Spinach Custard 1 lb spinach, coarsely chopped 3 Tbl chopped onions 1 cup yogurt dash nutmeg dash cayenne pepper 3 eggs, beaten 2 Tbl butter Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8-inch round baking dish. Combine spinach with onions, yogurt, nutmeg, and cayenne. Fold eggs into spinach mixture. Spoon into prepared baking dish, dot with butter, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. 4 servings. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Wheat Sprout Candy A healthful sweet that children enjoy. 1 cup wheat sprouts 1 cup walnuts 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1 cup raisins sesame seeds Put all ingredients except sesame seeds through a meat grinder, using the fine blade. Mix well in a medium-size bowl and shape into balls the size of marbles. Roll in sesame seeds and refrigerate before serving. Makes 30. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Spinach Lasagna Spinach Filling: 1 lb fresh spinach or 2 pkg (10 oz each) frozen spinach 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbl chopped fresh parsley 1 Tbl chopped fresh basil 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 cup wheat germ 2 cups tomato sauce 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste Cheese Filling: 1 lb ricotta cheese pinch pepper 2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced 1 cup tomato sauce To make the spinach filling: Cook or steam spinach until tender. Drain well, then place in a blender. Add garlic, parsley, basil, and oregano and process until mixed but not liquified. Combine wheat germ, tomato sauce, and tomato paste in a medium-size bowl. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend. To make the cheese filling: Mix ricotta, pepper, and parsley together in a small bowl. Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles side by side in baking pan. Using 1/3 of each amount, add a layer of spinach filling, ricotta filling, Parmesan, and mozzarella, in that order. Place 3 more noodles on top and repeat process until all ingredients are used, ending with mozzarella. Pour remaining 1 cup tomato sauce over all. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. Allow to stand for several minutes before serving, to set layers. 8 servings. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Zucchini Sauce There is a fresh and earthy character to this sauce -- a nice idea for using abundant zucchini. Try it over fettucine or spaghetti. 4 cups chopped peeled zucchini 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature 2 tsp lemon juice dash pepper 1 tsp soy sauce Steam zucchini for 5 minutes. Then drain thoroughly, place in a blender, and process to a coarse puree. Transfer puree to a small saucepan and place over medium heat until heated thoroughly. Whisk in butter, a little at a time. Add lemon juice, pepper, and soy sauce and stir to blend. Spoon over hot pasta. Yields 3 cups. Variation: Garden Vegetable Sauce: Add 2 large tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives to puree just before heating. Omit butter. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Cheese Filling For Pasta A simple, basic filling for lasagna, manicotti, ravioli, tortellini, or other stuffed pasta. 1 lb ricotta cheese 2 large eggs 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 Tbl chopped fresh thyme, basil, oregano, or a combination of these 1/2 tsp pepper In a large bowl mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon until well blended. Yields 2-1/2 cups. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Marinara Sauce 2 Tbl olive oil 2 small onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 2 small carrots, minced (about 1/4 cup) 1 large clove garlic, minced 1/4 tsp pepper, or more to taste 2 lb fresh plum tomatoes (8-10), peeled and diced, or 1 28-oz can Italian-style tomatoes 1 small bay leaf, crushed 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1 Tbl butter 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper 1 tsp grated lemon rind 2 Tbl minced fresh parsley Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions, carrots, and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add pepper, tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Puree mixture in a food mill or pass it through a strainer; discard seed residue. Stir in butter, red pepper, and lemon rind. Spoon over hot pasta and garnish with parsley. Yields 3 cups. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Pesto Sauce This flavorful and very aromatic sauce is a lusty, no-meat pasta topping that does not even need to be cooked. An easy favorite for a novice to make. A little goes far -- about 2 Tbl per serving. 2 cloves garlic, quartered 1-1/2 cups fresh basil (about 36 leaves) 1/2 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3/4 cup olive oil Using a large mortar and pestle pound garlic and basil to a rough paste. Add pine nuts and continue pounding until nuts are ground. Transfer to a bowl. Gradually blend in Parmesan. (Mixture will be fairly thick.) Then slowly stir in oil and mix until well blended. Thoroughly toss with hot pasta. Covered and refrigerated, it keeps well up to 1 week. Yields 2 cups. Variation: Parsley Pesto Sauce: Substitute fresh parsley for half or all of the basil. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Alfredo Sauce Fettucine is the pasta traditionally used with this flavored white sauce. Its origin is attributed to the chef of a modest trattoria in Rome, which grew into one of the most elegant and fashionable restaurants in the city on the strength of this sauce. 