Asparagus Carrot Stir Fry with Cashews

Dear Readers,

Have I mentioned asparagus season? Ha! It's just beginning. Today I made a simple stir-fry of asparagus and carrots that totally hits the spot. For the best flavor possible use young spring carrots for this recipe. I'm not talking about your bland storage carrots typically seen in the grocery store. If you don't grow your own, then choose the thinnest, tops-still-on, bright crisp carrots you can find. The same goes for the asparagus. Choose pencil thin stalks. Do not buy fat asparagus. It's not worth it.

Once you've cut the veggies this recipe takes about 5 minutes to cook. So, we're talking a satisfying healthy meal in about 15 minutes. You can't beat that. That's all I have, because I really want to go eat this now. Enjoy!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann











Asparagus-Carrot Stir Fry with Cashews

1 bunch thin asparagus, tough ends removed and stalks slice in half
1 bunch young carrots, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 tbsp canola oil
about 1 tbsp wheat-free reduced-sodium tamari
fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup toasted lightly salted cashews

1. Clean & chop the asparagus, carrots and garlic and you are halfway there.
2. Warm the canola oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.
3. Add the asparagus, carrots, splash of tamari, pinch of black pepper to the pan. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. You want the veggies to be somewhat soft, but still bright colors and slightly crunchy.
4. Add the garlic and the cashews. Cook for about 2 minutes more. Do not overcook!
5. Serve hot over brown rice, soba noodles, with tofu or just by it's beautiful delectable self.

Broccolini Quiche with Potato Rosemary Crust (Gluten-Free)

Dear Readers,
I love a good quiche. What's not to like? Eggs, cheese, veggies, and a buttery crust. Yum. Yum. Yum. Quiche is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. It's leftover keep well for me to nibble on all week.

My co-worker Kelly & her partner operate Happy Tortoise Farm on Sauvie Island and I'm getting fresh delicious eggs from their flock every week. Once you've had fresh eggs, there is no going back. The yolks are an amazing shade of bright orange and incredibly dense. When you whisk fresh eggs they have a completely different texture and a brightness of color that store bought eggs can not compare. With these beautiful eggs I was eagerly planning a quiche recipe for this week.

Then my friend Carrye forwarded me a link about a gluten-free quiche crust challenge from the blog "The Gluten-Free Homemaker." Game on. I'm up for a good challenge. Rather than construct a standard pie crust-flour, butter, cold water with a gluten free flour I went for the extraordinary. I created a gluten-free pie crust out of grated red skin potatoes, fresh rosemary from my herb garden, toasted pecans, and of course butter. It's flavors are amazing. The edges of the crust peaking up above the custard get toasted brown & crunchy tasting like heavenly little potato chip bites. And, while this gluten-free crust doesn't have the same flaky consistency of a flour based pie crust, I believe it totally holds it own.

For the filling I choose broccilini, because it just looked so seductive in the produce market. Often my ingredients choose me. It's rarely the other way around. It seems they see me coming a mile away and put on their best and freshest faces. Broccolini is basically a type of broccoli with loose flowerettes, rather than forming a tight head like typical broccoli. I combined the broccolini with bright gold ribbed swiss chard and mushrooms. For cheese I choose Chevre, because it's creaminess is a perfect compliment to the eggs in the custard. And Asiago cheese for it's nutty flavor.

This recipe is a little labor intensive, taking in total about 2 hours to prep, cook, and bake. It might be a little quicker for you if you aren't taking photos and writing notes every step of the way. Ha! Everything in my kitchen takes longer. Thankfully, it's a labor of love.

