The Real Lane Recipes

Featured

Posted on September 24, 2011 by The Real Lane

I never used to enjoy cooking. It wasn’t until I reached 198 pounds by the end of my first pregnancy that I realized if I was ever going to lose the weight, I had to learn to cook well and enjoy it. Now, 80 pounds lighter, I have discovered a passion I never knew I had. I LOVE to cook and I especially LOVE to eat. If you do too, then you’re in the right place!

Many people associate food with negative feelings about their body and a negative self image and it doesn’t have to be that way. Food is great and it should be a positive experience to cook and eat it. There isn’t a need to count calories or nag yourself constantly. Eat healthy most of the time and that occasional candy bar or bowl of ice cream isn’t a big deal. Food is a huge part of life and we all need to learn to enjoy it!

Here you will find all vegetarian recipes. They are mostly healthy (or at least healthier,) but of course, there are some exceptions. Also, I can very rarely make a recipe exactly as is. I am always modifying other people’s recipes in order to make them taste exactly the way I want them to and I encourage you to do the same with mine. I do, however, think mine are perfect just the way they are, but it’s probably safe to say that I’m a little biased. If you do make changes, I would love to know, so I can try it. Please leave comments! Thank you and happy eating!

Greek Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Posted on September 13, 2011 by The Real Lane

This is WAY better than your average grilled cheese sandwich! It has such a tremendous amount of flavor, you are bound to say, “WOW!” It is super easy and fast to make, so it’s perfect for a quick lunch. If you want something more filling than just a sandwich, it pairs very nicely with a chunky tomato soup. This recipe makes 4 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

8 slices of wheat bread
1 small red onion, sliced (about 1 C)
1 medium tomato, cut into chunks (about 1 C)
1 1/2 Cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil
1 small clove garlic, minced
butter (for the bread)
1 Tbs olive oil

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onions and cook until beginning to brown and tender.
While the onions are cooking, butter one side of each slice of bread. In a frying pan, toast the buttered side of each slice of bread until golden brown. Set aside.
When the onions are done, add the garlic and tomato chunks and cook 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Add the basil and combine. Add the feta and cheddar cheese and cook just until melted.*
Put the cheese mixture immediately onto the bread slices and enjoy!

*Note: Be careful not to let the cheese melt in the pan for too long or the mixture will turn soupy!

Mango Pancakes

Posted on September 12, 2011 by The Real Lane

Having pancakes for breakfast is so traditional in so many homes, but no one wants the same, exact thing over and over, right? Here is a new twist on an old favorite. These Mango Pancakes are light and refreshing and beautiful too! I have never been a huge fan of eating mangos straight, so I am always using them in recipes to add that subtle, sweet flavor that makes me think of beaches and sunshine. They are a perfect match with pancakes and a tasty change from the usual.

Ingredients:

2 or more large mangos

Pancakes:

2 eggs
1/2 Cup milk
3/4 Cup mango puree
2 Cups Bisquick

Syrup:

3/4 Cup mango puree
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
pinch of cream of tartar

Directions:

First, peel and slice your mangos. Put them in a blender and blitz them until they are totally smooth and you have a mango puree.
For the syrup: In a small saucepan, over medium heat, mix the mango puree and sugar. Bring it to a boil and boil for 10-15 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and add the cream of tartar, mixing well. Place back on heat for an additional minute or two. (More cream of tartar can be used to thicken the syrup even more, but remember that it will continue to thicken as it cools.)
For the pancakes: Mix the eggs until frothy. Add the mango puree and milk, mix well. Add the Bisquick, mix well. Add more milk if necessary to achieve desired pancake consistency. Cook as you would any other pancake.

Lane’s Healthy Granola!

Posted on September 11, 2011 by The Real Lane

This is one of the best recipes EVER! I credit this granola recipe with helping me lose 80 pounds! It is filled with healthy ingredients and it’s a much better option than almost any snack you can find at your local grocery store. It is sooo good and it really couldn’t be easier to make. It is perfectly crunchy, nutty and flavorful with just the right amount of sweetness that adults and children alike will love!

This granola is a fantastic, protein and fiber-packed snack on the go. It’s delicious as breakfast with yogurt and fruit. You can also eat it as a cereal with milk. It stores really well in a tightly sealed container for a very long time, although I doubt it will last without being eaten!

It adapts beautifully to changes depending on your specific tastes. Try different nuts, sweetened applesauce for a sweeter granola, cooking it for less time if you want it soft, adding dried cranberries (as pictured) or other dried fruit, if you must have chocolate, add chocolate chips, roasted peanuts, etc. Depending on what you add, you might end up reducing how healthy it is, so bear that in mind when making your choices.

