Creamy Cheesy Lactose Free Sausage Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

1 head cauliflower, cubed

1 sweet onion, cubed

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. seasoning mix

1 stick unsalted butter

8 oz. lactose free cream cheese

16 oz. lactose free cottage cheese

2 oz. cheddar style vegan shreds

8 oz. mozzarella style vegan shreds

2 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

1 lb. large elbows

1. Saute onion, cauliflower, and seasonings in olive oil in large stock pot over low heat. Cook until softened.

2. Cook macaroni. Leave in water until ready to assemble Mac and cheese.

3. Meanwhile add sausage and butter and cook until sausage begins to brown.

4. Stir in cream cheese, cottage cheese, and “cheddar”.

5. Drain macaroni and combine with sausage and cheese sauce.

6. Spread in deep lasagne 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil. Top with “mozzarella”. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

7. Enjoy.

Cheesy Chicken Spinach Lasagne

My nightshade sensitivity makes lasagne with tomato sauce a thing of the past. My son’s lactose intolerance presents additional challenges. This yummy lasagne is safe for us both to eat!!

Before baking.

After.

1 large bag baby spinach

2 8 oz. containers lactose free or vegan cream cheese

1 c. diced onion

12 oz. cheddar style vegan cheese shreds

4 to 6 cups cooked shredded chicken

1 container 16 oz. lactose free cottage cheese

6 sheets fresh lasagne noodles

3 Tbsp. olive oil

Combine spinach, cream cheese, onion, and 8 oz of cheddar shreds in crockpot.

Cook on low 3 hours, stirring several times.

It’s ready when it resembles spinach dip.

In fact, you can use store bought spinach dip if you aren’t lactose intolerant!

Stir in chicken.

Coat bottom of 13×9 lasagne baking dish with olive oil.

Put 2 sheets of lasagne noodles in oil.

Top with half the spinach mixture and top with 2 more sheets of lasagne noodles.

Spread cottage cheese over noodles and top with remaining 2 sheets of lasagne noodles.

Top with remaining spinach mixture.

Sprinkle with remaining 4 oz. of cheddar shreds.

Bake at 325 F for one hour.

Enjoy. Great with garlic toast!

Mango Cake (Adapted from my mom Grace’s Apple Cake

It’s Mango season! My friend Danielle makes a mango pie she adapted from a peach pie recipe. So yummy. Lots of websites list mango upside down cake, which also sounds yummy. I decided to adapt my mom’s apple pie recipe to make a mango cake. It was a huge success!

Preheat oven to 350F

CAKE:

3 C. Flour

2 C. Sugar

1 C. Oil (I used coconut oil)

4 unbeaten eggs

1 tsp. Salt

7 Tbsp. Lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

1 Tbsp. Baking powder

FILLING:

4 C. Cubed mango

1/3 C. Sugar

1. Combine cake ingredients.

2. Put half of the batter in a 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil.

3. Top with mango mixed with sugar.

4. Spoon remaining batter over mangoes.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour.

Vegan Sausage With Mango Coconut Curry Lentils

Mangoes everywhere! It’s that time of year. I’ve been searching for recipes so they don’t go to waste, and came up with this winner!

1 large onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

1/2 C. chopped carrots

2 cloves garlic minced

2 Tbsp. Coconut oil

1 can whole coconut milk

1 packet Mantiou Thai Green coconut curry starter (or 2 Tbsp. Green Curry paste)

1 C. Green lentils

1 C. Water

3 mangoes, diced

6 vegan sausages, sliced

Cook onions, peppers, and carrots in Dutch oven in coconut oil until softened.

Add sliced sausage. Cook until browned.

Add coconut milk, curry, lentils, garlic, water, and half of the mango.

Cook in crock pot until lentils are tender. 4 hours high or 8 hours low.

Add remaining mango right before serving.

Serve over rice.

Super yummy!

Mango Ginger Peanut Shrimp

Another delicious dinner using sauce from Stonewall Kitchen.

4 lb .peeled, deveined shrimp

1\2 bottle Stonewall Kitchen mango ginger marinade

Marinate shrimp in marinade. Spread out on sheet pan. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until pink. Top with crushed peanuts (optional).

I served with rice and roasted veggies.

Balsamic Fig Salmon (or Chicken Thighs in the Oven with Veggies

This was seriously the best salmon I’ve ever eaten!

3 lb. fresh salmon

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 bottle Stonewall Kitchen Balsamic Fig Dressing

Marinate salmon and chicken in dressing.

Toss veggies with olive oil and seasonings.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Lay out on sheet pans and baking dishes and cook for approximately 30 minutes.

Super yummy!

Patty Melts

I love making patty melts for the family. I don’t love trying to cook 8 sandwiches. Making them the oven makes it all super easy.

I start by laying out the bread on the baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 400.

I cook the burgers on the stove top and the onions too.

I put the butter side down bread on the baking sheet and top it with cheese. The dairy-free cheese works the best because it doesn’t melt away to nothing immediately.

Stop it with the cooked onions.

Add the cooked Burger.

Put on the lid. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake 5 to 10 minutes more. Broil for a few minutes to make brown and crispy if necessary

I served these yummy Patty melts with a side of coleslaw and stuffed portobello mushrooms.

Bacon Veggie Quiche

I love making breakfast and brunch dishes on the weekend! Quiche is one of the family faves!

I buy ready made crust. This recipe makes 2 quiche.

The boys voted for bacon. I used a full pound. I cook it in the oven at 350F till brown and mostly crispy. It takes about 20-25 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

I’m using broccoli slaw for my veggies today. My Misfits order is late, so no onions to put in, but I made up for it with seasonings and garlic.

Once the veggies are soft, set aside to cool. Cut up the bacon and stir in with 1 c. shredded cheese (I used vegan mozzarella).

Divide the bacon, veggie, cheese mixture between the two pie plates.

Combine 10 eggs and 1/2 c. sour cream (I used Tofutti) and pour over filling. It comes to about 1 1/2 c. per pie.

Bake at 325F for 45 minutes or until set (knife comes out clean). Enjoy!!

The quiche pairs nicely with my new find “Wild Little Thing”. It’s is pink and has guava, hibiscus, and strawberry in it. Slightly sour ale. Yummy!

Creamy Cheesy Pesto Meatballs with Mac and Cheese and Mushrooms

I’m always on the lookout for an alternative to tomato based sauces, since I am nightshade sensitive. I love this creamy cheesy pesto and will make it again!

Homemade meatloaf style meatballs:

3 lb. ground turkey

2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish

2 Tbsp. pesto

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 egg

1/2 c. cottage cheese or ricotta (I use Lactaid for my lactose intolerant son)

1/2 c. seasoned Panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with coconut oil
3. Combine all meatball ingredients and shape into golf ball sized meatballs
4. Place in baking dish and spray lightly with coconut oil spray
5. Bake 40 minutes or until golden

Creamy pesto sauce:

8 oz. cream cheese (I used vegan)

1 c. cottage cheese or ricotta (lactose free or vegan)

2 Tbps. pesto

1 c. pasta water from cooking macaroni

1. Melt cream cheese in skillet
2. Add pesto and blend
3. Add cottage cheese or ricotta
4. Reduce heat to lowest possible setting while you cook your noodles

My favorite method for cooking pasta (thanks to Alton Brown)

Rather than boiling dried pasta, I rehydrate it!

1. Place raw noodles in large pasta pot and cover with cold water by about an inch.
2. Bring to a boil, being sure to stir as it heats up to keep the noodles from sticking together. As always, season your water with garlic and salt so it infuses into the noodles. It will take about 10-15 minutes for the noodles to be done. They will swell and absorb much of the cooking water. Reserve about a cup of the cooking water to loosen the creamy pesto sauce.
3. Add pasta water to pesto to loosen. Taste and add seasoning as needed.

Assembling the dishes to bake:

1. Spoon about 1 c. sauce over the meatballs in the baking dish, and roll to coat.
2. Top with shredded cheese of choice (I used vegan cheeses, mozzarella and parmesian types) to prepare to bake.
3. Combine remaining sauce with noodles and place in a second prepared 13 x 9 baking dish and top with shredded cheese.
4. Toss your favorite veggies (I used mushrooms) with oil and seasoning of choice. My go to is a seasoning blend that is actually a chicken rub.
5. Spread veggies on sheet pan.

All the dishes can go into the 375F oven for 25-35 minutes, or until veggies are desired tenderness and cheese is melted. Be sure to rotate halfway through for even cooking.

I served the mac and cheese on the bottom of the bowl, topped with the meatballs and mushrooms.

Totally yummy! This recipe is a keeper.

Stuffed French Toast

It’s been a while since I’ve made this. I won’t wait so long again. It’s too yummy and a huge hit with the kids!

2 loaves cinnamon raisin bread

2 – 8 oz. tubs cream cheese

1/2 c. Agave or sugar or other sweetener

1/2 c. Apple butter

12 eggs

2 c. Sweetened vanilla almond milk

1. Spray two 13 x 9 baking dishes with coconut oil spray.

2. Lay out bread slices in pairs to fit baking dishes.

3. Mix cream cheese and sweetener until smooth and creamy.

4 . Set too bread slices aside and spread each bread slice with cream cheese mixture and top bread slices with Apple butter.

5. Place too slice on each.

6. Make two batches of 6 eggs and 1 cup milk. Pour each over one of the baking dishes.

7. Bake at 350F for 30- 40 minutes until set. Broil a few minutes or until golden.

ENJOY!!