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

Thai Pineapple Curry

I love Thai food.  It all began back in highschool and the love has matured and grown since then.  With all that being said, though, and my love for cooking and trying new things, one would assume I cooked Thai food at home.

Wrong.

It scares me.  It's the one cuisine (and other authentic Asian foods like Chinese or Korean -- they are on my to do list!) I don't cook.  Or didn't.

One of my all-time favorite dishes to get at a good Thai restaurant is the Thai coconut milk-based curries. Panang and Masaman are good, but the Pineapple curry that melds the sweet and savory together is where it's at for this girl.  (If you don't like the sweetness of it, don't worry, you can still use this recipe, but omit the pineapple and add 2 cups of another veggie, like zucchini and/or mushrooms).

In the pot, all fragrant and ready to be ladled onto the rice 

I was surprised by how easy this dish was to make.  I used a jar of pre-made red curry paste (by itself not spicy), made sure to not add any additional spices, used some pre-chopped lemongrass (optional, but made it taste like the real deal), and then just chopped a few veggies.  In the future, I'll play around with what I add -- like the zucchini and mushrooms mentioned above.  There was a lot of broth there, which I happen to like (let the rice soak it up!), but some people like a thicker/chunkier curry, so those people may want to add some other veggies.

You can also add in a meat of some sort, or tofu.  I'm picky on my tofu, especially in curries, so I simply served some edamame on the side with a Raw Pad Thai Salad (no edamame or hemp seeds in it, and it made 4-6 small side salads) to go with it and called it good. It was delish.

Raw Pad Thai Salad from Oh She Glows

Thai Pineapple Curry
serves 6-8

• 2 cups almond milk + 2 tsp coconut extract
• 3 TBLS pre-made, jarred, red curry paste
• 1-2 tsp chopped lemongrass (opt)
• 2 cups cubed pineapple (save juice)
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1 14oz can baby corn, drained and chopped
• 1 cup deseeded/chopped tomato
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 2 TBLS brown sugar
• 1 TBLS vegetable paste (or 1 bullion cube)
• 1 TBLS lime juice
• 1 TBLS fresh chopped basil

-- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup of the milk with paste.  Simmer 5 minutes.

-- Add remaining milk and lemongrass and bring to a boil

-- Add all remaining ingredients (minus basil and lime juice) and simmer 10 minutes until vegetable start to soften (if using zucchini and mushrooms, you may need to microwave them, or saute them a little before adding in.)

-- Stir in basil and lime juice

-- Serve over brown rice, OR mix 4 cups cooked brown rice into the pot and stir until it soaks all the liquid up!

The China Study Cookbook Review + 2 RECIPES

I’d been hearing praises for The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD for quite some time, took the plunge and ordered the book last summer (after checking it out several times from the library, only to leave it nearly untouched on the bedside stand), and finally got around to reading it this spring.  It’s quite difficult for me to find the time to read these days, but I am sure glad I made an effort to squeeze this one in!  I have been so impressed with Dr. Campbell’s research and findings, especially regarding the effects of dietary protein on cancer growth, that when I heard he would be releasing a new book (Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition) and a companion cookbook (The China Study Cookbook), I pre-ordered both.  

Upon its arrival, I discovered that the The China Study Cookbook is actually written by Dr. Campbell’s daughter, Leanne Campbell, PhD, who has successfully raised her two boys on a plant-based diet.  One thing I really appreciate about this cookbook is that it was written by a very busy mom, so many of the recipes are practical, quick-fixes.  I also love that she has so many meals that can be prepped ahead for quick, easy, lunchbox-friendly entrees and sandwiches throughout the week!  Quick lunches are something I found to be lacking in my own personal recipe collection, so this cookbook has filled a void.  The other aspect I have enjoyed is the author’s creative use of both tofu & chickpeas--aversions to these ingredients exist among certain members of my household, so it was exciting to find recipes that pass the oh-so-tricky O’Rourke table taste-test!  I’ve dog-eared many recipes to try, but so far, here are the winners in our household:

