer.

3. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet and saute the onions until translucent.  Add in the peppers and garlic and cook until the peppers soften.  Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tumeric, paprika, hot paprika, and season with salt and pepper (to taste). Let this simmer for 5 minutes

4.  Fold in the green beans, artichoke hearts, chickpeas and cooked rice.  Ladel the warm broth into the mixture until the rice is almost covered.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Stir in the frozen peas and let simmer for 5 more minutes.  Then, serve! 

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Lo Mein

Yesterday was my first day back at school and today is my first day back with students.  I was super grateful for yesterday because I was able to catch up with my co-teachers and get a bunch of planning done for the week ahead of me.  Also, it means that I only need to survive a 4 day week this week.  

Today I am excited because I am teaching Pre-calculus and AP Calculus and while both of these topics can be intimidating, I like that they are new topics that I have not had a ton of experience with and I love learning new things myself.  I feel totally ready to go and I am pumped.

I am also excited to share this Vegetarian Lo Mein Recipe.  It was super simple to make so it is perfect for a weeknight and it is healthy.  Plus, it's delicious.  Now that I am back, I am all about the quick and simple meals that also make me feel good about myself!

Vegetarian Lo Mein

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen stir-fry veggies

8 oz rice noodles, prepared according to directions

2 tbsp soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp siracha (or more if you like it spicy!)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and siracha.

2. In a large skillet, place the veggies and heat over medium.  Pour about half of the sauce over the veggies and toss to combine.  Cook until the veggies soften.  Then, add in the prepared rice noodles and toss to combine.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the mixture and toss.

Enjoy :)

Beer Brussel Sprouts with Parmesan

Merry Christmas Eve!  I really love brussel sprouts and I figured that they are a pretty common Christmas table staple.  So I am going to share one of the more recent brussel sprout recipes I tried that I just loved.  

Bri is not a huge fan of brussel sprouts.  However, he tried these and said that he actually liked them.  That is how great this recipe is.  

In other news, last night I threw a little party for Bri and his brother's "50th Birthday."  They are twins who just turned 25 so I thought that it was cute to combine those ages and call it a 50th!  It was such a fun night.  A ton of our friends stopped by our place and we just hung out, had some good food, good drinks and it was a blast.  It was one of those nights where I am just so incredibly grateful for how many amazing people we have in our lives.  

Tonight we are headed to my family's Christmas Eve get together and I am excited for yet another evening full of fantastic people.  I hope that everyone out there also has a really lovely holiday season full of friends, family, and of course, good food!

Beer Brussel Sprouts with Parmesan

(adapted from The Homemade Haus)

Ingredients:

6 tbsp unsalted butter

2 lbs brussel sprouts, halved

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz beer (we used Revolution's Fist City #Chicago)

4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven and turn the broiler on high.

2. In an oven-proof skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Once melted, add in the brussel sprouts and let cook for about 3 minutes.  Stir them and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Add in the minced garlic and continue to cook for another few minutes.  Then add in the beer and let cook for another few minutes so that the brussel sprouts become tender.  

4. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top and place the pan under the broiler until the cheese starts to melt and the brussel sprouts brown a bit.  This took a few minutes and I always watch to make sure that nothing burns.  

Enjoy :) 

Autumn Minestrone Soup

Today is the first official day of winter break! I stuck to my typical schedule of going to boot camp class at 5:45 am because I figured it was good for me.  I know I'm a little crazy.  However, it was a nice way to start my day and now I have the whole day ahead of me!  

What is really weirding me out is the fact that it is raining...on December 21st...in Chicago.  What???

So, I figured it would be lovely to share this soup recipe with you all because it is a soup kinda day.  

I made this soup as part of Bri's and my vegetarian Thanksgiving.  This was just a dinner for the two of us where I went all out and made a ton of delicious vegetarian things.  This Autumn Minestrone was super easy to make and it was amazing!  If anyone else out there is looking out the window and thinking today is going to be one dreary Monday, make this soup!  It will totally brighten your day!

