Avocado-Tomato Rotelle

I love it when avocados are cheap ;)

This has a great, almost no-cook sauce. In fact, I bet this would make a fantastic pasta salad.

Works well as a quick lunch or dinner.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 oz. rotelle (wheel-shaped pasta)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado, diced
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.

2. While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and then cook the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook 5 minutes or until warmed through.

3. Toss the tomato mixture with the pasta and then add the avocado and basil. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Reference:
Avocado-Tomato Rotelle from the July 2006 issue of Cooking Pleasures.

'Shroom Fra Diavolo

A vegetarian version of Shrimp Fra Diavolo.

This was yummy, it just didn't look very appetizing so I skipped the photo!

It needs a bit more "heat" so I'll experiment with adding more crushed red pepper next time.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 portobello caps, cleaned and stems removed
1/2 tbsp. olive or canola oil
4-5 button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 tsp. (or more) crushed red pepper
1 tsp. capers, drained
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 servings uncooked pasta

Method:
1. Brush grill grates with oil and preheat grill to medium heat. Grill the portobello until slightly darkened and softened (I didn't time it... 5-6 minutes). Once grilled, slice the mushrooms and then cut each slice in half.
Cook the pasta according to package directions.

2. While the portobello grills, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped cremini or button mushrooms and the garlic. Saute for 5-6 minutes until softened.

3. Add the marinara sauce, capers, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt to the sauteeing mushrooms. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the portobello slices and cook 7-8 minutes until everything is cooked through.
Serve over the cooked pasta.

Reference:
Based on Shrimp Fra Diavolo from the October 2007 issue of Cooking Light.

Changes:
*Used portobello mushroom in place of shrimp.
*Sauteed button mushrooms with a little garlic.
*Added capers.
*Will add sliced kalamata or black olives next time.

Summer Evening Pasta

Recipes like this make me wish I had a green thumb (apparently, that trait is not genetic). As great as this was with store-bought stuff, I bet it would be three times as nice made with seriously fresh, straight-from-the-garden tomatoes and basil.

The no-cook sauce and quick prep time make this an especially wonderful dinner for a summer evening. Lovely with a salad and a glass of white wine.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 ripe, really fresh tomatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1/8 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp. black or kalamata olives, chopped
1-2 tsp. capers, drained
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 pound short pasta (wagon wheels, butterflies, penne...)
1/2 cup cooked white/navy beans

Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the pre-cooked beans during the last few minutes of cooking time just to warm them through.

2. While the pasta cooks, place half of the tomatoes in a large bowl along with the onion, olives, capers, and basil.

3. Place the remaining tomato chunks into a blender or food processor bowl. Add the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic. Puree until smooth. Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the tomato-caper-basil mixture.

4. Once the pasta and beans are ready, drain and add them to the bowl with the tomato mixture. Toss well and serve immediately.

Reference:
Pasta with Salsa Cruda from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourites.

My Changes:
*Added capers and olives.
*Added the beans for extra protein.

Pasta Shells with Spicy Tomato Sauce

This is a fast and easy, slightly spicy pasta dish.


Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2-3 tomatoes, cut into small chunks (keep the seeds)
1-2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 pound small pasta shells
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Method:
1. Heat the olive oil over low heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the jalapeno and saute an additional 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, 1/2-1 tsp. salt, and pepper. Cover partially and cook until the tomatoes begin to fall apart (10-12 minutes). Stir every few minutes. Add the beans to the sauce during the last 2-3 minutes of the sauce cooking time.
While the sauce cooks, cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the corn to the pasta during the last few minutes of pasta cooking time.

3. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to combine. Garnish with cilantro and season with additional salt if desired.

Reference:
Pasta Shells with Spicy Tomato Sauce from The Occasional Vegetarian.

My changes:
*Added onion.
*Added corn and black beans.
*Used regular vine-ripened tomatoes in place of plum tomatoes.

Iron, Lion, Zion

This is an amazing source of iron (hence the Bob Marley rip-off post title!)
It was Marley's birthday on February 6th so we can think of this as a belated memorial meal or something. lol

The iron sources in this meal include the spinach, the sun-dried tomatoes, and the walnuts. OK, so the walnuts aren't a great source but they do have some! Besides, they have many other benefits ;) Plus, the vitamin C in the spinach, tomatoes, and lime juice helps with the absorption of the iron.