If you take the gluten-free quiche crust challenge and create your own recipe, be sure to leave me a link in your comments. I'd love to check it out. Have a wonderful day.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann









Broccolini Quiche with Potato-Rosemary Crust
Makes 6 servings

Gluten-Free Crust:
3 red skin potatoes
1/4 of a red onion
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp toasted pecans
1 beaten egg
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix

Filling:
1/2 purple onion, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & black pepper
1 bunch broccolini, chopped, about 2 cups
8 mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 large swiss chard leaves, stems & greens chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup Asiago cheese, grated

Custard:
6 eggs
sea salt & black pepper
1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1/8 tsp dried mustard
2 oz Chevre goat cheese


Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Grease a 9 inch pie pan

1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Peel the red onion. Using the shred attachment on your food processor, drop in the potatoes and onions. Remove the shred attachment and add the normal blade to food processor. To the shredded potatoes and onions now add the rosemary, lemon zest, sea salt, pecans and butter. Pulse a few times to combine. You don't want it to turn to mush.
2. Remove this mixture from the food processor. In a bowl combine with the beaten egg and gluten free baking flour. Stir until just combined.
3. Press crust batter into the greased pie pan.
4. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn down oven to 350 degrees.

While pie crust is baking, prepare the quiche filling:

5. Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions with a dash of sea salt & black pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute another 5 minutes. Add the broccolini and swiss chard. Add the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Saute for a few minutes more. You only want the broccolini and chard to slightly wilt. They should still be crunchy and bright green. Remove from heat.
6. Place the cooked veggie mixture in the cooked pie crust. Sprinkle on the grated asiago cheese.

Set aside while you make the custard:

7. In medium sized bowl beat the eggs with a metal whisk. Add the chopped chives, a pinch of sea salt & black pepper, and the dried mustard. Whisk until combined. Crumble the Chevre into small pieces and add to the eggs. Whisk until combined. There will be pieces of Chevre and that is just perfect.
8. Pour the egg mixture over the waiting veggies in pie crust.
9. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Fried Spiced Tofu

Fried Spiced Tofu
Recipe from Diet for a Small Planet
(10th Anniversary Edition)

Today's tofu recipe is going OLD SCHOOL from my battered and well-used copy of Frances Moore Lappe's classic Diet for a Small Planet. This early primer on vegetarian diet and cooking was originally published in 1971, the year after I was born, and the 10th Anniversary Edition came out when I was only 11 years old and not even thinking about anything vegetarian. I received my copy around 1996 when it was handed down to me from a roommate. The pages are now brown, stained, and torn. This week I decided to try a tofu recipe with FANTASTIC results. I made this fried spiced tofu recipe for my friend Catherine, served on brown rice with a sorrel & radish salad (recipe in another post). We devoured it all. The spice combination in the recipe seems a bit crazy, but wow does it taste delicious once done. So, grab some tofu and go OLD SCHOOL!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

1 pound tofu
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp each sweet basil, thyme, ground cumin, and curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce (I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos)
1/8 cup nutritional yeast

Drain tofu, pat dry, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat oil (in a wok, if you have one) and saute tofu over high heat for 5 minutes. Pour out excess water, reduce heat, and add turmeric; stir until tofu is uniformly yellow and add basil, thyme, cumin, and curry powder. Add garlic (and perhaps a little more oil to prevent sticking) and increase the heat; then add soy sauce and yeast. Saute until golden brown. Taste and add more soy sauce, if desired. Good hot or cold in sandwiches or tacos, or as a side dish.

Golden Potato Gratin

Recipe inspired by "Golden Parsley Potatoes" in Diet for a Small Planet

This is a hearty filling delicious potato & cheese casserole packed full of calcium! The "golden" comes from lots of flavorful and colorful turmeric-which is great for your joints. (*Turmeric is especially helpful for those of us, like me, with arthritis!) Originally I tried the golden parsley potato recipe in Diet for a Small Planet and found it bland and lacking. However, it did inspire me to experiment with ingredients for a good potato & cheese casserole to warm and satisfy during the suppers of the cold winter and spring nights. During my experimentation I tried fresh parsley in this recipe and it turned out all gross brownish looking, so I've opted for dried parsley in every version since. This casserole is crisp on the top filled with a savory & slightly sweet creamy filling. Enjoy!
In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

GOLDEN POTATO GRATIN

Makes 6 large servings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a large casserole dish

2 large organic russet potatoes, peeled & thinly sliced

1 medium organic yellow onion, peeled & thinly sliced

2 tbsp+ organic extra virgin olive oil

sea salt & black pepper

1 tbsp turmeric

1 tsp smoked paprika

In a large skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes, onion, turmeric, paprika and salt & pepper (to taste). Cover the pan and saute until the edges of potatoes & onions are crispy and the potatoes are soft but not mushy. This takes approximately 20 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, mix together in a large bowl the following ingredients:

3 organic brown eggs, beaten

2 cups organic nonfat cottage cheese

2 tbsp dried parsley

2 tbsp grated organic Parmesan cheese

Sea Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Combine cooked potato mixture with egg mixture in the large bowl. Once well mixed, pour into a lightly greased casserole dish. Top with:

2 cups grated organic mild or medium cheddar cheese

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Herbs

Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Herbs
Recipe adapted from Potato-Leek Soup in The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

In 2006 I discovered Mollie Katzen's Potato-Leek Soup recipe and it's been in my TOP FIVE FAVORITE SOUP RECIPES ever since. (I don't really have such a list, but if I did this recipe would be on it!) It's perfection is in simple ingredients and easy preparation. The secret ingredient that packs lots of flavor is garden fresh herbs. I use whatever seasonal herbs I can gather from my garden at the time of cooking. I've used a combination of fresh chives, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, tarragon and parsley. Use whatever you have handy! :) Another reason that I love this soup is it is so CREAMY without any milk or cheese-it has no dairy at all and is totally VEGAN. Really, that was the only thing I tweaked about the original cookbook recipe, omitting the dairy. I never get tired of this soup. It's great during the winter and in the spring when leeks are harvested. Yummy....

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Herbs

3 large organic yukon gold potatoes, washed and diced-keep skins on

2 large organic leeks, yields about 3 cups cleaned & sliced

1 stalk organic celery, chopped

1 large organic carrot, chopped

4 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp sea salt

2 cups vegetable stock or Imagine brand "no-chicken broth"

2 cups organic unsweetened plain soymilk

1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (use your creativity with what you have fresh-chives, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, tarragon...)

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the potatoes, leeks, celery, carrot and salt. Cook the vegetables over medium heat, until they are coated in oil and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the stock or broth, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the veggies are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

3. When the potatoes are tender, remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the soymilk. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy. I leave some small chunks of veggies, especially little potato pieces with the skin still on. (*If you don't have an immersion blender, you could also blend the soup in small batches in a traditional blender, then return to the pan).

4. Add the fresh herbs and grind in some black pepper. Check flavor and add more salt if you so desire.

5. Heat the soup gently, covered until just hot. Do not let it boil again. Serve right away. Plus, it makes great leftovers and stores well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days...

Mashed Potatoes with Kale

Mashed Potatoes with Kale & Olive Oil
Recipe from 101 Cookbooks

Last Spring Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks site inspired me to take my mashed potato recipe from my tried-and-true Thanksgiving garlic mashed potato tradition to a whole new level of taste and textures. Her Mashed Potatoes with Kale & Olive Oil recipe rocketed me into adding all kinds of stuff to mashed potatoes. Now mashed potatoes with add-in's are a staple in my winter kitchen. They are great on their own as a filling main dish or accompanying a protein recipe as a side dish. And, what I love about this recipe is there is no butter! Only olive oil and it is still totally tasty. This week I used yukon gold potatoes for this recipe. If they are organic, don't peel them-just scrub them well. There's lots of nutrients in the organic potato skins. Did I mention how much I love this recipe?

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Mashed Potatoes with Kale and Olive Oil

Serves 6

3 pounds potatoes, peeled (I don't peel them) and cut into large chunks

sea salt

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch kale, large stems stripped and discarded, leaves chopped

1/2+ cup warm milk or cream (I used unsweetened plain soymilk)

freshly ground black pepper

5 scallions, white and tender parts, chopped

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish (optional)

fried shallots, for garnish (optional)

**I used the cheese and skipped the shallots)

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chopped kale, a big pinch of salt, and saute just until tender - about a minute. Set aside.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Slowly stir in the milk a few big splashes at a time. You are after a thick, creamy texture, so if your potatoes are on the dry side keep adding milk until the texture is right. Season with salt and pepper.

Dump the kale on top of the potatoes and give a quick stir. Transfer to a serving bowl, make a well in the center of the potatoes and pour the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with the scallions, Parmesan cheese, and shallots.

Burrito in a Bowl with Winter Squash & Broccoli

Burrito in a Bowl is another fun, tasty, easy twist on the "Big Bowl" recipe idea. I make Burrito in a Bowl when I have leftover ingredients to use up or when I just don't feel like elaborate cooking. It's simple to whip up if I get home late from work and am hungry and tired. Having cooked brown rice is handy! The basic ingredients of burrito in a bowl are rice, beans and cheese. I enjoy vegetarian refried beans, but you could also substitute cooked black or pinto beans. The other ingredients are all up to you. I like to include avocado, sour cream, salsa, steamed or sauteed veggies, roasted yams, corn, olives...Use your imagination. One of my favorite local eateries Laughing Planet whips up a Cuban Bowl with plantains, yams and blacks beans--yummy!

This week my burrito in a bowl recipe includes some steamed broccoli, leftover baked winter squash, fresh cilantro & scallions from my garden, and avocados sent from a friend in Southern California. A note on winter burrito in a bowl...Salsa: since tomatoes are not in season and therefore no fresh salsa...during the winter I use canned salsa that I find in the Hispanic food isle of my market.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Burrito In A Bowl with Winter Squash & Broccoli

First, is this meal for you or more?

Second, get the appropriate sized "big bowl"

Third, ingredients...(these measurements are purely approximate)

1/2 cup cooked organic short-grain brown rice

1/2 cup vegetarian refried beans

1/2 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese

1/2 cup salsa

I throw all that in my bowl and microwave it until until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Then I add to the bowl:

1/2 cup cubed cooked winter squash (butternut, delicata, acorn...)

some steamed broccoli spears

I top it off with:

a ripe avocado, sliced or diced

a spoonful of organic lowfat sour cream

a handful of chopped cilantro and scallions, fresh from my garden

Mix it all up or leave it orderly--either way eat while warm. Mmmmmmm... Yeah, any way you mix it, burrito in a bowl rules!

Basic Tofu Tomato Sauce for Pasta

I have not had pasta in at least a month, so I was craving it this weekend! I whipped up my original recipe for basic tofu marinara sauce with optional add-in's: sauteed mushrooms and spinach. I served it over linguine and it sure it the spot. It's a pretty simple recipe that's very nutritious. If you are tofu-phobic, I guarantee you won't even know it's in there!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Basic Tofu Tomato Sauce for Pasta

About 4 servings

1 small organic yellow onion, chopped

6 cloves organic garlic, minced

Organic extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound organic firm tofu (I use half of the standard 1 lb container)

1/2 cup organic grated Parmesan-Romano cheese

1 tbsp each: organic dried basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

28oz can organic tomato sauce (I like Muir Glen brand)

Optional add-in's: black olives, kalamata olives, feta cheese, sauteed seasonal veggies such as mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, etc...Use your imagination.

1. Add olive oil to a large skillet and warm over medium heat. Add onion and saute 10 minutes until onion is soft.

2. Add the garlic and saute another 5 minutes.

3. While the onion and garlic are sauteing prepare the tofu mixture. Place drained tofu in a large bowl. Add the cheese, dried herbs, salt & pepper. Mash with a fork until the tofu is crumbly and the seasonings are well-mixed.

4. Add the tofu to the pan with onion and garlic. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

5. Now add the tomato sauce to the pan, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for approximately 15 minutes. This sauce can also simmer over low heat for up to an hour while you cook your pasta, clean up, etc.

6. At the end of the cooking time you may stir in the optional add-in items of your choice.

7. Serve sauce hot over your favorite pasta and top with additional Parmesan cheese.

Quinoa Big Bowl with Garlic Spinach & Roasted Yams

Quinoa Big Bowl with Garlic Spinach & Roasted Yams
Recipe inspired by "Delicious Big Bowl-Quinoa Recipe" on 101 cookbooks

Last spring I discovered a simple, delicious, seasonal recipe for quinoa, potatoes and asparagus on Heidi Swanson's 101 cookbooks website. At that time local asparagus was in season and I enjoyed this recipe on several occasions. I was also inspired to create quinoa big bowls with different seasonal produce throughout the year. Thank you Heidi! Quinoa big bowls are another great way to get creative with what you have in your refrigerator or garden or what seasonal veggies are looking good to you at your market. Last week my big bowl involved a bag of organic baby spinach, a can of black-eyed peas and a lonely garnet yam.

In case you are unfamiliar with quinoa, it is a small seed that looks kind of like millet and is often mistakenly called a cereal or grain. Quinoa is not a true cereal because it's not a grass. It is actually a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium) grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds. Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and followed in third place by maize. In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete food. This means it takes less quinoa protein to meet one's needs than wheat protein. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest. (Info gathered from various sources including wikipedia and my studies at the Australasian College of Health Sciences.)

Now that you know Quinoa is really a SUPER FOOD, here's the recipe!
In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Quinoa Big Bowl with Garlic Spinach & Roasted Yams

about 4 servings

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1 organic garnet yam, peeled and diced

organic extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves organic garlic, peeled and minced

1 bag or bunch of organic spinach

1 cup cooked organic black-eyed peas

sea salt & black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Rinse well the quinoa is a wire mesh strainer (fine enough that the quinoa grains don't fall out).

3. Warm a tbsp of olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the quinoa and toast for about 5 minutes. Add the water and cover the pot. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Once quinoa is cooked, leave the lid on pot and set aside.

4. While the quinoa is cooking place the diced yam on a cookie sheet with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until the pieces are soft and slightly crisp.

5. In a skillet warm about 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and lightly brown for a few minutes. Next add the spinach and cover the pan. Let cook for about 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted but still bright green. Remove from heat.

6. In each serving bowl combine a portion of the quinoa, roasted yam, garlic spinach, and black-eyed peas. Devour.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

Roasted Root Vegetables
Original Recipe by Miss Jolie Ann

This dish is a winter staple in my house. It's a great way to use all those winter storage vegetables and feature whatever herbs are surviving the winter in my garden. I improvise every time I make this dish, using whatever I have on hand or what looks good at the store. Use a little or a lot of veggies depending on how many you are feeding. Sometimes I pair this dish with quinoa and a leafy green salad. This week I served it up with a broccoli quiche. It's a colorful dish with deep flavors. Enjoy!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Roasted Root Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

Use as many as you want:

Beet, peeled and sliced

Parsnip, peeled and sliced

Turnip, peeled and sliced

Rutabaga, peeled and sliced

Carrot, unpeeled and sliced

Yukon Gold Potato, unpeeled and sliced

Yam, peeled and sliced

Purple Onion, peeled and sliced

Garlic Cloves, at least 6 peeled and left whole

Snips of fresh garden herbs: rosemary, oregano, thyme

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt & Black Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare the veggies by washing and peeling. The key is to keep the varieties of veggies cut in equal size pieces so that they all cook uniformly.

3. Place the prepared veggies in a large cookie sheet or casserole dish

4. Place whole sprigs of fresh herbs in between the veggies. Drizzle about 2 tbsp of olive oil over the veggies and herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Bake for about 50 minutes. Flip veggies in their pan and continue to cook for approximately another 15 minutes. The dish is done when all the veggies are tender inside and slightly browned & crispy on the outside.

