Tag: vegetarian

Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes

I just couldn’t wait any longer, I had to buy some asparagus.  Of course, the bunch I bought was from Mexico because I don’t think it’s available locally quite yet.  I was inspired by this recipe from Giada which uses the asparagus in a simple pasta dish.  The original recipe also uses fresh tomatoes, but we’re months away from seeing anything like that around here, so I opened up a can.

I also bought a new product this week at Trader Joe’s: freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago.  Every good pasta dish needs at least a little cheese, and I really like this stuff.  The cheese is shaved in large pieces with a nice sharp flavor.  This is a great alternative to shredding the cheese yourself, because I am far too lazy for that.

In the end, this dish doesn’t have a ton of flavor, but it’s still a satisfying meal.  I think it will be much better when asparagus and/or tomatoes are truly in season, and a little bit of fresh basil might be good too.  I’ll try to be patient.

 

 

 

Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes

1 T olive oil
1 t minced garlic (or Garlic Gold toasted garlic bits)
1 bunch asparagus, stems removed and cut into 1″ pieces
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes in juice
6 oz. whole wheat rotini, cooked and drained, reserving 1/2 c water
1/4 c. freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheese, plus more for serving

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.  Add garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it.  Add asparagus pieces and stir fry for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and juice, and cover frying pan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until asparagus is tender.  Add pasta to pan, and stir well.  Add cheese and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water if dish is too dry.

-Adapated from Giada at the Food Network

Rainbow Asian Slaw

Yesterday’s soup may have lacked some flavor, but this recipe makes up for that, I promise!  I saw this Rainbow Asian Slaw and thought it was so pretty.  It reminded me of farmer’s markets in the summer, when you are surrounded by fresh vegetables of every color.  We’re not quite there yet so I took a shortcut and used packaged slaw mix along with some extra carrots I had on hand.

This recipe really is fantastic.  The honey makes it a little sweet and the peanuts make it a little salty and you can taste the freshly minced ginger in every bite.  I can’t wait to make it again this summer with some seasonal vegetables!

 

 

Rainbow Asian Slaw

1 (12 oz.) package broccoli slaw
2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced
1/2 c. dry roasted peanuts
1 c. shelled edamame
2 T canola oil
2 T rice vinegar
2 T honey
1 T soy sauce
1 T freshly minced ginger
1 T peanut butter

Toss slaw, carrots, scallions, peanuts, and edamame in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and use to dress the salad.

-Adapted from Heat Oven to 350

Baked Potato Soup

Although it may technically be spring, it’s not too late to make a big pot of soup for dinner.  This Baked Potato Soup from Skinnytaste has been on my “must try” list for a while now.  If you’re into things like bacon (and I know some of you are!) head on over to the original recipe.

I made a vegetarian version of the soup which I intended to be like a broccoli and cheese stuffed potato.  The soup was good, but it was a little bland.  I was much more generous with the salt and pepper than usual.  I added some extra cheese too, which always helps.  This was a filling soup, and very quick to make if you bake the potatoes in advance, so I may just have to try it again and make it better.

 

 

 

Baked Potato Soup

2 large potatoes, baked, peeled, and mashed with a fork
1 (16 oz.) package frozen cauliflower
2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. skim milk
Salt & Pepper
1/2 c. low fat sour cream
1 c. chopped broccoli, steamed
Shredded cheddar cheese (such as Cabot 75% reduced fat)

Steam cauliflower in a large pot.  Drain, return to pot, and mash.  Add potatoes, broth, milk, and salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  If you have an immersion blender and would like a more consistent texture, give it a whirl.

On low heat, stir in the sour cream.  Serve topped with broccoli and shredded cheese.

-Adapted from Skinnytaste

 

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

My nod to St. Patricks’s Day this year doesn’t include corned beef, or turnip, or the amazing mint brownies that my Mom used to make.  I did make Irish bread a couple of weeks ago, but never got around to baking another loaf.  This year I picked up a head of cabbage and tried something completely different, using this Martha Stewart recipe as a guide.

I cut the head of cabbage into 1″ slices, and then brushed them with olive oil, Garlic Gold, salt, and pepper.  I put them in the oven at 375F for about 30 minutes, and they were done.  In fact, a few slices got very crispy at the edges.  This cabbage recipe has a lot more ‘life’ than the traditional method of boiling it all day.  If you’ve been turned off by the pale boiled leaves, you might give cabbage another try with this recipe.  It may not be authentically Irish, but it’s very good.

 

 

 

 

Green Bean Pasta Salad

Between the spring like weather and the time change, it seemed the right time to make some pasta salad.  I had seen this recipe in Real Simple, but it’s not quite green bean season yet and I didn’t have any fresh parsley either.  With frozen green beans and pantry spices, I forged ahead.  I am so glad I did; the pasta salad was a great change of pace, and quite colorful.

 

 

 

Green Bean Pasta Salad

2 c. whole wheat penne, cooked until al dente
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen green beans, steamed
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 T olive oil
3 T lemon juice
Thyme, Salt, and Pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Season to taste and serve.

