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Sunshine Cake
To celebrate the beginning of the warm weather, I made a refreshingly fruity cake called “Sunshine Cake.”
I’ve actually always known it as the Dennis Hepke cake because my mom got the recipe from her coworker – Dennis Hepke – sometime in the 90s.
But that seemed like a rather non-descript name so I did some research on the ingredients and I found the exact same cake recipe with the name “Sunshine Cake.”
The cake evokes a feeling of sunshine. Its light and airy, yellow and orange.
Unlike Dennis Hepke’s original version I substituted applesauce for the vegetable oil. Can it get much lighter than that?
Another bonus from making this recipe…
After my soon-to-be sister-in-law tried it, she asked if I could make it for her tropical themed wedding reception she will be having this fall. She is predicting a crowd of over 100.
I told her yes! But that it would be easier to make them as cupcakes on a tiered stand. She agreed and actually preferred the cupcake idea as it takes the pressure off my brother-in-law who is nervous about the “cutting of the cake” portion of the ceremony.
Both sides of my family are into thrify weddings, apparently. If you recall, my sister asked me make a vegetarian lasagna for her wedding reception two summers ago.
Confidence about cooking skills…way up!
Sunshine Cake
1 (18.25 oz)box yellow cake mix
1 (5 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
20 oz crushed pineapple (juice reserved)
11 oz can mandarin oranges (juice reserved)
1 container light frozen whipped topping
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
3. Add the cake mix, applesauce, oranges with juice. Beat until the mandarin oranges are in small pieces.
4. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
5. Bake the cake for 40 minutes and cool on wire rack.
6. While the cake is baking, mix together the whipped topping, instant pudding, and the crushed pineapple with juice. Place in the refrigerator to set.
7. Frost the cake only once it is completely cooled.
Serving Size: 1 piece (assuming cake makes 12 pieces)
Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 321, Fat 8, Fiber 0.5, Carbs 60
I will be submitting this recipe to the following fabulous food events:
Its a Keeper Thursday @ Everyday Tastes
Just Something I Whipped up Wednesday @ Sugar and Dots
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Weight Up, Confidence Down
After one week of staying on point and power walking on my lunch breaks, I gained 0.6 pounds. I also added 1/2 an inch to each my waist and hips.
At least I think so. My monthly visitor came during the week so my results may be a bit skewed.
But things do not promise to get much easier. As I type I am sitting in a car on the way to our family vacation destination. Where we will be for two weeks.
Have you ever tried to diet while on vacation? I dare say it is likely impossible for one who’s will power is already weak.
Seriously, how can I resist dining out, indulging in desserts and mindless snacking if everyone around me is doing the same thing?
Will power is the key.
I recall 2 years ago…I had lost a bit of weight and was actually able to pull off the skinny jeans look! It was awesome. I wore my skinny jeans on the drive to our vacation destination. But after only one week of diet debauchery, I had to wear my jammies on the drive home. To this day I have not been able to fit into those skinny jeans.
Did I mention I would be vacationing for two weeks?
Without proper maintenance, I could easily gain 10 pounds in two weeks.
So I have a bit of plan that will allow me to both enjoy my vacation but not put myself further in the hole, weight-wise.
My hope is to get up early each morning and take a jog or at least a walk. This may not sound like fun, but the morning is the ONLY time I ever have to myself so I relish it. I will properly inform all the family members (son included) of my plan so nobody worries.
After my son goes to bed, I will take another brisk walk. Again, to relish the fleeting moments of solitude.
Food-wise I will try to keep breakfast and lunch light and healthy. Lots of salad, fruit, whole grain toast, etc. But at dinner time I will eat whatever I want, but just in proper proportion.
Although I don’t intend to lose any weight, my goal is simply not to gain.
I think thats do-able!
Do you have any stories of dieting while on vacation? What tips and tricks did you use to avoid falling off the wagon?
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Eggplant Lasagna
Whenever I watch the Sopranos or Jersey Shore, I find myself pea green with envy as the families sit down to dinners of pasta without a care in the world or fear of carbohydrate-related cellulite formation.
For me, eating pasta is a rare indulgence. Its like a reward for good behavior. If pasta were a regular part of my diet, I would balloon up 5 pounds a month. No joke!
You will find me making pasta dishes on this site, but its rarely for just me. I’m usually preparing it for a potluck or group dinner, in which my portion will be limited to one serving for one meal.
So when there is not a potluck in my near future but I want the “feel” of an Italian dish without the guilt, I make an eggplant lasagna.
Surprisingly, this is a much easier casserole to make then a standard lasagna. No need to worry about all the potential lasagna noodle issues like boiling them or handling them so as not to tear them or attempting to spread ricotta cheese on them without them bunching up.
Do these things happen to you? Or I’m I just inept with lasagna noodles?
Anyway, here is my super simple recipe for eggplant lasagna…
Eggplant Lasagna
1 – 2 eggplants, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
1¼ cup of your favorite pasta sauce
16 oz part skim ricotta cheese
1 – 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until brown and slightly tender.
2. Spread a small amount of sauce (about ¼ cup) in a 11 x 7 casserole dish.
3. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on top of the sauce.
4. Continue layering: ricotta, eggplant, mozzarella, eggplant, ricotta, eggplant, remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese.
5. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
I am submitting this recipe to the following fabulous food events:
Tasty Tuesdays @ Beauty and Bedlam
Delicious Dishes @ It’s a Blog Party
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays @ Blessed with Grace
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Chewy Teriyaki Bites
My girlfriend Arzinda is a pretty decent cook. She also happens to be vegan! She makes a fabulous pizza – which we used to enjoy after a late night out on the town! But she also invented this great chewy teriyaki bites recipes. These protein packed pieces are soaked in teriyaki goodness and are enjoyed chilled right out of the fridge. When I was taking evening classes at a community college, I used to make a ton of these and eat them between work and class to hold me over until dinner.
These days, I always find myself virtually starving mid-way between breakfast and lunch. I thought these teriyaki rectangles would be a great mid-morning snack so I made a bunch…and then I calculated their Points value. On the old Weight Watchers program, they weigh in at a whopping 1 point per square. Customarily, I would have eaten five of them as a snack. But that would consume 5 of my 23 daily points. Which is a bit much for a snack, in my opinion.
So I had to hold myself back and just eat 2 squares for my snack. The two squares were not quite enough to hold off my ever-persistent mid-morning hunger, unfortunately.
No matter. I still love these things! And I would make them again and eat 5 of them as my protein dish for lunch or dinner!
I’ve sort of been evading the main ingredient of these teriyaki bites for fear that you will have stopped reading.
Its tofu.
Don’t leave.
Please come back.
You don’t understand. Tofu is fabulous. You’ve either never had it or haven’t had it prepared properly. Or you are a child of the 80’s like me and you watched “Clarissa Explains it All” during your formative years thereby impressing upon you that tofu was terrible because her mother always cooked with it and she despised eating meals made by her mother.
Darn you Clarissa’s mom for giving tofu a bad rep!
Its not true. I promise you. Perhaps one day when I’m at my goal weight, I’ll host a tofu bootcamp in which I challenge blog readers to prepare certain tofu dishes that I know will be a hit and then pictures and stories of your new-found love for tofu can be shared. Ok, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Anyway, here is the recipe…
Arzinda’s Teriyaki Tofu (healthified)
1 block of tofu (drained)
1 cup teriyaki marinade
1 tbsp soy sauce
toasted sesame seeds
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a casserole dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Drain tofu using this method.
3. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch pieces – it should make 10 pieces.
4. Mix together teriyaki and soy sauce in a bowl.
5. Coat both sides of each tofu slice in the teriyaki mixture.
6. Place the tofu in the lined casserole dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
7. Once the tofu has cooled, place it in the refrigerator to chill before eating.
Serving Size: 2 pieces (if you make 10 pieces per recipe)
Nutritional Information per Serving*: Calories 80, Fat 4, Carbs 2, Fiber 1
*Data is for the tofu only as I am not sure how to measure the amount of teriyaki mixture actually is ingested in this recipe.
I am submitting this recipe to the following fabulous food events:
Food Trip Friday
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home
Foodie Fridays @ Designs by Gollum
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Establishing a Baseline
In my quest to slim-down, I decided I needed to establish a baseline of certain behaviors that are contributing to my ever-increasing weight
The contributing behaviors I am targeting are:
Lifestyle
I would describe mine as sedentary since I am an administrative assistant and I spend 8 hours of my day sitting and most of my evening sitting, as well. So to measure how sedentary I put on a pedometer to track my steps. You can read more about it here, but the daily target number of steps per day is 10,000. Yesterday I had at least 10,401 steps! Probably took more than that, but I didn’t wear it in the early morning or late evening. This count did however include a 30 minute walk which leads me to my next behavior…
Structured Exercise
If I get any structured exercise, it’s the 30 minute brisk walk I try to take on my lunch breaks. Although in the past 2 months due an increased need to flex my time at work, I have not been taking lunches at work therefore no walks either. But despite the need to flex my time yesterday I took my lunch anyway (I had the time banked) and walked. I’m glad I did – not only is it a great calorie burner but it clears my head and replenishes my vitamin D. I am striving for at least 30 minutes of structured activity five days a week, but the potential exists that I can throw in an additional 30 minutes on the stationary bike some evenings, as well. I mean, its just sitting there unused! I’m just sitting there on the couch watching TV or catching up on reading my fave blogs. And since my husband fashioned a laptop stand for the stationary bike, I could certainly continue these evening activities while burning some calories, as well.
Water Intake
I generally drink 48 oz per day, but I should strive for 64 oz. If I get on the stationary bike in the evenings I will definitely drink an additional 16 oz. 48 oz + 16 oz = 64 oz. Voila! But yesterday I did not get on the stationary bike (big surprise) so I only drank 48 oz.
Caloric Intake
I have not counted calories or points in some time, but I’m guessing on many days I am above or the daily maximum for weight maintenance. And since I’m going to follow Weight Watchers 123 Success Program (which is the program I am most familiar with from 2002), I will most definitely be getting control over those numbers! Yesterday as I established my baseline, I learned that my normal day of meals constitutes 30.5 points. At the end of the day (after points eaten and points deducted for exercise is totaled), I should have at most 23 points. Obviously changes must be made!
So at the end of each day, I will be posting in the sidebar my daily totals for Steps, Water, Points, Exercise.
Good luck to you if you are on a weight loss journey and stay tuned for more of my recipes and progress updates!
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Squash and Potato Casserole
Nearly every weekend my mother-in-law comes to our house to play cards. 1400 – which is a version of Rummy – to be exact.
For this occasion, I make my famous Caesar salad and we snack on crackers and flavored almonds. But the snacking becomes this mindless activity to do while waiting one’s turn. I don’t want to think of all the needless Cheez-it related calories I have ingested – especially since I don’t even really like them!
So to curtail this sort of behavior, I decided to accompany our standard salad with a low-ish carb casserole instead.
This weekend my casserole recipe of choice was a squash and potato casserole.
Don’t let the name fool you! The potato moniker comes from the fact that I used cream of potato soup, not actual potatoes so the carb count remains under control.
While I think the final product needed more salt, my husband and mother-in-law were thrilled with this dish and thought it was a great addition to our card playing fare.
Squash and Potato Casserole
3 yellow squash, cubed
1 can cream of potato soup
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup egg beaters
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup crushed croutons
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Add the cubed squash and boil for about 15 minutes or until tender.
4. In the meantime, mix together the soup, cheese, egg beaters and spices in a casserole dish.
5. Drain cooked squash in a colander and add to the casserole dish and mix thoroughly.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with croutons and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
Serving Size: 6
Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 149, Fat 6, Fiber 2, Carbs 15
I’m submitting this recipe to the following fabulous food events:
Delicious Dishes @ Its a Blog Party
My Meatless Mondays @ My Sweet and Savory
Tasty Tuesdays @ Beauty and Bedlam
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays @ Blessed with Grace
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The Vegetarian Casserole Queen on a Weight Loss Adventure
Welcome to the (mostly) re-designed, re-purposed and re-organized Vegetarian Casserole Queen site!
I’m still the Vegetarian Casserole Queen. . . I’m just trying to get fit!
I’ll be getting back to my weight-loss “roots” through Weight Watchers and sharing my journey with you.
I’m going to be scouring the web and my cookbook collection for recipes which can be healthi-fied, vegetarian-ized (when necessary) and casserole-ized (when possible).
On this re-purposed blog, you can follow me as I prepare the aforementioned recipes, count points, work out, record my weigh-ins, track my measurements and maybe throw in some body shots of my progress!
Oh and speaking of progress. . .I’m still in the redesign and recoding process of the website so please pardon my dust while I’m under construction.
Stay tuned for more!
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In need of some weight loss advice
All of my life – including childhood – I’ve been up and down with my weight. Only once in my lifetime was I “obese” and this was during college after gaining 50 pounds by my junior year.
Other than that, I’ve always struggled with only an extra 10-15 pounds.
The 10-15 pound range is a dangerous one. For me anyway. It really takes very little effort for me to start and maintain a weight loss. Just eat a bit less, chose lower calorie options and exercise 5 days a week. So I’m always going to start a diet program “next week.” Because whats one more week? In two months I’ll be at my goal!
But the truth is this has been going on for a couple of years now. In early 2010, I went back to Weight Watchers and within a matter of weeks was looking and feeling so much better. I even reduced a pants size! Then came Easter. And I let loose on Easter brunch and Easter candy. Since that day I’ve made several feable attempts to get back into shape, but nothing substantial.
I can’t seem to get into a routine or a rhythm, but I think about this extra weight and flab ALL the time. My clothes don’t fit and I can’t wear certain styles because of my exaggerated pear shape.
This should motivate me, yet I am the master of excuses. And I can make any excuse for why every possible option isn’t feasible. Although I feel they are legitimate usually, most would say they are not.
My husband says I should stop finding reasons “why not” and finding reasons “why.” Sage advice, I must admit. But this is much easier coming from the man that works from home and who is not the primary cook, housekeeper, child entertainer, etc.
So my excuse – which is likely every mother’s excuse – is that I have no time to work out.
I mean really work out. As many days of the week as possible, I take a brisk 30 minute walk during my lunch. But work deadlines, weather and personal commitments (that I must tend to by flexing my time, i.e. not take my 30 minute break so I can leave early or arrive late) seem to crop up several times a week – especially lately.
I want to keep this 30 minute walking routine, but I want it to be more consistent. And although its not always an issue yet, I can’t stand to walk when its hot. I despise being hot (I really need to move to Northern Canada), but also its not a good idea to be dripping with sweat, hair a mess and make-up running as the front desk person in my office.
I also want to add another workout in my day a few times a week. I have a treadmill. I have a stationary bike. I live in a really hilly town which is great for burning additional calories while walking or jogging.
So when am I supposed to do these workouts?
In the morning, perhaps? Well, I can’t jog/walk in the mornings. Its currently 6 am and still a little dark which is just a little frightening to me. The treadmill is in the bedroom where the husband is sleeping and the stationary bike is so darn loud with its constant beeping I would wake everyone up.
In the evenings? I can’t do that. I have a huge guilt complex. After being away from my child for nearly 10 hours, the last thing I want to do is say ta-ta and head off to the gym or leave for a run or hideout in the rooms containing our cardio equipment. My son is five, he is an only child. He needs someone to play with and interact with him. He needs his mom’s attention.
Ok, so why not after he is in bed? Well, the darkness rules out the outdoor jog/walk. Sweating before bed would mean a second shower and who has time for that ? Not me! So that rules out the treadmill. I could do the bike. I know I could. I sweat minimally on that thing. But I don’t because I’m tired or lazy or have some other pressing matter I must tend to before I go to bed.
I know I need to stop making excuses. I know I need to get off this computer at this very moment, put on my tennis shoes and get outside. But I also know that my son could be up any minute and when he comes looking for me he won’t be able to find me. He might get scared and cry in his room. Or he might wake up his dad and ask him where I am, but he won’t know because he’s been sleeping and then they’ll both be freaking out because they will fail to see the note I would have left them explaining my whereabouts (the missed note thing has happened before). Aaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh!
I wish I could just make this happen. And I’m sorry for whining about it. I just don’t know how to juggle working, mothering, housekeeping and taking care of oneself.
So, my question to you is….
What has worked for you in your weight loss journey?
How have you managed to juggle your work and home life while staying active?
What are your favorite or most effective workouts?
I would greatly appreciate any advice, gems of wisdom, sympathy, etc!
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Ruby Tuesdays Veggie Burger Copy Cat Recipe
Or, as close to a copy cat recipe as I’m going to get…
There was a time when Ruby Tuesdays was my go-to restaurant (I have a weakness for salad bars). But long about 2008 Ruby Tuesdays kept “reinventing” their menu. Over and over and over again. Every six months it seemed the menu was changing – and not necessarily for the better.
The first disappointment was the paring down of the salad bar. They got rid of the bagel chips and the absolutely-most-fabulous-in-the world Bowtie Pasta Salad.
By the way, if any former or current Ruby Tuesday’s employee can share that Bowtie Pasta Salad recipe with me (or at least tell me what the dressing is) I would be forever grateful! Talk to me Goose – margaret@vegetariancasserolequeen.com
Then they added a fabulous avocado quesadilla, but it didn’t last long and was removed from the menu shortly thereafter – big disappointment.
Next, they removed romaine lettuce from the salad bar. But they kept iceberg (cheap bastards), raddichio (acquired taste and not one that I’ve acquired), field greens (can’t stomach anything with a stem) and spinach (again with the stems!). Huge let down.
Around 2010/2011, we were pleasantly surprised at the addition of the endless fries feature to the menu. To take advantage of endless fries, one must get a sandwich. This prompted my husband and I to stray from the salad bar and order a sandwich. The only option for vegetarians was the Ruby Tuesdays Veggie Burger.
