Recipe

I love lasagna but we have a rule. Christmas day only. We call it Christmas Lasagna. However, I thought if I could replace some pasta with vegetables, we could eat it more frequently. Substituting layers of lasagna pasta are actually easier than you think. The trick I found, is to use the actual pasta on the top and bottom layer, but the middle layers can be lasagna noodle substitutes, and people will really not notice.

So the first thing I did before creating this vegetarian lasagna recipe with pasta substitutions was to look around at what was already out there. What I found when I searched for sweet potato lasagna recipes seemed more like a sweet potato casserole and less like lasagna. So I just read over a couple of options and then came up with my own pasta alternative, while still using some pasta for the top and bottom so that the lasagna really feels like it is real.

This was risky because it was for my daughter’s birthday, and I was winging a recipe I’d never made before. Her requirements are rather odd because she is 90% a vegetarian (prefers it, but sometimes eats meat for protein) and she tries to eat very healthily, which means low quantities of refined pasta.

What we ended up with is lasagna with top and bottom real pasta, and two layers in the middle where sweet potatoes are the pasta replacement. By lightly salting the sweet potatoes at each layer with a light amount of coarse salt, the layers ended up being sweet and salty, instead of just sweet.

If you do not want sweet potatoes, I am sure you can think of many other lasagna pasta substitutes. For example, zucchini would work, squash would work, eggplant, thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, corn tortillas, and even regular potatoes (although more healthy???) are all possibilities as a lasagna noodle substitute.

Whichever pasta alternative you choose for your lasagna, the key is making every layer tasty and stacking it well. It will all bake together beautifully. And since we use real lasagna pasta on the top and bottom, there is a chance no one will even notice that the center is actually layers of vegetables.

The good news is, this being my daughter’s birthday dinner turned out great. She said it was the best lasagna she has ever had. I would not go that far, but I am more partial to it billed with meat sauce and mushrooms. However, for a more healthy lasagna with vegetable substitutes for more than half the pasta, it was surprisingly good and having a second piece was guilt-free.

Just a warning on the pictures, I am using stock photos because I did not take any during the first round of making this dish. Trust me, the layers looked great and the only time you really noticed the sweet potatoes is when you would eat one layer and they would be exposed below it. When you actually look from the side at a cut slice, it looks identical to lasagna full of pasta, and not some special pasta alternatives.

There are many substitions you can make in this dish. Here are some ideas.

• Substitute green onions for leeks
• Substitute cheddar for mozzarella
• Substitute zucchini as a pasta alternative
• Use herbs and garlic in place of pesto
• Make your own sauce with tomatoes, olive oil, onions, and spices.
• Add carrot to leeks to add more variety of nutrient-rich vegetables.

Let us know how you liked the recipe and let us know how which lasagna pasta substitute you used, and how did it turn out?

OMG this is so good. Disclaimer: We need a lot of lentil and vegetable soups, which are good. However, changing it up and making this Butternut Squash soup recipe with the Instapot is the new family favorite because it is so rich and creamy, and has sweet and savory elements to it that make it incredible.

The first time I made it, I added more spicy elements, and we all loved it but it was a bit too hot for my wife. The next time, I made it without as much spice and the recipe turned out great as well, but leaned a bit more to the sweet side. Those of us who liked the more spicy soup better just added a touch of Siracha and we were all happy.

Some people might see this and think they are indifferent to squash. I know that was my first impression when looking at other recipes for squash soup. However, the apple, onion, carrot, and fresh garlic take you on a whole new flavor adventure.

One of the things that is amazing about this squash recipe is that it is so few steps and is done so quickly. Basically, you just peel the items, chunk them up into cubes, cook them in the Instapot for 8 minutes, and then blend and add sour cream. When you taste it, you will be surprised at how good it is and how easy it is to make.

A lot of recipes will have steps like “brown the garlic and onion….” Not here. Just toss it all in the Instapot with two cups of vegetable broth and you will be ready for a blender or food processor after 8 minutes of cooking. That is 8 minutes after fully heating and pressurizing, of course. Probably about 15 minutes total time.

The #1 hardest thing in this Butternut Squash soup recipe is definitely the time it takes to peel and cube the squash itself. I use a nice, big peeler and peel the outer skin off of the squash. Then I cut the ends off and cut it down the middle, long way. Then I use a spoon to remove the seeds from the inside. Then, on a large cutting board with a large, sharp knife, I cut in strips and then across the strips of squash into cubes. The 8 minutes cook it well, so you can leave them chunky and they do not all have to be a uniform size.

There are two things that make this squash soup Instapot recipe special. The first is the creaminess of the soup. No one could believe that there was no butter in it, because it has a buttery, creamy feel to it. Also, the combination of sweet and savory tastes make it unlike many other things you have had. It is so good, I am sure it is the only soup I have ever had three bowls of on the same day.