Ingredients:

4 Cups old-fashioned quaker oats
3/4 Cup finely ground flaxseed
3/4 Cup wheat germ
1/2 Cup sunflower seeds
1/2 Cup sliced almonds
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts
1/2 Cup chopped pecans
dried fruit (optional)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 Cup honey
1/2 Cup all-natural, unsweetened applesauce
1/4 Cup + 3 Tbs homemade maple syrup*

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Set aside.
In a very large bowl, combine the rolled oats, flaxseed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Mix well and set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vanilla, applesauce, honey, and 1/4 Cup homemade maple syrup. Mix well and bring to a boil. Add the salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger and mix well. Boil for 5-10 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
Pour the sauce mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until evenly coated. Add the 3 Tbs of homemade maple syrup and mix well. Spread the granola evenly onto the baking sheets and press down firmly as if you were going to make it into bars.
Cook for 10 minutes. Take the granola out of the oven and using a spatula, flip it in sections and then press down again. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until you can tell that it is slightly crunchy on the outside and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.** Enjoy!

*Note: Check out my recipe for amazing Homemade Maple Syrup here!

*Note: When your granola is cooling is when it will get crunchy. Don’t attempt to cook it until it’s perfectly hard and crunchy or you will burn it. Also, don’t break it apart before it’s cool or it won’t clump properly.

Lentils and Veggies with Feta and Couscous

Posted on September 4, 2011 by The Real Lane

This is a really warm, tasty crockpot/stove recipe. The tender, flavorful vegetables and lentils served over soft couscous and topped with feta is a delicious, filling meal packed with vitamins. It is a very low calorie dish with tons of flavor and no guilt! The recipe lends itself well to changes if there are ingredients you don’t have on hand or don’t like, feel free to experiment. I recommend serving it with sourdough, italian or some other type of herby bread.

Ingredients:

3 Cups cubed squash (mix & match different kinds)
2 Cups cubed potatoes
1 1/2 large white onions
3 Cups chopped tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs chopped green onions
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
14 oz can vegetable broth
3/4 Cup dried lentils
3 1/2 Cups water
1 1/2 Cup dried couscous
feta to sprinkle over the top

Directions:

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the dried lentils and cook at a low simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
Place the squash, potatoes, tomatoes, both kinds of onions and garlic into the crockpot and mix well. Add the vegetable broth.
In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, allspice, salt, pepper and fresh basil. Add to the crockpot and mix well.
When your lentils are done, drain them, saving the liquid, and add them to the crockpot. Mix well. Add 1/2 Cup of the liquid from the lentils and discard the rest.
Cook on high for 1 hour and then on low for an additional 5-6 hours or until all the vegetables are tender.
When your vegetables and lentils are done cooking take out 1 1/2 Cups of liquid from the crockpot and bring it to a boil in a saucepan. Add the couscous, remove from heat, cover and let sit until all the liquid is absorbed (approx 4-5 min.) Fluff it with a fork before serving.
Serve the vegetables and lentils over the couscous and top it all with feta. Enjoy!

Summer Squash Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on September 1, 2011 by The Real Lane

As the name implies, this is a cake made with summer squash and it’s coated with a tangy cream cheese frosting. The squash is not only a health benefit, but it also makes the cake moist and gives it the perfect texture: springy with just the right density. Mmmm. It almost melts in your mouth, especially with the cream cheese frosting, which is so creamy and smooth.

As cakes go this one is pretty healthy with the addition of the flax seed, applesauce and squash. The only thing that is not very good for you is the amount of sugar in both the cake and the frosting, but I’m going to try a couple things next time around to see if I can improve that. In the meantime, I recommend giving this cake a try and feel free to use your favorite summer squash, any variety will work! My personal favorite is yellow crookneck.

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 Cups grated summer squash (pat dry if really wet)
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 Cup+2 Tbs all natural no sugar added applesauce
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup flaxseed

Frosting:

1 8 oz pkg low fat cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 Cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 cake pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs until frothy and add the applesauce, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Mix well.
In a medium bowl, combine the wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseed, salt, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Add the summer squash and mix well.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees and continue cooking until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
While the cake is cooling, mix together all the ingredients for the frosting. You can add more powdered sugar (or less) depending on how sweet you want the frositng to be and how thick.
Frost the cake and eat it! Enjoy!

Sharee’s Guacamole

Posted on August 31, 2011 by The Real Lane

This is my sister-in-law’s recipe for guacamole and it’s fantastic! It is extremely easy and quick. I would recommend mixing this up just before serving, so it doesn’t go brown, because once it does it looks less appetizing. For a clever presentation, if you’re serving it plain, scoop it into the hollowed out avocados.