Autumn Minestrone Soup

(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:

15 baby carrots, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable broth

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed sweet potato, peeled first

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed butternut squash

1 zucchini, quartered

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cinnamon

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups kale and spinach mix

1 14.5 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

parmesan for topping

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium and add in the carrots and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add in the garlic and cook for another minute.  

2. Add in the vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, rosemary, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes can be pierced with a fork.  

3. Add in the kale/spinach and the kidney beans.  Cover and let cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and serve with parmesan if you want!

Enjoy :)

Roasted Butternut Squash Black Bean and Goat Cheese Dip

Who doesn't love dip?  A good dip is just the best!  I made this one for my book club girlfriends and they found it to be delicious.  I think it has a surprising taste, but it really good and you just can't stop eating it.  In fact, I'm thinking about making this dip for a girl's night I have coming up!

My girlfriends organized a secret santa exchange.  I like to call it a secret snowman exchange, but whatever.  How cute are we? My friend Caryn organized it and I am super pumped.  I can't wait to see what I get and I'm pretty excited about the gift I got for my secret person!  Hanukkah is happening right now and I am excited to do some gift giving :)

This week is also actually flying by!  Today all the students are taking a practice ACT exam.  I am excited to see how my students do.  The school was able to get graphing calculators for every student that did not have one (of the 200ish 11th graders, 110 did not have one).  It was really nice and I am excited to see if they perform better today with the extra help and confidence from the graphing calculator!  We spent the last week integrating calculator skill education into our class so they should be totally ready to use them today!

Cheer is also going great! We had a clinic on Saturday and we had a college cheerleader come in to help support our team and teach them some new cheers and jumps.  The team worked so hard and they learned so much.  I was super proud of all of them!  Plus, our uniforms are finally here! So, on Thursday when we perform at the basketball game, we will be in our uniforms and we will have a bunch of new cheers to debut! I can't wait.

Now, back to that dip!

Roasted Butternut Squash Black Bean and Goat Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz goat cheese
3 tbsp chopped herbs (thyme, parsley, cilantro)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Toss the cubed squash in a bowl with the olive oil, cinnamon, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, and nutmeg.  Spread out in one layer on your lined baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Once done, remove from oven and lowder the temp to 350 degrees.
2. Place the cooked squash in a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth puree.  Add in the goat cheese and herbs and process until smooth.  Add in the black beans and pulse a few times to combine and smash.
3. Place mixture in a oven-safe dish (I used my adorable mini skillet) and place in oven for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or whatever else you feel like!

Enjoy :)

Crunchy Black Bean Burgers

Guys, I am the worst.  I have been meaning to post this for like a week, but I have been too lazy/busy to work on it.  I've been really busy with school/cheer and I've been really lazy when I'm home because I just want to sleep/read.  However, I have a burst of energy because it is Friday and I am done teaching for the week!  Now I am just looking forward to a fun evening at a school social! 

After all the craziness that was Thanksgiving, it's nice to have a simple and delicious meal to come home to.  This veggie burger is that meal.  It's simple to make and it's a great dinner after all that stuffing, turkey, gravy...etc.  

Bri found the recipe for me because he had heard from a colleague that it was "the best" veggie burger recipe.  I don't know if we thought it was "the best" one that we had ever had, but it certainly was yummy and it reheated really well for leftovers!  

Crunchy Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:2 14.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 eggs

2 tbsp flour

4 green onions, chopped

3 tbsp cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp hot sauce

1/2 tsp ground coriander

pinch of pepper

1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips

olive oil

whole wheat hamburger buns

cheese slices, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the flour until you have a paste.  Mix in the green onion, cilantro, garlic, cumin, hot sauce, coriander, salt and pepper.  

2. Place chips in a food processor and pulse until you have a finely ground mixture.  Add in the beans and pulse until beans are broken up.  Transfer this mixture to your other bowl and mix to combine.