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe for Instapot – Tips For Success

A couple of tips for preparation.

1. Peel the skin off of the apple, or you might end up with some small bits of apple skin that take away from the creaminess of the soup.
2. Let the soup cool a bit before adding the sour cream.
3. When using a blender, use a towel to hold the lid on in case of splatter that might be hot.
4. Modify the recipe by the size of your butternut squash. A large squash requires a larger apple and onion, or two small of each, to get the flavors balanced just right. While it does not require an exact ounce ration, the flavor can change significantly (but always yummy) with different balances of ingredients.
5. If some people like the squash soup recipe spicy, and others do not, only add a tiny pinch of Cayanne in the soup and then those who want it more spicy can add more, or add Siracha to it, and it tastes great.

I found this Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe online and made some modifications after making it. While I really like turkey for a meal or two, we usually have a lot leftover and don’t know what to do with it because plain turkey gets tiresome fast.

The real key is to find ways to add a lot of flavor to leftover turkey so that you do not think you are just eating turkey for another meal.

This dish not only made it palatable, it actually was very good and very enjoyable to the entire family. This same dish would work with chicken as well, but there are a lot of different things you can do with chicken. Turkey seems more challenging so I keep this dish for those after holiday leftover strategies.

Also, if you are using this Leftover Turkey Curry recipe a few days after Thanksgiving or Christmas, it is a great way to feel like you are having a completely different and exotic dish since your family is probably tired of having holiday leftovers again and again.

Also, around holidays a whole turkey can be a very good and affordable item to buy, and if you keep it frozen you can later make turkey dishes that are not holiday-centric.

Nan is easy to make and goes well with this dish. It is a simple Indian flatbread which is a perfect compliment with saucy dishes like leftover turkey curry. You can look up recipes with nan that is stuffed with potatoes (maybe leftover mash potatoes?) or sauteed onion and garlic.

In case you are wondering, a frozen raw turkey is best used within 7 months but can be used 2-3 years if it is kept frozen. If you freeze cooked turkey you can use it safely for 2-3 months after you freeze it.

Turkey is one of those foods that is good for you, but too much becomes too much of a good thing very fast.  That is why I decided to explore what people are doing with leftover turkey and point you to some good leftover turkey recipes.

Frozen, raw turkey is good for 2-3 years, but is best used within 7 months.  This means when turkey is on sale around the holidays, it is not a bad thing to buy one to make in the late Spring.  Also, frozen cooked turkey is good for 2-3 months or longer if you froze it soon after cooking.  This means you can spread out those turkey dishes through months.

That definitely helps, but plain turkey gets old fast, so here are four ideas of what you can do with leftover turkey.

Turkey Salad – This is a great option the day after a holiday when you have leftover turkey that is chilled.  Simply cube it up along with celery, onion, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, mayo, and mustard. Salt and pepper to taste.  Add lettuce and tomato to the sandwich or wrap and you have a yummy way to eat more turkey even though you just had it the day before.

Turkey Curry – I found this recipe a while back here and then made some modifications and made my own leftover turkey curry recipe.  This is so good I could eat it more often than I do.  Basically, you follow the recipe and make a great curry gravy that the turkey simmers in and then it is served with rice and nan to make a savory Indian tasting dish that does not seem to have turkey in it at all.  And you can make it in about 30 minutes with no exotic ingredients other than the curry spice, which you probably already have.

Turkey Fried Rice – This is a no brainer.  Look up any chicken fried rice recipe and substitute turkey.  One key is to make sure the meat is well coated with the spices and give it time to crisp in the wok.  Some crunchy texture and added flavor will make the turkey more delicious.  You usually only need rice (cooled), soy sauce, garlic, ginger, oil and vegetables of choice, like peas, carrots, green onions or broccoli if you want to make it really healthy.

Turkey Enchiladas – The key with substituting turkey for chicken in enchiladas is to make sure you coat the turkey with the enchilada sauce.  You can find recipes to make your own enchilada sauce or you can use a packet with tomato sauce.  Either way, make sure the turkey has beans and rice in as well, and sautéed onions and peppers as well as flavorful cheese.

When you see these four options, they are all from different countries.  Indian, Mexico, China, and the USA.  But what they all have in common to deal with turkey, which can be fairly plain, is they all have a sauce that makes the dish moister and more flavorful.

We do not keep a lot of sweets in the house, which makes this 5-minute chocolate cake recipe a lifesaver when someone decides they have had a hard day and need a cake. (It happens)

The first time you make this, it might take you seven minutes. But once you have mastered the steps, you can get it done in as little as four minutes. Much to the shock and surprise of the person who said, “Hmmm, some cake sounds good” just a few minutes before.

Chances are, you have all of these ingredients in your kitchen already. The only one I sometimes run out of is the cocoa powder. However, once I realized how handy this 5-minute chocolate cake recipe is, I now make sure I do not run out.

