Eggplant Lasagna with Mushroom Ragu

This recipe is part of a two-part 3-course meal menu. Start with this Creamy Tomato Beet Soup.

Who doesn't love lasagna? Whether it's traditional with pasta and meat, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, you name it - it's a people pleaser and is super satisfying!

One of the most popular vegetarian, low-carb versions is substituting the pasta with eggplant. The vegetable cut into thick enough sheets (not too thick!) acts as the lasagna pasta sheets, and takes on whatever flavour you add to them like a sponge. Most people keep the meat, but I swapped that out for some baby Bella mushrooms, and it was just as delicious.

This a great main dish when you are hosting or looking for a tasty weekend dinner.

I also paired the lasagna with an easy Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad. Even though eggplant is a vegetable, you may still want to balance out the cheese with something green!

I also recommend pairing this dish with a bold, red wine like a cabernet sauvignon or merlot.

Ingredients

2 eggplants

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

9 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms ( a pack and a half)

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

3 spring onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon fenugreek powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 jar marinara sauce

2 tablespoon sherry or cooking wine

2 tablespoons Worcester sauce

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

Fresh parsley or basil

Instructions

Prepare the eggplant. Think of this like boiling pasta sheets before laying them into the baking pan to layer your lasagna. Pre-cooked eggplant will taste so much better seasoned and baked before assembly.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice off the tips of your eggplants, then slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices (or just thick enough to handle the layers on top).

Brush with olive oil, then season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes, until slightly browned and softened, remove from oven and set aside.

Make your ragu. In a saucepan, add the butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh garlic and spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the spring and red onions, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add in the mushroom, and sweat them out for about 5 minutes.

Add in the Worchester sauce, sherry, and marinara sauce, reduce heat from medium to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

While the ragu cooks, make the cheese filling. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the parmesan, ricotta, fresh herbs, salt, pepper, garlic and spices.

Once the ragu is done, assemble your lasagna! In a baking pan (I used 8 by 8 inches) spoon a level layer of the ragu, then layer the eggplant, ricotta mix, and mozzarella cheese on top. Repeat the process in equal parts each time. Your final layer should be mozzarella cheese which can melt on top, sprinkle some grated parmesan and fresh parsley if you care.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375F - you can cover the baking pan with foil if you like then broil at the end to melt or crispen the top.

Serve with the Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad!

Roasted Veggie Sheet Pan with Pan Seared Salmon

This recipe is part of a two-part 3-course meal menu. Start off with this Avocado and Strawberry Salad.

It doesn't get any more classic for dinner than a sheet pan with roasted vegetables, served with protein. You can choose to bake your salmon, but I wanted mine pan-seared with butter sauce!

Vegetable sheet pans are great during the week or whenever you are in a hurry but want something quick and delicious. You can also customize them and throw in a combination of anything you like.

If you are looking to pair your veggies with a protein, nothing beats a juicy fish fillet, in my opinion.

As for the vegetable selection, I used a number of my favourites, but of course, included red for a romantic valentine's flare given the timing in this case. Either way, you are getting a healthy selection of vitamins, antioxidants, and protein. If you are worried you won't get filled up, trust me, you will! The best part of it is you won't feel bad about an indulgent dessert.

Ingredients

2 salmon fillets with skin on (if you want to make it 4, double up the recipe accordingly)

4 tablespoons butter plus extra for butter sauce

Fresh thyme sprigs

2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon old bay seasoning

1 teaspoon fish spice

1 tablespoon black pepper

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Vegetable sheet pan:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 head cauliflower, chopped

1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly lengthwise

1 bunch tomatoes on a vine

2-4 red potatoes, quartered

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

4-6 red chilli peppers

2 red bell peppers, decored and sliced

2 tablespoon sherry

2 tablespoon Worchester sauce,

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon fenugreek powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

Get your vegetables cooking. Be sure to inspect and wash them, then remove excess water - you can use a salad spinner or a regular colander, then blot with some paper towels.

