Category: Main Dishes

National Day of Lasagna – July 29

Today is the National Day of Lasagna.  Lasagna is one of my favorite foods; I was looking forward to creating a delicious dairy-free lasagna.  I hope you enjoy it too.  This will make a 9″ x 13″ pan.

 

12 ounces beef links, sliced

1 large onion, shopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, slightly drained

8 ounces tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

approximately 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 no boil lasagna noodles

1 egg, beaten

“Ricotta” – see recipe below

1 package Daiya cheddar*

1 package Daiya mozzarella*

 

 

Make Ricotta & set aside in refrigerator (can be made up to 24 hours before).

Blend Daiya cheeses in blender until finely ground; cover & set aside in refrigerator.

Cook sausage & remove from skillet & set aside, leave oil in pan.

Add onion & minced garlic to skillet/sausage oil & cook until translucent, add to sausage.

In a large saucepan combine diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, parsley & black pepper; heat through & add in sausage/onion mixture & heat through again.

Create filling by combining beaten egg with “Ricotta”.

Layer in baking pan as follows:

1 cup sauce (spread around bottom of pan)

noodles

filling

Daiya cheese

Repeat until baking dish is filled

 

Cover/tent baking dish with foil, bake in a 375°F for 30-35 minutes.  Stand 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

Non-Dairy “Ricotta”

 

10 ounces firm tofu

6 ounces soft tofu

teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

 

Wrap firm tofu in a clean towel; place between 2 cutting boards & place a heave object on top (eg:  28 ounce can). Rest 20 minutes.

Cut open soft tofu top, turn upside down in bowl & allow to drain while firm tofu is resting.

Unwrap firm tofu & pat dry; crumble in bowl & add remaining ingredients.

 

If you wish a creamier consistency, use a smaller amount of the firm tofu & add a small amount of the soft tofu.

 

 

 

To prepare a day ahead:

Prepare to filling the dish & covering it.  Chill in refrigerator.  When ready to cook, bake at 375°F for 40 minutes.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Comfort Food: Pot Roast

This is one of the ultimate comfort foods – pot roast and vegetables with gravy.  This is reminisce of “Sunday Dinners” that our grandmothers & mothers made each week.  It is made easier & summer friendly by using the crock pot!

 

3 to 3.5 pound chuck roast

1 pound potatoes, in large chunks (or use whole small ones)

1 medium onion, quartered

3 ribs celery, each halved

1 pound carrots (chopped or use baby carrots)

salt

pepper

3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed

3 bay leaves

1 medium to large Serrano chili, washed, ends cut off & thirds

water

 

 

In a crock pot, place veggies, Serrano chili in bottom.  Salt and pepper meat well on both sides & place on top of veggies.  Cover with water & add bay leaves.  Cook on high 1 hour; flip meat, stir veggies slightly & cook on high another 3 hours or until meat is cooked through.

 

 

Enjoy!

Moroccan Kefta with Creamy Herbed Sauce

In my research for this post I found out that there is a basic recipe and many different optional spices & multiple ways of prepping/cooking the kefta.  Kefta can be grilled as a kabob or made as meatballs & simmered in a simmering liquid.  Kefta means chopped meat; it can be served with a creamy herbed yogurt and/or a herbed tomato sauce.  I am using just a basic recipe with no add-ins for this recipe.  I noted the optional spices at the end of the recipe.

1 pound Ground Beef (and/or lamb)

Medium Onion, grated (or finely diced) & well-drained (squeeze through cheesecloth)

2 teaspoon Paprika (not smoked)

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne

1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped – – (use additional parsley for those who don’t like cilantro)

 

Combine all ingredients; set aside in refrigerator at least an hour (for flavors to blend).  Shape into a sausage shape & skewer the meat; mold to skewer.  Cook over hot coals (gray in color) about 5 minutes each side or until cooked through (watch carefully so they don’t dry out).  Serve immediately.

 

 

Creamy Herbed Sauce

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 cup plain Greek non-dairy yogurt or sour cream

1/2 bunch cilantro, minced

1/2 bunch mint

2 hot peppers, seeded & diced

zest & juice of 1 lime

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

 

Combine onion & yogurt (sour cream); combine the remaining ingredients & pulse until lightly blended; fold into onion/yogurt mixture & serve with Kefta.

 

 

Optional spices:

1/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

3 teaspoons Fresh Mint (especially with lamb)

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Have you every had Kefta?  Did you like it?

National Day of Sloppy Joes – March 18th

Sloppy Joes – also a comfort food.  So delicious & homemade is the best.  I like the rolls toasted in a pan before I serve with the meat sauce.  So yummy!!

 

 

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

8 ounces tomato sauce or homemade ketchup

2 tablespoons water

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

dash hot sauce

6 Potato Buns, split & toasted

 

Cook ground beef, onion & pepper; drain off fat.  Stir in tomato sauce, water, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder & hot sauce.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat & simmer, uncovered about 5 minutes.  Serve on toasted rolls.

Enjoy!

 

*for a vegetarian/vegan option – use vegetarian crumbles

Comfort Food: Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Comfort food at it’s best.  This is a go to recipe for me – I originally created it a couple of years ago in an attempt to re-create my favorite frozen entrée, but without all the extra & unnecessary ingredients.  Originally, I wasn’t pleased with the gravy, so this post gave me a great excuse to go back & re-create it.  I succeeded.  My family tried it & there was almost nothing left when we were done!

 

Salisbury Steak

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth/stock

3/4 cup bread crumbs (I use Trader Joe’s brand bread crumbs – no dairy)

1/4 heaping teaspoon garlic powder (be generous, if you like garlic)

dash pepper

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon Homemade Gravy Mix (Beef)

1 tablespoon dried onions

generous pinch powdered mustard

approximately 1 pound ground beef

 

Mushroom Gravy

3 tablespoons flour

2-4 tablespoons Earth Balance (or your choice of butter substitute)

8 ounces chopped mushrooms

1/2 small onion, diced

1 cup cold water

1 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules

5 tablespoons Homemade Gravy Mix (Beef)

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

salt & pepper to taste (definitely taste before adding salt!!)

 

 

Directions

In a large bowl, combine egg, 1/3 cup low sodium beef broth, bread crumbs, garlic powder, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Homemade Gravy Mix, minced dried onion and mustard; whisk until thoroughly combined.  Add ground beef & combine, making sure bowl contents are well-distributed throughout beef (best way is to use your hands).  Shape into 6 large patties or 12 smaller patties, cover & set aside.

 

Add beef bouillon to boiling water & set aside; to a large skillet, add about 1 tablespoon Earth Balance or your choice of butter substitute & add in chopped mushrooms & onion; cook until vegetables are tender; scrape to sides of pan. Add beef patties to a second skilled over medium-high heat & cook 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through.

Add remaining Earth Balance & flour, cook until browned in center of pan; slowly add cold water, bouillon and remaining brown gravy mix (2 tbsp); whisk until combined & stir in mushrooms & onions.  Bring to a boil & stir constantly until thickened.  If too thick, add a small amount of beef broth.  Transfer cooked patties to gravy pan & heat through; serve hot.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Comfort Food: Beef Stroganoff

It could be argued that this is the king of comfort food; creamy, beef, mushrooms, noodles, flavorful… So many descriptions of this dish.  A favorite of the middle of my three brothers, here is my non-dairy version of Beef Stroganoff.

 

1 1/2 pounds beef steak, 1/2 inch thick slices

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

3 cups cooked egg noodles

1/4 cup Earth Balance or non-dairy “butter” of choice

large onion, thin sliced

3 cloves garlic, fine minced

1/2 cup plus 1 1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup sour cream

 

Combine 1/2 cup of beef broth and pepper; marinate beef in a bowl for 10 minutes.  Remove beef from marinade & pat dry.

Heat oil in skillet & brown beef; cook 5-7 minutes & remove to plate.  Drain grease from skillet; melt a couple of tablespoons Earth Balance; stir in onion and garlic; cook until onion is soft & translucent.  Transfer to plate with beef.

Melt 2 tablespoons Earth Balance in skillet & add in sliced mushrooms.  Cook until tender, about 10 minutes; transfer to a bowl & set aside.

Melt 1/4 cup Earth Balance in skillet; whisk in flour & cook until there is no more flour taste, about 4 minutes.  Slowly whisk in beef stock; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium-low; add in Worcestershire sauce & seasonings.  Taste & if needed, add salt.  Add beef & onion; cover & simmer 1 hour.  Taste again & if needed add additional salt/seasonings.

Stir in mushrooms & sour cream about 5 minutes before serving.

 

Enjoy!

 

Do you enjoy beef stroganoff?  What is your favorite comfort food?

 

 

Demetrius’s Greek Chicken & Potatoes

My post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this website.  Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you real information about living dairy free.   For the full disclosure see Ingredients List page.

 

This recipe is one that a friend of my father’s gave to my mother.  Demetrius was born & raised in Greece & immigrated, when he was a young man, to the U.S.  He worked with my father at the local cannery and he would occasionally come over & cook Greek food for us; this is one of our family’s favorite meals.

 

 

One whole chicken

6-8 potatoes

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1-2 tablespoons dried oregano, crushed

1 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Optional:  Fresh Lemon Slices & Fresh Oregano sprigs

 

(Demetrius’s directions:  well, you know how to cook, so just do it)

 

Preheat to 425°

Combine oil, garlic, dried oregano & lemon juice; divide in half.

Rinse chicken & pat dry (remove gizzard/liver packet & set aside).  Drizzle about 1/3 of the marinade on the chicken and rub it all over & under the skin. Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the lemon and herbs inside the cavity, if using. Place the chicken breast-side up in a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet, roast the chicken in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cut potatoes in half, so they look like mounds; place in separate baking pan; drizzle a portion of the marinade over the potatoes; toss to coat.

Add potatoes to oven & reduce the temperature to 325°F and continue roasting – 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh (but not touching the bone) registers 165°F .

Baste the chicken and potatoes with remaining marinade throughout the cooking time – every 30 minutes or so & turning potatoes as they cook.

Cook potatoes until golden.

Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a cutting board. Let it rest about 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

 

Serve hot.

 

Enjoy!

 

Do you have a favorite Greek dish?  Comment & let me know.