While this is traditionally a mug cake that people eat straight out of the mug, I prefer to lightly oil the mug and then remove it from the mug when it is done cooking so that it is like a piece of cake on a plate with chocolate syrup and whipped cream on top. The extra 15 seconds make it much nicer.

Some things that are very important when making this 5 minute chocolate cake recipe from scratch are as follows:

• Do not overcook it – 60-90 seconds is all you need. Stand there and watch it. When it poofs up, wait a couple of seconds and then stop the microwave.
• Use a mug that is big enough for it to rise in.
• Put a paper towel under the mug cake as it cooks, so that if it does overflow, it will not make a big mess.
• This chocolate mug cake will be bigger than you expect, so you can divide it in half after removing it from the mug so two people can share, if both people just want a small amount.
• Peanut butter can be substituted for the chocolate syrup.

This recipe does not include baking soda. Every time I try to make it with baking soda the flavor is not as good. Sometimes it is very bad. Stick to baking powder and it will turn out much better.

Another option is to make it with an egg instead of baking powder or baking soda. This has been very good sometimes. However, if you cook the mug cake just a little too long, the version using an egg does have a bit of an eggy taste. You have to be very careful. The good thing about using an egg though is the protein makes it a healthier option for someone who eats eggs.

One of the most common staples in our house with many meals is black beans. Sometimes they are a side dish and sometimes they are part of the main dish.

Also, because our family has members who are mostly vegetarian and other members who eat meat regularly, this is a good option for everyone. If we do not have black beans for more than a day or two, I make a special trip to the store for them because we start missing them that fast.

I do what to share with you the black bean recipe, which is less of a recipe and more of a group of variations to change up how your black beans can be prepared.

Healthy Black Bean Instapot Uses

This is a common staple of people in Latin America and is frequently eaten in the home, but traditionally is not served to guests because it is so inexpensive and common. It can be used in a lot of ways, and here are some things you can do once the base beans are prepared.

1. Refried Black Beans
2. Bean Nachos
3. Black Bean Soup
4. Bean Quesadillas
5. Chili
6. Bean Dip
7. Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

What makes this version of black beans more healthy is the addition of flaxseed, which has very positive properties and is a vegetarian supplement for fish oils, and is easily mixed with the beans and does not change the taste. The key is to not add too much or it clumps and looks less appealing in the beans. Be sure to mix them before serving.

We actually do double this black bean recipe every 4-5 days and do not need to freeze it because we finish them so quickly. We usually eat them with our breakfast as well as with our dinner. It is a great, healthy staple that is very versatile.

Anyone who says that my Mexican Rice Recipe is actually Spanish Rice, you are correct. However, this dish is commonly cooked in Mexico and commonly served in Mexican restaurants, and some people might be searching for Mexican Rice Recipe and wondering why they cannot find it. So I decided to post this in a way to help those people out.

This is one of those easy recipes that people always want to learn because it takes a few simple ingredients to turn plain white rice into a tasty side dish for many Latin American meals. Even if you are buying a “taco kit” and phoning in the Mexican meal, you can still benefit from authentic Mexican rice on the side.

This rice is not only excellent on the side, but it can also be part of bowls, like what you get at Chipotle, or added filler for burritos or vegetarian enchiladas. You can also mix in grilled shrimp to make a wonderful seafood and rice dish.

One of the aspects of this that makes it different is that you fry the rice before you boil it. This adds a different, slightly crispier texture to the rice and because you fry it with garlic, onion, and tomato, it absorbs those flavors into the rice kernels and makes the rice pack a bigger flavor punch.

If you have kids who do not love tomatoes, this is also a good way to get them to eat some as it is really cooked into the dish and does not feel like you are eating tomatoes, and the flavor is savory but not specific to the tomatoes. Our kids rarely at tomatoes but were huge fans of this Mexican Fried Rice Recipe.

The Mexican Rice Recipe is a base for many things, and you can put your own spin on it. I promise that when you serve it to guests though, they are going to be impressed with your authentic Mexican cooking skills, even if it is really called Spanish Rice.

This Mexican Rice Recipe can be made with an Instapot as well. In that case, simply use the saute setting and brown the ingredients the same way in the pot of the Instapot. Once they are brown, then add your liquid and seal the Instapot and cook for 4-5 minutes. The rice will be fluffy and nice, and have the same delicious flavors as the more traditional way of cooking it in a pot.

One of the main reasons so many people eat out is that they are so busy. If you work 8-10 hours a day and also have a commute, no wonder cooking at home is rare. However, there are a lot of things you can prep at home so that you can whip up a good healthy meal at some in less time.

White rice can be prepared in a pressure cooker or Instapot in a few minutes. The reason to prep this in advance is that cold rice is best to make fried rice of any type. There are a lot of ways to season and saute’ rice and make a nice main dish or side dish with the right things added.

