Zuchinni Walnut Lasgna

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini

4 teaspoons olive oil

2 large carrots, finely chopped

2 large onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups marinara sauce

1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 no-boil lasagna noodles*

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Trim ends off zucchini. Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise. (You should have 9 slices total, about 1/8 inch thick.) Place in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet; brush lightly with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning once; cool. Grease a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. In a large saucepan heat the remaining 3 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Add marinara sauce, basil, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small mixing bowl toss together the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese; set aside. In the prepared baking dish arrange 2 noodles. Spread with a third of the sauce. Sprinkle with a third of the nuts. Top with a third of the zucchini, then sprinkle with a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering, alternating direction of the zucchini in each layer and finishing with the zucchini; set remaining cheese aside. Bake, covered, in a 375ºF. oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

*Note: All brands of no-boil lasagna are not the same size. Use enough noodles to have 3 even, single layers. To make ahead: Prepare lasagna as directed, except do not bake. Wrap, label, and freeze for up to 1 month. Freeze cheese for topping separately. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake, covered, in a 350ºF. oven for 1 hour. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 15 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Cooking to Fight Cancer

From The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery by Rebecca Katz In an online article from NewYorkTimes

“I think in many treatment phases, patients lose a connection to food. It is the connection to life, and when someone is vulnerable, food can be a life raft.” She explained that when patients are in treatment, they go through transient taste changes. She said to think about their taste buds as an electric board with some of the circuits flickering on and off. Some foods can taste weird. Maybe even the patient’s favorite foods taste peculiar. “One of things that is a great tool, an old culinary trick, is FASS — fat, acid, salt and sweet,” she said, making clear that fat often means olive oil, lemons are the acid, sea salt is the salt and organic maple syrup or agave syrup is the sweet. Having these “fantastic four of seasonings” available can be a way for the cook (or the patient) to pump up the flavors to deal with taste bud changes.

“If everything tastes like cardboard, add a little sea salt until the flavor of the dish moves toward the front of the mouth,” she said. “A little spritz of lemon juice can also make the flavor pop. Some people will think things taste too salty. If so, add ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice and erase the (salty) taste.” If a dish tastes metallic, Katz said to add a little maple syrup or agave nectar, plus a little squeeze of lemon juice. Or try adding a little butter or nut cream (nuts finely ground in a blender with a little maple syrup and water).

It’s also important to understand which foods the patient likes and dislikes. What tastes and textures are preferred? Katz said that before a culinary support team is established, someone should sit down with the patient and ask the pertinent questions regarding nutrition. “The point is to find the person’s comfort level and work within those parameters,” she said. “If someone’s straight with me and admits to being a Ding Dong addict, that’s fine — great, in fact! Why? Because it tells me they have a sweet tooth.”

With that knowledge, she said she may add a dollop of sweet fruit chutney as a garnish atop savory soup. Or for someone who loves crunchy snacks like pretzel sticks, she said she would make sure to top that healthful soup with crisp croutons or other crunchy elements.
“And when the patient is feeling yucky, encourage them to eat small meals more frequently,” she said. “Look at foods as mini-life rafts — bites and morsels that are a little intravenous drip throughout the day. Serve in small bowls or cups.” Building a patient’s small-portion inventory is important. Instead of showing up with a giant pot of soup, portion it into small, freezable containers. “Label those containers with blue painter’s tape and write what it is on the tape and the date,” she said. “Put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest. Freezing does very little damage to nutrient value.”

When the patient is nauseated from treatment, she said to offer something on the bland side and avoid foods with a strong aroma. She suggests nutrient-rich broth (a must-have in the freezer) or ginger ale with frozen grapes.

There are 150 recipes in the book, everything from main courses to desserts; teas and smoothies; condiments and side dishes. And there are beautiful soups, such as the must-have Magic Mineral Broth (a strained elixir that Katz calls her Rosetta Stone of soup) to hearty soups such as Chicken Vegetable Soup With Ginger Meatballs.

Grilled Veggie Tostadas with Fresh Salsa

Laurie Martens


Serves 6
Grilling brings out the natural flavor and sweetness of zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, eggplant and onion in these savory tostadas. Grill whole wheat tortillas for a crispy base and top with fresh salsa, sliced avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Ingredients
1 pound tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice 1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing tortillas
2 teaspoons chili powder
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into thick strips
2 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
6 (6-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
Lime wedges for garnish

Method
Put tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper and jalapeños into a medium bowl and toss to combine. Cover and chill. Preheat grill to medium heat. In a large bowl, mix together oil, chili powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic. Add peppers, squash, zucchini, eggplant and onion and toss to coat. Working in batches, grill vegetables, flipping halfway through, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter as done. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with olive oil and grill, flipping once, until just crisp and lightly charred on both sides, about 3 minutes total. Place one tortilla on each of six plates and top with vegetables, salsa and avocados. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 19oz/549g-wt.): 380 calories (160 from fat), 18g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 490mg sodium, 47g total carbohydrate (12g dietary fiber, 12g sugar), 10g protein 

Italian Vegetable Stew (Ciambotta)

Deb Lindstrom

Makes 6 servings

1/3 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/4 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup water
1 (28-ounces) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved and tomatoes chopped, or 1 3/4 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 red bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 pound boiling potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces


Heat oil in a 7-to 8-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant and water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice and bell peppers, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.Meanwhile, cook green beans in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan of well-salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Add zucchini to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to bowl with green beans. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to beans and zucchini. Add boiled vegetables to stew and simmer, stirring, until all vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Apple Oatmeal

Donna Wenzel

2 cups apple juice

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup (or less to taste) agave nectar

1/2 tsp ground cinamon

2 cups oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1 cup chopped fresh unpeeled apple (about 1 medium)

In a 3-quart saucepan, bring juice, water, agave nectar, and cinnamon to a boil. Stir in oats and apple. Return to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook about 1 minute for quick oats (or 5 minutes for old fashioned oats) or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Let stand until of desired consistency. Makes 4 serving.