The cookbook I got this from said something along the lines of "Kids love this dish!" Um, yeah, maybe little hippy kids who actually eat spinach... how many of those do you know? Well, if you read my blog, you may know more than I am giving you credit for. ;)
If you can't convince your kids that spinach really is tasty, you can substitute in broccoli. That is, if you can convince your kids that broccoli is tasty! :)
I'm sure they were talking about the cute little pasta stars... I'm sure ALL kids love those! Heck, I'm 31 and I love cute little pasta shapes!
Oh! While I'm on shaped pasta... I saw this boxed mac and cheese (Annie's) the other day and the pasta was in the shape of peace signs. Had me written all over it! :)
See, I even took a photo of the dry pasta stars... 31 going on 5...


Serves 2 (could serve 4 as a side dish)

Ingredients:
2/3 cup dry stellini pasta (that's the tiny stars; you can sub in the alphabet letters if you can't find stars)
1-2 tbsp. of olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1-2 large cloves of garlic (I used one huge one but I love garlic more than is considered normal so I'll add two next time)
1 portobello mushroom cap, sliced
2 cups spinach, washed, dried, and chopped up
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped up
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. lime juice (or lemon juice)
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning (salt-free if you can find it)

Method:
1. Grill or broil the mushroom slices until tender. While the mushrooms are grilling, cook the pasta according to the package directions (about 8 minutes). Drain, toss with the lime juice and set aside. Let the mushrooms cool slightly and then dice them up.

2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over low heat. Add the onion and then the garlic and let it cook very slowly so the garlic doesn't burn. Stir often! Once the garlic and onion are golden-brown, add the spinach and raise the heat to medium.

2. Cook until the spinach is wilted (1 minute or so). Stir in the pasta and mushroom pieces and cook until the mixture is warmed through. Toss in the lemon pepper seasoning, walnuts, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add additional lime juice as desired.

Serve immediately.

Reference:
This is based on the recipe Garlic Spinach Stellini Pasta from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook.
My changes:
I added in onion, the portobello mushroom, the walnuts, and the sun-dried tomatoes.

Thanks to the British Vegetarian Society for the information on iron.
Information Sheet - Iron
Information Sheet - Nuts and Seeds

Pasta with Fresh-Herb Pesto and Green Leafies

I love discovering new pesto recipes, especially ones that don't include cheese! Yes, I love cheese but with a family history of not-so-wonderful cholesterol, I have to cut back when I can. Take it from this cheese-lover, you won't miss it here! :) I'm sure all that oil has something to do with that... Oh well, isn't olive oil supposed to be good for your heart? Either way, it's not as cholesterol-laden as some pestos.

This dish is low in sodium and has only 13 grams total fat with a scant 2g sat. fat (and, what do you know? 0mg cholesterol! yeay!) Additionally, it's a good source of plant-based proteins, complex carbohydrates (esp. if you use whole wheat pasta) and fiber. Plus, dark green, leafy veggies are full of goodies like calcium and vitamins.


I made this with spinach but the original recipe called for kale (black kale to be precise). I've never actually tried kale but I seriously need to branch out and use more greens in my cooking! I know all the health benefits of them and I'm sure they all taste great. That can be a goal for the year.

Make all the pesto, even if you're only cooking the pasta part for one or two people. Pesto freezes well and is great to keep on hand for quick lunches!

Fresh-Herb Pesto
Serves 6
3/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, strip the leaves from the stem
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, strip leaves from the stem and chop them up a bit
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Pasta
Serves 2-3
1/2-1 cup spinach, chopped (or kale..)
5 or 6 mushrooms (oyster, baby bellas, button, cremini), cut in half
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 large sprig thyme (do not remove the leaves)
1 large sprig rosemary (do not remove the leaves)
1/2 cup organic white wine (organic wines are usually vegetarian/vegan-approved)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
6 oz. capellini, spaghetti, or fettuccine noodles
A little additional olive oil

Method:
1. Pulse the parsley, walnuts, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp. thyme, 1 tsp. rosemary, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor until well-blended.

2. Cook the pasta according to package directions but add the whole sprigs of thyme and rosemary plus the sliced garlic clove to the cooking water. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, remove the herb sprigs with a tea strainer or tongs and then add in the spinach. Drain pasta.

3. While the pasta cooks, heat a little olive oil in a small skillet. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute until tender. Add the wine and let it reduce for a few minutes (to about half the original amount of wine).

4. Pour the wine-mushroom-onion mixture into the pasta-spinach mixture and stir to combine. Toss in some of the pesto along with the sun-dried tomatoes. You can sprinkle some freshly-shredded Parm on the top but you won't need it (this is vegan if you leave the cheese off. To keep it vegan but add some "creaminess," try grinding up some almonds in a coffee grinder and sprinkling those on top).

