Lasagna Mac Stew

This was a recipe I tried from somewhere and tweaked to our liking.  Being plant-based, we don't often eat a lot of "Italian", and I've since given up on laboriously slaving over a gorgeous "lasagna" and having it devoured in a fraction of the time.  So when I saw this "lasagna" mac recipe, I was intrigued.  Spoiler alert: it tastes nothing like lasagna, but it's still a fun stew the boys especially enjoy.

Lasagna Mac Stew
Serves 6-8

• 1 lg onion, chopped
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 1 1/2 TBLS each: basil and oregano
• 1 tsp sage
• 1 1/4 dry brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 30oz can crushed tomatoes
• 8-10oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed out, or fresh
• 6 cups broth
• 1 lb elbow mac or other short pasta, cooked
• 1 TBLS red wine vinegar for the end
• S&P to taste

-- In a large pot, saute onion 5-7 minutes until soft.  Add garlic 1-2 minutes.  Stir in spices, 1 minute.

-- Add lentils, tomatoes, spinach and broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes until lentils are soft.

-- Add cooked noodles and stir in vinegar.   Season to taste. 

You can put everything (minus cooked pasta and vinegar) in the crockpot on high for 5-6 hours and add the pasta and vinegar at the end as you would per the directions.

NOTE: I've tried cooking the noodles in the soup once the lentils are done and while it works, it just takes longer and I would just rather cook the pasta while the soup is simmering and add it in already done. Also, if using fresh spinach, wait until the end to add and wilt that.

Black Bean Pasta Sauce

Here's a quick, easy, and oh so hearty, pasta sauce.  If you don't have time to sit and babysit it while it simmers, just use the crockpot! It may stick to the sides a little, but it's worth the soaking time later on.

Black Bean Pasta Sauce
Use with 1 lb pasta

• 3 cans black beans, rinse and drain
• 2 15oz cans tomato sauce/puree
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1/2-1cup water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 2 tsp oregano and basil
• 1 tsp cumin and paprika

-- Heat and simmer, covered, on the stove for an hour until onions are soft.  Mash slightly and serve over cooked pasta, or mix the pasta right into the sauce

Crockpot on high for 3 hours (or low for 6)

Crockpot Lentil Bolognese Sauce

I love crockpot dinners.  Not only are they incredibly easy, but for meals like this, the slower cooking method actually produces a better dish that is more flavorful.  If you're looking for a hearty pasta sauce, you may want to give this one a look!  We serve this over a pasta or gnocchi -- but we've also eaten it warm with some thick bread for lunch.  Easy to freeze and thaw, I normally double it and save half for later.

Crockpot Lentil Bolognese Sauce
serves 6-8

• 1 small onion, rough chop
• 1 cup rough chop celery
• 1 cup rough chop carrot
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 1 cup brown lentils
• 2 cups broth
• 8-12 oz chopped mushrooms, any variety, but baby bellas are my personal favorite
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 28 oz  petite diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 TBLS Italian seasoning (1 tsp each: basil, oregano, thyme)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 TBLS red wine vinegar at end

-- Pulse onion, celery, and carrot in food processor until small bits (or fine dice them if you don't have a food processor)

-- Combine everything in the crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours
-- Stir in vinegar

-- Season with salt and pepper to taste

-- Serve over 1 lb pasta or 2 lbs gnocchi

Vegetable Ratatouille

I didn't know I even liked Ratatouille until I tried some last summer at a friends house.  Her variation had chunks of chicken which I politely avoided in my sampling, but oh. my. goodness.  I went home and wrote out a plant-based version and made it the next night.  And three more times that same summer.  I restrain myself to only make this during the summer months since it uses so many garden-friendly veggies, but it's one of my all-time favorite meals.  Drizzled with balsamic glaze (reduction). eaten warm over polenta or pasta, or cold with a chunk or bread (my personal favorite), it's delicious.  It makes a ton, so be prepared to have a party or eat it for lunch for the week (fine by me!).  It really is BEST the day after...just sayin'.