• Cucumber Dill Dip
• Greek Salad with Nuts
• Delicious Eggless Sandwiches
• Spinache Chickpea Burgers (Which are, according to my dear cooked-spinach-and-chickpea-hating husband, “The closest thing to a real burger!”)
• Ocean Chickpea Sandwiches (My darling, chickpea-despising daughter actually thinks these are tuna sandwiches, and jumps for joy when she hears they are on the menu!  Personally, I think the salad is more akin to an egg-salad, due to the texture and flavor...regardless, I must say that it has become one of my favorites!  A curious but skeptical, meat-loving co-worker even tried a bite and requested the recipe to prepare for her family.)  Two special notes on this one:  
• I use 4 TBLS Vegenaise, in place of the 5 TBLS homemade, tofu-based mayo the recipe calls for, simply for convenience & waste prevention (the Green Garden Mayo recipe makes a ton, and I just don’t use it often enough to justify the quantity).  Vegenaise raises the fat content a bit, but I think it’s worth it.  
• Don’t skip the kelp powder, it’s worth seeking out!  I really feel this ingredient is what gives the recipe it’s edge.  I found it at Whole Foods with the other spices and salt-substitutes.  
• Pecan Ball Subs
• Zucchini Crabless Cakes (I was somewhat leery about these due to the tofu & zucchini content--again, due to weird food aversions in our household--but was pleasantly surprised, as they went over quite well!  These patties also refrigerate nicely for leftovers, which is a plus.)

AND, for the GRAND FINALE, our very FAVORITES...

• Thai Wraps
• Amazingly Delicious Date Fruit Pie

We hope these two recipes that we’re sharing will spark your interest, and encourage you to order the book so you can give the others a try!

Happy eating!

~Brittany

When Brittany introduced me to this cookbook I was skeptical of yet another cookbook.  She told me, though, to try their two favorite meals to see what I thought.

Let me tell ya what -- I can't wait to try more!

These Thai wraps are a new favorite in our house, too.  As in, I made them the first time and we liked them so much, I figured out how to make them the next night without using tofu (we were out)!  So there is a soy-free version of these and it's totally up to personal preference.  Scot liked the tofu version better for the subtle flavor of the tofu, and I liked the chickpea version better for texture and the fact it wasn't as drippy.  I also sliced some red cabbage up and added it in the wrap with the lettuce and that lent a nice extra crunch.

Oh, did I mention you can make these in about 15 minutes?  Yeah.  Another reason they're a new favorite, fabulous flavor aside.

Thai Wraps
serves 4

• 1 12oz pk extra firm tofu, drained OR 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup good peanut butter
• 2-3 TBLS soy sauce or Tamari
• 1 TBLS lime juice
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro OR 1 heavy TBLS dry
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 4 tortillas
• lettuce and sliced red cabbage

-- Crumble tofu with fork in a mid-sized mixing bowl.  If using chickpeas, use a pastry-cutter.

-- Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and spices in a small bowl and whisk until blended well.  Pour into bowl and mix well.

-- Add everything else and stir until combined.

-- Spread onto tortillas and top with lettuce and red cabbage.

This little dessert is fabulous.  It's easy to make, and while the picture shows it being very messy -- and finely chopped strawberries will be! -- it doesn't have to be a messy dessert.  The original recipe called for 5 different types of fruit equaling about 4 cups.  Strawberries were on sale, so I did just the berries.  I also tried my crust in a spring-form pan -- oops -- next time, I'll use a pie dish as directed if I have anything that could spill over.

I do think, though, that a simple bag of frozen/thawed mixed berries would be delish on this crust.  Pretty much anything would be great on this crust.  A thin layer of vanilla cream would be divine between the crust and fruit.  Just sayin'.

Date & Fruit Pie

serves 8

• 1 packed cup chopped Medjool dates
• 1 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• sliced fruit, equally about 4 cups.  Ideas: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, mangos, kiwis

-- Blend all crust ingredients in a food processor until a paste forms

-- Press firmly into a pie plate and chill until ready to add fruit.  Once ready, arrange fruit and chill at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.

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!

Honey Lime Enchilada Casserole

I've recently been on a kick of attempting to re-make some of our old favorite meals.  At the beginning of going "heart healthy" and eating more plant based meals, we thought we'd eat meat only once a week.  Truth be told, I haven't purchased meat in almost 2 years and the only time I eat it is if we're at a friends house and it's in something.

This enchilada recipe was one we said we'd make over and over again even though we'd gone plant-based, but it never happened.  A few weeks ago, I got an itch for that Honey-Lime enchilada sauce and couldn't get it out of my mind.  I just had to figure out how to make the meal plant-based!

So here is what I came up with.  It ended up being a little too spicy for our little guys, but if it weren't for that I think I could easily eat this dish once a week.  Until they're older, I'll be making this for friends when they come over!  I was going to go the traditional route and roll the "stuffing", but it was too wet, so I made it into a casserole.  It worked out perfectly.  You can't taste the tofu at all, and you'll be scraping the plate for one more drop of the sauce.  Believe me, I took a spatula to the baking dish after putting leftovers away, and let me tell ya, I don't think I've seen a cleaner dish enter my sink!

Top these babies with whatever you wish.  I had olives on hand, but avocados or finely chopped lettuce would have been nice.  I served some slightly seasoned brown rice with these along with roasted green beans and a salad.  We were stuffed.

A time note: these are best if the tofu/bean mixture has all day (or even all night!) to sit in the sauce.  It takes all of 5 minutes to prep that part, so I strongly suggest thinking ahead.

Another note: you can combine 3 cups cooked brown rice with the tofu mixture before layering to help soak up all the goodness and have a less "wet" dish.

Don't forget -- Cinco de Mayo is just under a week away!

Honey Lime Enchilada Casserole [almost vegan]
serves 6 hungry men or 8 "regular" servings

• 1 block firm tofu, drained
• 2 cans white beans (cannellini, great northern...) rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1 (heavy) TBLS chili powder
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3 10oz cans green enchilada sauce 
• corn tortillas
• enchilada toppings of your choice: salsa, lettuce, cheese, olives, guac or avocados 

-- Crumble the tofu into a large bowl until it's small chunks.  Add the beans.

-- In a small bowl, combine the honey, lime juice, chili and garlic powders with 2 cups enchilada sauce.  Stir until honey is dissolved.  Pour sauce over tofu/bean mixture and mix. The best thing to do at this point is let this mixture sit in the fridge until you're ready for it (up to a day!)

-- When you're ready, preheat your oven to 350.  While that's heating up, layer the casserole like this:  Start with the rest of the sauce from the opened can (a scant 1/2 cup) and spread it into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  Next, lay down a layer of corn tortillas (you may have to cut them in half so the flat parts are against the side of the dish).  Next, pour in half the tofu/bean mixture followed by another layer of corn tortillas and the rest of the tofu/bean mixture.  End with a final layer of corn tortillas and an entire can of enchilada sauce (1 1/4 cups).

-- Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes (just enough time to make rice!) until the top begins to brown ever so slightly.  Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting.

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.

Chili Glazed Tofu & Ramen Soup

While I was on vacation, my mother let me play in her beautiful kitchen.  For me, there's nothing like some time, a fabulous kitchen, and a new recipe.  It was delightful to hear the boys have fun with my parents while I was having fun on my own.

This soup looked intriguing to me.  As a child, my mom would make us egg drop soup with ramen noodles as the base and there was always something about it I loved.  I haven't had a pack of ramen in my kitchen since college, so this was a little different for us.  The flavors were really nice and the tofu made the dish.  Next time I think I'll broil the tofu.  I don't know when I'll learn that broiling tofu is so much easier, faster, and  healthier than pan-frying it!

This would have been great with an Asian themed green, or even quinoa, salad.

Chili Glazed Tofu & Ramen Soup
serves 4-6

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 T minced garlic
• 3/4 t powdered ginger
• 4 T soy sauce, divided
• 1 T Asian sweet chili sauce (Trader Joes has a great one!)
• 1 16 oz pack extra firm tofu (drained, patted dry, and cut into 10-12 "slabs")
• 2 packs ramen noodles,, or 12 oz fresh Asian noodles
• 2 large carrots, skinned to the core (1 packed cup of the "shavings")
• 2 cups packed chopped spinach
• 1 c chopped scallions

-- Combine broth, 2 cups water, garlic, ginger, and 3 T soy sauce in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes.