• Traditional fried rice
• Rice and vegetable stir fry
• Cajun beans and rice
• Add to lentil soup or black bean soup
• Spanish rice can be done with cold white rice as well

The reason prepping a day before is better, is that it is easier to work with if it is cold.

Next, chopped vegetables that you use regularly. If I do not prep, I might chop onions and peppers 2-3 times per day for each meal. If you have vegetables you use very regularly, and they do not turn brown fast, chop enough for a couple of meals and save them.

Black Beans or Pinto Beans – The only good way to prepare these is soaking them overnight. You must then discard the liquid and then cook them in a pressure cooker or Instapot. You can then freeze them in smaller containers after they cool and get them out as you need them. Beans in the refrigerator will only stay good 3-5 days max so you should freeze what you will not eat.

These can then be used as a refried bean side item, added to tacos, burritos, bean quesadillas, tex mex bowls, or things like soups and vegetable medleys.

Wontons for wonton soup are also a great thing to prep. Making the filling and stuffing the wontons are a lot of work, but once done you freeze them and can use a few at a time as needed. Simply heat up chicken broth and add the wontons to the broth until fully cooked and you have a great, healthy soup you can make for one person or ten people. Very handy to have ready to go.

These are just some food prep tips that can save you time and make it easier to decide to cook at home instead of eating out. Enjoy.

While the entire family is not vegetarian, some people are close so it is important for us to have vegetarian dishes often. This Asian Black Bean burger makes low-calorie sliders that can be part of a fun, tasty meal.

I suggest you do not dress the vegetarian sliders yourself because some people will like the wasabi mayo and other people will not.

What makes this dish Asian is the ginger, cabbage, sesame seeds, red chili paste and sesame oil in the dish which gives it an Asian flavor. It also has more rice and less bread crumbs/flour than a traditional recipe. However, it is not an overwhelming vegetarian slider taste. Most people will enjoy the subtle flavors.

I also use whole wheat pitas with flax seed as the bun, which can bring down the calorie count substantially on this dish compared to using slider buns. That way the Asian Black Bean Burger is low cal and very different.

When I do serve this dish to the family, I need to have some truffle fries or chile adobo hash on the side to give it a bit more heartiness. Just warning you in advance, this is tasty but also a light dish you will want to have a good side dish with.

This dish is inspired by black bean burgers and Asian flavors, along with a Mediterranian Pita flair that makes the whole dish lower-calorie, healthier and a combination of flavors you have probably never tried before.

You can use canned black beans for this dish, but you can also make your own black beans in an Instapot and enjoy having more black beans for less cost, plus you control the levels of salt and additives.

Any time I make a curry or some other Indian food, I do not feel the dish is complete unless we make Naan to go with it. I created this Naan recipe which requires no yeast because we do not want a lot, and we do not want leftovers.

One thing I know from my Indian friends is that stuffing naan with garlic or onions is delicious, but a lot of work. This recipe is simplified and by adding some spices to the dough, you end up with a vivacious taste and you did not have to do a lot of extra work.

One trick I have found for making excellent naan is to roll out the dough as thin as you can. This means use very small balls of dough and flour them well before you start to roll them. Pictured here I have left the dough balls resting and covered in a light dusting of flour, so that when I start cooking them I can immediately roll and cook easily.

Traditional Indian Food

You might be asking yourself how traditional this naan is. I have had naan made by excellent Indian cooks from India, and their naan was better. But their naan was also probably two or three times the calories. I like to make food that tastes great, feels cultured but does not destroy my diet for a week. When I have had naan made by Indians, it has been basted in gee and filled with delicious stuff like potatoes. So good!

This naan recipe is good for someone who does not want to use yeast or gee and does not want a lot of it.

One thing you will notice in the naan image above is that some flour coats the outside even after browning. As I flip the naan, I add a very light layer of butter to the outside of the naan to add flavor and get rid of the flour that might be there.

Which Indian Food Gets Naan?

I have no idea if certain Indian dishes do not get naan. What I do know is whenever I have an Indian dish that has a sauce or a curry gravy I need naan to help soak up all that flavor and help me enjoy the dish so much more.

I eat naan with the following Indian dishes regularly

• Turkey Curry
• Chicken Tikki Masala
• Various lentil dishes

As you can tell, that list is limited and I am no Indian chef, but I have some dishes I enjoy making and this is an excellent bread to go with it. This same recipe for Naan can go with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes as well.

If you are wondering about the yeast, the reason I use this recipe is that it is faster to make this naan and I do not always keep yeast in the house. Searching for naan recipe no yeast is a very common thing that people are looking for because I am sure I am not the only one who does not have yeast around all the time.

What did you think of this Naan Recipe with No Yeast?

If you made this recipe please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I am always very happy to get feedback from people who try our recipes.