Fast Veggie Lasagna

2 packs of dry Lasagna pasta
2 bags Frozen Mixed Veggies of your choice (I usually get the stir fry types with Broccoli, Cauliflower, mushrooms, baby corn, etc.)

2 lg cans Crushed Tomatos
2 tbsp Molasses
2 tbsp Soy Sauce

2 pack Firm Tofu
1 pack Silk Tofu
1 Lemon
1/4 c Nutritional Yeast
4 tbsp Italian Spices Mix
Salt and pepper
3 tsp Garlic powder

Olive oil
Bread Crumbs - optional

Mix the Tomatoes with Molasses and Soy sauce in a bowl.

Drain the Tofu, squeeze water out, & crumble. Mix in the drained silk tofu, lemon juice, all the spices, & nutritional yeast in another bowl.

Use a large pan for lasagna. I like the glass baking dish. Brush with oil.
Pour part of Tomato mixture to cover the bottom.
Lay the uncooked lasagna pasta overlapping on top.
Cover with some frozen veggies.
Spread part or the tofu mixture.
Lay more pasta.
Pour tomato sauce and keep going till you get to the top and use all the ingredients.
You can end up either with:
1. Pasta and Tomato sauce on top or
2. The Tofu mixture. You can sprinkle this with the bread crumbs

Place in the oven pre-heated on 350 F. It'll bake for about an hour.
The great thing is that you don't have to waste the time with pre-cooking the pasta.
You don't even have to use the instant past. Just the regular ones.

If you don't have the lasagna pasta you can make a variation with penne or such pasta and mix it all together except the tofu mixture and put it on top and bake as italian casserole.

Butter/Lima Bean Dip

Yes, it's Butter Bean Craze. Here is a quick recipe from left over beans.

2 c of cooked Butter Beans - Large White Lima beans
1 tbsp Tahini
Salt to taste
1 large Lemon
Garlic dry or fresh to taste
2 tbsp Olive Oil

Blend all in a food processor and Voila - dip or spread it is.
Its great with chips or pitta bread. You can even spread it inside the pitta, add some salsa or tomatoes. This make great sandwich in a pocket for kids when you don't want anything dripping out of other end.

Veggie Soup in a Sippy cup

I just got this idea from the fact that my daughter likes to drink her soup with a straw and than eat the rest with spoon. Well my 13 month old son, no wait 14 month old (wow time flies), wants to feed him self, period. Well, since I do not want to have any soup in all 3 dimensions I thought of an idea to put the soup in one of those disposable sippy cups with straw.
It worked great except Nick loooves to pull the straw out. Well, I will search for unpullable straw sippy during my next shopping adventure.

1 Carrot
1 stalk of Celery
1 yellow Squash
1/2 or 1 small Broccoli head
1/2 c butter beans (soak of from can)
2 tbsp flour
Oil
Salt
1 tbsp of some kind of herbs dry or fresh - parsley, marjoram, oregano etc.
4 c boiling water

Chop all the veggies to small pieces and saute over 1 tbsp oil. Add flour and mix well to coat the veggies.
Add the hot water and mix.
Add beans and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
Add salt and herbs and turn it off.
I like to use the hand blender - wand. So I do not have to pour hot soups in blenders. 1st its dangerous and 2nd I don't like washing so many dishes. ;-)
All done
PS - it taste well even without the blending. Enjoy

Corn Bread - Simple

1 c corn flour
1 c wheat flour
2 tbsp Flax Seed meal - ground
1 tbsp Baking powder ( no aluminum)
1 c Soy or Rice Milk - Plain
3 tbsp Oil
3 tbsp Sugar

And one of these options:
2 Corns on the cob - cooked and cut off the kernels
1 can Corn
1-2 c frozen Corn

Mix dry ingredients. Mix all the rest including the corn.
It makes either 9 inch pan or 12 Muffins.

Easy peasy. My kids love them

Butter Bean Mushroom Salad

1/2 sm bag of dry large white Lima/Butter beans (I'd say you could use 2 cans as well)
1 large pck of Mushrooms - slice
6 pc Green Onions
1 c chopped parsley or cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 c olive or flax seed oil
1 Lemon - juiced

Soak the beans over night and cook al dente. Those type of beans overcook easily as I learned the hard way. 40 minutes might be enough. Watch it closely.
Slice the mushrooms and slightly saute for about 3-4 minutes.

Chop the green onions and parsley. Put in a large bowl and mix with all remaining ingredients together.
Drizzle with the oil and lemon juice
 
We eat it warm. Great with warm whole grain pitta bread. Enjoy :-)