-- Mix the remaining 1 T soy sauce with chili sauce and set aside.

-- Broil tofu slabs 3-4 minutes each side until they are nice and crispy on the outside.  Coat with chili/soy sauce.

-- Add the noodles, carrots, and scallions to the pot and simmer for about 5 minutes.  

-- Add the spinach and stir until wilted (3-4 minutes)

-- Top each bowl with 2 slabs of tofu and extra sauce if desired.

BBQ'd Tofu

I love easy dinners.  With two little boys running around, easy dinners on busy days is what makes my life manageable. I saw this recipe over at OhSheGlows and decided to try it.  We do tofu in things, but rarely do I take the time to pan fry it.  But since that was the only time needed for this meal to be on the table, I was ok with it.

This was so simple, it's almost not worth having a post on at all, but I think sometimes going back to the basics of a meal is good.  So often I serve one-dish meals, or meals that only require an extra veggie.  This BBQ'd tofu needs a little more to make it part of a whole dinner ensemble   A note, too, on portion.  A block of tofu should feed 4 people.  The delicious BBQ'd tofu chunks shouldn't take up most of the plate.  You have to fill it with other things.  So I made some green beans as well as my Black Bean Quinoa Salad and had a green salad just in case.  We were fine.  But I did make it stretch to feed one hungry man, two hungry boys, and one momma.

Also, next time, I think I'm going to broil the tofu instead of pan frying it.  That's just how we prefer it -- totally a texture thing, I think.  It's also a lot faster to broil it than pan-fry it.  Also, no oil is needed when you broil.  Bonus!

Ok.  Enough of all that.

BBQ'd Tofu
serves 4

• 1 block extra firm tofu.  Pressed/squeezed for at least 30 minutes and cut into 36 squares.  Or less, depending on how big you want them.
• garlic power
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce.  We use Stubb's Honey Pecan.  Love Stubb's!

-- Pan-fry or broil the tofu until it's done.  If you're pan-frying, use a high heat tolerant oil (like grapeseed) and fry 5-7 minutes each side until golden brown.  If broiling, broil each side about 5 minutes.
-- Once fried or broiled, mix in a bowl with the BBQ sauce and serve right away!  (More BBQ may be needed depending on the amount of BBQ love you have going on at your table!)

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)

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.

Lemony Chickpea Skillet Meal

This meal got mixed reviews in our house, but I still thought I'd post it. Scot loved it and with a change, I will love it, too.

 All in all, this is was quite easy.  It was filling and nutritious and the boys ate it up.  So of course, I loved it for those reasons.  But it also tasted great (when I didn't have it with a bite of tofu).

And there lies the issue.

Tofu.

Let me tell you first, I like tofu.  When you saute it right, which I did this time just like all the other times, or when it's pureed and disguised in with other things, I do really like it.  But I didn't like it with this dish.  Scot loved it in this dish.  He thought it complimented the zucchini and lemon flavors well.  I didn't agree, I thought the flavors clashed at best, or that the tofu was overpowering at worst.

So, if you like tofu, make this as it's written.  If you only sometimes like tofu, make some quinoa and serve this skillet meal over a pile of that amazing whole grain.

Got the recipe over here, doubled it, and tweaked it just a tad. 

Lemony Chickpea Skillet Meal
serves 4-6

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 sweet/red onion, diced
• 1 can chickpeas, rinse and drain
• 2 medium zucchini, cubed (6 cups)
• 4 loose cups kale, chopped
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1, 16oz box, extra firm tofu OR 2-3 cups cooked quinoa

-- If you're using the tofu, go ahead and cube it and pan fry it a little whichever way you like best.  Set aside. (I did a sweeter version with a little brown sugar to caramelize the outside, but if I do this with tofu again, I may do more of a soy sauce base)
-- In a large skillet, saute the onion and chickepeas 5-7 minutes until onions are soft and chickpeas are warmed through and the edges start to get a little crispy.  Set aside.
-- In the same large skillet, saute the zucchini with a little pepper and salt (if desired).  Saute until the zucchini is nice and soft, but not yet falling apart.
-- Add the chopped kale on in and saute it until it wilts. 3-5 minutes.
-- Add in chickpeas/onion, (tofu if using) and lemon zest/juice and warm through.
-- Serve over quinoa (if not using the tofu)

Heather's Quinoa

When I first started cooking with quinoa, I went on a vicious hunt for quinoa recipes.  I found this one hidden away.  As soon as I saw it again last week, I had two reactions.  One: regret for not making it when I found it last summer.  And then quickly following that was this thought: I'm glad I'm making this now, because I have extra squash and zucchini I can use in it, too!

And so began last night's dinner! 

 This is Scot's new favorite quinoa dish.  I don't know if it's just something new...or the fabulous combination of the pesto and slightly sweet tofu and the sauteed veggies.  I will tell you the boys licked their bowls clean.  Literally. And Scot and I would have followed suit, had we not been scolding the boys to get their tongues back into their mouths.

Heather's Quinoa
Serves 4-6

• 3 c cooked quinoa (1 1/4 c quinoa + 2.5 water)
• 1/3 c pesto
• 1 black extra firm tofu, drained, and cut into small cubes 1 T brown sugar 
• 1 small red onion, minced
• 2 c 1/2 inch cubed squash and/or zucchini
• 1 1/2 c corn
• 2 c kale, finely chopped
• 1/4 c sun dried tomatoes (or, roasted tomatoes if you have the time)
• Sunflower or pumpkin seeds 

-- Combine cooked quinoa and pesto in a large bowl
--  In a skillet, brown tofu cubes in a little olive oil and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Let cook and crisp, turning over every few minutes until they're slightly brown
-- Transfer to the quinoa and heat a little more olive oil in the skillet.  Saute the onion, squash and/or zucchini, and corn until veggies are almost soft.  Add in the chopped kale and heat until wilted.
-- Add sauteed veggies and seeds to the quinoa and gently stir together.
-- Top with the tomatoes and enjoy! 

Sweet Orange Stirfry Sauce

For me, stir-fry is one of the easiest meals to whip up.  Cook rice.  Saute some onion, garlic and veggies.  Drizzle a fabulous sauce on it for the finishing touch and you're good.

Every stir-fry is different, too.  A good stir-fry, though, is dependent on two things: good array of veggies and that fabulous sauce.

You can go out and buy a teriyaki or sweet and sour sauce, but it's so easy to make your own and then you also know what's in it.  Double bonus!

For this particular stir fry, I used: 1 onion, some garlic, 1 lb of bok choy cut into 1 inch pieces, 1 cup carrots, 1 block of tofu (pressed dry and cut into little cubes - or you could use a can of drained chickpeas).  I wish I had a carton of mushrooms because I would have added those, too.  Other ideas: spinach, broccoli, water chestnuts, baby corn, sweet corn, snap peas, green peas, green beans...you get the idea.  Any ole veggie will pretty much work.

But this sauce.  Oh man.  Let me tell you, it's so delish and so so easy. It's slightly citrusy but still soy-sauce based which makes it slightly teriyaki-ish.

Anyway, the recipe.

Sweet Orange Stirfry Sauce

• 1/3 cup orange marmalade/jam
• 2 T soy sauce or tamari
• 2 T water
• 1 t powder ginger
• 1 t cornstarch

-- Mix all together in a small bowl and drizzle over the veggies once they're done being sauted/cooked and let everything heat a few minutes.
-- Serve over rice and enjoy!  Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you want. 

Stuffed Shells

 

 
Sorry it's been so long since the last post.  We've had sickness in our house and a little guy who's getting the last of new teeth and everyone is being effected by the change.  I haven't made new things and the things I have made have all been made one-handed or with a screaming 22 month old at my feet.  Last night was no different, except that I attempted something new.

Scot loves Italian food.  Anything that involves noodles, red sauce, cheese and flavor is a top-notch dinner for him.  When we first got married, I would make Spinach Stuffed Manicotti for him and he would act like he'd died and gone to heaven.  Well, I hated making it.  Something about trying to stuff those hard pastas just really turned me off. I tried it with the noodles al dente once and that was worse.  So I stopped making it.  And then we went heart healthy, so I had no need to make it.  And then it dawned on me.  I use tofu in my lasagna instead of ricotta, why couldn't I do that with the manicotti.  Except use shells instead.  And voila!  Dinner was created [in my mind].

This particular dish is vegan, but if you're not holding to a vegan/plant based diet, then feel free to sprinkle a little cheese on top to finish this off.  I served these delicious shells with some garlic bread and a simple green salad and Scot gave it two big thumbs up!

Stuffed and ready to be sauced

All done!  YUM!

Stuffed Shells
Serves 6 (4 shells/person)

•  1 8 oz box jumbo shells (I used a 12 oz box and had shells left over.  You'll need only 24 shells)
• 1 24 oz jar of your favorite full flavored pasta sauce
• 1 16 oz box regular tofu.  Drained.
• 2 T EVOO
• 1 T nutritional yeast
• 2 t minced garlic
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t basil
• 1 t salt
• 1 10oz box chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• shredded cheese for top (opt)

-- Boil the shells al dente according to the directions.
-- Preheat your oven to 350 and pour a half cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan
-- In a blender or food processor, combine the remaining ingredients (minus spinach) and puree until creamy.  Stir in spinach.
-- Once shells are done, drain and rinse with cold water.  Once they're cool enough to handle, fill the shells with the tofu spinach mixture.  One large tablespoon scoop worked for me. Place in baking dish seam side down.
-- Cover the shells with the remaining pasta sauce.  Add cheese if you're using.
-- Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Vegetable Lasagna

I really enjoy a hearty lasagna.  Since we've gone heart healthy, I really miss my easy Spinach Lasagna.  So now, when ever I make a lasagna, I make sure to just chock it full of veggies and replace the common ricotta with a very soft tofu.  I figured I'd share the basic recipe with you all.  I don't really go by a recipe, but I'll give you what I do. 

Vegetable Lasagna

• 1 - 2 T white wine or a really dry sherry (I use this instead of OO sometimes to add extra flavor)
• 1 large onion - chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 4 cups sliced zucchini and squash
• 1 pack froen spianch or 1 can spinach - drained
• 1 box soft tofu (not the firm or extra firm kind) drained
• 1 T herbs de provence (or other spices to your liking)
• 1 large can your favorite pasta sauce
• whole wheat lasagna noodles
• a wee bit of cheese for the top
• some nutritional yeast (2-3 T) if you have it on hand for the top

-- Saute the onion, garlic and squash and zucchini in the wine until everything is nice and soft. (I like to puree it at this point because my boys eat it better when they think it's just part of the spinach, but you don't have to)
-- In a bowl, combine the tofu, spinach, sauteed vegetables, and spices and stir until "creamy".  This is your cheesy mixture. :D
-- In a 9x13 baking dish, put just a little sauce.  Now layer: noodles with a little sauce on top, and then half the "cheesy mixture" with a little more sauce.  Now, do it again.  End with the noodles, sauce, and then sprinkle as much cheese and nutritional yeast as you'd like on the top.
--Spray some tin foil with Pam, and cover the lasagna, Pam-side down, and bake for an hour at 350.

I always serve lasagna with yummy bread and a big hearty salad.  ENJOY!

Black Pepper Green Beans

This dish was surprisingly super easy and full of tasty flavors!  I was shocked.  I got the recipe from my mother who tried and it loved it, but looking at the ingredient list, I just wasn't so sure.  And the addition of tofu that's not marinated or broiled like in this dish always makes me nervous -- but not to worry, it turned out great!

I served this as a main dish, which is what it's supposed to be, but it may end up appearing on our Thanksgiving table as a side.  Scot absolutely loved it, too, which was a huge plus.  The littlest dude wasn't too into it, but that's ok, he'll learn to love it since it's a definite repeat.  I served it with some leftover sweet potato soup, a big salad, and some bread (you could also make some brown rice).  It was perfect.

