Baked Gemelli Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Spinach

Sorry to say that any pasta in our house gets pretty much devoured.  Therefore the picture above is the empty casserole container instead of the actually prepared dish.  I never got the chance to take a picture of the dish before it was eaten...ha!

Baked Gemelli Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Spinach

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Italian spice
2 to 3 Whole roasted red peppers, chopped
14 oz Diced, crushed or whole tomatoes
2 Handfuls of fresh baby spinach, chopped
2 1/2 Cups gemelli pasta (penne or rotini would work as well)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Cup mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp fresh basil 


Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine roasted red peppers and tomatoes and blend with a hand mixer or food processor until smooth.

Heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add garlic and Italian spice.  Cook an additional minute, but be careful that the garlic does not burn.

Add tomato-red pepper mixture and water to the onions.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

Cook gemelli pasta according to al dente instructions.  Add spinach to the pasta water 1 minute before pasta is finished cooking.  Drain pasta mixture.

Add pasta to tomato mixture.  Place in baking dish and top with cheese.  Cook COVERED for about 15-20 mintues.  Remove cover and cook until cheese is melted.  You can set the oven setting to broil to quickly melt and brown the cheese.

Remove from oven and top with fresh basil.  Serve with a side salad and fresh bread if desired.

Asian Noodle Tofu Stir-Fry

I would have put more on the plate, but this is all that was left!

In the past I have had a hard time cooking tofu in a way that ....well, does not taste like tofu.  I tried some things tonight that really worked.   I thought I would share them with you since I believe they made a huge difference.

• Drain tofu, slice width-wise, and place paper towels on a plate.  Put tofu on top of paper towels, top again with more paper towels, another plate and something super heavy.  Place in the frig and let the water drain.
• After about 30 minutes or so, cut into cubes and place in homemade marinade for a few hours.
• Put 1/2 cup of cornstarch in a plastic bag
• Remove tofu from marinade and place in plastic bag, seal and shake.
• Heat oil in pan (I used sesame oil) and add tofu, turning to brown on each side.

Asian Noodle Tofu Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Fresh lime juice (about 3 Tbsp)
8 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
7 1/2 Tsp sugar
1 1/2 Tsp fresh ginger
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Large onion, sliced
1/2 Large green pepper, sliced
2 Cups julienne carrots
16 oz Extra firm tofu, cut into cubes after draining water - see instructions above
2 Packages ramen noodles (seasoning discarded)
3 Green onions, sliced

Combine lime juice, soy sauce, sugar and ginger to make marinade.  Set 1/2 of the marinade aside and use the other half to marinate the tofu cubes (see instructions above).

Add 1/2 cup of cornstarch to a plastic bag, add tofu cubes, close and shake.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add tofu, turning to brown on each side.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in wok or saute pan and add carrots, onions and green pepper.  Cook until soft.  Add any leftover marinade from the tofu marinade to the pan, as well as the other 1/2 of the marinade that was set aside previously.  Cook on low-medium to heat the marinade and allow the vegetables to absorb the flavor of the marinade.

Cook noodles according to package.  Drain the noodles and add to the vegetables.  Stir to combine, add tofu and stir some more.

Top with green onions and serve.

 Verdict: My husband said and I quote "This is so good!"

Bean and Barley Vegetarian Crock Pot Chili

Vegetarian Chili

What a great night it has been!  The whole family loved this Bean and Barley Vegetarian Chili that I created tonight.  Everyone cleaned their bowls, including my four year old who asked me if I would please make it again.  

Bean and Barley Vegetarian Crock Pot Chili

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green pepper, chopped
1 Carrot, shredded
4 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
3 Cups Vegetable broth or water
1 Can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 Cup black beans
1 Cup great northern beans
3/4 Cup pearl barley
1 Bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Optional toppings: green onions, cheese, sour cream and avocado slices

Heat oil in skillet and add onions, green pepper, and carrots.  Cook until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.

Add chili powder to the vegetables and continue to cook for another minute.  Add just a little of the vegetable broth to the pan to get all the extra bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the vegetables to the crock pot, with the remaining broth and all the last six ingredients.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.

Serve topped with cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream and avocado slices.

