Author: Trevor

roasted vegetable lasagna

Amelia’s buddy Kathryn made this when we had Bernadette. She sent me the recipe with her modifications and it’s still in my rotation. It’s this recipe but double the cheese, roast the vegetables as if they were a side dish, with extra seasoning and more browning.

Ingredients

  • olive oil
  • 2 zucchini, sliced
  • 2 green bell peppers, cut in 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt (sub for spike or other seasoning salts)
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 12 lasagna noodles (oven ready so you dont have to boil)
  • 2 (28 ounce) jars of good (Rao’s!) pasta sauce
  • 2 (16 ounce) packages shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly coat a large baking sheet with olive oil.
  2. Arrange zucchini slices, bell pepper pieces, sliced mushrooms, and onion wedges on prepared baking sheet. Scatter basil and garlic over vegetables; coat with cooking spray. Season with salt and black pepper.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until vegetables are browned and tender, 15 to 25 minutes.
  4. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in a bowl.
  5. Pour 1⁄3 cup pasta sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce to cover. Spread 1⁄4 roasted vegetables over noodles, top with 1⁄4 sauce, sprinkle 1⁄4 cheese mixture over sauce. Repeat layers 3 more times, ending with cheese mixture.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese melted and sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow lasagna to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • I can’t tell the difference between oven-ready noodles and regular unless they don’t get enough sauce on them, in which case they get crunchy.

Puffed Egg (Grandma Egg)

This is a quick way to scramble an egg that my siblings and I enjoyed, and one Bernadette enjoys now.

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • pinch of salt & pepper
  • 2 tbsp ketchup

Instructions

  1. Using a fork, whisk together egg, milk, salt, and pepper in a microwavable pyrex or mug.
  2. Heat in a 1200w microwave for 48 seconds.
  3. Serve with ketchup on the side.

Notes

  • I know you want to hit +30 seconds twice, but you’ll overcook it.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Thighs

I took this recipe from Sandra who says, “These [pressure cooker] Chicken Thighs make a succulent, easy, and very flavourful dinner that will make everyone at the table happy.” and she’s right. I make it several times per month.

I double some of the spices as follows, I never add the water, and a couple other minor things. The rest is her recipe.

Ingredients

  • ~2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 rounded tbsp of paprika (sweet if you have a choice)
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp dry herbs (oregano preferred)
  • 2 tsp flaky salt
  • 1⁄2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, sliced in rings
  • 2 bell peppers (we like red / yellow)
  • 1⁄2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • chop fresh parsley garnish

Instructions

  1. Pat dry the chicken. In a bowl or on a plate, combine the paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the top and underside of the chicken thighs, splaying them out.
  2. Press the “Saute” function and wait until the pressure cooker displays “Hot” about 2-3 minutes. Once hot, pour in 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread over the bottom of the pot. Place chicken thighs in the pot, as many as will fit, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned on one side. Remove the partially cooked ones to a clean plate, and repeat with any remaining thighs. Set chicken aside.
  3. Pour in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and stir in the onions, green pepper, and red peppers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until starting to brown, but barely transluscent. If you wish, remove a few of the browned onions and reserve them for garnish.
  4. Turn “Saute” function off. You can add 1⁄4 cup of water into the inner pot if you’re worried about not having enough liquid, but I’ve never had that issue. Use a flat wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot (This will ensure that you do not get a burn warning during the pressure cooking process.)
  5. Return the chicken thighs back to the pressure cooker, placing them right on top of the onions and peppers. Sprinkle the red chili flakes over the chicken, if using.
  6. Close the pressure cooker lid and set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. Press “High Pressure/Manual” and set the timer for 8 minutes, or 9 minutes if your chicken thighs are big. The pressure cooker will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure before the cooking time begins.
  7. Once done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Once done, turn the steam release valve to the venting position to release any remaining pressure. When the float valve drops down, carefully open the lid. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

Thicken the sauce

  1. Optional. Remove the chicken from the pressure cooker and place on a deep platter or serving bowl. Immediately turn on the “saute” function and cook remaining sauce for 5-10 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens a bit. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.

Notes

  • I’ve never had to add the 1⁄4 cup of water Sandra recommends, there’s more than enough in the fresh bell peppers and onions. I almost always thicken the sauce.

Don't Use Frozen Chicken Thighs

  • Every attempt I’ve made with frozen has been a disappointment. They just don’t hold spice the same. Thaw first!

Seared Seitan with Tarragon Pan Sauce

The best vegetarian gravy we’ve found, this will be at every Thanksgiving from here on out.

Tarragon adds a feeling of elegance and rich flavor to pan sauce that’s made with seitan. Serve it with green beans and mashed potatoes for a classic, comforting meal.

