Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's offerings include Mexican Meatloaf and Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowl. Enjoy!

APPLE-RASPBERRY STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

This was in a Weight Watchers' email several years ago. The program has changed, but I'm using the values from when this was sent.

This begins, “Frozen and canned fruits enjoyed on their own - or used in this tasty fruit-stuffed French toast - are a great way to get in some of your five-or-more servings of fruit and vegetables a day.”

POINTS® Value: 6; Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 12 min; Cooking Time: 10 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup canned fruit pie filling, apple, chopped

1/3 cup sweetened frozen red raspberries, thawed

8 slice raisin bread, or cinnamon raisin bread

1/4 cup regular egg substitute

1/4 cup fat-free skim milk

1/3 tsp vanilla extract, or maple extract

1 Tbsp margarine

1 Tbsp powdered sugar

2 Tbsp reduced-calorie pancake syrup

Directions

Combine apple filling and raspberries. Arrange 4 slices of bread on a flat surface. Top each with about 1/3 cup fruit filling. Cover with remaining bread slices.

Combine egg substitute, milk and extract in a bowl.

Heat margarine in a large skillet.

Dip each sandwich into egg mixture; place in skillet. Cook on medium until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle each with 1/4 tablespoon powdered sugar and then drizzle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons syrup. Serve.

SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA

This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.

“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“

Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles

2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

3 cups raw baby spinach leaves

Preparation

Preheat the oven the 350F.

On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.

On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.

If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

Cooking and Serving Tips

To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.

This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

LIGHT SOUR CREAM CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 6 (2 Enchiladas each)

Source: Cooking Healthy and Fast

Book Title: Cooking Healthy and Fast

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/light-sour-cream-chicken-enchiladas.

Ingredients

1 (8oz) container light sour cream

1 (8oz) container nonfat plain yogurt

1 (10-3/4oz) can cream of chicken soup with 1/3 less salt

1 (4oz) can diced green chilies

12 (6-7 inch) white corn or flour tortillas

1 Cup (4oz) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1-1/2 Cups chopped cooked chicken

1/4 Cup sliced green onions

Directions

Heat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch (3 Qt) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In med. bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, soup and chilies; mix well. Spoon bout 3 Tbsp sour cream mixture down center of each tortilla. Reserve 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese; sprinkle each tortilla with remaining cheese, chicken and onions. Roll tortillas and place in spray-coated dish, seam side down. Spoon remaining sour cream mixture over tortillas. Cover with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup cheese. Return to oven & bake, uncovered, an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 358; Fat: 9 g; Sodium: 590 mg; Cholesterol: 63 mg; Carbohydrates: 35 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat, 2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Milk, 1 Fat

MEXICAN MEATLOAF

This comes from Stephanie Gallagher, About.com’s Cooking for Families expert. Stephanie wrote, “This Mexican meatloaf recipe gets its zing from salsa and Mexican cheese blend. If you're a fan of make-ahead cooking. you can make this easy meatloaf recipe and freeze it, either before or after cooking.

“If you freeze it before cooking, shape the meatloaf and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then put it in a zip-loc bag.“If freezing it after cooking, wrap the meatloaf tightly and store in an airtight container. Be sure to defrost the meatloaf overnight in the refrigerator before cooking or reheating.”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (cheddar and Monterey Jack)

3/4 cup tomato salsa, divided

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound ground pork

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine Panko, eggs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the salsa, mustard and meats.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape meat mixture into a loaf on the baking sheet.

Spread remaining 1/4 cup of salsa on top.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf (as measured with a thermometer) reaches 155 degrees. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

PASTA WITH BROWN BUTTER AND PARMESAN

This comes from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Ali wrote, “Sometimes you just want a big bowl of pasta with butter and Parmesan. Starchy, silky and salty, it’s always good — and practically foolproof. To make it a little more grown up, just take it one step further: Brown the butter. When you slide the butter into the skillet, let it cook until the milk solids turn a toasty brown. It adds a rich, nutty flavor that makes the dish a bit more sophisticated with very little extra work.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes.

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019980-pasta-with-brown-butter-and-parmesan.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

1 pound spaghetti, linguine or other long noodle

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, but don’t shake it fully dry.

In a skillet or Dutch oven large enough to hold the pasta (and preferably with a light-colored bottom so you can see the butter solids brown), melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn golden-brown and it smells nutty and toasty, 3 to 4 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that it does not burn. If it does, start over.) Remove from heat immediately.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss with the brown butter. Stir in the cheese until melted. Stir in pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the pasta is glossy with sauce (you probably won’t need the full 1/2 cup).

Serve with black pepper and more Parmesan on top.

ROASTED VEGGIE BUDDHA BOWL

This is from the Food Network, and starts off, “Healthy vegetables and spiced chickpeas get roasted on the same baking sheet, making dinner a breeze to put together and clean up. Quinoa and avocado round out this nutritional meal.”

Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

One 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3/4 teaspoon spicy curry powder

4 teaspoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small red onion (about 4 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small sweet potato (about 7 ounces), peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

4 ounces medium cremini mushrooms, halved

1/3 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon tahini

1 lemon

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 avocado, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the chickpeas with the curry powder, 1 teaspoon of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl. Place on one side of a baking sheet. Arrange the onions next to the chickpeas, then the sweet potatoes and lastly the mushrooms. Toss the onions, sweet potatoes and mushrooms with the remaining 3 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Bake until the chickpeas are a bit crunchy and the sweet potatoes are softened and starting to turn brown in a few spots, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt, tahini and juice of half the lemon in a small bowl. Slice the remaining lemon into wedges.

Divide the quinoa between two bowls. Arrange half the vegetables and avocado slices on top of the quinoa, leaving a space for the yogurt in the middle. Dollop the yogurt in the empty space and serve with the lemon wedges.