A Day of Rest

Sorry I am not posting much today. I am taking a partial day off. I got into some deep house cleaning Saturday night. You know the type, where you think it will just take maybe an hour. But 4 hours later you are still not done. We are heading out to the  Rock Inn  this morning (Sunday) , to have breakfast and see some old friends As well as take some samples of cheese cake along. Hopefully can drum up some business there. Anyway, I'll be back up to par come Monday morning.

Have a great day!
Kent

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Description


Traditional shepherd's pie is usually made with ground meat and white potatoes. This one has sweet potatoes mixed in. The curried lentil filling is sandwiched between two layers of creamy potato filling that are sitting on a crouton crust which is baked on top of sweet zucchini. Serve this as an entree with a simple chopped tomato salad.





Ingredients

2 medium or large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 medium or large white potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon exra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning



CURRIED LENTIL FILLING:

3 1/4 cups purified water

1 bay leaf

1 cup lentils

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 cup sliced onions

2 cloves garlic

1 cup sliced shiitake or button mushrooms

1/2 cup broccoli florets

1/2 cup yellow or red bell pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 zucchini, cut in rounds (about 2 cups)

1 cup bread crumbs or premade croutons



GARNISH:



1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions or green onion





Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.



2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the cubed sweet and white potatoes into the water and simmer for 45 minutes. They should be easily pierced with a fork.



3. Strain the potatoes, reserving 2 cups of the water. Pour 1 cup of the water back into the pot and mash the potatoes using a potato masher or a large fork.



4. Add the olive oil, Italian seasoning and Cajun seasoning and mash again until seasonings are completely blended into the potatoes.



5. Meanwhile, cook the lentils: Bring 3 cups of the water to a boil. Add the bay leaf, lentils and Cajun seasoning and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from heat when completely cooked and let cool briefly. Drain off any liquid.



6. Sauté the onions, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli and bell peppers in the olive oil in a large saucepan until the onions are transparent and limp, about 4 minutes.



7. Add the reserved cup of potato water, nutritional yeast, salt and curry powder and stir until everything is blended in. Add to the cooked lentils.



8. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup water and stir it into the lentil and vegetable mixture. Continue to cook for 3 more minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.



9. Line the bottom of a casserole dish with the zucchini rounds. Sprinkle half of the bread crumbs or croutons on top of the zucchini.



10. Spoon out 4 cups of the mashed potatoes and spread across the zucchini rounds.



11. Spoon out 2 cups of the curried lentils and spread on top of the potatoes.



12. Spoon the remainder of the mashed potatoes and smooth them out on top. Sprinkle the rest of the bread crumbs and the scallions or green onion on top.



13. Bake for 50 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Cranberry Cheesecake

So , I had a request for a Cranberry Cheesecake. I did a "Beta" version here. Since the local market did not have fresh or frozen cranberries yet, I used dried cranberries. I reconstituted them with apple juice. It actually came out quite well. If I do say so my self. Which, I do. So, I think this will be quite the holiday treat.

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

With all that delicious fruit an apple pie should be healthy, but the truth is a slice can have as much as 750 calories and 30 grams of fat. For the most part, the culprit is the crust. We use whole-wheat pastry flour to add fiber and lower the saturated fat by replacing some of the butter with canola oil. The brown sugar-sweetened filling in this pie is made with two kinds of apples for the perfect balance. A slice has half the calories of a typical version and only 10 grams of fat—sweet!


Ingredients


Crust

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3 tablespoons canola oil

4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

6 cups thinly sliced peeled McIntosh apples, (about 2 pounds)

6 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apples, (about 2 pounds)

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground allspice

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 large egg white, lightly beaten, for brushing
Preparation


1.To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and, with your fingers, quickly rub them into the dry ingredients until the pieces are smaller but still visible. Add sour cream and oil; toss with a fork to combine with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle water over the mixture. Toss with a fork until evenly moist. Knead the dough with your hands in the bowl a few times"the mixture will still be a little crumbly. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few more times, until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough in half and shape into 5-inch-wide disks. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2.Meanwhile, make filling: Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and pinch of salt in a large bowl. Reserving 4 cups, transfer the rest of the apple mixture to a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the apples are tender and beginning to break down, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the reserved apples and 2 tablespoons flour; let cool for about 30 minutes.

3.To assemble & bake pie: Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F.

4.Remove the dough from the refrigerator; let stand for 5 minutes to warm slightly. Roll one portion between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 13-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough into a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan. Peel off the remaining paper. Scrape the filling into the crust. Roll the remaining portion of dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper into another 13-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet of paper and invert the dough onto the fruit. Peel off the remaining paper. Trim the crust so it overhangs evenly. Tuck the top crust under the bottom crust, sealing the two together and making a plump edge. Flute the edge with your fingers. Combine 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the crust with egg white and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Cut 6 steam vents in the top crust.

5.Bake the pie on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375° and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for about 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the crust (Step 1), wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Equipment: 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan

Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour, lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour, has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods. You can find it in the natural-foods section of large super markets and natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Nutrition

Per serving: 344 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 14 mg cholesterol; 62 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 5 g fiber; 143 mg sodium; 212 mg potassium.



4 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fruit, 2 fat

Vegetarian Reubens with Russian Dressing

This exceptional sandwich originated at Penny Cluse Cafe in Burlington, Vermont. The spinach, mushroom and onion filling is so satisfying, you won't even miss the corned beef.


Ingredients


Russian dressing

2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 teaspoons ketchup

2 teaspoons chopped capers

1 teaspoon chopped pickle, or relish

Sandwiches

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

5 cups baby spinach

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 slices rye bread

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese, such as Jarlsberg Lite or Alpine Lace (2 ounces)

1/2 cup sauerkraut
Preparation


1.Prepare Russian dressing: Whisk mayonnaise and ketchup in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in capers and pickle (or relish).

2.To prepare sandwiches: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until it has wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate.

3.Coat the pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and return to medium heat. Add the bread; divide cheese equally among the slices. Divide sauerkraut between 2 slices and divide the spinach mixture between the other 2 slices; cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer sandwich halves to a cutting board. Divide the dressing between the spinach halves. Carefully place the sauerkraut halves on top. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Per serving: 380 calories; 16 g fat (3 g sat, 7 g mono); 15 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein; 7 g fiber; 931 mg sodium; 364 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (80% daily value), Vitamin C (45% dv), Calcium (40% dv), Iron (25% dv).



Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean protein, 2 1/2 fat