A Fail?

Last night I used coconut flour for the first time. I was a little nervous cause I heard it can be tricky to cook/bake with. It absorbs a lot of moister and you have to get the correct measurement or else it will fall a part or taste nasty.

I wanted to start slow.

I decided on Zucchini Pancakes.

I got the recipe from here.

Looks simple enough, right?

So I shredded my Zucc's and cracked my eggs. I made two batches of this so I just doubled everything.

Added the coconut flour, then added some salt and pepper.

I also added some cumin. I thought that would taste good with everything.
not a lot cause its pretty potent.

Here is what my consistency looked like.

Next, I heated up my skillet with some EVOO. 

I knew they needed to get brown and a wee bit crispy on each side, so I watched them like a hawk! Making sure they didn't burn. I tend to do this more often then not. 

This would be my, " I'm nervous about cooking new things", face.

I think it was about 3 minutes on each side. Flip 'em over and cook the rest of the way. 

They turned out way more egg-ie then I thought. I think next time I'll add less eggs. It came out almost like a frittata. Which isn't a bad thing. It just wasn't what I though they were gonna be. 

Next time I make 'em, I'll add more veggies and seasonings. They were a little on the bland side. I get so nervous about over seasoning that I tend to not add enough. Especially on something you can't taste test before you cook. You know I love eggs but I'm not a fan of salmonella poisoning. :)

Notice the healthy, grain free dinner with a jar of candy corn in the background?

Here's the finished product. Plated up with alfalfa sprouts and gorgonzola cheese. It would have been really good with a type on sauce on it. Or if you are like me, add some Ketchup. The gorgonzola cheese got all soft and somewhat melted over the pancake. YUM-O!!

So, it might have been fail if you look at the original recipe.
I'm not gonna say it was a complete fail cause it turned out pretty good.
Next time, they will be even better!
Onions and basil and garlic maybe? That sounds really good!

'Till next time
BB

Midwife Thursday!

If you haven't read my previous post, updating you, person I may or may not know in real life, on my life.

You would have missed that I am knocked up.

I'm with child.

A bun is in my oven.

My eggo is preggo.

Baby Bryant Number 4 will grace us with HIS presence January 2015.

I would have never thought in a million years that I, Brittany Bryant, formally known as Brittany Williams, would be the one to get married young and start a family so quickly....BUT I LOVE IT!
I would not trade it for all the gold in the world. Now, if someone offered me all the chocolate in the world, that's a different story. ;)
For real though, life can take you on a ride you never though was possible.

Why this post is called, Midwife Thurday is because I choose to use a midwife, rather then an OB/GYN. Some of you may have never heard of a midwife before. Like me, before I got knocked up with my first. I never heard of one. Is that like a sister wife or something?
Nope, they are not sister wives.
Midwives are trained professionals that have schooling and training on prenatal care and labor and delivery for mother and baby. They can work in hospitals with OB's or they can have their own Birthing Center, like the midwifes I use.

Free standing birthing centers like, Fruitful Vine Midwifery Center care for low risk pregnant woman who want a natural birthing experience. You have the option to birth at their birthing center or at your home.
I had my first son, Ezekiel, at their Birthing Center and LOVED it! I knew I wanted to have a natural birth. No interventions or drugs. That includes an epidural too, if you are wondering :)

My husband was a little on the nervous side to deliver out side of a hospital. He said, "That's just what you do. You get pregnant and you have your baby at the hospital."

Why?

Why do we HAVE to have our baby at a place that is for sick people? I'm not sick. I had a healthy, normal, low risk pregnancy. I was going to give birth. Not have an operation or deal with some type of sickness. For me, the hospital was not a place I wanted to have my baby.

Delivering at their center was like a happy medium for my husband and I. It has a very homey feel to it. Not like LL Cool J but like it's your very own home. Their Birthing rooms are set up like bedrooms. Queen size bed with a quilt and REAL pillows! No plastic covered things that deflate in two seconds once you lay your head on it. A night stand, where you can have your CD player or iPod playing sweet labor music for you. Birthing balls and birthing stools, that provide options for different positions while you labor and push your baby out. Windows with real curtains hanging up, A birthing tub with candles and other relaxing things around to help you focus on the task of bring your babe into this world. Pictures on the wall that have encouraging sayings or woman in labor doing exactly what you are doing. Reminding you that what you are doing is beautiful and strong. You can do it! You will fight for your babe. You will survive this race to meet your child.
It's just a beautiful and relaxing setting to have a baby in. No monitors beeping or nurses checking on you every 5 seconds. No IV in hand or arm  You can eat and/or drink while you are in labor.

WHAT?!?

Yup, that's right, no ice chips, unless that's what YOU want. And by drink, I mean water or tea or gatorade, not Sam Adams Pumpkin Ale or a jack and coke. Although that does sound good right now. :)

Food is energy! You need energy to labor and push that babe out.
I ate while I was in the birth tub, 8.5 cm's, about to push. I needed the energy. I didn't eat a lot but I did chomp on some oranges and drank a ton of water. I wouldn't have been able to do that in a hospital setting.
Everything they would do or have at a hospital, they have with them at the Birth Center. Or, if you are choosing a home birth, Like I did on my last two pregnancies, they bring it with them. Which I am VERY thankful for. I had some bleeding after Evey was born that was only stopped by Pitocin.  They injected it into my leg and my uterus started contraction right away.

They use Pitocin in hospitals mostly to induce labor and/or to get your contractions longer and stronger. Your body natural makes Oxytocin. Pitocin is a synthetic version of that.

I'm thankful for it cause it helped me stop bleeding. If I was in a setting that wasn't prepared, it could have been bad. BUT my midwives were prepared and ready to take action. They are always looking out for the well being of mother and baby. If something starts to look weird or they are noticing signs of distress, they have no problem transferring to a hospital where mom and baby can be closer examined. That brings me to my next thing.

I do NOT think hospital are bad places.

I am VERY thankful to have them. Both Midwives AND hospitals (OB/GYN's) need to work together. Because there are those times when an induction is necessary. Emergency Cesarian sections are needed. Having a problem with baby after delivery does happen sometimes and a hospital is the best place for that baby.

I choose to use a Midwife.
I choose to birth my babies at my home.

Is that a little crazy to some people? Yes.
Is it completely foreign to them? Yes.
Is it ok to birth in a hospital? Yes
Is it ok to know you options? Yes
Is it ok to pick what is best for YOUR family? Yes.

Research! Research! Research!

You have options.

Don't feel bullied into what everyone else thinks is best for you. Figure it out for your own family. That's all that matters. If you feel confident in that choice, then I say suck on a lime everyone else! It's your family. Not theirs.


On to my Midwife/Pregnancy update with Bryant #4.

As of today, I am 23.5 days pregnant. It is going pretty well, I think.
My baby boy is a whole pound now! About the size of spaghetti squash. YUM squash!

I have gained a total of 8 pounds. Which is REALLY good for me. Over half way there and I'm not a ballon yet. :)

I have to go through the holidays pregnant and that's when I'll load up the lbs.

Turkey, stuffing, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, ham, mash potatoes, gravy, rolls, more sweets and pies and deliciousness!! Oh my, I can feel my legs getting bigger by the second!!

Baby Kudos is moving like a crazy person and I LOVE it!
We haven't picked a name yet, so Kudos is a nick name right now. :)

Baby movement is something only I'll experience with this babe. Yes, people will eventually be able to see my belly move and even feel him move but only I can truly feel every movement. Blessing!

I have the normal aches and pains that come with pregnancy. Everything starts sooner with each pregnancy. Some things I'm experiencing now I didn't get until the very end with Zeke. Crazy!

I'm planning on doing a home birth again. Water birth if possible. It's just amazing laboring and giving birth in the water. It helps you relax and takes a lot of pressure off the belly. You become very buoyant and that makes your belly float too. :)

My next midwife appointment is the glucose test. One thing I LOVE about my midwife, is that I don't have to drink that nasty drink to test my glucose levels. We eat a specific breakfast two hours before, then they prick your finger. That's it! I love doing this test.