3. Cover the mixture and place in the fridge for an hour. 

4. Once the mixture has chilled, heat a few tsp of olive oil over medium heat in a pan on the stove.  Form 6-8 patties using your hands and place in pan to cook.  I left them to cook for about 4 minutes on each side.  Serve with buns, cheese and whatever other toppings you want!

Enjoy :)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burgers with BBQ Caramelized Onions

I have a pretty sweet week at school right now.  I survived Monday.  We reviewed graphing quadratics and I had cheer practice after school.  And now I have Tuesday, which I am already all planned for!  Wednesday is Veterans Day and so we do not have school and then Friday is a Teacher Institute Day.  So, I only have two more days of teaching this week!  Crazy!

Today I went to my boot camp class in the morning.  It was super tough since I was still sore from my work out on Saturday.  This past weekend I was hanging out in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin with my bestie, Tamara.  She took me with her to her work out on Saturday morning.  Slow motion push-ups are officially my least favorite exercise.  They are weirdly easy at first, but then you feel like your arms might just fall off for the next three days...Then today we did SLOW MOTION PUSH UPS!  I couldn't believe it.  I'm half way through my boot camp class when the instructor told us that we were going to do them.  We have never done slow motion push ups before, but of course we did today.  Now, I can barely lift my arms above my head.  Ouch.  I guess the good news is that if I keep doing them I'll have awesome looking arms for my wedding dress :)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
3 scallions
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp of cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 red pepper, chopped
3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 egg
8 whole wheat buns
cheese if you want (we used colby jack)
BBQ Caramelized Onions:
1 red onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
BBQ sauce, to taste

Directions:
1. Peel the sweet potato and use your food processor with a grate attachment to grate the sweet potato.  If you don't have this, you can use a cheese grater with the largest holes.  Place sweet potato pieces in a large bowl.
2. Put the black beans in the food processor and pulse a few times to mash the beans.  Add these to the bowl with the sweet potato.
3. Mix in the scallions, cilantro, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, salt, red pepper pieces, and oats.  Stir well.
4. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Mix the egg in with the other ingredients and place the mixture in the fridge to chill until the oven is ready.
6. Once ready, form 8 balls with the mixture and press into burger shaped rounds.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes and then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.
7. For the caramelized onions, add onion slices, olive oil and bbq sauce to a pan.  Heat over medium until onion becomes translucent and soft.  Serve on top of burgers and feel free to add any other toppings!

Enjoy :)

Spicy Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

Can you believe it is SEPTEMBER?!?!?

I can't.  It feels like I was just finishing up the last year of school.  I can't believe I am already into my third year of teaching!  School is going really well so far and I am having a great time getting to know my students.  I have high hopes for this year and I can't wait to see how it goes.

Since it is September, I figured we could celebrate with a fall-like veggie burger recipe.  Now, I don't want summer to end, but I feel like good food can help ease the transition.  Fortunately, the weather is still certainly summer-like.  I hope it stays that way for a while!  While, fall is nice, winter is the worst.

I LOVE The Kitchn.  It is a great site with tons of amazing recipes.  Also, I love that the recipes are super use friendly and they all come with tons of tips, variations, and explanations.  I found this Sweet Potato Veggie Burger on their site and then I just changed small tidbits based on what I love and what we had in our fridge!  Please head over to the site for the recipe!

I made the sweet potato patties according to the directions, but here are the few things I added/changed.
1. I did not chop the sunflower seeds.  I wanted a bit of a crunch in there, so I left them whole.
2. I also used my food processor with a grater attachment to grate the sweet potato.  This made things go super quickly!  Then, I simply added the beans to the food processor and pulsed to combine.
3. Finally, for my toppings, I used some sliced tomato, sliced avocado, spicy cheddar cheese (sliced), and BBQ sauce.

Holy moly it was delicious!

