Fennel and Vegetable Pot Pie

 I am a lifelong vegetarian and I absolutely love this pot pie.  It's healthy, yummy, and not at all boring!  

Fennel and Vegetable Pot Pie

Ready for puff pastry

chopped carrots, onion, and fennel

after adding mushrooms and potatoes

carrots, onion, and fennel

baking

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter

1 head fennel, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

2/3 cup carrot chopped

12 oz. mushrooms, sliced 

1 potato diced

1/4 cup flour

1 cup mushroom broth

1 cup whole milk

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup chives sliced

1/4 cup parsley chopped

1 tbsp. white vinegar

puff pastry

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400

2) Chop and prepare all ingredients as listed.

3) Melt butter over medium heat, then add fennel, onions, and carrots.  Cook about 2 minutes.

4) Add mushrooms and potato, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Stir rarely until the mushrooms have let out water, about 6 minutes.

5) Add flour, stirring to coat, and cook another 2 minutes.

6) Mix in mushroom broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 6 minutes.

7) Remove from heat and stir adding peas, chives, parsley, and vinegar.  Turn into an 8x8 baking dish.

8) Place puff pastry over baking dish and brush dough with egg wash, cutting slits to vent.

9) Place on a baking sheet and bake about 25-30 minutes. 

Simple Spanakopita

 This is one of my favorite comfort food dishes because it is simple to prep, healthy, and the phyllo is flaky and delicious 🤤

Spanakopita

filling

filling spread evenly inside dough

sides tucked in and brushed with olive oil

Ingredients:

1 16oz package phyllo dough thawed

1 cup (approximately) extra virgin olive oil

16 oz chopped spinach drained

2 bunches flat-leaf parsley chopped

2 or more cloves of garlic minced

4 eggs

10.5 oz feta cheese (go for quality)

2 tsp dried dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325.

2) Chop and prepare ingredients as listed, being careful to drain spinach thoroughly.

3) Mix ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

4) Lightly coat a 9 1/2" x 13" baking dish with olive oil.

5) Line the dish with two sheets of phyllo at a time allowing them to cover the bottom and sides of the dish, then lightly brushing them with olive oil.  Repeat two sheets at a time, brushing the tops with oil, until you have used two thirds of the dough.

6) Spread the spinach mixture evenly on top of the dough.

7) Layer the remaining dough two sheets at a time, lightly coating with oil, until there is no phyllo remaining.  Fold in the sides and brush with olive oil.  Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with water.

8) Bake for one hour at 325.

Black Bean Veggie Dip

Note:  I love making this black bean dip, especially in winter, because it's both filling and healthy.  We don't exactly find ourselves craving salads when it's 20 degrees outside, right?  This checks both my comfort food and health food boxes, so I thought I'd share it with you.  If you're not a fan of cilantro, substitute green onions. I usually enjoy this with chips, but occasionally eat it alone or use it as a garnish.

Black Bean Veggie Dip

avocado

bell peppers

cilantro

corn and beans

lemons

shallots

                           

Ingredients:

1 can corn

1 can black beans rinsed

2 bell peppers (I prefer red) diced

2 avocados diced

1 bunch cilantro (go organic, it tastes remarkably better) chopped

1 shallot minced

1 lime (I substituted a lemon)

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

optional: jalapeno, garlic, spices

Directions:

1) Rinse corn and beans, place in mixing bowl.

2) Prepare peppers, cilantro, shallots, and any optional ingredients and mix with corn and beans.

3) Dice avocados and add to the mixing bowl.  Then squeeze the lime and olive oil over the avocados and mix (this helps to preserve them).