Black Pepper Green Beans
Serves 4 main dishes, 6-8 side dishes

• 1 lb green beans - frozen of fresh
• 2 T lime juice
• 2 T soy sauce or tamari
• 1 t black pepper
• 2 T OO
• 1/2 cup onion sliced thinly
• 1 block extra firm tofu - drained and cut into 1/2 inch thick "sticks"
• 2 T brown sugar

--Boil or microwave beans until they are bright green.  I used frozen beans and I think I stuck them in the microwave for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile:
-- Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, and pepper and set aside
--In a large skillet, saute and slightly brown the onions in 1 T OO.  This will take about 10 minutes for the onions to almost start to caramelize.  Transfer to another dish or in with the green beans if they're done.
-- Now heat the other T of OO in the skillet (don't bother to clean it!) and put the tofu on it, making sure there are no overlapping pieces.  Sprinkle with the brown sugar.  The whole pan will get pretty wet, but it's just the melted sugar coating the tofu.  Turn the tofu a few times, but cook until the pieces are browned and slightly crispy (about 10 minutes)
-- Now add in the green beans and onions and heat through.  Once hot, add in the sauce and stir to coat.

Peanut Yum Sauce (with vegetables and rice)

I am a planner.  I like to know what's going on for the week a week in advance.  I like to have vacations planned out to the day.  I like to lay my clothes out (and the boys clothes) the night before.

This doesn't always happen, but it's the way I prefer.

I also meal plan.  For me, it's the easiest way to shop and cook.  There's no, Oh, this looks good....but I don't have what I need.  Planning meals out for 2 weeks is just the way I do things and it works for me.  I love picking out what I'm going to feed my family.  I look at blogs and cookbooks.  I make sure there is balance -- no one wants to eat 3 lentil-heavy meals in one week, right?  Well, when I went to meal plan and write out my grocery list this past week, I goofed.  I had written down: Mama Pea's Peanut Sauce.  And so I wrote down the ingredients for the sauce and only the sauce.  Oops.

So when I got around to making dinner Thursday night, I realized that we would all be a little hungry after consuming just the sauce.  Good as it was, we would have been hungry.  Thankfully, I cooked up some brown rice and cleaned my freezer out of all the leftover bags of veggies and we had a tasty and filling meal.

No one was the wiser to my goof and everyone loved it!  I loved how insanely quick and easy it was.  Seriously, if I had instant brown rice on hand (or hand some pre-made) this would have taken 10 minutes to put on the table.  No joke.  I tweaked the recipe - surprise surprise - you'd think with my planner ways that I would stick with a recipe but for the life of me I just can't!

Peanut Yum Sauce (with vegetables and rice)

Serves 6

Active time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes (if you have to cook your rice)

Total time: 50 minutes

Serving Suggestions: Round this meal out with a small bowl of soup (a pureed creamy vegetable sort) or a big green salad chocked full of more raw veggies.

What you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups dry brown rice OR instant brown rice + 3 cups of water
• 2  1lb (16 oz) bags frozen California Blend vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) OR 6 cups frozen vegetables (great way to clean out those "end of the bag" frozen veggies)
• 1 box silken tofu, drained
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 3 TBLS soy sauce OR Tamari
• 1 TBLS lime juice
• 2 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 1 TBLS agave OR honey
• ¼-1/2  tsp Cayenne pepper (to taste)
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts for garnish (optional)

What you'll do:

• Cook your rice with the water.
• Steam, Microwave, or Roast (400 for 30 minutes with a little olive oil) vegetables until soft and tender.
• Combine the remaining ingredients (except the peanuts) in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
• When the vegetables and rice are done, combine with the sauce in a large bowl and stir until everything is coated nicely.
• Serve with the peanuts sprinkled on top if desired.

Time Tip:  Cook your rice ahead of time

Nutrition Facts (per serving, 1/6 of recipe):

Calories 453 (Calories from fat 179); Total Fat 20g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol0mg; Sodium 513mg; Potassium 669mg; Total Carbohydrate 56g (Dietary Fiber 8g); Sugars 10g; Protein 18g; Vitamins/Minerals - Vitamin A 6638 IU; Vitamin C 53mg; Calcium 139mg; Iron 3mg; Folate 102mcg