Holy Moses! This veggie burger was literally the best veggie burger I had ever put in my mouth. It was flavorful, crumbly, moist and unlike anything I had ever eaten. I found my new Ruby Tuesdays go-to menu item as well as the standard for vegetarian burger greatness.
But true to Ruby Tuesdays’ form, this most awesome veggie burger was wiped off the menu sometime in 2011.
So now, I’m lucky to get to RT every 4 months or so. Yeah, I know their zucchini minis are pretty good, but they don’t hold a candle to the veggie burger.
Instead, I decided to make my own! I found a recipe for homemade veggie burgers with lentils that I thought might be close. It wasn’t.
Next, I found someone’s attempt at the Ruby Tuesdays veggie burger online. It had the right ingredients but was really dry.
So I kept searching until I found a vegan forum in which someone complained that the Ruby Tuesdays veggie burger was no longer vegan because they’ve added mayonnaise to the recipe.
Mayonnaise!!! Of course!
I prefer Veganaise to mayonnaise (the taste is less eggy and more buttery, yum!). I added a couple tablespoons to the leftover RT veggie burger mix and threw a patty on the frying pan. Just like Ruby Tuesday’s the surface has a bit of a crisp and the middle was soft and crumbly. It tasted pretty darn near close. A reasonable facsimile thereof…
I’m thrilled to death I can finally enjoy this culinary marvel once again!
Even if you’ve never eaten that veggie burger, you will want to try this! Its a really great meatless dish that even the most hardcore meat-eater will love!
* A quick note – if you are short on time, you can opt out of sauteing the vegetables and just add the corn directly in your mashed bean mixture for a “black bean and corn burger.” I often do this because I am a super lazy cook!
Copycat Ruby Tuesdays Veggie Burger
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1 cup chopped, fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh red peppers (optional
1/4 cup canned corn*, drained (see note above)
1 cup dry short grain white rice
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Prepare rice according to package directions.
2. Heat black beans and water over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. Once cooked and soft, mash with a potato masher or fork.
3. (Optional step) Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and sautee corn, peppers and mushrooms for 10 minutes or until the red peppers are soft.
4. In a large bowl, combine mashed black beans, sauteed vegetables, cooked rice, bread crumbs and mayonnaise.
5. Form mixture into patties and fry on a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Serve on a bun and top with your favorite burger toppings!
I’m submitting this recipe to the following fabulous food events:
Foodie Fridays @ Designs by Gollum
Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home
Food Trip Fridays
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A Temporary Set Back
Early last month, I found my precious kitty collapsed in our dining room, breathing very fast and shallow. She was skin and bones. My darling Abby is a recluse. For her to be in such an open, common area was a rarity. I think she wanted to let me know something was wrong. I took her to the vet, but her blood tests revealed nothing conclusive. In a week’s time she made a total of three trips to the vet. She was weak, tired and stayed mostly in our bedroom. She was in good spirits. She would purr the minute I opened the door to her/our room. She ate very little, but she took her pills like a trooper. But the pills didn’t seem to be doing anything for her. On her third trip to the vet, I was told that it would be in her best interest if she were to be euthanized. Unbeknownst to me, she had had asthma – and probably for a very long time, which had left very little healthy, usable tissue left in her lungs.
“She’s not in pain,” the vet told me, “but she’s miserable.”
I love that kitty. We have three pets, but she and I are bonded. She is a shy, sweet girl. My husband and son love to chase and roughhouse with the other pets – and the pets love it too. But not Abby. She likes calm and quiet. She sleeps hidden away in the linen closet, but every morning when I get up to take a shower she joins me in the bathroom. This is our special time together. I sing her songs and I pet her and groom her. She and I are in so much love with one another.
The next day, I left work earlier. I spent an hour laying next to her – just the two of us. I told her of every happy memory I ever had of her. I sang her the same songs I had sung to her many times before. I complimented her on her kindness, cuteness, silliness. Then it was time for her last trip to the vet. It was the saddest drive I had ever had to make.
I spent the next week in mourning and in shock. I found every picture I could of her. I wrote down everything about her I could think of. I needed to remember all the details of her life and personality before time and my memory faded. I ordered a piece of jewelry in which I could put in some of her remains. In a few months, I’m going to get a tattoo with her name.
Recently, I’ve done a lot research on the afterlife and pets. I’m confident I will see my dear Abby in the heaven.
I’m finally coming to grips with the loss of her. I feel I am memorializing her in the best way I can. I’m almost ready to say goodbye. And although my life will never be the same without her, I’m returning to normal – even though she is now lives only in my heart and mind.
Good-bye beautiful Abby.
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