Enjoy :)

Roasted Summer Squash

Is it summer?  Because this is Chicago and it's 60 degrees! What is that about?  Yesterday, I went to a water park with one of my camps and it was only 65!  The kids, of course, still loved it and the water was warm, but it just felt weird.  I mean, I was standing at a water park in a sweatshirt...

Anyways, at least I can celebrate summer with food!  The Taste of Chicago has arrived so that is a HUGE food event that is currently happening.  Plus, I made this Summer Squash dish in honor of the "season."  

This squash dish is incredibly simple and you can even incorporate other veggies if you want.  Here's the gist: Place a bunch of veggies in an oven-safe dish.  Sprinkle some salt, and pepper over the top.  Then, sprinkle breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.  You can use other veggies, you can use other types of cheese, you can even use something other than breadcrumbs.  I am going to try this out with BBQ potato chips for a different kind of flavor!  Have fun with it! 

Roasted Summer Squash

Ingredients:

2 yellow squash, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Placed sliced veggies in a 9 inch cake pan

3. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

4. Drizzle olive oil over the top and then cover with foil.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until your breadcrumbs start to brown a little.

Enjoy :)

Veggie and Black Bean Enchiladas

I just love enchiladas.  They are a great way to get a ton of veggies into your dinner and they are so tasty! I am trying to be a little healthier now that it is summer and I am beginning to really focus on my wedding.  I want to get in shape and lose a few pounds, but I don't want to go crazy since I still have more than a year!  So, my plan is to incorporate veggies into all my meals, portion control, and stay away from all those delicious desserts (which is going to be the biggest challenge!).  This meal was a great way to kick of my healthy-eating plan and I am definitely going to be making these again soon! 

Veggie and Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

8 whole wheat tortillas or gluten-free

1 can red enchilada sauce

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

extra virgin olive oil

1 eggplant, peeled and diced

1 zucchini, quartered

1 squash, quartered

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 red onion, chopped

your favorite salsa

your favorite shredded cheese, I used a blend

3 green onions, chopped (optional)

1 avocado, sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large pan, pour 1 tbsp of olive oil and heat over medium.  Add in the eggplant, zucchini, and squash.  Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Toss to combine and cook until veggies start to soften.  Add in olive oil as needed.  Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and pour a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan.  

3. In each tortilla, place a couple spoonfuls of the veggie mixture, a spoonful of salsa, some black beans, shredded cheese, and chopped red onion.  Roll the tortilla and place seam down in the prepared pan.  

4. Once all the tortillas are done, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tops and sprinkle with some more cheese.  Cover in tinfoil and place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

5. Top with some green onion and avocado slices.

Enjoy :)

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup

I've been really into soup lately.  It is great to have when it is so freaking cold out and it is a super easy lunch for me to take to school.  Since Bri is a vegetarian and since I am always so busy, I have started looking for vegetarian soup recipes that I can make in my crock-pot.  This way, it is a low maintenance meal and we end up with tons of leftovers.

Minestrone soup is one of my favorites and this recipe is just like the Olive Garden minestrone.  It is vegetarian and the noodles and beans make it a filling meal.  Plus, you can make it in a crock pot!  It is perfect!

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup
(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:
32 oz vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium diced tomatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 small zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups small shell pasta, whole wheat
5 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained rinsed
14.5 oz can green beans, drained
2 cups packed baby spinach
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Add vegetable stock, water, diced tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sugar to your slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2.  Add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans, cannellini beans, green beans, and spinach.  Cook for another 40 minutes on high or until pasta is tender.  Season more with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with shredded parmesan on top.

Enjoy :)

Bibimbap

Well, Happy New Year! I can't believe 2014 is here.  2013 was always such an important year in my mind because of my graduation, job search, and move to a new apartment.  Growing up, I always thought of myself as a member of the "Class of 2013."  I never really thought about 2014, but here it is!