Vegetable Ratatouille
serves 8-10

• 8 cups cubed eggplant
• 2 cups cubed yellow squash
• 2 cups cubed zucchini
• 1 orange bell pepper, chunked
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chunked
• 1 large red onion, chunked
• 1 1/2 TBLS minced garlic
• 2 cans white beans, rinse and drain (can use 1 red, 1 white)
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 cup broth
• 2 cansfire roasted tomatoes, with juice
• 2 6oz cans tomato paste
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 TBLS brown sugar (opt)

-- Dump everything into a large crockpot, minus the beans, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  You can cook it on high, but time is the key here, so low and slow is best if you have the time.  Alternately, you can saute the onion and garlic and all the rest to a stock pot and simmer, but that takes a much more watchful eye...

-- Add beans near the end and make sure they're heated through

Tuscan White Beans with Sun-dried Tomatoes

This is one of Scot's favorite Spring-time meals.  I don't know why it seems Spring-y, but it does.  I serve it over some creamy polenta, but it would do just as well over your favorite pasta or even on top of some crusty French bread.  It's very flavorful and does even better after sitting for a day!

Tuscan White Beans with Sun-dried Tomatoes
serves: 6

• 1 large red onion
• 4 cups thin sliced zucchini or yellow squash (or a mix!)
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 4 cups (9oz) fresh spinach, rough chopped (or frozen in a pinch)
• 1 3oz pack sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 3 cans white beans, rinse and drain (great northern or cannellini)
• 1 cup broth
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/3 cup fresh chopped basil, or 2 TBLS dried
• 1 TBLS dried thyme
• 1 TBLS white wine

-- Sauce onion 5 minutes in a large skillet.  Add zucchini and garlic and cook another 5 minutes.

-- Add remaining and cook over medium at a simmer for about 15 minutes.

-- Serve over polenta or pasta with some fresh pepper

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Sauce

This pasta sauce is magic.  Seriously.  I made it with a lot of skepticism -- how could a pureed vegetable be creamy or taste good as a pasta sauce?!  Oh...let me tell you what.  It's amazing.  It's easy.  It's deeeelicious! 

My boys (all three of them) licked their bowls and asked for more!  The trickiest part was spooning the cauliflower out of the broth.  I wanted to make sure I got every last floret, ya know.   It was so worth it, but next time I'm just draining the florets instead.  

We will be making this again and again and again! 

Got the original recipe right here.

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Saue

serves 1 lb of pasta

• 5-6 cups cauliflower florets
• 6 cups vegetable broth (can sub 2-3 cups water, too)
• 2-4 TBLS nutritional yeast (opt)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk

-- Boil cauliflower in broth until soft.

-- Take out 1 1/2 cups of the broth and then drain the cauliflower using a larger colander.

-- Using a food processor, puree cauliflower with reserved broth, milk, nutritional yeast, and spices until very smooth and creamy (if it's dry, just add in a little more milk)

-- Stir in with cooked/drained pasta 

Inside Out Stuffed Shells

I'm all about ease.  And making my family's favorite dishes. Oh, and the comfort of casseroles. 

This recipe came about because I was out of large jumbo shells when I went to make one of our family's favorite recipes, stuffed shells.  Thankfully, my improvised version went over better than the original. I hope you enjoy this creamy and nutritious pasta bake, it is hands-down my boys' favorite meal.

Inside-out Stuffed Shells
Serves 6-8
Active time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Serving Suggestions: With red and yellow roasted vegetables and/or a green salad.

What you'll need:

• 1 lb whole wheat small shell pasta OR other small pasta (elbow, rotini, penne)
• 1, 16 oz, box tofu, drained
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed OR chopped kale
• 1, 24 oz, jar favorite pasta sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp basil -- using 3 TBLS fresh chopped basil makes this really delicious
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 TBLS nutritional yeast (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

What you'll do:

• Cook your pasta al dente according to the directions.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Meanwhile, mash the tofu well in a large mixing bowl with a potato masher.
• Add in all the other ingredients and stir well.
• When pasta is done, drain well and then add to the mixing bowl.  Stir until pasta is well coated.
• Transfer coated pasta to a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Time saving tips:  

• Make the noodles and tofu sauce ahead of time
• Consider assembling the dish ahead of time, and then just bake when the time comes

Mac N Cheese

My boys love mac n cheese.  Heck -- I love mac n cheese.  Ask the husband, even though I have no taste for cheese anymore, there are nights all I want is the comfort of the gooey noodles, the sharp white cheddar taste, and bits of artichoke and spinach in every bite.

Are you drooling yet?

