Vegetarian pastitsio
-
vegetable spray for cooking
- 12 oz Morningstar Farms Recipe Crumbles or similar product
- 1 cup onion, minced 8 oz tomato paste
- 1/3 cup of water to 1/2 cup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
- 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional
- 12 oz evaporated skim milk 1 can
- 4 teaspoons light butter or margarine
- 2x eggs lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9 “x 7” casserole or similar 11-cup deep with vegetable oil spray. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Spray a 9 “or 10” nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Sauté onion for 1 to 2 minutes; Add the vegetable protein crumbs and sauté for another 5 minutes or so. Add the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper and a little nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook for another minute or two. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni according to package directions for the minimum amount of time so they’re * barely * al dente. Drain under cold running water to stop cooking, then drain again. Return to the pot to cook pasta and mix with 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 or 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
Spray a saucepan with cooking spray. Layer half of the macaroni evenly in the bottom of the casserole. Spread the vegetable protein crumbs over the macaroni layer. Sprinkle in a little more cinnamon and 1-2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. Top with the remaining macaroni.
In a bowl beat the eggs lightly. In a small saucepan, heat the evaporated skim milk with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Beat half of the warm milk / butter mixture into the eggs, then return the egg mixture to the saucepan and beat with the rest of the milk.
Pour milk / butter / egg mixture evenly over entire casserole; it will not sit on top but will sink in, this is fine. Sprinkle the top of the casserole evenly with the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan.
Bake the casserole for 1 hour or until the egg mixture is firm and the top is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Note: I used regular Parmesan, not fat-free; Land O’Lakes Light Butter; Morningstar Farms brand vegetable protein crumbs (which, by the way, I thought were * much, much * better than Green Giant Harvest burgers for recipes).
This recipe was * excellent * and it wasn’t too complicated to make, even on a weekday night. I will definitely do it again; you can see it becoming a family standard. It is also something I would do for the company, for both vegetarians and meat eaters.
I must say that with a large pile of spinach and some French toast with roasted red peppers, this made for quite a hearty and satisfying feast. And it was * a lot * more food for not many more calories than a _Lean Cuisine_ or similar type frozen entrée.
NOTES: Serve with French bread and steamed spinach.
I found the original recipe in Sue Spitler’s 1001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes. But I made some changes, both in the ingredients and in the preparation. Mainly, I wanted to make the casserole in a smaller, deeper skillet, so thicken it more, and once I did, I thought I could get by with less custard topping.
I was very satisfied with the results and the whole family enjoyed it. I am posting both the original recipe and my adaptation here.
Low calorie fries
-
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled and washed
- 3 vegetable cooking sprays
- paprika – optional
- Salt
- Pepper
- celery salt – optional
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into wedges with a little peel on each piece. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain and dry the potatoes. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place the potatoes in a plastic bag or large plastic bowl with a tight-fitting lid.
Add oil and shake to coat the potatoes. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a cooking pan. Bake in preheated 450 ° F oven for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. For seasoning, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and your choice of paprika or celery salt.
Reduce the salt if you use celery salt. It is also good to sprinkle with chili powder just before the end of the cooking time.