Reference:
Based on the recipe "Fettuccine with Three-Herb Pesto, Black Kale, and Oyster Mushrooms" from the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine.

I made it my own by...
*Using white wine in place of veggie broth
*Adding lemon juice in place of some of the oil in the pesto
*Tossing in the sun-dried tomatoes
*Using cappelini in place of fettuccine
*Using spinach in place of black kale
I also switched around the method quite a bit since I thought this way would be faster and would use fewer dishes!

Ooh, bonus! I just read that while spinach is a source of iron, it also contains these pesky iron-absorption inhibitors.. but, if you add in iron-absorbing helpers like, oh, white wine, you can help keep those inhibitors at bay and get more of the iron from the natural, whole-food spinach source.
Source:
http://www.healthcastle.com/iron-spinach.shtml

While I'm on the iron note, I just read somewhere else (it was either Veg Times or VegNews) that non-heme iron, while not as bioavailable to the body (meaning it isn't as well absorbed as meat-based heme iron), is actually better for you since the human body is able to better regulate its non-heme iron absorption. God, what a sloppy sentence! To think, they gave me a Masters! In teaching of all things! lol :)
Anyway, get back to your point, blondie! That all means that our bodies are able to put up a big "Stop" sign to prevent us from absorbing too much non-heme iron. That isn't the case with the iron from meat-based foods - the body will just keep on absorbing it with no overdose protection. I realize iron deficiencies are bad but so are iron overdoses so I'll take my plant-based iron and just make sure I have a glass of OJ (or wine!) along with it. :)

Now I have to find the source of all that so I can blame someone else if it is wrong! heh ;) Made me feel better to read that, though, since iron is one of those "but where will you get your...?" questions I hear all the time (and I do not like to get nutrients from supplements).

Pasta e Fagioli (e tons of other stuff..!)

This started out as a recipe that sounded like it was lacking a few things so I threw in a bunch of other things I found in the fridge/pantry and made it my own :) I think I remembered to write down everything I added!

I cheated and added some freshly-grated Parmesan to the end product making mine non-vegan. If you are actually serving vegan friends or just want to be adventurous (you only live once, right?) you can add some finely ground almonds to this dish. Sounds a bit odd but the almonds actually add a nice creaminess and work as a natural cheese substitute for vegan meals. A coffee grinder makes easy work of grinding up the nuts.

2-3 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup navy beans (I used dried beans that had been soaked/cooked. That measurement is after soaking/cooking the beans)
1/4 cup kidney beans (also dried. Use canned if you like).
1/2-3/4 cup (dry) small pasta shells
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 can tomatoes, drained and diced
1/4 cup mushrooms (any kind you like - button, cremini, or baby bellas work well), chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion (red or white)
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/8 cup white wine (if you don't use alcohol, you can sub veggie broth for the wine)
1/2 tbsp. fresh thyme (remove the leaves from the stem)
1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, stems removed and needles/leaves chopped up a bit
1/4 tsp. dried oregano (or ~1/4 tbsp. fresh, leaves removed from stems)
1/4 tsp. dried basil (or ~1/4 tbsp. fresh, chopped)
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
Additional fresh parsley to garnish

Method:
1. If you are using dried beans, remember you'll need to start hours in advance so they have time to soak. You can also quick-soak them by bringing them to a boil in enough water to cover them by 3-4 inches. Once they are boiling, immediately remove them from the heat and let them sit, covered, for 1 hour. Drain, rinse, and cook as usual.

2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm once it is done. While the pasta is cooking, saute the mushrooms, onion, and garlic in the olive oil until lightly browned.

3. Pour the tomatoes, spinach, wine or broth, black pepper, sea salt, and herbs into a medium-sized pot. Add in the mushroom and onion mixture. Bring this to a boil and then let it simmer until the sauce is thickened.

4. When the sauce is reduced, add the beans and pasta and carefully mix it all together. Let the beans and pasta get heated through then serve immediately. Sprinkle a little fresh parsley over the top as a garnish if desired.

Reference:
Based on the Pasta e Fagioli recipe from Veganomicon.
I added the mushrooms, onion, spinach, basil, parsley, and rosemary. I also used dried beans instead of canned (and used two kinds instead of just one as suggested in the original recipe). Additionally, I subbed in canned tomatoes for fresh and used fresh thyme in place of the dry.

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells with Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

Phew, quite a name! :)

DH loves stuffed shells but he has been deprived of them for almost a year now since I just haven't had time to fuss around making a decent vegetarian version. I tried it once a couple months ago after he commented on how much he missed them. I figured I could just leave out the sausage and they'd be OK. Wrong.. they were so blah. I may be English, but I do not do bland! ;) Anyway, now that I'm finished with my Masters and have a bit more time to play around in the kitchen, I came up with the following for dinner on Saturday. These are really tasty and have some great nutrition boosts thanks to the mushrooms and spinach.

Makes 4 large shells (I eat two with a big salad and save the remaining two for lunch the next day)

Ingredients:
4 large pasta shells
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 egg (you could either whisk the whole egg and then measure approx. half of that or separate the egg and use just the white or, if you're feeling indulgent, just the yolk ;)
3 oz. low-fat ricotta (or cottage cheese)
1/8 cup freshly-grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped spinach
Olive oil
1/8 cup chopped onion
3 or 4 mushrooms (button, cremini, baby portobellas), chopped
1 tbsp. fresh parsley (or 2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. dried fennel, crushed
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. panko (or other dry breadcrumbs)
1/2-1 cup marinara sauce
A little extra freshly-grated Parm or mozzarella to sprinkle on top

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Cook the pasta shells according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. While the pasta cooks, sautee the mushrooms and onion in a little olive oil over medium heat. Remove from heat and scrape into a large bowl.

3. Add the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan to the onion-mushroom mixture. Mix together. Add the egg, panko, and spinach and mix to combine. Stir in the fennel, garlic, parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes.

4. Spread some marinara sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Spoon filling into each of the shells and then place them in the marinara-covered dish. Top the shells with the remaining marinara sauce and cover the dish with foil.

5. Bake the shells for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella or Parmesan as desired during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Reference:
I started out with this recipe as the base and then added other items based on the manicotti recipe. The mushrooms and fennel were last-minute "ooh, I have mushrooms and fennel" additions. The idea to saute the mushrooms and onion also came to me as I was getting ingredients out.

Going Green!

Heaven-on-a-plate... seriously!
(Unfortunately my blurry photo does not do it justice... still trying to figure out a new camera!)

Meatless pasta dishes like this were a gateway drug for me transitioning from sort of omnivore (chicken and fish) to pretty much full-time vegetarian! heh...
Once I get back from England, I'm giving up fish, too. I just have to have my last decent plate of fish and chips and then I can completely cross over to the dark side. ;)
Hubby actually predicted today that I'll be vegan in the next couple years. I doubt it - I just love cheese way too much! And I just don't know what I'd do if I was denied my Cherry Garcia! ;) I do love vegan cooking and baking (in case that isn't obvious) but I'm not sure I could go full-time vegan.

This has a really wonderful *kick* to it from all the garlic and the little sprinkle of red pepper flakes. I am a huge garlic fan but if you're not, you can always cut back a little! I highly recommend leaving all the cloves in, though...
The wine and lime flavours also shine through - don't worry, the garlic is not so much that it over-powers them. I used spinach in place of arugula (trying to use up what we have) but any green leafies will be good in this dish.

My favourite thing about this dish, though, is how healthy it is even though it seems so sinfully delicious! :)
Let's see... we've got calcium in the spinach (not to mention iron, beta-carotene, and fibre!); all the wonderful omega fatty acids in the avocado; the antioxidants and cholesterol-lowering powers of the garlic; and the calcium, vitamin A, and cancer-fighting properties of broccoli.
Dang! Give this dish a cape and some tights - it's a super-hero! :)

Here's the recipe so you can experience it for yourself!

Pasta Della California
(yes, I was singing "California Dreaming" the entire time I was making this... and then for whatever reason, as I was eating it morphed into "Hotel California"... shut up!)
I just have to share this great quote about this recipe from the book Veganomicon. It's too wonderful not to...
"If we said in the title that this was pasta with avocado no one would take us seriously, so instead we call it Pasta Della California. Anything with avocado in it can be called 'California,' right?"
Since I live in California, pasta with avocado is absolutely not unheard of but the whole "oh, it has avocado! Let's call it California!" bit killed me... it's so true...

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/4 pound spaghetti, linguine, or angel-hair pasta
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic
A bit of grated lime zest (use an organic lime so you don't end up with *poison pasta*!) - I used the zest of about half a lime
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
1/8 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
A good bit of freshly-ground black pepper
2 cups chopped, loosely-packed spinach (or arugula)
1 avocado, sliced and cut into chunks

Method:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prep all your other ingredients while the water boils (this cooks so quickly!) Once the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. When there is about 3 minutes left on the pasta, add the broccoli and cook with the pasta.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, lime zest, and red pepper flakes. Gently heat, stirring often, for about 2 minutes (watch it - be careful the garlic does not burn!)

3. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil so the wine reduces (2 minutes or so). Add the broth, lime juice, salt, and pepper, and bring back to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Add the arugula or spinach.

4. Remember to add that broccoli to the pasta! :)
Once the pasta and broccoli are done, drain them both in a colander.

5. When the arugula/spinach is wilted, add the broccoli and pasta to the skillet. Use a pasta spoon to toss it around and make sure everything gets covered in the garlicy goodness! Cook about 3 minutes longer, stirring often. Add the avocado and turn off the heat. Gently toss the avocado in with the pasta and veggies, being careful not to squash it.

6. Serve with a couple good grinds of black pepper. Spoon the leftover garlic sauce over the bowls of pasta.

Reference:
Pasta Della California from the book Veganomicon.

Orzo and White Beans

This is a great bean and pasta dish with a yummy vegan pesto! I highly suggest making extra pesto and freezing it - you'll never miss the cheese.
I added extra veggies to this but never wrote them down (and didn't take a photo) and I've since forgotten what I added... I'm pretty sure it was a little petite peas and maybe some broccoli. Any vegetables you have on-hand would be a good addition.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1/2 can white beans (I ended up using garbanzo beans)
2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves
1/8 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp. sea salt

Method:
1. Drain and rinse the beans but leave them in the colander. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

2. To make the pesto, place the parsley, olive oil, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice, lemon peel, balsamic vinegar, and salt in the food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. Add extra lemon juice, salt, or vinegar as needed.

3. When the orzo is cooked, pour it into the colander over the beans. Return the pasta and beans to the pan and add the pesto. Add extra lemon juice if desired.

Reference:
This was posted by JoyGotDots on the Nest. She adapted it from a recipe by Lorna Sass.

Walnut and Pepper Pasta

This could be served hot or as a pasta salad (the original recipe says "at room temperature" but I think chilled would be better).

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/8 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 pound bowtie pasta or other short pasta
3/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup canned chopped tomatoes, drained
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. sliced garlic
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. capers, drained
1 tbsp. fresh oregano
1/8 up chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup bell peppers
1 tsp. fresh rosemary
Sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/8 cup of the water used for cooking.

2. Saute the onions in a medium skillet over medium heat in olive oil until they begin to brown (8-10 minutes).

3. Add the garlic and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the reserved pasta water and simmer for 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, parsley, bell peppers, capers, and tomatoes and cook 1 minute or until heated through. Remove from the heat.

4. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss. Add the walnuts and Parmesan cheese and mix again.

Reference:
Based on the Bowties with Walnuts and Red Peppers recipe from The Occasional Vegetarian.

Middle-Eastern Chickpeas with Spinach

I served this with the tomato-cucumber salad below. It was a great pairing (no, I didn't make that up! One of my favourite things about the Moosewood book is that it gives suggestions for things to add to make a complete meal).

This is a great source of vegetarian protein!

In place of the orzo, you may wish to use couscous or rice.

Serves 2

Sauce Ingredients:
1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh mint

Beans Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cubed (I just used a handful of frozen tricolour peppers)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Pinch of saffron (oops... forgot to pick some up! I'm excited to try it in there next time - I love saffron!)
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, reserve the liquid and then rinse the beans
5 oz. spinach, rinsed, stems removed, and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Cooked orzo pasta

Method:
1. Prepare the sauce by combing the yogurt, mint, and garlic in a bowl. Refrigerate while you prepare the beans/orzo.

2. *Prepare the orzo while you make the bean mixture. In a skillet, saute the onions in the oil over medium heat until softened (about 6-8 minutes). Add the bell pepper, coriander, cumin, and saffron. Continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

3. Stir in the chickpeas and 1/8 cup of their liquid and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the peppers are tender. Add more of the reserved chickpea liquid if necessary.

4. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve over the orzo with the yogurt sauce on the side.

Reference:
This recipe is from the Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites cookbook.

A Spring in its Step

I'll start this post with a mini-lesson for you :) I took years of Spanish and live in San Diego so, even though it's been a while since I took a class, I seem to find a reason to utter some Spanish on an almost daily basis.
Primavera is the Spanish word for Spring. Spring to me does not mean "smothered in icky, fattening cream sauce." heh... I prefer to think of Spring in terms of fresh veggies. So, this dinner is in honour of my impression of Spring. I present:
Pasta Primavera sans Cream Sauce ;)

Serves 2 (yeay for leftovers!)

