Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Today's recipes include Old-Fashioned Meatloaf and Chocolate Guinness Cake. Enjoy!

CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA WITH PESTO AND TOMATOES

This comes from Ready Set Eat, and begins, “Cauliflower crust pizza recipe is topped with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese and organic diced tomatoes for a 'low carb' pizza.”

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Servings: 4; Number of ingredients: 8

To view this online (and to check out the site), go to https://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Cauliflower-Crust-Pizza-with-Pesto-and-Tomatoes-8115.

Ingredients

PAM® Organic Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray

6 cups fresh cauliflower florets (6 cups florets = about 1-1/2 pounds)

3 large egg whites, beaten

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup refrigerated basil pesto

4 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, halved

1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes, drained well (or try Hunt's® Organic)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 12-inch round pizza pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.

Place half of cauliflower in food processor bowl; pulse until mixture resembles ‘rice’. Repeat with remaining cauliflower. Place cauliflower 'rice' in large microwave-safe bowl; cover. Microwave on HIGH 3 to 5 minutes or until cauliflower is steamed. Carefully place on kitchen towel in single layer; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Twist towel to squeeze liquid from cauliflower (removing about 1 cup). Place drained cauliflower in medium bowl.

Add egg whites, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and pepper to bowl; stir to combine. Spread mixture on pizza pan, pressing lightly to edge of pan with hands to resemble pizza crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven. Spread pesto over crust; top with cheese and drained tomatoes. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Cut into 8 slices.

Tips:

Cauliflower florets (with little stem) work best for this recipe.

For gluten free preparation, confirm all recipe ingredients are gluten free by reading product labels each time you make this recipe.

GLUTEN-FREE VERMONT-STYLE CHICKEN POT PIE

This comes from VeryWellFit, and begins, “Who doesn't love a pot pie on a cold winter's night? A creamy filling chock-full of chicken and vegetables bubbling under a golden crust. This pot pie is considered "Vermont-style" because it is made with biscuits on the top instead of a pie or pastry crust. The almond meal drop biscuits make this recipe gluten-free, and add a nice dose of protein and nutrition to the dish. Gluten-free flour or other thickener can also be used to thicken the sauce but this is completely up to you.”

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 7

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter or olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green or red bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (optional)

2/3 cup unsweetened soy milk or other unsweetened milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 cup chicken broth

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed

16-ounce bag frozen green beans

1 recipe gluten-free biscuit dough

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400F.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until it begins to soften.

Add chopped pepper and black pepper, and let it cook for 1 minute. Add the gluten-free flour here if using; let it cook for 1 minute.

Add the milk, cream, and broth. If you are using guar or xanthan gum, or other specialty product, add it here. Add the chicken and then green beans. Some water will come out of the beans during cooking, so the sauce should be a little on the thick side at this point. Season to taste with salt. While the mixture heats back up, make the biscuit dough.

When the biscuit dough is made and the pot pie mixture is bubbling hot, pour the pot pie filling into a 2-quart casserole dish.

Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough onto the top, leaving room for expansion. (If you have extra dough, you can drop spoonfuls onto a piece of aluminum foil to cook alongside the pot pie.)

Bake about 10 minutes until biscuits are golden brown.

Ingredient Substitutions and Cooking Tips

Using a thickener in this dish is optional, and there are many ingredient options when it comes to thickening a sauce. If you don't use gluten-free flour, you can go for more specialty products, such as bean flour or rice flour along with guar gum or Carb Counters ThickItUp.

Whether you use milk, cream, or unsweetened soy or almond milk is really up to you and the specific diet you are on. For the fewest carbs, combine unsweetened soy (or almond) milk with cream for richness.

For a more "chickeny" flavor, instead of the chicken broth you can use Better than Bouillion soup base; make it about double the concentration the package calls for, and don't add any salt to the filling.

And feel free to swap turkey for the chicken if you have some leftover in the fridge. And if you don't care for green beans in your pot pie try carrots and peas.

LOW-FAT VEGAN EGGPLANT LASAGNA

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, a former writer for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "A wonderful vegetarian lasagna recipe full of healthy spinach and eggplant. This vegetarian and vegan lasagna recipe uses no cheese, making it both vegan and dairy-free, as well as much lower in fat than a traditional lasagna." Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium eggplant, diced

2 10 ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

1 64 ounce jar pre-made tomato sauce

1 pound lasagna noodles

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the garlic for two minutes, then add the eggplant and stir. Cover the frying pan and cook until the eggplant is just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Cover the bottom of a 9x12 inch baking pan with 2 cups of the tomato sauce, then cover the tomato sauce with 4 or 5 uncooked noodles. Cover this with a thin layer of sauce, then add the cooked eggplant and another thin layer of sauce. Add another layer of noodles followed by a thing layer of sauce, then the spinach and another thin layer of sauce. Add the remaining noodles and sauce.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes. Noodles are cooked when they can be pierced with a fork.

Makes six servings of eggplant and spinach lasagna. Reprinted with permission from The Compassionate Cook Cookbook.

Nutritional information, per serving: Calories: 347, Calories from Fat: 41; % Daily Value: Total Fat: 4.6g, 7%, Total Carbohydrates: 65.8g, 22%, Dietary Fiber: 9.2g, 37%, Protein: 16.3g, Vitamin A 199%, Vitamin C 83%, Calcium 14%, Iron 32%

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

This comes from Nigella Lawson in The New York Times' cooking newsletter. Nigella writes, “For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a stand-alone treat.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; one 9-inch cake or 12 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

Butter for pan

1 cup Guinness stout

10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups superfine sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the Topping:

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.

Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.

ITALIAN PASTA BAKE

This comes from John Alberti and was posted on the TODAY Show website. John wrote, “We love pasta bakes in our family. You can always make a big batch to feed everyone; they are filling and packed with amazing flavor.

“Swap option: For a vegetarian option substitute fresh veggies like peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant chili, etc. for the sausage.”

Cook Time: 25 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 6-8

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/italian-pasta-bake-recipe-t150523.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds Italian sausage

1 large onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

5 cups tomato puree

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup fresh spinach

1 handful fresh basil leaves

2 pounds rigatoni

5 cups sliced mozzarella

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Take the casings off the sausages, and add meat to skillet. Break up with wooden spoon into thick chunks. Cook for about 8 minutes.

Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden. Add the tomato puree and tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Chop the spinach and basil and add to the skillet. Mix well and reduce heat. As the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Drain the rigatoni and add to the skillet with the sausages and sauce. Mix well, then lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Spread the pasta mixture in the baking dish, then break up the mozzarella and spread it around the top of the dish. Cover with Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling, the Parmigiano is nice and crispy on top, and the mozzarella is melted, 20-25 minutes.

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This comes from VeryWellFit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean beef, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.