Set the Table 2017 | Week 23

Rainbow Lasagna 

The ultimate leftover meal for busy, athletic families (not to mention a perfect way to use some farmer's market vege!)

1 large red onion diced

4 carrots diced

1 bunch rainbow chard (ribs diced, leaves roughly chopped)

1 small bunch parsley (stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped)

2 sweet peppers diced (I used red and orange)

2-3 T organic butter or ghee

1 lemon (zest + juice)

12 oz package of organic Italian blend cheese

8 oz shaved parmesan cheese

32 oz homemade or jarred tomato sauce 

1 package (no boil) gf lasagna noodles 

Sea salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, melt the butter of low-medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, chard ribs (not leaves yet), peppers and parsley stalks. Cook low and slow for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring until the onion is translucent, the carrots are soft and everything is starting to lightly and evenly caramelize. Add the chard leaves, parsley leaves, lemon zest and juice and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper. Taste and season more if needed. Remove from heat. In a large 9-13 roasting pan, begin layering your rainbow lasagna:

1. Thin layer of sauce on bottom of pan

2. Noodles

3. Rainbow chard spoonfuls (about 3-4 heaping tbsp's spread out over each noodle)

4. Shredded cheese + parm (a thin even layer)

5. Sauce (little tbsp dollops all over the cheese - Marbly-like)

6. Repeat 2x's

7. Last layer = noodles, sauce and cheese (there should be about 4 noodle layers in total)

Cover with tin foil (stick toothpicks in the top layer to keep the foil away from the melting cheese if necessary). Cook for 40 min at 350 degrees. Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes or until top layer is bubbling. Remove and let cool down for at least 15 minutes (otherwise you'll have a gooey mess when you cut into it). Enjoy or make this ahead for an easy dinner after a day at the ball fields! 

ps The leftovers are even better...

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• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles (some new, some repeated). 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My two go to's for meal planning organization (the grocery list app features are rad): 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App 2. Sarah's My New Roots Recipe App 

Week 23's Game plan:

• Taco Tuesday - Fabulous Fish Tacos
• Beef Banh Mi (Jamie app) or this Leftover Turkey Banh Mi using vegan liverwurst
• Cook out
• Multi-Veggie Slaw with Herby Yogurt Dressing (Jamie app) or this Sweetheart Slaw with Passion Fruit dressing
• Red Lentil Carrot Bisque (Sarah's app - Sorry, couldn't find anything close to link online.)

Wrap it UP with last week's action in Indiana with my Chimmie Laura! 

I'm not sure what I enjoy more: cooking in or eating out.

Close up shot of the Rainbow Lasagna soffritto (Italian spelling) or shall I say mirepoix?!

I love this article explaining "All About Mirepoix, Sofrito, Battuto and Other Humble Beginnings."

Set the table!!! I swear it makes the food taste better.

Last time Laura was out, she designed my table top:)

Yup, those are simple slices of bread, buttered up with garlic salt. So easy and the kids love it.

My "Hippie with a Benz" omelette at Cafe Patachou. I really love the "Cuban" too.

Poolside and body positive reading Shape Mag! After a decade of imperfect real food cooking + eating, I #lovemyshape in my 40's more than my 30's!

Cock-tailing and Carrot Cake-ing at Ocean Prime!

Christina and I created "Porked out Waffles" last year and won the Fresh Start Business Incubator Cook off. Here is my latest version! This time, without chutney and topped with shredded, slow cooked pork tenderloin (instead of grilled). SO GOOD. This may be my favorite version.

And yes, we went to Patachou again before we hit the road:)

Home again home again jiggity jig.

To the Mullies we go...

xoxoL

My Top 9 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
2. Stay on TOP of the global Food Revolution.
3. How to Cook With Oils.
4. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
5. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome at home. 
6. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut, your "second brain" happy + healthy.
7. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
8. 50 Years Ago, the Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists to Point Blame at Fat.
9. Kimbal Musk Says Food is the New Internet.