In a large bowel, add the prepare vegetables. 

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, sherry, Worchester sauce, garlic, salt, black pepper, coriander, paprika, fenugreek powder, and cumin. Whisk until evenly mixed, then pour over the vegetables. Toss and stir gently with a wooden spoon to evenly coat the veggies, then set aside for 10 minutes.

On a large baking pan lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking oil, layout your vegetables - colour coordinate to make it visually appealing! Bake in the oven at 350F for 30 minutes, checking periodically to turn over veggies to make sure they cook evenly on both sides and to the appropriate doneness - try not to overcook. 

While your vegetable sheet pan is in the oven, cook your salmon. (If you decide to bake your salmon, you can out the fillets in the oven with the veggies). 

Blot with paper towels to dry the surface to remove excess moisture - this will help you get a nice crispy sear. Season the fish with salt, pepper, garlic powder, fish spice, and old bay seasoning. 

In a non-stick pan, add the oil and heat on medium heat. Place the salmon skin down, cooking 5-6 minutes. Add the thyme, but garlic, then turn over the fillets.

Cooking for 2 minutes, then get to spoon and baste with butter sauce to finish cooking it for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat when cooked to your preferred doneness - at least 145F or flaky when you open along the grain with a fork - be sure to check the thickest part of the fillets.

Add a little more butter to the pan once the fish is removed to make more sauce, pour over the fish when ready to eat.

Serve hot with the vegetables and the remaining butter sauce. 

Creamy Tomato and Beet Soup

This recipe is part of a two-part 3-course meal menu. 

Check out the first starter, here: Avocado and Strawberry Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette.

Next to broccoli, I think tomatoes and beets cause some of the most polarizing responses. People either love them or hate them. Beets in particular warrant one extreme response or another. I was not a fan for some time, but they grew on me. Beets also happen to have incredible health benefits and can aid in weight management.

It turns out that combining the two not only helps your valentine theme colour-wise but also makes for a rich but light creamy soup!

Garnished with some cheese of your choice ( I used parmesan) and served with some fresh, hot bread, you and your loved one will be in for a treat to kick off the meal.

Beets have a subtle, earthy, slightly bitter, citrus-like flavour. The tomatoes have a bolder, overpowering taste, and you'll want to use fresh, ripe, sweet tomatoes to balance things out - but you'll be able to get both flavours. If you use unripe tomatoes, their tartness can overtake your soup, so keep that in mind.

I like to leave my soups slightly chunky for texture, but if you also want to make sure you're feeling the BEET, leave a couple of roughly cut pieces unblended!

Overall, even with the cream, you're going to get undertones of acidity and rich flavour, which deepen over time, so maybe make it the day before and leave it overnight. I would recommend consuming the soup in three days if sitting in the fridge for optimum taste!

This recipe may seem unconventional as far as soups go due to the pairing, but it makes for an excellent starter.

Ingredients

5 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

3 large beets, cooked

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup mirepoix (equal parts diced celery, carrots and onions)

2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped + extra to garnish

1 can coconut milk or 1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons Worchester sauce

2 tablespoons cooking wine

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons black pepper

1 teaspoon fenugreek powder

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

Instructions

In a large pot, melt the butter and olive oil, then add you're mirepoix, spices, salt, pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes until the mix begins to soften. Add the fresh dill, cook for another minute.

Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes, followed by the Roma tomatoes. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes begin to integrate with the rest of the mixture.

Add in the beets, cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add in the Worchester sauce, sugar, cooking wine, broth, and coconut milk. Stir until evenly distributed, then reduce heat and simmer on low for about 35-40 minutes with the lid on top. Stir occasionally, seasoning to taste in the final 10 minutes.

Season to taste again (i.e. add some salt, pepper, or spice to your liking as this can change as you cook).

Remove from heat and cool for about 5-10 minutes. Get your immersion blender or transfer to a blender and mix until you get your desired texture.

Serve hot with fresh bread, topped with sour cream, parmesan cheese, and fresh dill!