-Adapted from Real Simple

 

Eggs and Peas

Although cooking on any weeknight is hard, I think Friday nights are the worst.  It’s been a long week, and there usually aren’t many groceries in the house.  Sometimes I have plans to be out, sometimes I swing by Whole Foods to make a salad or grab sushi, and sometimes I force myself to get creative.  The Internet definitely helps.  I usually find two ingredients and type “IngredientA IngredientB recipe” into Google.  This week, a recipe for Eggs and Peas popped up.

Less than 30 minutes later, I had a skillet full of hot food ready to enjoy.  This is certainly not the most beautiful dinner I ever made, but it was tasty, nutritious, and economical, with leftovers for the next day.  On Friday nights, I consider that a win.

 

 

Eggs and Peas

2 c. frozen peas
1  (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3-4 eggs
1/2 c. reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Place peas in a skillet on low heat until they are thawed.  Add in tomato sauce, stir, and continue cooking until heated through.  Make 3-4 indentations with a spoon, and crack an egg into each space.  Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes until eggs are set.  Remove cover, and sprinkle with cheese.  Cook until cheese is melted.

-Adapted from Hillbillly Housewife

Spinach Rice Balls

Sorry to leave you hanging last week, I was a bit under the weather.  I am feeling better now, but I still can’t deny that I’ve been cooking less than usual this year.  Or at least cooking fewer ‘blog-worthy’ dishes!  But I was invited to a dinner party on Saturday night and the host asked me to bring an appetizer.  I was instantly inspired to find something good, but I also knew the crowd was full of generally healthy eaters.

I found these Spinach Brown Rice Balls on the site Cooking with My Kid, and made just a few changes.  I used Garlic Gold toasted garlic bits in oil, but you can use regular olive oil and minced garlic.  I also used Parmesan cheese instead of mozzarella for a sharper flavor.  I think they turned out really well, and everyone seemed to enjoy them.  Even adults like finger food, and the Spinach Rice Balls were full of flavor.  Although they were an appetizer on this night, they will be making more appearances in my lunch bag.

 

 

 

Spinach Rice Balls

2 c. cooked brown rice
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 c. seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 T Garlic Gold toasted garlic bits in oil
2 eggs
Dash of black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Form into balls, and place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned.

-Lightly adapted from Cooking with My Kid

 

Poor Woman’s Polenta Pizza

I spotted this recipe on the Real Simple website for polenta pizza, and I always keep a container of cornmeal in my pantry.  But since polenta is known as a peasant food, it didn’t make sense to top it with radicchio, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.  So this is my poor woman’s version of polenta pizza.

It came out pretty well, but I should have drained the tomatoes more because they made the crust a little soggy.  The edges got nice and crispy, but the middle fell apart.  It was still pretty good for poor woman’s pizza!

 

 

 

Poor Woman’s Polenta Pizza

2 1/4 c. water
1 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (28 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, drained
1 c. reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Bring water to a boil.  Slowly add cornmeal, stirring constantly.  Continue to cook cornmeal for 3-5 minutes, until it is thick.  Remove from heat, and mix in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  Spread polenta on the bottom of a 9″ springform pan that has been coated with cooking spray.  Use either the back of a spoon or your fingers to get the surface as flat as possible.

Mix spinach and tomatoes together, and place on top of polenta.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.

-Adapted from Real Simple

 

 

 

Cheesy Brown Rice and Green Beans

This is one of those pantry dinners that ended up much better than I expected.  I started by making a simple cheese sauce.  It took less than 15 minutes, and all you really need is flour, milk, and cheese.  I seasoned mine with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, but you can use anything you like.

Meanwhile, I steamed a 10 oz. bag of frozen green beans and boiled a bag of instant brown rice.  I tossed the green beans and rice in a bowl and mixed in some cheese sauce , then topped it with some freshly grated Parmesan.  I even had some cheese sauce leftover for another meal.  I can’t claim that this is an official ‘recipe’ but it was a decent dinner with leftovers for lunch, and that’s all that counts.

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Hash

You know the other good thing about make-ahead brunch recipes?  You know in advance if the recipe is a flop!  My first attempt at sweet potato hash was a total mess – the crumbled sausage completely dried out and the chunks of sweet potatoes were mushy.  So I tried again the next morning with this recipe from Martha Stewart as a guide.  I didn’t have any more sausage in the house, so this ended up a vegetarian dish.

My second try at sweet potato hash was better, but the recipe is fairly time intensive and not make-ahead at all.  It didn’t have a lot of flavor, so I added the smoked paprika at the end which helped quite a bit.  So I am still on the market for a great sweet potato hash recipe, but in the meantime I’ve got plenty of leftovers to enjoy.

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Hash

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1″ pieces
3 T canola oil, divided
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
Smoked paprika, salt, and pepper

Boil sweet potatoes for 5-8 minutes, until just tender.  Drain and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to cool.

Heat 1 T oil in a large pan, and saute onions for 15-20 minutes until soft and lightly brown.  Remove from pan.  Add remaining 2 T oil to pan.  Saute potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until browned on all sides.  Return onions to pan and heat through.  Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.

-Adapted lightly from Martha Stewart