Ingredients:

4 avocados
1/4 Cup salsa (your favorite brand)
1 lime
pepper
salt

Directions:

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Scoop out the flesh into a medium sized bowl and mash. I like to leave it somewhat chunky.
Add the salsa and lots of pepper. To quote my SIL, “Lots of pepper is the key to good guacamole.” Add salt and the juice of the lime to taste. I usually use most if not all of the lime, because I love the flavor it adds.
Enjoy!

PB & Honey Snack

Posted on July 13, 2011 by The Real Lane

This is something I have been making for years. It’s really, really easy and fast to make and it’s healthy too! It’s packed with protein and the honey is a natural sweetener, so you don’t have all the added refined sugar. It sounds like a kids snack, and it is a great healthy alternative to many of the snacks you can buy, but I dare you to find an adult that doesn’t love it too! Both my husband and my 16 month old daughter devour this!

You can eat it in a variety of different ways. You can take the basic recipe and make 12-15 balls and roll them in different “toppings.” Pictured are balls rolled in wheat germ. I have also like them rolled in different ground nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, any type of nut works well. I have even rolled them in flaxseed, which my daughter loves. If you are going to roll them, put the mixture in the fridge for a few minutes and they will be easier to shape. Also, refrigerate them after rolling them into balls to make them easier to eat with less mess.

Another of my family’s favorite ways to eat this is sandwiched between graham crackers. Mmmm…. graham cracker PB & Honey sandwiches are soooo good! Just take the mixture and press it between two graham cracker halves. This is easier when it’s at room temperature.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 Cup honey
3/4 Cup powdered milk

Directions:

Mix the peanut butter and honey until creamy. Add the powdered milk and mix thoroughly.
Enjoy!

I have to give credit to my brother. He originally created this mixture out of snack desperation and I simply made it into an official family snack, with many variations. Thanks!

Easy, Hearty Vegetarian Stew

Posted on June 19, 2011 by The Real Lane

This recipe is so incredibly easy and it is super filling and hearty (hence the name.) Just chop up the vegetables and walk away! It is very healthy for you and you wouldn’t know it just by the flavor. It is filled with all those really healthy, colorful vegetables that contain lots of vitamins and nutrients. 100% guilt free!

I made this when I needed to use up a bunch of vegetables I had on hand and it turned out so yummy. My husband was skeptical when he saw me randomly adding things, but he hailed this as one of his “favorites” so far. Most of the time we think of stew as having lots of meat and this really doesn’t need it! I was pleasantly surprised by how filling and “cozy” this was. It is really good served with bread and butter. I served it with sourdough and the flavors blended nicely. I can’t wait to make this on a cold chilly night this winter!

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes
10 small potatoes
1 large onion
2 celery stalks
3 large carrots
4-5 garlic cloves
2 Cups chopped spinach
1 1/2 Cups chopped red, yellow and orange bell peppers (green would be good too!)
1/2 Cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste*
shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Chop the potatoes, carrots and celery into chunks. Chop the tomatoes into very large chunks. Chop the onion and garlic cloves.
Mix everything and place in a crock pot. Cook for 1 hour on high and then 4-5 on low or until vegetables are tender. OR Cook on low 7-8 hours or until vegetables are tender.
Serve topped with lots of parmesan cheese and bread and butter.
Enjoy!

*I purposely didn’t add a bunch of spices, as I feel the vegetables add plenty of flavor and I didn’t want to mask the taste. However, if you feel it’s too bland, feel free to add your favorite spices. I also thought how tasty fresh basil would be in it!

Spiced Baked Apples

Posted on June 9, 2011 by The Real Lane

I needed a way to use up a bunch of apples that I got through a food co-op. They were all bruised, but still good, so I made up this recipe. Every time we have a bunch of apples my husband begs me to make these. My little 1-year-old loves them too! They are really good and pretty healthy. The only bad thing for you is the sugar, but most of it melts into the bottom of the casserole dish anyway. Give them a try; I know you’ll love them! They are especially good with vanilla frozen yogurt or whip cream. You can serve them whole or cut them into slices as shown in the photo.

Ingredients:

6 apples
1/2 Tbs + 1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ginger
1/4 Cup lightly packed brown sugar + 6 Tbs separated
1/2 Cup milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Get out a round, 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
In a small bowl mix all the spices and the 1/4 Cup brown sugar. Set aside.
Peel and core all the apples. Roll each apple in the spice/sugar mixture and make sure they are coated thoroughly. If you have any remaining, rub it in the hollow cores of the apples.
Arrange them in the casserole dish. Fill each hollow apple with 1 Tbs brown sugar.
Pour the milk into the bottom of the casserole dish. Cook the apples, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes or until tender. (Baking time varies depending on the type of apple.)
Serve warm and enjoy!