Thankfully, when the boys request mac n cheese, they're thinking of the orangey-yellow variety they sometimes get at Grammy's house.

I had this recipe, and this one, too, and we liked them both ok. They're perfectly fine substitutes when you're making it from scratch.  The Healthy Mac recipe didn't look right -- it was very tasty, but didn't taste at all like what the boys craved.  The Sweet Potato Mac was also just ok -- but in reality, if I want mashed sweet potatoes I don't want noodles in there messing it up.

So one day the boys wanted mac n cheese for lunch.  I started to whip up the cheese sauce and saw that I had a good sized sweet potato on the counter...hmmm...I don't need the whole sauce to be sweet potato, but just a little color and sweetness would be nice.  So here's what I came up with and I threw the other recipes out.  This is the only way the boys want to eat mac n cheese from now on -- and it even looks "cheesy" with all it's orange-yellow-ness!

Mac N Cheese
serves 4-6

• 12-14 oz whole wheat macaroni
• 1 cup almond milk -- unsweetened
• 6 TBLS nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 TBLS flour
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potato
• salt and pepper to taste

--  Start by cooking your pasta according to the directions

-- Meanwhile, cook the sweet potato in the microwave for 5-8 minutes until soft

-- Meanwhile (again), whisk all other ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat over medium 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching it thicken (although not too much, and don't let it boil!)

-- Once the sweet potato is done, carefully put the sweet potato chunks in with the milk and mash a little.  With a hand blender, puree until smooth. (If you don't have a hand blender, you can puree the sweet potatoes in a food processor with a little of the milk liquid and then transfer everything back to the pot).

-- When pasta is done, drain and mix with the creamy sauce until it coats each and every noodle.  Season with salt and pepper as desired!

Korean Jajangmyun -- Black Bean Sauce over Rice

Before we left Ohio, a dear friend had us over for a traditional Korean dinner.  She's Korean, so she knows what she's doing, and let me tell you what, she put out a fabulous spread for us.  An amazing dipping sauce, this Black Bean Sauce main dish complete with Kimchi and seaweed and other Korean condiments, and a salad with a wonderful Miso-Mirin salad dressing (recipe below).  We loved it all, and I found the recipes for each of the dishes in my inbox the next morning.  Thank you, Julie!

I've been wanting to make this dish for a while now, but I didn't have the needed ingredients.

I did venture out to the Asian Market and bought some Black Bean Paste (fermented) and some light-yellow Miso (recipes using that coming soon!).  The black bean paste, of course, is what you need for this meal.  Otherwise, it's just a pile of sauted veggies on a heap of rice.

Doesn't sound very appetizing to me, either.

But with this magic black bean paste, oh boy, it's so good.  It's not very overpoweringly flavorful, so don't get any ideas about it blowing the socks off your taste buds, but it's Korean comfort food, and, well, it's comforting.

Also, if you like the chewy noodles, go with that -- it lends more textural difference to the meal.  I don't like the chewy-factor and I love rice, so that's what we went that route

I combined the recipe she used, with one I found on line, and made it all vegetarian to suit our taste, and it was fabulous.  Scot even said it was as good as Julie's, and from what I remember, it did taste the same. The only different is I served ours over brown rice due to preference instead of the noodles, and I used more zucchini/squash and less potato.

Korean Jajangmyun -- Black Bean Sauce over Rice
serves 8

• 5 cups squash and or zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 3 cups chopped onion -- red or yellow or a combination
• 2 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup daikon (Korean radish), cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 8 oz chopped muchrooms
• 2/3 cup black bean paste
• 1/4 cup cornstarch + 1/2 cup cold water + 2 tsp sugar (set aside)
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 cup juilenned cucumber for garnish
• 4 cups cooked brown jasmine rice

--  In a dutch over or large wok, saute vegetable until almost soft

-- Clear a space in the middle of the vegetables and add in the paste, heating through for a couple minutes before stirring into the vegetables.  Cook for 2 minutes.

-- Add 3 cups of water, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

-- Slowly add the cornstarch mixture while stirring, and stir til thick

-- Cook, uncovered, about 10 more minutes, or until desired consistency is reached (you want the mixture to be nice and thick)

-- Add sesame oil and take off heat

-- Serve over rice or noodles and garnish with cucumber

We're about to start MISO WEEK on the blog, but here's a simple and delicious dressing to get us started!

