Mexican Lasagne

Mexican Lasagne is a family-favorite vegetarian dish. It's delicious served with guacamole.

Mexican Lasagna

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large zucchini, diced (about 2 - 3 cups)

2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed

1 cup frozen or canned corn

1 can (10 oz) mild red enchilada sauce

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

4 flour tortillas

1 - 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a 9"x13" baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, saute 5 minutes.  Add zucchini and cumin, saute 5 minutes, or until zucchini is crisp-tender.  Stir in tomatoes, beans, corn and enchilada sauce; bring to simmer.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
3. Put 2 tortillas in baking dish side by side so that bottom of dish is covered.  Top with one half of the zucchini mixture, then sprinkle one half the grated cheese.  Repeat another layer with two more tortillas, zucchini mixture, and cheese.
4. Cover with foil and bake 20 - 25 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.  Cool 5 minutes.

Berry Cobbler

 I've been picking wild huckleberries, blueberries, and salmonberries this week. The weather has been perfect for it - warm, dry, and sunny.
I rinse, freeze, and save most of my berries for fall and winter recipes,
and also make one of my favorite summertime dessert recipes . . .

Berry Cobbler
Serves 6

Ingredients:

Berry Filling:
4-6 cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Biscuit Topper:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup salted butter
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten

Instructions:

1. Mix berries, sugar, and cornstarch together in a round glass baking dish, set aside.
2. For biscuit topper, in a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Combine milk and beaten egg.
5. Add to dry mixture, stir just to moisten.
6. Spoon 6 mounds of biscuit topper onto berry filling.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes
8. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Beach Asparagus

Last week, my husband, middle son, and I walked out to a nearby beach to pick beach asparagus.  Beach asparagus is a perennial beach plant that grows along the sheltered shores and bays of Southeast Alaska.

Beach asparagus is harvested by cutting it at the base of the plant with a small knife, and collecting it in a plastic bag.  The beach was so peaceful and quiet that day.  The only sounds I heard were the caws of ravens.

Once home, the beach asparagus is rinsed, then blanched for about one minute, then rinsed again in cold water, and finally drained in a colander.  I then froze it in freezer bags.

 Beach asparagus is salty and slightly crunchy, and can be eaten raw.  In cooking, it is treated like a vegetable, and is delicious added to stir-fries, quiche, and salads.  It can also be frozen or canned for later use.

A very helpful book on the harvesting and cooking of beach asparagus, kelp, and other edible seaweeds of Alaska is Common Edible Seaweeds in the Gulf of Alaska by Dolly Garza.

***

Kitchen Note:  Blanching means to boil or steam a vegetable briefly, but not until it is fully cooked.  Blanching vegetables before freezing is an important step in the preservation process.  Blanching stops the enzymatic activity that decays vegetables.  These enzymes can survive freezing temperatures and continue the decaying process, even though the vegetable is frozen.  Preheating the vegetable in boiling water or steam kills off these enzymes.

Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies

My youngest son calls these my "vegan cookies", and they are, except for the addition of dark chocolate chips (although some brands of dark chocolate chips are vegan).  But, these cookies are egg and dairy free, and a nourishing little treat, especially if you add a handful of chopped nuts.  They are definitely yummy, and never last long!

Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients:

2 cups quick oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
rounded 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, and flaked coconut in bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix together until moistened.
5.   Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.  If the dough is still warm from the melted coconut oil, wait until it cools before adding the chocolate chips.
6. Place cookie-size balls on cookie sheet.
7. Bake 14 - 16 minutes, or until lightly browned.
8. Remove from pan, and let cool.

Recipe adapted from Beauty That Moves