A yummy and healthy lasagna that’s also vegetarian! I haven’t tried this with vegan cheese - if anyone does, please comment. This is a filling dish that won’t add on pounds!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup(s) tepary beans, rinsed and soaked
• 2-3 Cup(s) vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon(s) tbsp olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon(s) fennel seeds
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 8 Ounce(s) lasagna noodles, cooked
• 2 Ounce(s) fresh basil
• 2 Large onions chopped
• 32 Ounce(s) seasoned tomato sauce
• 4 Clove(s) garlic
• 1/2-1 Cup(s) grated mozzarella

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan combine the tepary beans, stock and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce the heat. Simmer until the beans are tender and the liquid is almost absorbed. Mash the beans and add the tomato sauce. In a large skillet cook the onions and garlic in olive oil for five minutes. Add the zucchini and cook 5-6 minutes. Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan. Place a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread half of the zucchini-onion mixture on top of the noodles. Pour half of the lentil-tomato mixture on top of the vegetables; place another layer of lasagna noodles and repeat the process. Cover the top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Recipe from: http://www.onlinegourmetstore.com/

photo credit: stu_spivack

Healthy and exotic, and one incredibly visually appealing meal.  Your dinner companions will swear a top chef is hidden in your kitchen with this one!

Ingredients:

• 4oz of Barn Goddess Goat Cheese–Garlic or Fiesta are best
• 4 bell peppers seeded and caps off
• brown rice simmered in tomato sauce until fully cooked
• ground beef ( optional)
• extra tomato sauce spiced as you like it

Directions:

In a bowl mix meat, beans, rice and a little tomato sauce.  Stuff each pepper and set upright in a pan for the oven or on top of the stove for slow simmer.Top with one ounce of goat cheese for each pepper. Fill bottom of pan to at least 1 inch level with tomato sauce. Place in oven or on stove top and bake/simmer until chilies are tender. Place under broiler to brown the top and cheese for a few minutes –5 is good.

Recipe from: http://chileacres.com

This recipe is great if you don’t need a lot of soup or if you are serving it as a side dish.  It’s proportioned out for a 2.5 quart crock pot.  If you have a larger crock pot and would like to make more, simply double the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb dried tepary beans (soaked over-night)
• 1 small potato (small-diced)
• 1 carrot (diced)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 stalk celery (diced)
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce (use a small can)
• 2 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 3 slices turkey bacon (cubed)
• 1 small dried chili (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Saute the turkey bacon until it’s soft but not crisp. Remove from pan and set aside. You will have very little grease from the bacon so add the vegan margarine to the fry pan and saute the carrot, onion and celery until tender crisp. Drain the Tepary Beans and rinse them well. Put the sauted turkey bacon, vegetables, beans, pepper and bay leaf into your crock pot. Fill to within 2 inches of the top with water. I considered using soup broth but remembered that tomato will inhibit the beans cooking, so water is a better choice here. Remembering this will bubble up so you don’t want to over fill the crock. It should take about 6-8 hours to cook the beans to the soft stage. If think you will need to cook the beans longer add your water at the beginning of the cooking cycle. After 6 or 7 hours check the beans for softness. If you are happy with them then add the tomato sauce and cook for 30 minutes more. Don’t add the tomato sauce before hand as it will stop the beans from getting soft.

Recipe from: http://www.recipezaar.com

photo credit: scottfeldstein