In the spirit of New Years Resolutions, I am trying to be healthy and happy in this new year.  While I'm not sure that I believe in hard-core dieting to lose weight, I do want to focus on maintaining my health and keeping up my workout routine.  I downloaded a cool app yesterday that encourages a healthy lifestyle.  It is called Lose It! and it is about weight loss.  You log what you eat and how you exercise.  What I like about the app is that it creates a calorie budget for you based on your age, height, and weight.  Then, you get to set your personal goals, join communities, and record your progress.  I like that this app is personalized and allows me to create a totally manageable goal.  I don't want to do anything extreme, just stay healthy and this app is great for that purpose.  Plus, this app is available for iPhone and Droid as well as a website if you don't want to get the app!

In the spirit of healthy choices, today's recipe is super healthy and easily adapted for any diet.  Bri and I made this to use up a ton of veggies that we had on hand and it ended up being a fantastic meal!

Bibimbap
(adapted from Snapfood)

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice, cooked according to directions
sesame oil
light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
assorted fresh vegetables, your favorites!
(I used mushrooms, green onions, shredded carrots, zucchini, spinach and sweet onion)
2 eggs

Directions:
1. All you have to do is sauté the veggies in the sesame and soy sauce.  Use as much oil as you like, less if you want to be healthier!
2. Serve mixed vegetables on top of the cooked brown rice in a bowl.  Top with a fried egg, more soy sauce, and siracha (to taste).

Enjoy :)

Plated! Apricot Chicken with Almond Green Beans

I had a great opportunity recently.  I was able to try Plated for free! It is a fantastic organization where you can order meals online, they send you all the ingredients, and then you cook the dinner.  All the menus are created by different chefs and the menu options change weekly.  It is so fun to look through the yummy recipes! Plus, this was a great way for me to make a non-vegetarian meal.

Bri is a vegetarian and I love coming up with yummy dinner options, but sometimes I just really want a good piece of chicken or salmon.  Whenever we go out for dinner, I order something with meat because I know that it isn't something I get at home a lot. This has also helped me always have a variety of foods and I love that.  I ordered a great salmon dish and chicken dish from Plated.  Both were amazing, but my favorite was the chicken.  It was Apricot Chicken with Almond Green Beans.  This light and healthy meal came with enough food for two meals and so I was able to make myself dinner on a night where Bri was out with his mom and I had a ton of work to do and then I had another meal for lunch one day at school! It was such a great deal and I think you should all check out this fun site!

Tomato Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

I just had my first day of new teacher training!  It was a really great day and it made me feel less overwhelmed about school starting.  I was able to meet my mentor and talk with her and another math teacher.  I had tons of questions and they probably think I'm slightly silly, but it was great to be able to ask those questions.  I also listened to some great advice about classroom management and the first day of school.  Both of these topics gave me some confidence in that I know about them and have a sense of what I believe and they made me nervous because I am going to need to adjust based on my classes!  I wish I could know my students, but I know that will come soon enough.  We also took a tour in a school bus of the entire district and I was amazed at how much land is encompassed!  Finally, I got my school ID!  I am officially official!  I still have two more days of training and I am just grateful to have so much time in the school and around more of the teachers.

Today I have a yummy vegetarian recipe that I made the other day to use up some fresh veggies!  I saw this tart recipe on Recipe Girl and adapted it slightly based on my taste.  The dough is almost exact and it was great.  The veggies and cheese are what I was in the mood for!

Tomato Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk
For the Filling:
1/2 onion, cut into thin strips
8 oz herbed goat cheese
1/2 zucchini, sliced
1/2 squash, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
fresh basil
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:
1. In a food processor, process the flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar.  Continue to process as you add in the butter.  Slowly pour in the buttermilk and continue to process until dough forms into a ball.
2. On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the ball of dough until you have a round piece about 11 inches in diameter.  Carefully, place the rolled out dough into your tart pan and trim the sides.
3. Preheat oven to 350
4. Placed sliced onion into a pan with olive oil and sautee until onions become translucent and soften.  Sprinkle onions on the tart.
5.  Crumble the goat cheese over the onions and then top with sliced zucchini, squash, and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper and top with fresh basil.
6. Place in oven and let bake for 45 minutes.  Cheese will be melted and crust will become slightly browned

Enjoy :)

Veggie Pasta with Red Peppers and a Cheesy Avocado Sauce

I can't believe they did it again! The Hawks won the Stanley Cup! I have a great evening last night where a bunch of my girl friends came over and we watched the game.  We were all pretty into it and got super nervous right at the end.  It was a lot of fun, I provided tons of snacks, and I even baked some awesome cookies (get excited for that recipe post).   It was a fun night and now I am way too tired for camp, but also very happy that my hockey team won!

I will be sharing that new cookie recipe soon, but first I wanted to talk about a new find of mine:   Barilla Veggie Pasta.  I made this pasta, tossed it with smashed avocado, pepperjack cheese, a splash of lemon and other veggies and I had one amazing meal.  Plus, the pasta has a whole serving of vegetables in it! This was one of my last meals in Madison with Bri because we needed to clean out my fridge.  What seemed like a random assortment of ingredients turned into a really yummy pasta dish.  Seriously, this dinner is so easy and so tasty!

Veggie Pasta with Red Peppers and Cheesy Avocado Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Box Barilla Veggie Pasta
1  avocado
1 red pepper, sliced
1 cup shredded cheese (I used a blend of pepperjack and cheddar)
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Make pasta according to directions until al dente, drain and place back in pot.
2. While pasta is cooking, peel the avocado and place it in a bowl with the lemon juice and cheese.  Mash every thing together.
3. In a small pan, saute the red pepper slices with a little olive oil until translucent.
4. Mix the avocado mixture and red pepper slices into the hot, drained pasta.  The cheesy will become melted and the avocado should coat the pasta.

Enjoy :)

Graze Restaurant, Madison, WI

Phew! Just finished a quick 4.5 mile morning run and now I am here to tell you about a fantastic new restaurant I discovered in my last week in Madison.

My last week was super fun because Bri and I went to a million new places and did a bunch of the things that I've always wanted to do, but never got around to.  For example, we took a walk in the Arboretum together, went to the terrace to watch a hockey game and share a pitcher, and tried a ton of new restaurants.

Another little family out for a stroll
in the Arboretum

Graze, is known for being one of the best restaurants in Madison.  Their chef is constantly switching up the menu to incorporate fresh, local ingredients that they buy at the farmer's market just outside their front door on the weekends.  They are located on the square and have a wall of windows so that you can look out at the beautiful capitol as you enjoy some crazy good food.  You can go there for lunch, brunch, or dinner.  We went their for dinner.

Appetizer: Hot Pretzel with 3 Mustards and Cheese 

Drinks :)

We started out sitting at the bar while we waited for our table and we each enjoyed a drink and split a hot pretzel with mustard and cheese as our appetizer.  So far, we were pretty darn impressed.  The mustards were yummy and the cheese (of course from WI) was amazing.  The pretzel was one of the best I have ever had!  Then, we sat down and ordered our dinner.  I ordered the Tofu Bibimbap (tons of fresh veggies and rice with tofu in a spicy sauce and topped with a fried egg) and Bri ordered their Homemade Veggie Burger (a beet based burger).  Everything was delicious. I loved my meal and Bri thought it was one of the best veggie burgers he had ever had (and this is impressive considering how many he has tried).  For dessert, because we had to get dessert, we split their freshly baked Chocolate Chip Cookies with Milk.  It was an adorable and comforting end to the meal.  We will definitely be hitting up this restaurant in the future!  If you are ever in Madison, put Graze on your list of Must-Eat-Restaurants.  

Tofu Bibimbap 

Veggie Burger

Dessert!