Miso Mirin Dressing --

• 3 TBLS rice vinegar
• 1 TBLS light colored miso
• 1 TBLS Mirin
• 1 TBLS soy sauce or tamari
• 2 TBLS brown sugar

-- Mix all together and drizzle over garden salad or chopped raw vegetable

.

Taco Skillet Pasta

With the school season upon us, and sports starting up (not for us -- yet -- my time will come), quick week-night dinners are in high demand.  I'm actually working through the recipes on the blog and creating a new tag: Weeknight to denote meals that are quick (right around 30 minutes or less) and easy and still hearty and filling.  This is just one of those such meals.

The idea, believe it or not, came from the back of the pasta box.  I omitted the meat, added the beans, omitted the packet of chili seasoning and used real spices, and just played around with proportions to came up with this little wonder.  It's a one-pot-stop meal that had us all filled up.  Top with cheese, or avocados.

Serve with a veggie and you're good to go!

Taco Skillet Pasta
serves 4-6

• 2.5-3 cups dry whole wheat rotini
• 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cups water (I used 1 cup water, and 1 cup broth for extra flavor!)
• 2 cups of your favorite salsa
• 1-3 tsp chili powder (I used a full TBLS and it was just a touch too spicy for my little guys)
• 1 tsp cumin
• avocado or cheese for the top (optional)

-- Combine everything in a large/deep skillet, cover and bring to a boil.  Stir, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is nice and soft and most of the liquid is gone.

-- Top with avocado (or cheese) and enjoy!

DaVinci Pasta Sauce

If you've ever been to The Cheesecake Factory, no doubt you know about their extensive selection of meal choices and their desire to accommodate your eating preferences.  It's not somewhere our family typically eats, but we happened to be there a few weeks back and my husband, who has the knack for always picking the best possible option, ordered the DaVinci Pasta, sans chicken.

Once again, he struck it rich where flavor was concerned.  Rich and complex, subtly sweet and wholesome all at the same time.  It was incredible. So once again I set out to recreate the dish, but in a healthier way.  I scoured the internet for look-a-like recipes, settled on the 2 that looked the most promising, merged them together and "healthified" the whole thing.  Scot thoroughly enjoyed my rendition, and really, that's all that matters, but in case you'd like to try it, too, here's the recipe.

DaVinci Pasta Sauce
serves 4

• 3/4 cup sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup marsala or madeira wine (cooking wine is just fine)
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth 
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups whole wheat penne or rotini
• 8 oz chopped baby bella mushrooms
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 TBLS brown sugar
• 2 TBLS fresh chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

-- Caramelize onions, sauteing them for 15-20 minutes until they are nice and golden brown and, well, caramelized

-- Reduce wine and broth by mixing and boiling them for about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from heat.

-- Boil pasta according to directions

-- Meanwhile, start sauteing mushrooms.  Once soft (10 minutes about) add onions and garlic and saute 3-5 minutes.

-- Add reduction, milk, cilantro and sugar.  Simmer 5 minutes.

-- Drain pasta and add into the sauce and stir to coat. 

-- Season with salt and pepper to taste

One-pot Pasta Dinner

This is one of those meals that seems simple enough there doesn't need to be a recipe -- it's just pasta, broth and some extras, right?  But my goodness, it's amazing what happens in that pot while the simmering is going on.  There is nothing fancy about putting this dinner together, but sometimes a simple pasta dinner is what a busy day calls for, and this hit the spot.  I also happen to think the sauce is a little "fancy" just because it doesn't come out of a jar -- and I'll admit the addition of white wine in there may help the fancy factor out a little, too.

Literally, you throw it all in the pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta.  Can't get better than that, huh?  Feel free to play around with the spices, type of canned tomatoes, and even throw some white beans in there at the last minute for a heartier dinner.  Next time, I'm adding some mushrooms!

One-pot Pasta Dinner
serves 6

• 12 - 14 ounces whole wheat pasta - I like a shorter pasta, but long would work, too
• 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1 large sweet onion, cut in thin strips
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup diced roasted red pepper (jarred variety)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 2 large sprigs basil, chopped OR 1 1/2 TBLS dried
• 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
• 2 TBLS white wine (or more to taste)
• 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained (optional for more protein)
• Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional) OR 1/4 cup, or to taste, nutritional yeast stirred in to the pot or sprinkled individually
• salt and pepper to taste

--Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chopped red pepper in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle in the basil and oregano. 
--Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low, simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – leave an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot or reduce as desired. (Add beans here to warm through if using)
-- Add white wine and stir thouroughly
--Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese if using, or nutritional yeast.

Summer Vegetable Pasta Bake

Photo of the bake made with rotini and no cheese

This wonderful pasta bake is a twist on the sweet potato vegetable lasagna that's on the blog already.  The twist was inspired by one of my friends who loves the original lasagna, but was short on time and sweet potatoes one night.  Thankfully, she shared the idea so we could turn it into an easier version of the more time-intensive favorite. 


I love this version, personally, because when all these items are in high yield in the summer months, I'm constantly looking for ways to use them.  Pasta is a good go to, and I just love how this comes out -- like a casserole.  It also keeps really well for a couple days as leftovers and reheats great!

This is a very flexible dish, too, I might add.  Use whatever veggies you have in your fridge, and use as much of the sauce as you want to suit your "saucy" preference.  Use cheese if you want, or don't.  It's all up to you -- even the type of pasta!  Just have fun.

Photo of the bake made with spaghetti and cheese

Summer Vegetable Pasta Bake 
Serves 12
Active time: 40 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total time: 70 minutes
Serving Suggestions:  With a salad and some bread.

What you'll need:

• 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti, rotini, penne, or any other pasta
• 1 TBLS Olive oil
  
• 4 cups chopped eggplant (1 lb)
• 4 cups chopped yellow squash and/or zucchini
• 1 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (1 large) any color
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 8 oz package of mushrooms, chopped 
• 2, 24oz, jars favorite marinara sauce (you'll have left overs)
• 1 14-16oz block regular tofu, drained 
• 1 10 ox box frozen spinach, thawed 
• 1 cup mozzarella shredded cheese (opt) 
• 4-5 roma tomatoes, sliced thin

What you'll do:

• Heat some olive oil in a large skillet or pot.  Add the chopped veggies, cover, and stirring occasionally, cook them down until they are all soft (15 minutes).  Drain any excess liquid.
• Meanwhile, boil water and cook pasta al dente according to directions.  When done, drain and rinse in cold water. 
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Combine tofu and spinach in a bowl until combined.
• Once pasta is done, start to layer!
• On the bottom, 1/2 cup of sauce followed by 1/2 the pasta and a full cup of sauce.
• Top with tofu and spinach mixture followed by all the sauted veggies and another cup of sauce.
• Layer on the rest of the pasta, followed by a cup of sauce, cheese if you're using it, and line up the roma tomatoes so they look pretty.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncovering the last 10 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes to cool enough to cut

Time saving tips:

• Make your pasta ahead of time
• Buy pre-chopped mushrooms if you can
• Use frozen chopped bell peppers
• Microwave the eggplant and the squash/zucchini for 5-7 minutes while you saute the onion/garlic/mushrooms.  Simply transfer them to the skillet and saute for another 5 minutes. 
• Combine the tofu and spinach mixture with the sauteed mixtured after it's been drained and just use it as one layer
• TOFU FREE note: apparently (from a friend) if you neglect to buy tofu, you can substitute filled tortellini for the pasta!

Peanut Noodles

You know those nights when either nothing looks good to you, or you're just not in the mood to cook, but you need to eat something?!  Usually, if the hubs isn't home, I reach for the flour and milk and whip up some pancakes for the boys.  If the hubs is home, then I reach for the pasta and the peanut butter!

When time is of the essence but I want something a little bit more than just pasta and sauce for dinner, this is my go-to recipe.  It's done in as much time as it takes to make the noodles, and the whole family loves it.  It's also nice because if I make it in the summer, like now, I chill it and it's great that way, too.

My boys love this dish.  All three of them.I do tend to add in some edamame for them, but Scot tells me it's a very filling meal without them.  Also, the picture makes it seem like I'm sparing with the broccoli.  I'm not.  I just figured you didn't want a picture with a bowl full of broccoli and no noodles to be seen. 

Peanut Noodles
Serves 6
Active time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes OR 1 hour for chilled version
Serving Suggestions:  As a lunch, or with bread and salad for a dinner.  For added protein, serve with a side of emadmae, or with the edamame sprinkled on top with the broccoli. 

What you'll need:

• 1, 1 lb, box whole wheat thin spaghetti 
• 1/2 cup natural smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/3 cup brewed black tea OR vegetable broth
• 1 TBLS sesame oil OR 2 TBLS for the chilled version
• 3 TBLS red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce OR tamari
• 1/2 cup shelled peanuts (opt)
• 1, 16 oz, bag frozen broccoli OR green peas

What you'll do:

• Cook pasta according to package directions.  When it's done, drain, rinse with cold water and transfer to a large bowl.
• If you plan to have the dish chilled, add 1 TBLS of the sesame oil to the pasta and stir to coat.  Chill for 30 minutes.
• Steam the broccoli or peas on the stove top or in the microwave.
• Meanwhile, combine in a food processor, or just with a whisk and bowl, the peanut butter, spices, tea, oil, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Puree or stir until smooth.
• Mix the sauce in with the pasta.  
• To serve, plate the pasta and top each portion with peanuts and vegetables.

Veggie Lo Mein + WINNER

This is a family favorite in our house and we have Brittany to thank for it!  There is something about this sauce that is out of this world.  Add in vegetables you love and cashews, and you have a much healthier version of your favorite Chinese take-out dish ready in your own kitchen. 

This meal is easy to put together, but after making is several times, here are some pointers!  Break the pasta in half before adding it to the water.  It's nearly impossible to evenly distribute the vegetables and sauce in the pasta if it's left long.  Also, play around with the vegetables!  I use a simple 1 lb frozen bag of stirfry veggies and I always throw in an extra cup or so of frozen peas or broccoli.  If you don't have edamame on hand, feel free to sub in chickpeas or chunks of broiled tofu. It's very versatile and flexible, like I said, it's the sauce that makes this dinner super amazing.

Veggie Lo Mein

Serves 6 (or 12 as a side)

Active time: 35 min

Cook Time: 35 min

Total time: 35 min

Serving Suggestions: This meal stands alone as a main dish, but could also be used as a side to chicken or beef

What you'll need:

• 2 TBLS cornstarch
• 1 TBLS vegetable base + 1 cup cold water  OR 3 bouillon cubes (or powdered version) dissolved in 1 cup water OR 3 cups vegetable broth (please note that using broth will lengthen the reduction time)
• 1 TBLS sesame oil
• 2  tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 TBLS brown sugar
• 2 TBLS rice vinegar
• 2 TBLS molasses
• 2 TBLS honey OR agave
• 1/4 cup soy sauce OR tamari
• 1 lb spaghetti OR GF brown rice spaghetti
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 lb bag frozen stir fry vegetables OR 3-4 packed cups of your favorite stir fry vegetables (ideas: red bell pepper, carrots, broccoli, snow peas)  
• 1 16oz bag shelled edamame
• 1 cup unsalted cashew halves (rinse with warm water if you only have salted cashews)
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

What you'll do:

• Fill a large saucepan or stockpot with water, bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, whisk together vegetable base, cold water, and cornstarch (or broth, if using) - set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat sesame oil and garlic over medium heat.  Once garlic is fragrant, add broth mixture & stir.
• Add the following to the sauce: black pepper, brown sugar, rice vinegar, molasses, honey, and soy sauce.  Leave heat on medium, stir well.
• Once the water starts boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.  
• Stir sauce occasionally and allow it to reduce as pasta cooks.  
• Meanwhile, if using frozen veggies, rinse them with warm water.
• To a large skillet add canola oil, stir fry veggies, edamame and cashews - sauté until they reach desired tenderness, adding green onions in the last few minutes of cooking.  
• When pasta is done cooking, drain & rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
• Add pasta and sauce to skillet with veggies, stir well to coat.  
• Serve now, or refrigerate for later - may be eaten warm or cold.

And the random GIVEAWAY winner is: Darcy -- who loves her food processor. I'll be contacting you with your shipping information.

Lentil & Tofu Tacos -- or sauce

This was another meal from our time away at my parent's house (and I have since made it again as a pasta sauce -- pictured).  It was a quick and easy weeknight dinner we all enjoyed.  The recipe I used was on a yellowed 3x5 index card, which is interesting since I don't remember growing up with the dish.  I almost wish we had, though!

I was a little leery of having tacos with both lentils and tofu, but amazingly, it worked.  Not too overpowering of either.  They complimented each other very nicely.  I still think I like our other lentil tacos better, but this is a little bit quicker, so it'll still end up on our table!

Top these tacos with what ever you wish: avocados, greens, cheese, salsa, green peppers, green onions, etc.

As a note, we used the leftovers to top some pasta for a quick lunch and it was so good, I have started using this as a sauce when, sometimes even adding taco toppings if I have them on hand.

Lentil & Tofu Tacos

serves 4-6

• 1/2 cup dry lentils, rinsed well + 1 cup water
• 3/4 c chopped onion
• 2 c tomato sauce 
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 16 oz block firm tofu, drained, pressed, and crumbled
• Tortillas
• toppings of choice

-- Cook the lentils in the water like you would rice.

-- Once lentils are almost all done, saute onions in a medium saucepan or deep skillet.  Add the tomato sauce, lentils, and seasoning.  Simmer 10 minutes.

-- Add tofu and mix well.

-- Spoon into tortillas and top away! (Or spoon over a bed of pasta)

-- To make a REALLY quick weeknight meal, have your lentils already made.

Magic Green Lasagna

I first had this lasagna about 2 years ago.  It was a busy weeknight and we were over at our friends house for dinner.  Between the 2 of us, we had 4 little boys, 2 and under, who were all eating table food.  When she put this on the table I knew we were safe.  Soft and delicious, a lasagna was something my boys never said no to.  And they didn't, they are their pieces right up.  They always eat this lasagna right up.  I don't know whether it's the taste, or the lack of chunks of vegetables, but I love that they love it so much.

Oh.  Did I mention there are 2 heads of broccoli and 3 medium zucchini pureed in there?

Oh yeah.  There are. Makes me smile even more.  You can add carrots, but the color won't be as vibrant or green.

This lasagna is good for the big kids, too, though, so don't pass over it if you don't have the pitter-patter of little feet in your house. It's so easy to put together and it's delicious.  It also freezes well, so if you need a quick lunch, here's your dish.

Also, this would be so fun to serve on St Patty's day!


Magic Green Lasagna

• 2 (16 oz) bags frozen broccoli florets, or 2 medium heads
• 3 medium zucchini, diced (4 cups)
• 1 block of tofu, drained
• 1 T onion powder
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 T basil
• 1 T oregano
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (plus maybe a little more)
• oven ready lasagna noodles (or GF alternative)

-- Saute zucchini until soft.  (You can saute the broccoli, too, if you're using fresh)  Microwave broccoli until soft, too.

-- Chop tofu and put it in a large mixing bowl.  Add the veggies and spices and, using an immersion blender - blend away!! (If you don't have an immersion blender, you can puree half the tofu with the broccoli in a food processor, and then the other half of the tofu with the zucchini and then mix them together in a mixing bowl.  But if you don't have an immersion blender, you should really fix that problem.)

-- Now to layer: little bit of sauce on the bottom, noodles, little more sauce to cover them up, half the tofu mixture, almost a cup of sauce, noodles, little bit of sauce to cover them up, the rest of the tofu mixture, another almost-cup of sauce, noodles, and then the rest of the sauce, and maybe some more from another jar to make sure the noodles don't overbake.

-- Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes (remove foil for the last 15 minutes)

Cannellini "Meatballs"

Happy New Year!  Is anyone else shocked that it's 2013?  I sure have a hard time...

My boys love them some pasta.  Any kind I put in front of them is eaten with a speed I wish accompanied each and every meal.  They're mini-carboholics like their momma!

Poor little guys are yummy, but in the midst of getting dinner on the table, their beauty was  harder to capture than I thought

Only thing is, I get tired of pasta and sauce, no matter how protein filled they are.  Since we don't eat meat, meatballs are out of the question.  But then I saw this recipe and thought I'd give it a try.  I tweaked it a little bit, but we thoroughly enjoyed it.  I don't think it's something I'll be making often -- while easy, it was just too much time when I can bulk up a sauce so much faster.  Everyone loved it, though, so I was happy, and I will make it again.

Right out of the oven

Cannellini "Meatballs"
Makes 16 "balls"

• 2 cans cannelloni beans, rinse and drain
• 3/4 cup chopped roasted bell pepper (from a jar)
• 3/4 c chopped onion
• 2 t minced garlic
• 1 T oregano
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c + 2 T breadcumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large jar of your favorite pasta sauce
• 1 lb whole wheat pasta

-- In a food processor, pulse the beans and the roasted pepper until chunky.  You don't want it pureed, you want it with chunks so it sticks together well

-- In a bowl, combine bean mixture with all other ingredients through the salt/pepper.  Once fully combined, take a large spoon and form mixture into 2-3T sized balls.

-- Place them on a greased baking pan, or silpat so you don't have to use any oil, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch

-- While they're heating, boil your water and cook the noodles.  Also, heat the sauce in a large skillet to warm.

-- Once the "meatballs" are cooked, gently stir them in the sauce and serve them over the cooked and drained pasta!

-- Sprinkle shredded cheese on top is desired and enjoy!

Creamy Marinara Sauce

Here's another recipe from Milo & Me.  Again, we enjoyed it.  We did tweak this one a just a tad to add a little more flavor, but it's a great base recipe and so easy to contour to your own flavor preference. It was delicious and we couldn't even taste to tofu hidden there -- oh wait, you didn't know there was tofu in there?  Yup.  There is.

How do you like that?

I think this is going to be one of my new sauces for winter spaghetti lunches in lieu of mac'n'cheese.  The boys both loved it, and I loved that it was packed with protein, and only a half block of tofu was needed.  (Make sure you save the other half in its liquid with a little added water.  It'll be fine for a week or so.  Or...just double the recipe and freeze.)

Serve over any kind of whole wheat pasta and enjoy with a hunk of bread and salad.

 Creamy Marinara Sauce
makes enough for about a whole lb of pasta

• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 30 oz diced or crushed tomatoes
• 2 T tomato paste
• 2 T dry basil
• 1 t herbs de provence
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1/2 pack (7-8 oz) regular or silken tofu

-- Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan about 10 minutes until all soft
-- Add the tomatoes, paste, and spices.  Simmer for 15 minutes.
-- Add in the tofu and puree with a hand blender and puree until smooth or, put tofu with a few ladle fulls of the sauce into a food processor and puree until smooth.
-- Add the vinegar and warm through.

Pasta Dinner with Tomatoes and Zucchini

 
A few weeks ago I went to a Pampered Chef party.  As always, I had a blast at the show.  It's a great time for chatting and looking at fun cooking/baking products, and this time, there was even a show-case meal that was made and enjoyed right there!

Even though I didn't have the covered stoneware dish that was used to make this meal, I still wanted to adapt it to my taste and try it at home.

This is so easy and incredibly versatile, too.  I used a squash and a zucchini in it, but I could have used all of one or the other.  I think next time I may toss in a can or two of rinsed/drained white beans for an extra protein component.

The best part?  Everyone loves a pasta dish, and my boys are no exception!

Pasta Dinner with Tomatoes and Zucchini
Feeds 6

• 1/4 c white wine
• 2 t minced garlic
• 3-4 c cherry tomatoes
• 4 c vegetable broth
• 1 box whole grain short pasta (rotini, penne, ziti, shells, bowtie...)
• 1 T dry basil OR 1/4 c fresh, chopped
• 2 medium squash or zucchini, sliced thin
• salt and pepper to taste (if you use a regular broth, you may not need any extra salt, so taste first!)
• 1 or 2 cans white beans of choice, rinsed and drained (optional if you want more protein in the dish)

-- In a large pot, or dutch oven, combine the wine, garlic and tomatoes.  Cover and heat over medium-high for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The tomatoes may start to pop and that's just perfect.
--Meanwhile, slice those squash/zucchini and saute them in a skillet until they're soft.
-- Jump back to the tomatoes when needed, and with a long handled spoon, mash the tomatoes a bit.
-- Add the broth to the tomatoes, let boil, and then add the pasta. Let cook 10 minutes, until the pasta is done and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
-- Add in sauteed squash and/or zucchini
-- Add beans in, too, if using.

-- Can serve with grated Parmesan on top.  YUM!
-- Add basil and veggies and stir to combine


On a personal note:  I'm leaving for about 10 days on vacation, but I have some recipes scheduled to post while I'm gone, so make sure to pop back and check out the blog even if you don't see anything on pinterest or facebook!