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup or so carrots, chopped
1/3 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1/3 pound butterfly/bowtie pasta
Small amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Bring a covered pot of water (large enough to accommodate a steamer basket) to a boil.

2. While the water boils, saute the garlic, onion, and oil in a saucepan for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the red onions, cover, and remove from the heat.

3. When the water is boiling, place the carrots in the steamer basket and add them to the water. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the asparagus and bell peppers. Cook another 3 minutes then add the zucchini and peas. After the zucchini and peas have had 3 minutes, lift out the steamer basket. Reserve the water for cooking the pasta. Stir the veggies into the tomato-wine sauce. Add salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

4. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain. Toss the pasta with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Top with the tomato-vegetable sauce and sprinkle with additional Parmesan and the fresh basil.

Reference:
Based on the Pasta Primavera recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourites cookbook.

Lemon and Veggie Pasta

There has been a lemon pasta recipe floating around on The Nest for the last couple weeks. It sounded really yummy so I knew I would have to check it out! The original was used as a side dish but I wanted mine as a main course with lots of vegetables. Here is the result! I'll mark my changes in purple.

The lemon flavour was really intense - it was great! This will definitely be repeated often around here :)

This makes a quick and easy dinner. The only "time-consuming" part is giving the eggplant an hour to "rest" while you salt it. Use that time to prep the rest of your veggies and herbs. After that hour, it will take 10-15 minutes max. :)

If you leave off the cheese, this recipe is vegan. I'm not convinced you need the cheese - the lemon and veggies work really well together!

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 serving whole wheat spaghetti (or any other pasta you like)
Olive oil
A couple slices of eggplant, diced (probably about 1/2-1 cup)
1 tomato, seeded and diced (superfood!)
4 button mushrooms, sliced (I'd love to try this with a portobello cap!) - superfood!
1/4 cup broccoli florets (superfood!)
1/2 zucchini squash, sliced and then quartered
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped (superfood!)
1 clove garlic, minced (original called for garlic powder) - superfood!
3 tbsp. fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil
A little crushed red pepper
1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (superfood!)
1/2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. capers
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese (original called for Pecorino Romano)
1 tbsp. fresh parsley

Method:
1. Slice eggplant. Rinse off slices and pat dry. Sprinkle each with a little salt and let them "drain" on a paper towel for 1 hour. Re-rinse and pat dry. Dice.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, tomato, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, onion, garlic, and red pepper. Also add dried basil if you are using it. Saute the veggies for about 10 minutes or until tender.

3. While the vegetables saute, cook the pasta according to the package directions.

4. Drain the pasta and then mix the lemon juice and lemon zest in. Add capers, fresh parsley, and fresh basil to the veggies. Toss the veggies with the pasta. Serve and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan and a little extra fresh parsley.
Enjoy immediately.


Reference:
I used the Lemon Pasta recipe from Erin's blog as the base for this. Thanks, Erin! :)

Pesto and Veggie Pasta

The original recipe for this called for purchased pesto - like it's hard to make! lol :) I've included the pesto recipe I used. I also just found out you can freeze pesto for up to 3 months - little added incentive to just make it!

This dish is far from low-fat but the good thing is the majority of the fat is unsaturated... hey, have to make myself feel better for it somehow! Plus, it's a good source of protein since I used whole-wheat pasta and it has all that cheese! Eh, once in a while it's OK - not like I eat like this every day! :)

The zucchini was so yummy with the pesto and the grape tomatoes I used complemented the sweetness of the basil nicely (they also provided a nice contrast to the cheese). My only gripe about this dish was that the photo from the magazine was so pretty and mine just looked really messy! Needless to say, I did not take a photo of it. Maybe I should have taken a photo before adding the goat cheese or just sprinkled the goat cheese on top. Next time... ;) I can tell you, it tasted far better than it looked!

2 Servings

Pesto Recipe (this made enough for 3 [1/8 cup] servings of pesto)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp. dried parsley or 1/4 cup firm packed fresh parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup pine nuts
1 garlic clove, quartered (superfood!)
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/8 cup olive oil (superfood!)

Pesto
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and process with several on-off pulses until a paste forms, stopping the machine several times and scraping down the sides.

