Many people think Vegetarian Dish = Healthy.  WRONG!  There is not a single bit of healthy eating in this dish.  I successfully managed to take healthy vegetables and turn them into an unhealthy slice of heaven.  My mouth is watering as I think about how tasty this veggie lasagne dish is.  Try it for yourself & let me know what you think.  This dish pairs well alongside a bottle of wine…white or red – to share or not to share!

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

Fresh Baby Spinach
medium white onion
1 red pepper
2 zucchini
1 pint mushrooms
1 can artichoke hearts (packaged in water)
1/2 cup pesto sauce – I like Buitoni
Salt & Pepper
4 T. Olive Oil

Cheese Mixture:

2 c. ricotta cheese
1 bag mozzarella
1 cup parmesan – I prefer shaved
1 T crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup green onions
3 T granulated garlic
1 egg

Alfredo Sauce:

2 c heavy whipping cream
8 T butter
4 T granulated garlic
8 oz cream cheese
6 oz Parmesan cheese
1 t. Crushed Red Pepper

Don’t Forget:
24 oz. grated Mozzarella Cheese
Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley – chopped
1 box Lasagna Noodles – I use the Barilla, NO BOILING Required brand.

Instructions:

Cooking Veggies:
Set spinach aside. Chop all veggies into bit size pieces. Sautee with 4 T. Olive Oil until tender – approximately 15 mins. Turn heat off and toss with your pesto sauce.

Cooking Alfredo Sauce:
Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add cream, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with cream if cooked too long.

Cheese Mixture:
Chop green onions. Toss into a bowl with all of your ingredients: ricotta cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes, granulated garlic, egg

Assembling Your Lasagne:
Grease baking pan. Assemble the lasagna by ladling about 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 13×9″ baking dish. Lay three or 4 of the lasagna noodles over the sauce and top them with about 1/3 of the veggie mixture. Layer with about 1 cup of fresh baby spinach. Top with about 1 cup of the sauce and about 1 cup of the shredded cheese.

Make two more layers of the lasagna by laying down three lasagna noodles, about 1/3 of the veggie mixture, 1 cup of the sauce and about 1 cup shredded cheese for each layer. Top the lasagna off with the last three noodles, the remaining sauce, and the remaining shredded cheese.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the lasagna for 60 minutes nat 350. Remove the foil from the baking dish and bake another 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley, granulated garlic, salt, & pepper!

Happy Eating my friends!  Share your thoughts below…

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This is a crock pot recipe that I am cooking a day in advance.  Tomorrow, I plan to make Cuban Pork Sandwiches (recipe coming soon).

Ingredients:
4 – 5 lb pork shoulder
3 t. Cumin
1 t. ground black pepper – coarsely ground
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
5 garlic cloves – chopped
2 t. salt -I like to use Kosher salt
2 t. dried oregano
1/2 c. orange juice
1/3 c. dry sherry
2 T apple cider vinegar
3 T lemon juice
3 T lime juice

Preparation:
Throw into your crockpot and cook until the pork is tender enough to pick with a fork. You want it to look like shredded BBQ!

Serving Suggestion:
Cuban Pork Sandwich — recipe coming soon!

What is a Cuban Sandwich?  
A Cuban sandwich is a variation of a ham and cheese originally created in cafes catering to Cuban workers in Cuba and in the early Cuban immigrant communities of Florida: Key West and Ybor City, Tampa.  Later on, Cuban exiles and expatriates brought it to Miami where it is also still very popular. The sandwich is made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread.

Here is a melt in your mouth Greek Turkey Burger. This recipe is a low fat version of the typical beef burger. The combination of flavors will pop in your mouth.

Sorry no picture.  This is an older recipe.  I plan to make this very soon and will post a picture when I do.  If you try this recipe, feel free to send me a photo & I will post it!

Ingredients:

Crusty Hard Rolls
1 pound of ground Turkey
1/2 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
3 T. Olive Oil
2 T. Garlic, minced
3 T. Oregano, chopped
Juice of 1/2 real lemon
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Red Onion, sliced (garnish)
Lettuce, shredded (garnish)
Tomato, sliced (garnish)
Cucumber, sliced (garnish)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*
2. Crumble your feta into small pieces
3. Chop your garlic and oregano
4. Mix ground turkey with feta cheese, garlic, oregano, and salt & pepper. Be sure not to overmix, or your patties will become tough like a sponge. Form into patties.
5. Place olive oil into medium high heated skillet. Add turkey patties. Cook until they reach an internal temperature of 180*. Be sure to flip so both sides brown. Once complete, squirt the juice of 1/2 lemon all of them. Turn off heat & cover.
6. Toast your rolls in preheated oven. Remove when done.
7. Slice your lettuce, cucumber, onions, and tomatoes.
8. Assemble as you would a burger. (see condiment suggestions below)

Condiment Suggestions:

1. Kalamata Olive Spread – chopped kalamata olives mixed with cream cheese
2. Garlic aioli – mayonnaise, chopped garlic, and lemon juice

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Use this recipe on your website or newsletter. You MUST include the following: Bek Davis is a trained chef and a work at home mom. You can find more recipes, cooking tips on her highly recommended website: http://chefbek.com

Coming from a family of 7, my parents always bought in bulk to save money. Once per month, my parents would be in the kitchen whacking up whole chickens and separating them according to cuts of meat, and then throwing them in the freezer. My favorite part of the chicken was (and still is) the LIVERS!  My Dad would cook up the chicken livers for me, and I could eat them all day long – they were so good!  My Dad has never been known for his ‘healthy cooking’ methods. Of course, that is why his food is to-die for! On my quest to live a healthier lifestyle, I have altered his delish recipe to make it more healthy for my double chin and hips. With just 129 calories per serving, this recipe ROCKS!

Happy Eating!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken livers, rinsed and drained
2 medium sized onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup Sherry Cooking Wine
2 T. hot sauce (I like Louisiana Hot Sauce)

Preparation:
Wash and drain the chicken liver. Set aside.
In a skillet, over medium heat, sauté the onions in Olive Oil & let them first get translucent, then golden, then light brown. Turn the heat to very low.
Add your Sherry, Hot Sauce, and Chicken Livers
Cook on low until your chicken is cooked. (about 20 mins)

Nutrition:
Serves: 6
Serving Size: 3 oz
Calories: 128
Fat: 4g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 1g
Sodium: 190g

I would LOVE for you to share your Chicken Liver recipe!

This is a great low calorie and low fat recipe.  It goes great with pasta, chicken, or some crusty french bread.  Let me know how you use this sauce.  I personally like to pour a glass of red wine and dip my bread into the sauce.  YUMMY!

Ingredients:

2 T Olive Oil
1 large White onions
3 Fresh garlic cloves
5 Fresh Tomatoes (large)
1/2 C Fresh Oregano
1/4 C Fresh Rosemary
3/4 C Fresh Basil
1/2 C Red Wine

Instructions:

• Sautee’ sliced garlic and sliced onions in Olive Oil
• Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil
• Place the tomatoes into boiling water and cook them until the outer layers of skin/peel begins to crack. (aprox. 2 mins.)
• Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water as soon as the cracks appear and place into ICE BATH to stop the cooling process
• Once cool, remove the peel/skin with your hands and remove the green stem area – Chop tomatoes .
• Add tomatoes into garlic and onion mixture
• Chop fresh herbs
• Add Rosemary and Oregano to tomato mixture (reserve the basil)
• Add 1/2 cup of red wine to mixture
• Simmer for 20 – 30 mins.
• Add chopped basil
• Salt and Pepper to taste!

I LOVE Broccoli Cheese Soup.  It is such a comfort food that I crave.  This is a low calorie version of a classic.  Serving up 181 calories per 2 cup serving makes me a happy camper.  The only downfall…sodium – 1089g per serving.  This is a soup you would have to plan into your daily menu.  Enjoy and let me know what you think, or any questions you may have.  Be sure to send this recipe to a friend!

Ingredients:
8 C – Butterball Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth 99% Fat Free
2 bunches – Fresh Broccoli (cooked and pureed)
2 t – Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
4 oz. – Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
2 C – White Onion (chopped)
2 T – Olive Oil
2 T – All Purpose Flour

Instructions:

1. Throw your broccoli into a pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until the broccoli is almost tender – about 20 mins.
2. Add olive oil, crushed pepper flakes, and chopped onions to a large pot. Cook onions until tender.
3. Add flour and mix well so onions are coated in flour
4. Add chicken stock and mix well to prevent from clumping
5. Add broccoli (if you have a Bermixer / Immersion Blender, you can add the borccoli whole.  Other wise, you will need to puree it with some of the stock mixture prior to adding it to the pot)
6. Add your cheese
7. Simmer on medium low for about 20 mins.
8. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestion: (adjust calories accordingly)

• you can omit the cheese for a healthier soup
• use light velveeta for fewer calories
• you can make this with spinach instead of broccoli
• use a bottle of stout beer in place of a can of broth
• sprinkle with grated cheese
• serve with a slice of crusty bread

Nutrition:
Serving Size: 2 cup
Calories: 181
Fat: 7g
Protein: 10g
Fiber: 6g
Sodium: 1089g

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef (I use 97% fat free)
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 poblano pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped
1 can black beans (l use cuban style)
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 can stewed tomatoes – mexican style
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (I like to use low sodium)
1 pkg. original hidden valley ranch dressing (dry)
2 1/2 cups water or more, to make soup broth

Preparation:
Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 30 mins.

Serving Suggestion:
add chopped cilantro
add fresh avocado
sprinkle with grated cheese
add a dollop of sour cream
serve with tortilla chips

Nutrition:
Serving Size: 1 1/3 cup
Calories: 215
Fat: 5g
Protein: 25g
Fiber: 2g

Greek salads are super tasty and easy to make. This is one of my favorites. I remember when my Mom would make this for us growing up. The combination of the feta, olives, and red onions is the BEST!

2 cups mixed greens
1/4 cup Feta cheese
1/2 cup garbanzo beans (optional)
1/4 cup black olives
1/4 cup sliced cucumbers
1/8 cup sliced red onions
1/2 green pepper (sliced)
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Serve with grilled chicken, pita bread, bagel chips, or fresh bread.

This is a fresh, crisp salad that is also good for the heart. This tasty salad goes well with just about any meat, poultry, fish or pasta dish.

Recipe:

1 red Pepper
1 Yellow Pepper
1/2 Cucumber
1/4 Red Onion
1 C. Black Olives or Green Olives
4 Roma Tomatoes
3 T. Chopped Garlic
1/2 C. Fresh Herbs
1/2 C. Baslamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

Chop and slice all of the above vegetables to desired size. Add Baslamic Vinegar and salt & pepper to taste. Throw into an airtight container. Allow to marinate for at least one hour in the refrigerator.

Make this salad about you, and your love of fresh vegetables. I tend to slice all of mine into julienne strips. But what works for me may not work for you.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve over a bed of cold pasta.
Serve over a bed of fresh greens.
Serve with grilled fish or poultry.

Tips From Chef Bek:

- The longer your salad marinates, the better the flavor.
- Julienne: Slice vegetable into 2-inch x 1/4-inch slices. Stack the slices and cut into lengthwise 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch strips.
- When chopping garlic, toss about 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt into the mixture. This will keep your garlic from dancing around the cutting board.

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked pasta (be sure to use a fun shape)
1 large zucchini – sliced
1/2 cup red onion – sliced
3 T fresh garlic – chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Italian sausage links – sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup green onions
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
Pasta: Cook pasta according to package. Drain. Set aside.
Italian Sausage: Cook Italian Sausage until done. Set aside until it is cool enough to touch. Slice into bite size pieces.
Herbs & Vegetables:

• Zucchini – wash, slice into bit size pieces
• Red Onion – peal, slice
• Fresh Garlic – peal, chop
• Frozen Peas – soak in warm water until no longer frozen, drain, set aside
• Fresh Basil – wash, chiffonade (see tip below)
• Green Onions – wash, slice into small pieces

Instructions:

1. Heat a pan large enough for all of the above ingredients. I tend to use the stock pot I boiled my pasta in. Throw in 2 T. olive oil, zucchini, red onions, garlic, and Italian sausage. Saute’ until zucchini is tender.
2. Once tender, toss in all of your herbs and vegetables, and the remaining olive oil.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
5. Enjoy!

Tips from Chef Bek:

• White pasta can be substituted for wheat.
• Dried basil can be substituted for fresh. (when using fresh herbs in a recipe, use 3 times as much as you would use of a dried herb)
• Chicken broth can be substituted for the oil which goes into the pasta once tossed.
• Cooking spray can be substituted for the oil you saute’ your vegetables with.
• Turkey sausage is a great substitute for pork Italian sausage.
• Basil Tip: Chiffonade – To slice an herb or leafy vegetable into thin strands. Best way to accomplish is by stacking herb directly on top of each other, then rolling the leaves and slicing.