6. Remove herb sprigs, stir to combine all the flavors, and serve.

Winter Squash & Spinach Tostadas

Winter Squash & Spinach Tostadas
Recipe Created by Miss Jolie Ann February 2008

I threw this tostada recipe together to use up the acorn squash that was sitting in my produce bowl, the tortillas and bag of organic baby spinach sitting in my refrigerator. My inspiration to experiment with tostada toppings came from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop which I picked up in the Spring of 2007. I love using whole wheat tortillas to make crisp tostada shells. I highly recommend the hand-made whole wheat tortillas from Trader Joe's, they work well for this recipe. Tostada shells are a perfect foundation for an endless variety of seasonal toppings. I love avocados on just about everything and I grow cilantro year-round in my backyard kitchen-garden. They are both excellent toppings for tostadas. I hope you enjoy this recipe and are inspired to experiment with your cooking!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Winter Squash & Spinach Tostadas

Yield: 4 Tostadas

1 small-medium size organic acorn squash

2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

2 medium cloves organic garlic-minced

6 oz bag organic baby spinach

4 organic whole wheat tortillas

Organic sharp cheddar cheese-grated/shredded

1 organic avocado-peeled, pitted & sliced

Organic cilantro-chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out the center seeds. Place the squash halves, sliced side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until tender when poked with a fork. Once cooked, scoop squash from skin. Mash squash in a bowl with a fork and add salt and pepper to taste if wanted. It's also great just plain.

3. While squash is baking, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium setting. Add garlic and spinach. Saute about 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted but remains bright green. Do not over cook! Remove from pan to stop cooking.

4. Place 2 tortillas on an ungreased cookie sheet. If you wish to make all 4 tortillas for the same meal add another 2 tortillas on a 2nd ungreased cookie sheet. To make one tostada spread a quarter of the squash on one tortilla, then top with a quarter of the spinach-garlic mixture, then top with as much cheese as you desire-I use about 1 tbsp per tostada.

5. Place the cookie sheets in the oven on the top rack and bake for 10-15 minutes. The tostadas are done when the cheese is melted and the tortillas are crispy with slightly browned edges.

6. Top the cooked tostadas with sliced avocado and cilantro.

Spinach-Rice Casserole Recipe

Spinach Rice Casserole Recipe
Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook (2nd Edition 1992) by Mollie Katzen

I'm always looking for filling and delicious healthy casseroles. I found this one in the Moosewood Cookbook which I frequently cook from. I adjusted, added and deleted ingredients here and there with a delicious result. This casserole makes TONS of servings. I ate it for dinner 5 nights in a row and at one point started stuffing it inside buritos and still I didn't even eat half of it. So if you are cooking for a family it's a great size. If you are cooking for one, like I am, I'd chop this recipe in half!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Spinach Rice Casserole

Yield: 10 servings

2 cups organic short-grain brown rice--Uncooked

1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

1 medium organic yellow onion-chopped

2 lbs. organic spinach-chopped

1 tsp organic sea salt

5 medium cloves organic garlic-minced

1/4 tsp organic nutmeg

1/4 tsp organic dry mustard

1/8 tsp organic cayenne pepper

black pepper, to taste

2 organic brown eggs-beaten

1 cup organic unsweetened plain soymilk

1 cup organic swiss cheese-grated/shredded

1. To cook the rice: place rice in a medium-sized saucepan with 4 cups water. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower heat to the lowest possible simmer. Cook covered and undisturbed for 50 minutes. Place cooked rice in a large mixing bowl.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a large casserole dish.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and saute over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Add spinach, salt, garlic, nutmeg, mustard and cayenne pepper to the pan with onions. Cook about 5 more minutes until the spinach is wilted but still bright green. Combine onion & spinach mixture with cooked rice in the large mixing bowl.

4. Add eggs, soymilk and swiss cheese to the bowl and mix well until combined. Add black pepper to your liking.

5. Spread mixture into the greased casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until heated through and lightly browned on top.