1/4 cup butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups heavy cream 4-6 oz Parmesan cheese, grated freshly ground pepper, to taste minced fresh parsley Melt butter in top of a double boiler or in a 1-qt saucepan over very low heat. Add garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes. (Do not allow garlic to brown.) Slowly add cream, stirring continuously with a wire whisk. Heat slowly for 15-20 minutes, or until sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat. Just before serving add Parmesan and pepper and toss with hot pasta. Garnish with parsley. Yields 2-3/4 cups. Variations: Before adding cream, add any of the following to garlic butter and cook until soft: 1 cup chopped mushrooms 1/2 cup minced onions 1/2 cup chopped green peppers -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Mixed Grain, Black Bean, And Mushroom Loaf For a meatless main course, try this tasty, nutritious loaf, complete with grains, legumes, vegetables, cheese and eggs. 3 cups poultry stock 1/4 cup millet 1/4 cup barley meal (whole barley coarsely ground in blender) 1/4 cup fine bulgur 1/4 cup rolled oats 2 Tbl corn germ (available in natural foods stores) 3 Tbl olive oil 1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions 1 clove garlic, minced 2/3 cup chopped celery 5 large mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1/4 tsp dried oregano 1/8 tsp dried rosemary 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 cup cooked black beans, drained 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 eggs, beaten butter minced fresh parsley Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bring stock to a boil in a 5-qt pot. Mix together millet, barley, and bulgur and slowly add them to boiling stock. Cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in oats and corn germ and set aside to cool. In a medium-size skillet heat oil and add leeks, scallions, garlic, and celery. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, herbs, and spices. Add vegetable mixture, beans, and cheese to cooked grains, then stir in eggs. Pack into loaf pan, dot surface with butter, and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving dish. Garnish with parsley and serve. 6 servings. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Tabbouleh Salad 4 cups boiling water 1-1/4 cup bulgur 1/4 cup dried navy beans, cooked and drained 3/4 cup chopped scallions or onions 3 medium-size tomatoes, chopped 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh mint or parsley 1 cucumber, chopped 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 tsp pepper salad greens Pour boiling water over bulgur and let stand for 1 hour, or until light and fluffy. Drain and press out excess water. In a large bowl combine bulgur with cooked beans and remaining ingredients, except salad greens, and chill for about 1 hour. Serve on plates lined with salad greens. 8 servings. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Wheat Berry, Spiced Cauliflower, and Onion Salad Prepare this salad a day ahead to allow the flavors to blend well -- but serve it at room temperature to bring out the taste of the spices. 1 head cauliflower (2-1/2 lbs), separated into small florets 2 tsp sesame seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp coriander seeds 3/4 tsp mustard seeds seeds from 4 cardamom pods 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl butter 2 large onions (about 1 lb), thinly sliced 1/2 tsp caraway seeds 1-1/2 cups yogurt 1/4 tsp pepper 2 cups cooked wheat berries 1 large bunch fresh parsley Steam cauliflower in a small amount of water about 5-6 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Rinse under cold water, drain, and set aside. Combine sesame, cumin, coriander, mustard, and cardamom seeds in a small heavy skillet, cover with a splatter guard, and place over medium heat until mustard seeds begin to pop. Transfer to a spice or coffee grinder, blender, or mortar and pestle and pulverize until fine. Set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat and then stir in onions. Cover pan and cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes, or until soft. Remove cover, raise heat to high, and continue to stir and cook onions about 10-12 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Add caraway seeds and reserved ground spices and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cauliflower and stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt and pepper, blend well, and refrigerate overnight. Next day, combine cauliflower mixture with cooked wheat berries and set aside to bring salad to room temperature. To serve, mince 2 Tbl parsley for garnish and arrange remaining parsley sprigs in a ring on a serving platter. Spoon salad onto center of platter and sprinkle with minced parsley. Do not chill before serving. 6 servings. -ROD --------------------------------------------------- Spinach, Mushrooms, and Brown Rice with Cheese Here is a fast, filling, and nutritious hot luncheon dish, or a side dish. 1 Tbl olive oil 3 Tbl butter 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1-1/2 lbs spinach, shredded (about 5 cups) 1/4 tsp pepper 1-1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz) 1/2 cup small-curd cottage cheese 3 cups cooked short grain brown rice 6 thin slices mozzarella cheese paprika Preheat oven to 400 F. Oil an 8-inch-square baking dish. Heat oil and butter in a 10-inch skillet. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add spinach and stir and cook about 2 minutes, or until spinach wilts. Stir in pepper, cheddar cheese, and cottage cheese and set aside. Make a layer of rice on bottom of baking dish. Spoon spinach-cheese mixture evenly over rice. Top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 8-10 minutes and then broil for about 1 minute, or until cheese is bubbly and brown. Cut into squares and serve very hot. 6 servings. -ROD