Pesto and Veggie Pasta
Ingredients:
4 ounces penne, ziti, or fusili pasta
1/2 tbsp. olive oil (superfood!)
1/2-1 medium zucchini, sliced (you could also add some yellow squash to this if you have it on-hand)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (superfood!)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 large tomato diced or 7-8 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced (superfood!)
1/4 cup pesto (recipe above)
1/4 cup soft goat cheese, cut into small cubes

Pesto and Veggie Pasta
Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and then return it to the pot.

2. While the past cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and garlic to the hot oil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broth and simmer until the broth is almost completely evaporated and the squash is tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes.

3. Add the squash mixture, pesto, and goat cheese to the pasta. Toss to combine.

Reference:
I used the Summer Pesto Pasta recipe from the August/September 2005 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine for this. I found the pesto recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1996 edition).

Fusili with Pizziola Sauce

This was very similar to the Pasta alla Puttanesca but it also included goat cheese which added a whole other layer of yumminess to it! The sauce is spicy but the cheese really helps mellow it out (but not too much that it's boring...)
This was a quick and easy dinner - great for busy weeknights!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion (superfood!)
1 tbsp. olive oil (superfood!)
1 tbsp. minced garlic (I just minced three cloves) - superfood!
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (superfood!)
1 tbsp. fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried
Pinch of salt (1/4-1/2 tsp. is sufficient)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 pound fusili, radiatore, or other short pasta
1/4 cup pitted and chopped black olives (I used kalamata)
1 tbsp. capers, drained
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 1/2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Method:
1. In a medium skillet, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until golden, 1-2 minutes.

2. Empty the can of tomatoes, including the juice, into a bowl. Crush them using your hands or the back of a spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes to the onion mixture. If you are using dried oregano, add it now. Add the salt, pepper, and sugar and simmer until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes.

3. While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta.

4. Stir the olives, capers, red pepper flakes, parsley, and fresh oregano (if you're using fresh) into the sauce. Simmer another minute or so.

5. Drain the pasta and mix the sauce and pasta together. Add the goat cheese and serve.

Reference:
Surprise! ;) This was from The Occasional Vegetarian from Karen Lee. I bought the April issue of "Vegetarian Times" yesterday so I'll be able to branch out a bit on my recipe sources! I also found an old computer CD (I've been spring cleaning this week!) that is full of vegetarian recipes... I'll have to dust that off and try some of those out, too!

Practically Painless (and 100% meatless!) Manicotti

I've wanted to make manicotti for a long time! To be honest, I've had it at restaurants and always thought it was a bit boring/I could make it a whole lot better at home! Guess what?! You can, and it really doesn't have to be a huge PITA! ;) This is based on a recipe from Cooking Light which uses uncooked manicotti.

I made two versions of it for dinner on Friday night - one meatless for myself and one with a filling similar to the sausage stuffed shells that DH likes. This one is the vegetarian version; meaty version coming soon! Believe it or not, this is fairly low-fat (original recipe had 9 grams - mine was probably right around there).

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1/8 part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/4 cup spinach (I used frozen spinach that I thawed - I originally put 1/2 cup in my manicotti but I have decided that I was a bit too much so I've cut it back to 1/4 cup)
1/16 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried parsley
A little salt and black pepper
1 small clove of garlic, minced
2 manicotti shells
Marinara sauce (I used home-made red wine marinara)
1/4 cup water

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the mozzarella, cottage cheese, spinach, Parmesan, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Spoon the cheese mixture into the uncooked manicotti shells.

3. Pour some marinara sauce into a baking dish. Arrange the stuffed pasta shells in a single layer over the sauce. Top the shells with the remaining sauce. Pour 1/4 cup water into the dish. Sprinkle a little additional mozzarella over the sauce. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the manicotti shells are tender. Let the pasta dish sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Reference:
Based on the Easy Meatless Manicotti recipe from Cooking Light magazine (May 2005 issue).
I really didn't make many changes - I just added the parsley and red pepper flakes. Everything else remained unchanged.

Minestrone

This was such great soup - it had a little of everything in it since I was using two recipes and sort of just making it up as I went! :) Great for cleaning out the fridge! I used white wine in this recipe which was great, but I think next time I'd use red instead. I think it would go a little better with the kidney beans and tomatoes in this soup.
Like hubby's beef stew, I was really wishing I had some great Italian bread to go with this... sigh

Oh my gosh, I made a TON of soup! I think this would be enough for 6! Good thing I can freeze it...

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup pasta (I used rotini)
1/2 (14.5 ounce) can tomatoes
1 cup diced zucchini
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
1 1/3 cup white wine (thinking back, that was probably way too much! Hello drunken veggies! lol)
1/8 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. dried oregano

Method:
1. Cook the garlic in the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.