Next Midwife/Pregnancy Update I'll be 26 weeks!! AHHH!

Is it flying by to anyone else cause I feel like I just found out I was pregnant!

 Zeke in the belly

Evey June in the belly.

Scarlett in the belly.  I think Evey and Scarlett's belly pics are closer to 25/26 weeks pregnant the more I think about it. Close enough. :)

Baby Kudos.
Bellies are all around the same size, I think.

What a blessing it is to care this baby boy. Can't wait to meet your face to face, sweet little man. You will be welcomed with open arms.
Cue the Creed song, Arms Wide Open. ;)


'Til next time.
BB

Laughter

I love to laugh.

I love to laugh so hard I have tears running down my face and pee running down my leg.

I love to make other people laugh.

I love when people make me laugh.

Laughter makes you feel joy.

Laughter is contagious.

Laughter can be uplifting.

BUT Laughter can be hurtful.

Like getting laughed at and teased is not so great.
I've been on both ends of this laughter. The person laughing at someone and the person being laughed at.

::CONFESSION::

I love to see people fall. I can not help but laugh. Even myself falling, I laugh. This will always be a trait of mine. I don't think I'll ever overcome this and frankly, I don't want too! It's funny.
This can start off as a joyful laughter and turn into a hurtful laughter faster then me chasing a 20.00 dollar bill blowing down the road.

BUT

Today, I'm not talking about the hurtful laughter. I'm talking about the joyful laughter. The laughter that makes you so happy, you could bust at the seams!

When you are laughing, it makes it easier to get through days when you want to do anything but laugh. Sometimes, for me, more often then not, it's really hard to laugh when you:

• Wake up, later then normal, to take your kid to school. Making you feel rushed and tired and not in the mood to laugh. Can't you wear your PJ's to school? Do you have to eat breakfast?  Your Hair! Why does it look like you wrestled a bear in your sleep? Can we start a new trend? 
• Dealing with budgets and financial stresses. How do we get a raise and see no increase in our savings. Oh, it's because those extra bucks turn into Starbucks more often and you order Sun Sun Garden once a week. Setting up these budgets are hard. Do you see accountants and finical advisers laughing? Not I. 
• Realize you forgot to switch the laundry, we put in the washer that morning, to the dryer....at 10:00 PM! Can I get a witness? 
• Are dealing with family drama. Oh wait. I don't have any of that. Know nothing of this.
• Are dealing with Married life. Forever a journey to make me less selfish and more like Christ.
• Are dealing with Parenting. Same as above ^^.

There are always stress that make it hard for me to laugh. BUT when I stop and breath. Think about what God's word says about joy and being joyful,


1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus."

James 1:2-3 
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” 

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.


 it helps me realize that God wants me to be joyful.

Filled with Joy.

In the good AND hard times. There will be both. From this point on 'til I take my last breath.
I'm the one that has the power to let Christ renew my attitude and make it happen or not. Is it hard?

HECK YES!
Psalm 30:5
For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor, a lifetime. Weeping may spend the night, but there is joy in the morning. 

Though the sorrow may last through the night, JOY comes in the morning!
If I fail to have a joy filled day or season. I know that the next day, HIS mercies are new and HIS love for me is ever present.

Will I choose joy? Will you choose joy?



I'll leave you with one of my favorite falling videos of all time. Enjoy.

The Grape Lady


'Til next time
BB

New Name and Update

When I first started this blog, I wanted it to be a husband and wife blog. I seem to be the only one blogging, sooo I decided to just make it my own. :)

Update on my journey through life.

~My Husband's summer has been busy and crazy. That's the way you want it in the pool business. With really long days, for Mr. Bryant, and long days for me at home, it can get stressful and hard.
That Lana Del Ray song, Summertime Sadness is how I feel sometimes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVjsGKrE6E8

BUT when I step back and think of what the Lord is providing for my family, it helps me see past the hard now. He is always faithful. He has always provided us more then what we need. When I put on my faith goggles, it helps me see the real truth about my life. It is good. through crazy seasons and lazy seasons of life.
I'm VERY thankful for his job. His employers are awesome and I love them like family. I used to work for them, before I had Ezekiel. Still having a relationship with them is great. One thing I love about summertime Husband is the tan. He makes me look like I'm albino.

