Recipes: Tea, Quinoa Salad, & Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

Tulsi, Mint and Lemon Verbena Tea Recipe

• Take the leaves of any mint, a couple of sprigs of lemon verbena or lemon balm, and a long flower or a few leaves of Tulsi.

• Place them all in a teapot. Bring water to the boil and pour over the herbs.

---

Fairy Tale Eggplant and Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Spiced Yogurt

Ingredients:

Spiced Yogurt

• ½ cup plain yogurt (I use low-fat or whole milk yogurt)

• 1 clove garlic, mashed

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

• ⅛ teaspoon salt, or more to taste

• pinch of cayenne to taste

• pinch of cumin to taste

Quinoa Salad

• ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well

• 2 cucumbers, halved lengthwise and chopped

• 1 cup cherry or mini heirloom tomatoes, halved

• 2 green onions, sliced, including some of the green

• ¼ cup chopped parsley

• 1 can (1½ cups) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• crumbled feta, to taste

Fairy Tale Eggplant

• ¾ pound fairy tale eggplant, halved

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil

• salt to taste

Directions:

- Combine all the ingredients for the spiced yogurt and mix well. Add seasonings as desired (I usually add up to ⅛ teaspoon each of cumin and cayenne pepper). Set aside in the fridge.

- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions and let cool.

- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables for the quinoa salad. Combine the cooled quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, parsley, and chickpeas.

- Make the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Add the dressing to the salad and toss well.

- Add the olive oil to a medium-large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fairy tale eggplants, cut side down. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until the eggplants begins to brown. Flip the eggplants and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the eggplant are tender.

- On each plate, arrange the quinoa salad, desired amount of eggplant, and sprinkle with crumbled feta and drizzle with spiced yogurt. Serve immediately.

NOTES

- If you anticipate having leftovers, leave the lemon and olive oil dressing for the quinoa on the side and toss it right before serving (otherwise the cucumbers will wilt).

---

Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

Save on Carbs with this Recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 medium – zucchini

• 1 pound – beef, ground, 95% lean

• 1/2 medium – onion

• 1/2 medium – bell pepper, red

• 2 medium – carrot

• 3 clove – garlic

• 15 ounce – tomato sauce

• 1 tablespoon – Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon – oregano, dried

• 1 teaspoon – basil, dried

• 1/8 teaspoon – salt

• 1/8 teaspoon – black pepper, ground

• 2 cup – cottage cheese, lowfat

• 1 large – egg

• 1/4 cup – Parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 cup – mozzarella cheese, shredded

OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup chopped – parsley, fresh

Directions

- Wash and cut zucchini into very thin strips. Line a colander with paper towels and place it in the sin

k. Place zucchini into the colander and salt generously. Allow zucchini strips to sweat for 30 minutes.

- Dice onion and red bell pepper (enough for 1/2 cup), grate carrots (enough for 1/2 cup), and mince garlic.

- Preheat oven to 350* F and grease a 9x13 inch pan.

- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef until cooked completely, making sure to chop into small pieces as you go. Remove beef onto a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

2 cup – cottage cheese, low-fat fat from the skillet, place back on the stove, and sauté the onion, pepper, carrot, and garlic until the onion is translucent.

- Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, spices, and the cooked ground beef back into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

- Meanwhile, mix cottage cheese, egg, and parmesan in a small bowl.

- Once the zucchini have sweat for 30 minutes, wipe clean and dry with a clean cloth. Place one layer of zucchini strips on the bottom of the greased pan.

- On top of the zucchini, spread half of the tomato-beef sauce. Then spread a layer of half of the cottage cheese mixture. Then sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once more: zucchini, sauce, cottage cheese, mozzarella.

- Place in the oven for 20 minutes at 350* F, then turn the oven to broil and crack the oven door. Allow the top of the lasagna to bubble and brown, watching carefully. Should take 2 minutes or less.

- Remove from the oven and allow to set for 20-30 minutes before serving.