Crock Pot Quinoa Casserole

I am sure you have heard me talk about this before, but each week I try to prepare at least 2-3 vegetarian dinner meals.  I believe it can sometimes be cheaper and healthier, plus it brings us out of our comfort zone.

I came across a recipe for Crock Pot Quinoa Casserole and thought it sounded easy (I love easy), and healthy, plus it met the requirements for vegetarian night.  I did add garbanzo beans, as she suggested, to make it a little heartier.   I also added peanuts in the last 30 minutes of cooking, instead of almonds.

I really loved this dish, but my kids did not.  My husband said it was okay, but would be great with chicken (ha, ha).  I think that would officially take it out of the vegetarian category, don't you think?

You should really give this Crock Pot Quinoa Casserole a try if you are up for trying something new.  It would make an awesome side dish too!

End of Summer Soup

This week has been crock pot week for us.  I tried to find new recipes, vegetarian and non-vegetarian, that would be a great fit for my family.

Remember the lady that cooked in her crock pot every night of the week for an entire year?  Well, I have used some of her recipes in the past and thought I would give another one a try.

End of Summer soup sounded like a good way to incorporate lots of vegetables and perfect for vegetarian night.  I did make quite a few changes to the original recipe, like adding eggplant instead of squash, carrots instead of zucchini, okra and fresh herbs such as basil and parsley.  My family thought this soup was just okay.  I may have changed it too much from the original. 

It is definitely an easy soup to make and cook all day long.  I would give it another try, but stick with the original.

Quinoa with Spinach and Feta - Great Side Dish

My entire family gave this dish a thumbs up.  

Quinoa with Spinach and Feta 

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup quinoa

1 Cup water

2 Tsp olive oil 

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 Cup fresh spinach, chopped

1 -2 oz Feta cheese

Salt and pepper

Heat oil in a medium size pot.  Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.  

Turn heat to medium-high and add quinoa and water.  Once it starts to boil, lower the temperature to a simmer and cover.

Cook about 10 mins. or until water is absorbed.  Add spinach 2 minutes before completed cooking time.

Remove from stove and stir in feta cheese.  You may want to add some salt and pepper to taste.  Serve!

Parmesan Kale Chips

Kale Chips are one of our family favorites.  I usually serve these with just a touch of sea salt, but this time I thought I would add parmesan cheese.  These Parmesan Kale Chips are just amazing.  What a inexpensive healthy way to get kids to eat their vegetables.

Parmesan Kale Chips

Ingredients:

1 lb or more of Kale, cut away from the stem in pieces (try to get them about the same size so they cook evenly)

Olive oil, I spray several sprays with the olive oil pump

Dash of sea salt (optional)

1/4 Cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 350°.

Combine kale, olive oil, and a very small amount of salt (optional).  Kale seems to absorb the salt so be careful not to over salt.

Place on a baking sheet spreading evenly not layering if possible.  Top with parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 15 mins.  You want them to be crispy and dark green, but not brown.  If the ends become brown take them out right away.

Grilled Vegetable Medley Foil Packets

Summertime is a bounty full of fresh and mouth-watering vegetables.  My husband and I created these grilled vegetable medley packets for dinner on Sunday night.  We thought the kids would enjoy it because it was like opening a present.  They had no idea what was inside.

The vegetables we chose for the packets were not our kids favorites, but they did decide to give them a second try because of how they were presented.

Grilled Vegetable Medley Foil Packets

Ingredients:

3-4 Ears of corn, cut into 3 inch chunks

1-2 Zucchini, cut into chunks

1-2 Yellow squash, cut into chunkc

1 Purple onion, diced or sliced

1 Green, red, yellow, or orange pepper, diced or chunks

Any other vegetables you would like to add, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms...

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tsp salt

1/2 Tsp pepper

2-3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1-2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 sprig of rosemary, pulled away from sprig

2 Tbsp butter

Combine all the ingredients except for the butter in a large bowl.  

Spray each individual piece of foil with cooking spray.  Add vegetable to foil and place a small amount of butter on top of each mound of vegetables.  

Fold the foil around the vegetables and seal tight.  If you are not using heavy duty aluminum foil you can double the foil and then wrap the vegetables.