See? Look at that tan skin next to my porcelain skin. This is me tan. Sad, but I accept the reality that Snow White and I are hangin' off the same family tree. 

~I am still staying home with my three, soon to be 4 kids. Thats right, I'm knocked up...again. Don't I know what causes that? Why, I'm glad you asked. I do know what causes that and it's awesome!  Being fruitful and multiplying is what God has called us to do. Building up HIS kingdom for HIS glory. Children are a blessing and I will love each and everyone He lets us raise.
Plus, they are so stink in cute, right?

 Zeke and Evey at Disney this year. Pirate and Princess ready to conquer the park!

 Momma and her Baby Scarlett. Enjoying a pop tart and some coffee.

Baby Kudos at 20 weeks in the womb. Keep growing little one!

How about we stop when we have an ugly Bryant. That will be a sign from the Lord. Like, how He used a burning bush to talk to Moses or how He used pillars of smoke by day and fire by night to guide the Israelites during their exodus from the bondage in Egypt. Seems fair enough.

~Ezekiel has started Kindergarten this year!! How is this possible you ask? I have NO idea! Wasn't he just born? Didn't he just start to talk and make me laugh with his crazy facial expressions? Didn't he just get over the pooping all over his room phase that I loved so much? 5 years has come and gone in a flash I tell ya! He is loving his new big school. Every morning, when I drop him off, he says, "This is me." Gets out and doesn't look back. How brave is this small little man. He amazes me.

First Day of School! How cute with his new haircut!

I will probably do a post about his schooling and all that goes with it soon. One huge thing, for me, is the food allergies. So far so good but it's scary to put your kid out there not knowing 100% if some had peanuts that morning and didn't wash their hands.

~Staying home with the girls while Zeke is gone from 8-3 is weird and defiantly an adjustment. For both me and the girls. We miss him. He is just so much fun to be around. Keeps us all laughing through out the day. He's a great big brother. The sisters are always excited to pick him up every afternoon.

~Pregnancy the 4th time around is no joke. Everything starts sooner and sooner. Braxton Hicks, round ligament pains, sciatic back pain, belly shows sooner and restless leg starts earlier for me too. Everything is going great and on schedule, so far. I was not going to find out the sex this time but I caved. It's a BOY! We are so excited, especially my husband, to welcome another boy into our crazy family. I'm sure he will fit right in.

'Til next time.
BB

Birth Story of Scarlett Grace

Here is the birth story of my third child, Scarlett Grace.

Pregnancy photo credit to the amazing Jamie Halstead at J.halstead Photography https://www.facebook.com/Jhalsteadphotography

 Let me just start and give a little pregnancy backstory since I never write on this thing anymore:) This pregnancy was SO different then my other two. I carried her different, had tons of Braxton hicks from 30 weeks on, had gallstone attacks from 15 weeks on and just a bunch of other little crazy things that happened. Different pregnancy that had me feeling READY when the window was open to safely have her at home. I had my son, Ezekiel at 39.3 weeks and my daughter, Evey June at 39.4 weeks. I never made it to my estimated due date, so I was wondering if I would ever meet January 15th with a baby still in my belly.
The weekend came and I bought orange cinnamon rolls to have for breakfast Saturday and Sunday in case she wanted to come. I would have a yummy breakfast for the birth crew. :) Saturday came and went with no new signs that labor was gonna start. I've had everything ready and cleaned for weeks now so I just recleaned everything again. I was 39.4 weeks pregnant wondering if I was going to pass this mark and say this is my longest pregnancy. Well, it came and passed. Woke up Sunday morning, 39.5 weeks pregnant. This was the longest I've ever been knocked up. I told Chris it would be funny if she came today because it would be one day longer each pregnancy. We skipped out on church due to both my kiddos having colds and me just not feeling great.
We ate the orange cinnamon rolls and left to go to my mom and step dad's house for Armond and Chris to work on our truck. I wasn't gonna go but decided to go and lounge on someone else's couch. Plus my mom would hang out with the kids. My mom, the kids, my brother and I went on a long walk which had me feeling some lower cramps but nothing crazy. Got back from that and couldn't just sit on the couch and do nothing so I cleaned her house. Ate lunch and vegged on the couch for the rest of the day.

I started to feel painful contractions shortly after that. They would come every 45 minutes to an hour but only last 15 seconds. I didn't pay any attention to them because I knew it could all stop and I could still be pregnant for weeks. They didn't stop and around 4:00 they were down to 20 minutes apart but still only 15 seconds long. They were definitely painful but I could easily talk through it. I knew it was NOT labor yet. :)

They finish up with the truck around 5:00 and I'm ready to go. The kids didn't nap, either did I, so I was ready. We get in the car and I inform Chris of what's going on. We have plans to eat at the Polk's house that night and he wanted to know if I still wanted to go. I say yes because that's our dinner! Haha. On the way home the contractions start to get closer together. Almost 10 minutes apart and I think lasting 30 seconds. I haven't really been timing them just glancing at the clock to see when I was having one and then look again when the next one was.  We ran to our house really quick for Chris to shower and for me to change.

It's 6:00 when we get to the Polk's and they were getting more painful. I could talk through them but I was starting to get flashbacks of real labor contractions now. It was the start of the race I had to run to meet my little girl. I started to time them and they were 10 minutes apart lasting a minute or so. I told Chris that we'll just eat then we go home. I have texted Sharon, my midwife, to let her know what was up. I also let Kim know so she could be ready whenever. They finish dinner and also wanted to light the Christmas tree on fire. That was crazy and I'm glad the fire department didn't come out! :)

It's 7ish and I'm ready to go home NOW. Not wanting to talk to anyone during contraction, just concentrate on it. I knew this was "it" when Trent was joking with me during a contraction and I wanted to punch him in the face. :) Jen, Brittny, and Kim were gonna come over in a bit after they cleaned up and put kiddos to sleep. On the way home Chris calls my mom to let her know its go time so she could come over and put the kids down and be there for the birth. I texted Sharon an update at this point too. She did let me know there may be another momma in labor so don't do anything to speed up labor. Just let it happen if its gonna happen. We get home and I take Natural CALM to see if that will help slow things down. Umm no it didn't. :)  Now I'm having to breath through them and wanting my birth crew to be there ASAP. They were already on their way and my mom just got to our house. 

I have them start filling up the birth tub a little before 8:00. I get in and it's AMAZING!! I felt like I was floating on warm clouds of comfort. I totally recommend a birthing tub over my bathtub. I ask Brit to call Sharon and tell her I'm ready for her to come now. Well the other momma was in labor. :( She  was having a home birth too and lived on the other side of town. She called her a little bit before I did, so Ashley, another wonderful midwife, was coming to me. I was super bummed that Sharon couldn't be there. She helped deliver my other babies, how do I have a baby without Sharon there? Is this possible? Me thinking while in the tub. :)

Ashley arrives and checks me out of the water. I'm 7 CM's. whoohoo I was happy to be past 5! Contractions are very painful at this point and I'm breathing/moaning through them now. About 3-4 minutes apart lasting over a minute. Ashley informs me that I won't be having this baby in the water. I knew that could be a possibility this time because I don't do so great afterwards with bleeding. Plus my iron level was still on the lower end. But to hear those words totally crushed me and I was upset. I always go into labor with an open mind knowing what I want could change and to be ok with that. Well, I had an expectation to have a water birth and now that it wasn't going to happen, it threw me off. In that moment of labor I was mad at Ashley but looking back now, I was just mad at not getting what I wanted and what I was used too. My thoughts were, how do you give birth naturally not in the water? I'm going to die. How am I gonna do this? I don't want to do this.
I also put a curse on Ashley at that moment for making me do this not in the water. :) She wanted to be on the safe side and have me out of the water to attend to me ASAP after birth.

So with my head not being in the game, I felt like it was way more painful then my other labors. I remember thinking during contractions, I'm never doing this again! I never thought that with my other two. I kept on saying, I don't want to do this anymore. I truly ment it. I was laboring on my bed on my knees leaning over the back of my bed. Probably 20 minutes go by and Ashley says I can get back in the water until I am pushing. Praise The Lord I was so happy!!!  She knew, along with everyone else that I was having a hard time.I'm thankful for a midwives intuition!
I get into that hot water again and I almost cried it felt SO good. Contractions where manageable. There was way less pressure and I got my head back into the game. I was leaning over the side holding Chris' hand, enjoying my labor. what?!? :) Had a couple contractions in the tub and all of a sudden I felt pushy. Ashley heard it in my moan because a soon as I was done with that one she said it was time to make our way out if the tub and have a baby.

I immediately thought, No. I'm not getting out. Are you gonna make me get out? Come in and try. Haha no lie I was being so ugly in my head. Another contraction comes and it is definitely pushy. Ashley softly touches my hand and says, in this sweet loving voice, its time Brittany. Chris helps me up and I make my way back to the bed. 

I'm on my hands and knees again. How am I going to survive?!

Then God stepped in and spoke to me through a song. I had my birth music on the whole time but don't ever remember hearing any song but this song, at this moment. It was David Crowder Band's, All I Can Say. It came on just as my contraction stopped. I asked Chris to turn it up. I listened to the words and started to sing and almost started to cry. Those words were saying what I was feeling.

Lord I'm tiredSo tired from walkingAnd Lord I'm so aloneAnd Lord the darkIs creeping inCreeping upTo swallow meI think I'll stopRest here a while
Chorus:And this is all that I can say right nowAnd this is all that I can giveAnd this is all that I can say right nowAnd this is all that I can give, that's my everything
Lord didn't You see me cry'n?And didn't You hear me call Your name?Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?I wish You'd rememberWhere you sat it down
Chorus:And this is all that I can say right now, i know it's not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.This is all that I can say right now [right now], i know it's not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.
Bridge:I didn't notice You were standing hereI didn't know thatThat was You holding meI didn't notice You were cry'n tooI didn't know thatThat was You washing my feet
And this is allThis is all that I can say right now, oh i know its not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.This is all that I can say right now [right now], i know it's not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.This is all that I can say right now, oh i know it's not much.

Those few moments of peace, God ministering to my heart. He helped me get my head right and prepare to have this baby. I couldn't do anymore then what I was doing. He was gonna have to help me through. Next contraction my water broke and I felt tons of pressure and her head. My body was pushing like crazy and I was trying to breath/fight it off because it was happening so fast. I did NOT like pushing on my hands and knees so I flipped over to my back/side as soon as that contraction was over. I had a ton of pillows behind me so I was propped up too. Next contraction my body was pushing like a crazy person again and I could feel her head coming out and the ring of fire. :) Her head came completely out and my water broke some more behind her head. My body is still pushing. I could feel her moving and squirming inside of me! I get her shoulders out and I heard a cry. She was still halfway inside of me already crying. She moves some more and literally crawls out of me!! Craziest pushing feeling ever! She was put on my chest and just like that, it was over. pain gone and I survived. I had a baby naturally out of the water. My race was complete and my prize was BEAUTIFUL and worth every moment of pain! 

 Sweet hands of a Midwife.

 Scarlett Grace Bryant.

 Born January 13th at 9:48pm at home! Weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces. 

Recovery went great after. I had nothing scary happen this time so I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that Ashley wanted to go above and beyond to make sure me and my baby were safe. Oh, and after birth, I did release Ashley from the curse I put on her. ;) She was so sweet and patient with me. What a wonderful midwife! Even though it wasn't the birth I envisioned, it was beautiful. I had a healthy baby and I was surrounded by family and friends that love and support me. 

"Fried" Eggplant with Pasta

Why I put quotations around the word fried is because it was baked in the oven.
It looks and taste just as good as fried eggplant. Healthy, vegan, and yummy? I'll take that any day!
I love this recipe! I hope you do too.
Let get to the recipe.


Ingredients:

• 1 Eggplant
• Pasta of your choice
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Onion
• 1 Jar of spaghetti sauce of you choice (I got a chunky mushroom and garlic sauce. You can even make your own sauce if you like. I've never made sauce from scratch but I want to try one day)
• Bread crumbs (You can even use Panko bread crumbs if you'd like)
• EVOO
• Dried oregano
• Dried basil
• Garlic powder
• You will need two bowls and a cookie sheet or baking stone as well

Preparation: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Pour some EVOO into a shallow bowl
3. Dump some bread crumbs into another bowl
4. Add dried oregano, basil, and garlic powder to the crumbs
5. Peel the skin off the eggplant and cut off the ends
6. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch pieces
7. Dip one slice of eggplant into the EVOO. Cover all sides
8. Then dip into crumb bowl. Cover all sides as well.
9. Place on cookie sheet or stone.
10. Bake in the oven until crispy. You will turn over one time. (I think it was 10 to 15 minutes per side.)
11. While eggplant is baking you will boil water and cook pasta
12. Get your onion and cut into big chunky pieces
13. Saute them for a couple minutes and then add spaghetti sauce to onions
14. Cut Zucchini into long strips and bake them for about 5 minutes in the oven with eggplant.

Now everything is cooked and you can plate it up and eat it up. I put pasta on the bottom then layered a slice of eggplant with sauce on top of that. Put a couple slices of zucchini on top and you are done!


Altogether I think it took me 35 to 45 minutes. Prep to plating.  
Hungry now? I am as I type this:) You can always add cheese to this if you'd like. I didn't have any non-dairy cheese on hand. 


Let me know if you try it or if you added any other yummy things to this recipe.

Vegan Lasagna

This was SO good!! I made it for the fist time last night and it turned out better then I thought it would.
I also made some for a fellow veggie eating family that have been herbavores for a long time and they loved it too!

While I looked at this recipe, I got a little intimidated with all the ingredients but it was super easy! It's a recipes that only takes a few steps of cooking and the rest is blending and layering the pan.

My favorite part about this recipe is that you don't precook the noodles!!!

What??!?!  Did I just say that? Oh, yes I did!

 I've never heard of not cooking the noodles in lasagna. Craziness I tell ya!

I LOVE lasagna.
It's my favorite food, besides dessert, which my husband tells me isn't a food group. I beg to differ my friend. So when I found out that my daughter was allergic to dairy and eggs, I knew lasagna was out the door. This recipe came along and my non-dairy cooking life is forever changed.

Let get to it.

Ingredients:

Filling

• 2 Tsp EVOO
• 2 med. onions chopped (2 cups)
• 3 minced garlic cloves (1 TBSP)
• 1 10oz. baby spinach 
• 2 12oz. firm tofu, drained
• 1 8oz. vegan cream cheese, plain
• 1/2 C. fresh basil
• 1/4 C. nutritional yeast

Lasagna

• 5 1/2 C. sause
• 12 uncooked noodles
• 12 oz vegan sausage crumbles
• 1 C. vegan mozzarella cheese (3 oz.)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375C.
2. Heat oil in pan and sauté onions and garlic.
3. Add your spinach to veggies. I had to add a little at a time because it wouldn't all fit at once. Let it wilt a little add more and repeat until all spinach is wilted.
4. Put in food processor along with the tofu, cream cheese, basil, nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth. Salt and pepper to your liking.
5. Cook your vegan sausage crumbles. Set aside for later.
6. Spread 1 quarter of your sauce on the bottom of a 13X9 pan.
7. Cover with uncooked noodles
8. Cover noodles with half of the filling.
9. Add another quarter of the sauce.
10. Repeat that one more time. Noodles, filling and sauce.
11. Spread sausage evenly over the top and top with sauce.
12. One more noodle layer and sauce.
13. Sprinkle with Cheese
14. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes.
15. uncover and bake for another 20 minutes. until noodles are fully cooked.
16. Let Stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
17. Eat it up!!

You can add more veggies to it if you would like. like mushroom or squash into the layers. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!