I had plans for today.
I had all kinds of intentions, then beautiful, wonderful life happened.
Mr. Easily-Absorbed-by-a-Project didn't come to bed until 4 am... rendering me nearly sleepless from 4 am until 7 am, when my alarm told me it was time to get movin'. I had a hike to lead. A hike with a really long hill. So I led that darn hike ... then promptly returned home fell asleep in the sun beam melting through my bedroom window. I felt a lot like this gal.
I had big plans for the gym this afternoon to do some arms and shoulders, as mentioned on good ol' Facebook.
And then this happened.
And now I'm seated on my squashy couch, feeling so overwhelmingly blessed I think my heart might spring a leak.
I made pasta from a recipe taught to me by a dear friend.
I sliced mushrooms.
I drank wine from a cocktail glass that was a housewarming gift from my last lifetime.
I made an oh-so-dangerous recipe pretty darn healthful and paired it with a beautiful salad made from my half-awake forage at the Farmer's Market this morning.
Make this recipe. Love. Hike. Nap. Drink wine. And remember how incredibly blessed you are.
Better Than Ina's Mushroom Lasanga
adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Ina Garten
Salt
3/4 pound Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles (I made my own and used them fresh)
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups skim milk
1/2 cup + 2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 pounds cremini
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
Optional: (1 cup thinly sliced chicken breast if you are or live with a carnivore
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large, wide (if you use a wide one, you can save a dish later and saute your mushrooms in the bottom of it) of water to boil with salt and a splash of oil, that will help keep your noodles from sticking together as they drain. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Make béchamel: Bring the milk and garlic to simmer in a saucepan, or heat it in your microwave, and set it aside. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for one minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour in the hot milk, a little at a time, stirring until combined. Add sea salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring or whisking frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Set aside.
Prepare mushrooms: Discard portobello mushroom stems and/or trim the ends of the cremini stems. Slice mushrooms 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan. Cook the mushrooms with a couple pinches of salt for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and release some of their juices, tossing to make sure they cook evenly.
Assemble lasagna: Spread some of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce (about 1/4 of what remains), 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/4 cup grated parmesan. Repeat two more times then top with a final layer of noodles, your remaning sauce and last 1/4 cup of parmesan.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
12 servings - without chicken
Calories 195.5
Total Fat 12.0 g
Saturated Fat 2.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.4 g
Cholesterol 8.2 mg
Sodium 201.0 mg
Potassium 322.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14.3 g
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Sugars 1.2 g
Protein 9.5 g
12 servings -with chicken
Calories 217.2
Total Fat 12.3 g
Saturated Fat 3.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.5 g
Cholesterol 19.6 mg
Sodium 213.8 mg
Potassium 372.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14.3 g
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Sugars 1.2 g
Protein 14.0 g
(Nutritional Information calculated at SparkRecipes.com)
Geez that mushroom lasagna looks AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteHa, yeah, life... it does happen. But you know what, we are blessed. At least we can realize we are bless through life happening. ;)