Ingredients

For the seitan

  • 16 oz seitan (cubed; sub firm tofu)
  • 2 cloves shallots (diced)
  • 2 tsp tarragon (finely chopped, fresh)
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp mustard
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 1⁄2 cups stock

For the green beans

  • 1 lb green beans (trimmed)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp mustard
  • 1⁄2 tsp balsamic vinegar

For the mashed potatoes

  • 1 lb russet potatoes (cubed)
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt (sub sour cream)
  • 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

Prep

  1. Seitan / Shallots / Green beans – if prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead.)
  2. Tarragon — finely chop tarragon. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead.)
  3. Potatoes — peel and cube potatoes.

Make

  1. Heat oven to 425°F / 218°C.
  2. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water and some salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid from potatoes and simmer until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, toss green beans with olive oil, mustard (portion for green beans), and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and spread out on a sheet pan. Roast until tender, shaking the pan halfway through cooking, 18 to 20 minutes.
  4. Once green beans are roasting, heat a large skillet with cooking oil over medium heat. Add seitan and sear on all sides until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
  5. Add butter (portion for seitan) to pan with seitan. When butter melts, add shallots and tarragon. Saute until shallots are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in apple cider vinegar and mustard (portion for seitan).
  6. Add flour to seitan and stir until no dry spots remain. Slowly pour in stock while whisking. Simmer sauce until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside, covered, to keep warm.
  7. Drain potatoes and let sit in a colander for ~5 minutes to allow the steam to escape (this creates creamier potatoes vs. liquidy potatoes).
  8. Use a masher to mash potatoes with sour cream, butter (portion for potatoes), and some salt.
  9. Serve seitan and sauce over mashed potatoes. Enjoy green beans on the side.

Notes

Shredded Brussel’s sprouts salad

This is a sprouts salad that my friend Brussel (the weightlifter) taught me. I usually have this with chicken tendies, which I’ve included as well.

Chicken tendies seared and tossed with mustard and tarragon pan sauce, aren’t you fancy? Shredding brussels sprouts to serve in a salad on the side gives them flavor and crunch.

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1⁄2 cup pecans (chopped)
  • 1 lb brussels sprouts (shredded)
  • 1 tsp mustard (use Dijon if you want texture, but just know that “fancy” mustard is all bs — make it yourself and you’ll know why)
  • 1 tsp wine vinegar (red or white wine)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3 tbsp olive oil (avoid all European OO, it’s unregulated crap; California / Australian is the best)
  • 1⁄2 cup cranberries, dried
  • 4 oz goat cheese

For the chicken

  • 2 cloves shallots (diced)
  • 2 tsp tarragon (chopped)
  • 1 lb chicken breasts (cut into big strips, like tenders)
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 tsp wine vinegar (red or white)
  • 1⁄3 cup stock (I use Better Than Bouillon and it’s great)
  • 1 tbsp mustard (again, whatever mustard you want; I go with generic because the ingredients are pure & simple)
  • 2 tsp honey

Instructions

Prep

  1. Pecans / Shallots / Tarragon — prep as directed. Store separately. You can leave the pecans raw for the salad, or if you prefer, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant, ~4 minutes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead.)
  2. Brussels sprouts — put the slicing disk in a food processor and shred sprouts. If using the Breville Sous Chef, turn the slicer to just under 2. We’ve had it thinner as well; it makes it more voluminous which you may prefer, but make extra dressing to compensate. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead.)
  3. Chicken breasts — slice into thick strips. Season with salt and pepper and tenderize with a fork. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead.)

Make

  1. Combine mustard, vinegar, honey (the portions for the sprouts), and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with brussels sprouts, cranberries, and pecans. Crumble goat cheese over top.
  2. Heat a skillet or saute pan over medium-high. Add cooking oil. When oil begins to shimmer, add chicken and saute until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and return pan to heat. Add shallots and vinegar (portion for the chicken) and saute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan, until shallots become tender, ~3 minutes. Add stock, tarragon, mustard, and honey (the portions for the chicken) and whisk. Simmer until sauce thickens, ~2 minutes. Add chicken back into the skillet and stir to coat in sauce.
  3. Serve chicken with extra pan sauce over top and salad on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

Grump Pup’s Peanut Butts (Peanut Butter)

An old recipe I’ve made off and on since 2010, and now that peanut butter is sold out everywhere during the pandemic I’ve been making this regularly. Amelia gave tasting notes and I kept modifying the recipe until we settled on this one: not as sweet as Jiff and not so bland as natural, with a little cinnamon kick.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs peanuts (roasted, unsalted)
  • 3⁄4 tsp salt (or more to taste)
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon (ground)
  • 4 tbsp peanut oil (less if you like your pb thick)

Instructions

Blender

  1. Put it all in a blender. Blend it up, scraping the sides with a spatula to get it going. Don’t give up, and let the motor rest if it gets hot. It will eventually blend like a thick smoothie, and appear thin & oily until it cools.

Food processor

  1. Now that I have a food processor it’s so easy! Just turn it on and let it go until it’s your desired smoothness — I prefer a fast moving tornado (about 2 to 3 minutes). No need to pulse, no need to let it cool.

Crockpot Lentil Soup

A great weeknight soup

I’ve been making this soup all winter to go along with no-knead bread. Found at Pinch of Yum. I don’t know what a toxin is but apparently this is the antidote.

A simple soup made with onions, garlic, carrots, olive oil, squash, and LENTILS! Super healthy and easy to make.

Ingredients

For the crockpot

  • 2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
  • 2 cups carrots (peeled and sliced)
  • 2 cups potatoes (chopped)
  • 2 cups celery (chopped)
  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 3⁄4 cup yellow split peas (or just use more lentils)
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 8-10 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons herbs de provence
  • 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)

Add at the end

  • 2-3 cups kale (stems removed & chopped)
  • 1 cup parsley (chopped)
  • 1⁄2 cup olive oil (rosemary olive oil or other herb-infused oil is delicious)
  • 1 swish sherry, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice (to add a nice tangy bite)
  • 10 slices Parmesan cheese (a few thin slices on top of each bowl)

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
  2. Place about 4 cups of soup in a blender with the olive oil. Pulse gently until semi-smooth and creamy-looking (the oil will form a creamy emulsion with the soup). Add back to the pot and stir to combine.
  3. Stir in the kale and parsley. Turn the heat off and just let everything chill out for a bit before serving. The taste gets better with time and so does the texture, IMO!
  4. Season to taste (add the sherry, vinegar, and/or lemon juice at this point) and serve with crusty bread and a little Parmesan cheese.

Green bean casserole

A Thanksgiving crock-pot classic. Laugh at the onion rings all you want, this dish will disappear.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs fresh green beans (washed and cut up; if using frozen, use 4 packages and reduce cooking time — high 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours)
  • 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can French fried onion rings
  • 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
  • 1 can water chestnuts (thinly sliced)
  • slivered almonds (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1⁄2 cup water

Instructions

  1. Spread in layers as listed above, making about three layers.
  2. Save enough French-fried onion rings to crumble and sprinkle over top about 20 minutes before serving.
  3. Add 1⁄2 cup water and cook on high for 7 to 10 hours, or low 12 to 18 hours.

Simple Salmon Glaze

This glaze is perfect when it’s 7pm, no meal plan and my fridge is out of fresh ingredients. I crack the freezer and grab a few frozen fillets, toss them in warm water and get started with prep. I then throw some frozen veggies and rice in my rice cooker and I have a healthy meal, quick as pizza delivery.

Not fancy, just simple. You probably have all the ingredients already.

Ingredients

  • olive oil (a few glugs)
  • mustard (any kind, equal parts honey)
  • honey (equal parts mustard)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • tiny bit balsamic vinegar (about 1⁄3 of olive oil used)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Defrost salmon

  1. If salmon is frozen, put it in some warm water to defrost it quickly. It’s safe so long as it’s small enough to defrost in less than 10 minutes.

Glaze

  1. Mix equal parts mustard & honey in a bowl. Add a few cloves of chopped garlic. Add a few glugs of olive oil. Add a bit of balsamic vinegar, about 1⁄3 of olive oil used. Season with salt & pepper, and mix.

Bake salmon

  1. Line baking pan in enough foil to wrap around fish. Lay salmon in the foil and cover in glaze. Wrap salmon and bake at 375 for ~20-25 minutes; you may need more or less time depending on thickness. It’s done when it flakes with a fork.

Jackfruit Fajitas

Amelia & I tried a meal service for a week and this was our favorite recipe. It was too expensive and wasteful in regards to packaging, so we cancelled after the discount. Here’s the recipe worth keeping:

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 oz red cabbage
  • 15 oz can jackfruit
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp vegan sour cream
  • fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Prep the produce. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Rinse and dry produce. Peel and slice the onion. Deseed and slice the red pepper. Mince garlic and set aside.
  3. Ready the vegetables. Place the onion, red pepper, and jackfruit on a foil-lined baking sheet. Toss with chili powder, 1 tsp oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
  5. Roast the jackfruit and vegetables. Spread evenly and place in the oven. Roast until golden brown and beginning to char, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven.
  7. Warm the tortillas. While the vegetables roast, wrap your tortillas in tin foil. When the vegetables are done roasting, you can put them in the turned-off oven to gently warm until you’re ready to eat.
  9. Make the sauce. Rinse and halve the lime. In a small bowl, combine juice from half of the lime, minced garlic, vegan sour cream and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Rinse and dry the cilantro, then pick the leaves and tender stems.
  11. Assemble fajita. Remove the vegetables, jackfruit, and tortillas from the oven. On a large plate, evenly divide the tortillas. Top them with the roasted vegetables and jackfruit, the red cabbage, cilantro, and drizzle with your lime crema. Enjoy!