Category: Main Dishes

Double Broccoli Pasta

Oh no, I did it again. I meant to follow this recipe, I really did. But then I totally didn’t. I followed the spirit of the recipe – using broccoli in two different ways in the same dish. And it was good, trust me! Right after I took the picture, I mixed it all up in the bowl and it was an excellent dinner. I didn’t measure the amount of pasta I used, but I aimed for a proportion equal to the remaining broccoli.

The sauce has a distinct lemon flavor, and the avocado makes it creamy. If you want the sauce to be a little thinner, use more wine. Yes, I’ve finished the spring semester, so my advice is: when in doubt, throw in more wine.

3 crowns broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 avocado
1 T minced garlic
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
Salt
Pepper
Generous splash of wine
Whole wheat pasta, cooked and drained

Steam broccoli for 5 minutes. Place half of the broccoli in a food processor with lemon juice, avocado, garlic, and Parmesan. Grind until it forms a smooth paste. Add salt, pepper, and a generous splash of wine.

Place remaining broccoli and pasta in a large bowl, and cover with broccoli avocado sauce.

Arroz con Gandules

First of all, thanks for all the support on my goal to be Meatless in May. I got a lot of great questions about eating out and the ethics of eggs, and I’ll try to address those in my Friday posts as I review each week.

So now onto the recipe for Arroz con Gandules, or Rice with Pigeon Peas. I don’t think I’ve tried to cook any authentic Latin dishes, but this went pretty well. I found pigeon peas and the Sazon spice packets in the Latin section of my regular grocery store. While it was convenient to have the spices all mixed for me, the packet also contains MSG, so be warned if you are sensitive to that.
I left out the pepper and cilantro, and used a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh. I also used long grain brown rice, and that may be the reason that the overall cooking time was much longer. I just kept adding water to the pot, and simmering it covered until finally the rice was tender. In the end, the dish was very good, and not too spicy at all. It was perfect with a side salad (not pictured) and there are plenty of leftovers for lunch this week. Gina’s website has many light recipes, so go take a look!

Aloo Matar

Time for another round of Indian cooking! I have had so much success lately with Indian recipes, and I actually crave the spices now. I adapted this recipe, and it fulfilled my craving very well.

2 T canola oil
2 onions, chopped
1 t minced garlic
1/2 t ground ginger
4 potatoes, cubed
1 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. tomato sauce
1 1/2 t paprika
1 1/2 t garam masala
1 t sugar
1 t salt
2 c. fresh spinach

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onions, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 10-15 minutes until onions are soft. Add potatoes and peas. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook covered for 15 minutes. Stir, and then continue cooking until potatoes are tender. Remove cover and add tomato sauce, spices, and fresh spinach. Cook until heated through, and serve.

Roasted Asparagus and Potatoes

I love reading Real Simple magazine. I can’t say that it’s made my life any simpler or more organized, but there are a lot of great food ideas. One of the featured foods in this month’s issue is asparagus, with some suggestions for preparation. For this one, you toss cut asparagus and potatoes with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400F for 30-40 minutes. The suggested cooking time was 20 minutes, but my vegetables definitely needed longer. Next time I’ll cut the potatoes smaller! Topped with a fried egg and accompanied by ketchup (not pictured) this was a complete meal.

Anything Goes Sauce

It’s a shame to waste produce, so when I discover something in the final stage of freshness, I often use it to make a quick tomato sauce. Last week, the featured item was mushrooms. I sliced the mushrooms and sauteed them in a saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil , and then added a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce. Diced or crushed tomatoes work well too. Finally, I added some white beans that I had leftover from another recipe, and after simmering for a bit on the stove, a small pot of “Anything Goes” sauce was ready. Served over whole wheat linguine and topped with shredded Parmesan, it makes a wonderful meal.

Cabbage and Tofu Stir Fry

I was disappointed with the salad version of this recipe, but turned things around with a stir fry. I took the vegetables (cabbage, snow peas, and broccoli) that had been briefly steamed for the salad and threw them into a frying pan coated with cooking spray. I splashed in some soy sauce, and added some cubes of Baked Tofu. It didn’t take long before everything was heated through, and dinner was served. This certainly wasn’t a novel recipe, but it was a quick meal and ensured that the produce would not go to waste.

Spinach and Red Lentil Curry

After my recent success with Chana Masala, I was anxious to try another Indian dish, and this is the very best curry recipe I’ve ever made. The red lentils, spinach, tomatoes, yogurt, and spices were perfect together. I substituted a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes for the fresh, and skipped the cilantro and additional beans. Next time I will make it the exact same way, but serve it over basmati rice instead of whole wheat couscous. There’s no heat in this dish though, so if that’s what you like, go ahead and add some pepper.

Savoy Cabbage and Pasta

Jamie Oliver is a popular topic these days, with his Food Revolution campaign and television show. Feeding schoolchildren healthy meals is really important, and so is cooking healthy meals for people of all ages….

I saw Jamie’s recipe for Farfalle with Savoy Cabbage, Pancetta, and Mozzarella, and decided to make it for myself. The original recipe is probably excellent, but I did make several changes. First, I used regular ham which I had leftover from another recipe instead of buying pancetta. I also used whole wheat penne, because I couldn’t find whole wheat farfalle. And I left out the pine nuts, because they were going to require a separate trip to the store. It was very exciting though to use savoy cabbage for the first time!

Be warned, this recipe makes a lot; the cabbage bulks up the dish. But I really like it; the flavors go together well, and it’s a one dish meal. I’d consider this next time you are cooking for a crowd!

Mushroom Casserole

It might be spring, but it still feels like winter out there, and casseroles such as this one are warm and cozy. The recipe is really simple, and you could probably change it many different ways. I used whole wheat couscous in place of the rice, and thyme in place of the tarragon, plus fat free cottage cheese. I couldn’t wait to dive into this dish when it came out of the oven after smelling the mushrooms and Parmesan, and it was just as good as I expected.

Hawaiian Mini Calzones

My supper club theme this month was “30 Minute Meals” and while we had a number of great dishes, a few of them went over 30 minutes, including mine! I have posted many times about making pizza, etc. with Trader Joe’s whole wheat dough, and this is one more variation. It’s a generally quick recipe, but by the time you roll out the dough, assemble the calzones, and bake them, it’s closer to 40-45 minutes.

1 lb. Trader Joe’s whole wheat dough, divided into 8 small balls
8 thin slices ham
8 thin slices mozzarella cheese
4 pineapple rings
Tomato sauce, for dipping

Roll out each portion of dough into an oval. Fold the cheese slice around the ham, and place on one half of the dough. Top with half of a pineapple ring, and fold over dough, pinching the edges. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce.