Raised from Scratch

growing up outside the box: alternatives to processed food and television

Roasted Beet & Fennel Lasagna December 31, 2013

Filed under: Gluten Free,Lunch/Dinner,Pasta — annalope @ 1:11 am
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Suitable for rock stars and 4-year old beet lovers alike. Okay, technically it was only taste tested by one rock star and one 4-year old… but Amanda F*ing Palmer and Ella F*ing Gaines are both badass, trustworthy ladies, and both heartily approved. I thought of naming this post something like “my house as a one star restaurant” or “a Rock Star is better than a Michelin” or something equally cheesy, but decided the cheese is definitely best left on the plate.

Amanda Palmer's 4 year old fan

orange beet macro

Roasted Beet & Fennel Lasagna with Cashew-Chard Pesto

4 large or 6 small beets

2 small fennel bulbs

Lasagna noodles

1 + cup cashews

4 garlic cloves

1 bunch swiss chard

1-2 cups fresh spinach

Olive oil, sea salt, pepper

6 oz goat cheese

8 oz mozzarella

Peel beets, slice ¼ – ½”  thick, coat with olive oil and salt on a sheet pan. Roast beets at 350 for about 20 minutes, flipping once.

Slice fennel ½” thick to yield about 2 cups. Lightly coat with olive oil and salt and roast on separate sheet pan 15 minutes or until soft, flipping occasionally.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles (GF Tinkyada pasta works fine).

Toast cashews, then transfer to a food processor with 4 garlic cloves, pulse until finely chopped. Add swiss chard and spinach, pulse until finely processed. Add olive oil until pesto looks fairly moist. Add 6 oz goat cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Shred 8 oz mozzarella.

Assembly:

Coat lasagna pan with a little olive oil

Noodles

Beets and Fennel

Pesto (it’s thick, just drop teaspoons of pesto on beets)

Mozzarella and black pepper

Repeat!

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and beginning to brown around edges.

Thumbs up for beet lasagna

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Slow Down and Savor It: Oatmeal for Autumn October 18, 2012

Filed under: Breakfast,Dairy free,Gluten Free,Vegan — annalope @ 10:55 am
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If oatmeal conjures memories of mushy slop loaded with sugar and tiny dried apple pieces, it’s time you created new associations with this healthy grain. Oatmeal is fabulous, and a recipe like this one should leave the whole family satiated and smiling. Steel cut (Irish) oats are simply chopped oat groats – they are the least processed of all oat products, and they are typically stocked right alongside the old-fashioned and quick oats these days. If not, check the organic section of your grocery store. Seriously, once you try them, you’ll never want to go back to quick/instant oats.

I like to cook half of the apple pieces with the raisins 5 minutes before the oatmeal has finished cooking and add the rest with the sunflower seeds in my bowl for a little crunch. Just 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup is plenty to sweeten the whole batch (in fact, I like it even without) because apples, raisins and cinnamon lend their natural sweetness to the oats. Enjoy the chilly mornings!

Autumn Oatmeal

4 cups water

1 cup steel cut (Irish) oats

Generous pinch of salt

½ cup raisins

1 cup apple, diced into ¼ – ½” pieces (about ½ of a large apple)

½ t. ground cinnamon

2 T. golden flax seeds

½ t. vanilla extract

2 T. pure maple syrup

¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds, roasted or raw

Milk or milk substitute (optional) for serving

Place water, oats and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a strong simmer and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add raisins, ½ of your chopped apples and cinnamon; cook additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat, stir in flax seeds, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Place in bowls and top with remaining apples, a generous sprinkle of sunflower seeds, and a dash of cinnamon. Serve with milk or milk substitute if desired.

Serves 4

What are some of your favorite oatmeal add-ins?