Place on grill about 20 mins.  You may want to turn it once so the vegetables do not burn to the bottom.

Please use caution when opening these packets to allow the steam to escape.
 

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili - Crock Pot

We have an overabundance of yellow squash in our garden and I have been super excited about finding recipes to include this colorful little creation.  I tried some traditional dishes like sauteed squash with onions and fried squash, but my kids just don't care for them.  Then I came across an incredible recipe for Vegetarian Chili with yellow squash and thought maybe if I cut them really small the kids would not notice.

Verdict: 3 thumbs up and 1 down (the picky four-year old of course).  My oldest loved this chili and gobbled it right up.

I am not usually to crazy about vegetarian chili, but this was outstanding and extremely versatile!

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili - Crock Pot

Ingredients:

3 Carrots, diced

2 Yellow squash, diced

1 Red pepper, diced

1 Red onion, chopped

3 Garlic cloves, minced

1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced (This chili is not spicy so please don't leave out the jalapeno)

28 oz Crushed tomatoes

2-3 Tbsp chili powder

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tsp dried oregano

1/3 Cup quinoa

1 (15oz) Can of beans, white, black, red, brown (I used white northern beans because that is what I had on hand)

1/3 Cup barbecue sauce

Add first 10 ingredients to crock pot and stir until mixed well.

Sprinkle quinoa over top, leaving a border around the edge.  Do not press or mix into the chili.

Cover and cook for 3-5 hours on high and 6-8 on low.  Add beans and barbecue sauce to the crock pot, stirring to mix all the flavors together about 30 minutes before serving.

Serve in individual bowls with cornbread or crackers.  YUM!

Lentil Quinoa Salad

Lentil Quinoa Salad with Strawberry Salad and Garlic Bread

It can be rather challenging I think to come up with vegetarian dinners for carnivores.  I try to have at least 2 to 3 vegetarian dinners a week and I struggle to find ones that will please everyone.  

Well, last night was no exception.  Instead of a main dish I prepared two side dishes and served them along side garlic bread.  I served this fresh and flavorful recipe for Lentil Quinoa Salad that I found on the Food Network.  It got rave reviews and was a great way to incorporate more iron and fiber into our diet.

The final word was three thumbs up, one down (the picky four-year old of course).

The lime and cilantro really make this dish come alive.  Not sure if I would make any substitutions for those two ingredients in this recipe nor would I suggest leaving them out.

Here is a link to the original recipe for Lentil Quinoa Salad.

Asian Noodle Slaw

This picture is not that great.  I will try to take a better one!

Let me just start out by saying that this is one of my favorite slaw dishes.  A neighborhood friend of mine made this for a bible study potluck one year and it was such a hit.

This slaw is perfect for a barbecue or cookout.  I took it to a friend's birthday cookout and everyone really enjoyed it so I figured I better post the recipe (this is for you Shannel!).  

Asian Noodle Slaw

Ingredients:

2 Packages of Ramen noodles (throw away the seasoning packet)

1 Package of broccoli slaw- I cut this into smaller pieces with my kitchen shears

1 Cup Craisins

1 Cup Asian sesame with ginger and soy dressing (I used Ken's) or homemade

2 Green onions, chopped - optional as a garnish

Handful of silvered almonds - optional as a garnish

Cook Ramen noodles according to package for about 3 minutes, drain and let cool.  Combine broccoli slaw, Craisins, noodles and dressing until evenly coated.

Toss with green onions and almonds if desired, cover and place in refrigerator for 2 hours or more. Serve.

Now isn't that simple!

Corn and Kale Fritter Cakes

Look at all that color

Are you starting to see a theme on this blog lately?  Kale is going to be my focus for the next few days.  I know you can use kale for smoothies, chips, and salad, but I hope to find other recipes to use this healthy, nutritional vegetable.

Kale has vitamins A, C and K, plus it contains lutein which keeps eyes and vision healthy.

This week I did not plan my menu well because we were on vacation for part of the week and I thought I would find time to do it when we returned.  Therefore I found myself really not planning at all, which is so unlike me.  I knew we were going to have tuna cakes on Thursday night and scoured the internet to find a side dish.  I came across a delightful recipe for Corn and Kale Fritter Cakes and thought we would give it a try.  

While this recipe was not our favorite, it was pretty good and a great way to incorporate this wonderful green leafy vegetable into our meal.

Here is the link to the original recipe for Corn and Kale Skillet Cakes.  Enjoy!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Panera Bread is one of my favorite places to eat soup and salad. I love how they have the calories listed on the menu so you can make a wiser choice for you and your family.

I am a member of the "My Panera" club and frequently get emails from them with recipes, another great reason to love Panera. I received the recipe below in my email box from Panera and decided to give it a try (with a few changes).

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Cup onions, chopped
1 Cup celery, chopped
1 Cup carrots, chopped
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 Tsp red pepper flakes
1 (15oz) Can diced no-salt tomatoes (basil, oregano, garlic flavor)
8 oz Rainbow chard (you can use any kind you like)
1 Cup pinto beans
1 Cup black beans
6 Cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Sourdough, French or Italian bread, cubed (optional)
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook until the vegetables are tender about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook for an additional minute.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, and chard and cook for about 10 minutes.

Puree one cup of pinto beans and 1 cup of broth in a food processor. Add to the soup along with 5 cups of vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Stir in the parsley, salt and bread cubes and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Serve with parmesan cheese.

* My husband did not care for the bread inside the soup, so next time I would just serve it along side.

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans

My husband loves brussels sprouts and has been talking about how I never serve them. I have to be honest and say that I really have never been too fond of brussels sprouts. I think I never liked them because of the way they were prepared. I found a super simple (I like simple) recipe to prepare these little creations and thought we would give it a try.

My youngest son, my husband and myself really liked the brussels sprouts prepared this way. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans

Ingredients:

Brussels sprouts - about 20 or so, halved or quartered
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (or more if you like)
Salt and pepper
Toasted pecans (heat in a skillet with olive oil until toasted)

Preheat the oven to 400°

Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Roast for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. Top with toasted pecans and serve.

Chickpea Minus the Meat Balls (Great for Spaghetti or Hoagies)

I have to admit that although I love preparing vegetarian meals for my family I was not too excited about making chickpea meatballs. For some reason the sound of chickpea and meatballs just did not make sense to me. Well, I am super glad that I finally got a chance to make these delightful little balls, they were actually really good.

Next time I prepare them I think I will add some fresh herbs like oregano, parsley and basil to give them some extra pazazz.

Here is a link to the recipe I used from Rachel Ray. The only ingredient I omitted was the lemon. Rachel served the Chickpea Balls on a baguette and I served them in spaghetti. I think they would work great either way.

Black Bean Salad

If your family likes beans this recipe for black bean salad is a super delicious and completely versatile dish. It makes an awesome and flavorful side dish or light main dish. A friend of mine gave me this delightful recipe a few years ago and I had forgotten all about it until I was flipping through my disorganized recipe book.

Black beans are a good source of protein, thiamin, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese, and an excellent source of dietary fiber and folate. After researching black beans a little further I also found information that suggests that black beans help lower your risk of colon cancer. It seems they provide additional support for our digestive tracts, particularly the colon. All good reasons to make black beans a part of our diet.

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 Cup red, yellow, or orange pepper, finely chopped
1 Tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp cilantro (I used parsley because that is what I had on hand)
1/4 Tsp cumin
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp red chile honey (see recipe below)
1 Tsp salt
3/4 Cup corn kernels
1 Cup ripe tomatoes, chopped (I used grape tomatoes and those worked just fine, however romas would have been better I think)
1 Cup black beans, cooked

Saute the onions and peppers in olive oil over medium heat until soft.

In a separate bowl, combine cilantro, cumin, vinegar, honey mixture, and salt.

Add corn, tomatoes, black beans and sauteed vegetables to the dressing mixture and combine thoroughly. Allow flavors to blend by letting the salad stand for 30-45 minutes. I placed my black bean salad in the refrigerator and served it cold, however you can serve it room temperature as well.

**If you like things spicy you can also add 1 finely chopped or minced jalapeno. For the sake of my kids I decided to leave the jalapeno out.

Red Chile Honey

Ingredients:

1/2 cup honey
1/2 Tbsp red chile powder
1/8 Tsp cumin
1/8 garlic salt

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat for about 2 minutes. Stir continuously until all the flavors have combined.

Creamy Refried Bean Soup

Of course when I decide to put soup on our dinner menu for the week the temperature reaches 84°. I know most of you don't eat soup when it is that hot outside, but this soup was perfect for some of our family that were sick this week.

My husband surprised me by stating that he really loved the soup.

I adapted the original for this recipe based on our favorite refried bean recipe.

Creamy Refried Bean Soup

Ingredients:

16oz Refried bean mixture (prepared)
1 Can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2-1 Cup vegetable broth
1/2 Cup unsweetened coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat bean mixture and add tomatoes, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Let soup simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream or avocado spread. We also added jalapenos because we like our food on the spicy side.

I served this delicious soup with baked tortilla chips.

Crispy Oven Fried Vegetables

Our local supermarket had zucchini and yellow squash on sale for dirt cheap this week so I picked up a few. Traditionally I saute these with olive oil and onions, but I wanted to try something different. I came across a recipe in one of my many little Pampered Chef cookbooks called Crispy Oven Fried Vegetables. I decided to give it a try since the suggested vegetables were zucchini and squash.

It was not a huge success, but definitely a different way to cook these vegetables than I normally do. I have to also say that it may have lacked some flavor because I used panko breadcrumbs instead of Italian bread crumbs (why can't I follow the recipe as it is written). Give it a try and see what you think.

These are great dipped in a cucumber dip, ranch or even sweet chili pepper sauce(my favorite).

Crispy Oven Fried Vegetables

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1/2 Cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 Egg white
1 Tbsp skim milk or alternative
10 Drops hot pepper sauce
3 Cups of vegetables - yellow squash, zucchini, sweet potato, eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms.....

Preheat the oven to 425°

Combine parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl whisk egg white, milk and hot pepper.

Dip each vegetable in egg mixture than coat with breadcrumb mixture. Place in a single layer on a baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Spritz each vegetable with olive oil and cook for about 12-14 minutes.

Spinach Cheese Balls

We had a fun at our house this week with appetizer night for dinner. The kids thought it was cool and there was something for everybody.

One of the appetizer I prepared was Spinach Cheese Balls. This is a take on the traditional Sausage Cheese Balls, without the meat.

Recipe was slightly adapted from the original Betty Crocker recipe.

Spinach Cheese Balls

Ingredients:

2 Cups fresh spinach, chopped (cooked until wilted) - it looks like a lot, but once it cooks down it really is not that much
1 Cup Heart Smart Bisquick
1 Cup mozzarella cheese
1 Cup cheddar cheese
1 Egg
1 Tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 Tsp garlic salt
1 Tsp fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 400° and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Shape into 1-2 inch balls and place on cookie sheet.

Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. May be served with pasta sauce or pizza sauce.

Black Bean Soup

A friend of mine just recently sent me a list of her favorite soup recipes. They all look amazing and I hope to try each of them. One in particular was a recipe for black bean soup. Since my kids are young and can not tolerate spicy I decided to come up with a less spicy version of black bean soup for our family.

I hope you enjoy!

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2 Cans black beans (DO NOT DRAIN)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Orange, Yellow, Red or Green Pepper - diced finely
1 Small onion - diced finely
1 Small sweet potato - peeled and diced small
1 Cup homemade vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 Cup Salsa
2 Tsp Taco Seasoning
1 Bay leaf
1/2 Salt (you can omit this is if you use chicken broth or store bought taco seasoning)
Pepper to taste

Par Boil the sweet potato.

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onions and pepper and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Add taco seasoning and cook an additional minute or so. Slowly add broth and stir.

Add beans, salsa, sweet potatoes, bay leaf and salt/pepper.

Transfer to crock pot and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until sweet potatoes are tender.

If you do not want to use your crock pot continue simmering on stove until flavors are incorporated and sweet potatoes are tender.

Remove bay leaf and serve in individual bowls. Top soup with shredded cheese, avocado spread, sour cream, and tortilla chips. YUM, YUM! I also served the soup with a cheese and spinach taquito on the side.