2. Add the wine and pasta. Cook 2 minutes more. Add the vegetable broth and stir well. Mix in the tomatoes, beans, zucchini, bay leaf, oregano, and dried basil. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until all the veggies are tender.

Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired (of course, it won't be vegan if you add the cheese!)


References:
I used the Quick Minestrone recipe from Cooking Pleasures Magazine (oops.. forgot to write down the month/year when I ripped this out of the magazine and the website no longer tells that..)
I also used the Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto recipe from Ingrid Croce's The San Diego Restaurant Cookbook.

Sundried Tomato and Olive Ravioli

This is the vegetarian version of the ravioli I made. I really made this up as I went..! It was very tasty, I'll definitely make it again! One thing I'll do next time is roll the pasta even thinner. It was a little thick when it all came together.

The pasta recipe uses the KA mixer and pasta roller attachments. I'm sure this pasta recipe could be used with any pasta roller that you have (you could probably even roll it out the old-fashioned way with a rolling pin - I'm just lazy!) ;)
Pasta Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. water
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour, sifted
1/4 tsp. salt

Pasta Method:
1. Place the eggs, water, whole wheat flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the bowl and flat beater to the mixer. Turn to speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds.

2. Exchange the flat beater for the dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead 2 minutes. Remove dough from the bowl and hand-knead for 2 minutes. Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces before processing with the pasta roller attachment.

Filling Ingredients:
1/4 pound fat-free cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/8 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 egg white to seal

Filling Method:
1. Mix the cheeses, egg yolk, and seasonings in a bowl. Add the tomatoes and olives. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.

3. Process the pasta with a flat pasta sheet roller until it is as thin as possible. Keep pasta strips covered with a damp cloth to keep them from drying out prematurely.

4. Spoon teaspoons of filling onto one strip of pasta. Dip a pastry brush in the egg white and brush it around each spoonful of filling. Place a second sheet of pasta over the filled sheet and press down firmly to seal. Use a fluted pastry wheel or knife to cut the ravioli. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

5. Place the ravioli on trays lined with clean dish towels and let them dry for no longer than 3-4 hours. Turn occasionally.

6. To cook - bring a pan of water to a rolling boil. Slide the ravioli into the water. Cover the pan and cook 3-5 minutes once the water has returned to a boil, stirring gently. Taste for doneness.

Serve with marinara (I used the red wine marinara from this blog) and some grated Parmesan cheese.

References:
I used several different recipes as a base for this one. I started with the recipe for Whole Wheat pasta from the little recipe book that came with the KitchenAid Pasta Sheet Roller and Cutter set. I also used a ravioli recipe from Pasta Recipes and Techniques which was published by the Cooking Club of America.

"A Few of my Favourite Things" Pasta

Holy hell, this is good :) And the best part - it was super quick to make! Not sure how healthy it is with all that goat cheese but we'll just say the broccoli, beans, and whole-wheat pasta balance that out :) It's definitely full of protein so great for vegetarians!
This has so many of my favourite things in it - pasta, Kalamata olives, goat cheese, walnuts... mmm :)

Can I just say how much I do not miss meat... not at all! I might just stay vegetarian after Lent. :) Well, it is a bit of a PITA to have to cook two things every night so maybe I'll just be a once-in-a-while meat eater ;) Hee hee, I have a vegetarian cookbook - The Occasional Vegetarian, I could be "the occasional carnivore."

This made 2 very generous servings (guess what I'm having for lunch tomorrow?)

Ingredients:
4 oz. whole-wheat rotini pasta (or another pasta with ridges - penne would also work)
2 cups small broccoli florets (you could sub fresh spinach if you like)
1/2 (14.5 oz) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (you could sub black or kidney beans)
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped soft goat cheese, divided (feta would also work)
A small sprinkle of chopped walnuts

Method:
You just have to love 2-step meals! :) So quick and easy!
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain and return to the pot. **If you choose to use spinach, do not add it until the last minute! Just toss it in with the rest of the ingredients right at the end.

2. Meanwhile, cook all the remaining ingredients except the cheese in a large skillet over medium heat. It only needs about 3 minutes for the ingredients to warm through. Stir occasionally while they cook. Toss the pasta with the olive and tomato mixture as well as 3/8 cup cheese; sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 cup cheese and the walnuts. Enjoy :)

Great with a big glass of red wine; but isn't everything? :)

Reference:
Based on the Italian Pasta with Beans recipe from the Feb/March 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine.