do you use BRITA water filters?

want to recycle your BRITA filter cartridges? then take a moment to visit this website www.takebackthefilter.org. here you will find a campaign to petition The Clorox Company, who owns BRITA products in North America, to start recycling used BRITA filter cartridges.

currently, the European BRITA companies in Germany and the UK have a take-back recycling program for their used cartridges but there isn't a similar program in North America. help sign the petition to urge Clorox to follow its parent company in eliminating waste and start a recycling program for used filter cartridges.

if you want to meet others in your area interested in a filter collection program, consider joining the Yahoo Group.

thanks for keeping the earth green!

no-bake vegetarian lasagna rolls

i'm on the mailing list for Meals Matter, a nutrition and meal planning resource website supported by the Dairy Council of California. in the last mailing, a recipe for Lasagna Rolls was featured. i made a slightly modified version of these rolls for dinner tonight, using half of the tofu called for and adding ricotta to make up the rest of the amount. the Ronzoni whole wheat blend lasagna noodles i used were easy to work with. crushed red pepper flakes add a slight "spice bite" to the dish!


here's my version:

No-Bake Vegetarian Lasagna Rolls
Serves 6

12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (Ronzoni brand)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and crumbled
3 cups chopped spinach
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
7 oz ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives (6-7 olives)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 25-ounce jar roasted garlic pasta sauce (Ragu brand)
2/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, return to the pot and cover with cold water until ready to use.

2 Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tofu and spinach and cook, stirring often, until the spinach wilts and the mixture is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in Parmesan, ricotta, olives, crushed red pepper, salt and 2/3 cup pasta sauce; mix well.

3 Wipe out the pan and spread 1 cup of the remaining pasta sauce in the bottom. To make lasagna rolls, place a noodle on a work surface and spread 1/4 cup of the tofu-cheese filling along it. Roll up and place the roll, seam-side down, in the pan. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling. Spoon the remaining pasta sauce over the rolls.

4 Place the pan over high heat, cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; let simmer for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the rolls with mozzarella and cook, covered, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Abby the Alley Cat: staying safe from dairy!

i wanted to share a book with you which was written by some very good friends of mine, Myronie & Sam McKee. if you have children, or know of children, with dairy allergies, you might want to purchase Abbey the Alley Cat for them. here is a description by the authors about the book:

As the parents of a fabulous little boy who also happens to have life-threatening food allergies, we wanted to write a book that would help children to stay safe from dairy, feel confident in real-life situations, and build their self-esteem as special kids. And that's how Abby the Alley Cat was born. We hope she helps your child stay safe and feel special!

ten percent of profits from the sale of this book will go towards helping children with food allergies.

watch the video book.