Firecracker Curry Noodles

This is a great meal in the summer or in the winter or any season. When do you light off your firecrackers?

Ingredients:
12-oz dry noodles (e.g. bow-tie firecrackers)
16-oz frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2-3 tbsp red curry paste
1-2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package instruction, adding stir-fry vegetables 2-4 minutes before the noodles are done to cook briefly. 
2. Drain and rinse under cool water then return to pot. 
3. While the noodles and veggies cook, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients starting with 2 tbsp curry paste and 1 tbsp soy sauce. 
4. Pour over cooked noodles and vegetables, stirring to combine. 
5. Heat over low until thoroughly warm. 
6. Taste, adding more curry paste, soy sauce, and/or Sriracha as desired.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 428 calories, 8.2g fat, 75.1g carbs, 10.8g fiber, 6.8g sugars, 13.5g protein 

Chickpea and Asparagus Curry

A nice curry with noddles when asparagus is in season. This recipe came about when I didn't have the ingredients for one of the recipes I had.  

Ingredients:
8-oz dry elbows

olive oil

1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 Tbsp ginger paste
1 bunch asparagus, with stems snapped off
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
1-2 tsp mild curry powder
1 can lite coconut milk
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground coriander

Directions:

1. Cook noodles per package directions.
2. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and asparagus and sauté until the onions are translucent and asparagus is cooked to your liking.
5. Stir in curry powder to coat.
6. Add broth, coconut milk, and chickpeas.
7. Heat over low until warm.
8. Stir in garam masala and coriander, plus salt and pepper if desired.
9. Cover and rest 5 minutes.
10. Taste, adding more garam masala or coriander as desired.
11. Divide noodles equally among 4 bowls.
12. Ladle warm curry evenly over noodles and serve.

Notes:

• Serves 4

Spring Roll Noodles

This is a great summer pasta salad. Eating fresh with the noodles and veggies still warm is awesome, but if you eat as leftovers, just eat cold straight out of the fridge.

Ingredients:
1-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
8 oz thin noodles, ex soba or vermicelli
16 oz fresh asparagus
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 cucumbers, diced
fresh basil
fresh cilantro
lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 avocado, sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. Trim ends of asparagus by cracking them off. Cut remaining parts in half.
2. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
3. Meanwhile, saute ginger, asparagus, and bell peppers. Once you reach desired tenderness, turn off heat.
4. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. 
5. Add cucumber and noodles to the sauteed vegetables. Stir in basil and cilantro.
6. Squirt with lime juice (either from fresh lime fruit or bottled), and pour soy sauce over the vegetables and noodles. Mix thoroughly.
7. Top with the sliced avocado and green onions.

Notes:

• Serves 4

St. Patrick's Pasta

I'm not sure how this is St. Patrick's Pasta, except that there's green in it. But, it sure is tasty! I got this recipe through Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
4-oz dry noodles, ie rotini, macaroni, smaller pastas are better 
¼ cup (2-oz) vegetable broth 
oil
½ small onion, diced 
1 garlic clove, minced 
15-oz can white beans
salt
pepper 
garlic powder 
onion powder 
3 cups fresh spinach 
vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast (optional) 
smoked paprika (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta via package instructions. 
2. Drain, reserving ¼-cup cooking water. 
3. Rinse pasta under cool water, set aside. 
4. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until translucent. 
5. Add beans (with their liquid), stirring to combine.  
6. Turn off heat and mash the beans partially with a fork, or leave whole. 
7. Season with salt and pepper, plus onion and garlic powder as desired. 
8. Stir in pasta water to thin as needed, then toss with cooked pasta. 
9. Turn heat to low and add fresh spinach.
10. Cook, using tongs to stir around and incorporate, until spinach is soft and combined. 
11. Top with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast and a dash of smoked paprika.

Notes:

• Serves 2.
• Per serving: 401 calories, 2.9g fat, 75g carbs, 17.8g fiber, .9g sugars, 22.9g protein
• Add pine nuts to the pasta. Omnivores  might enjoy some chicken added in.

Indonesian Stir-Fry Noodles

What's funny about this dinner is that when I said it was what was for dinner, everybody balked. Then I made it, with an add-on of chicken for the omnivores in the family. One child, who is super-duper picky, didn't even try it. But it got whole-hearted yums from the other two people. So much that my son asked how much would be leftovers. And asked if I could make it again ... soon. 

The bowl above serves 4. That's right, 4. When I took my helping, everybody's eyes got wide and said, you get that much? Since I'm trying to watch my caloric intake. I said, I get a quarter of the bowl. Then they said, that isn't even a quarter of that bowl. By the way, I was quite full after eating the portion I served myself.

I got the original recipe from Happy Herbivores Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
12-oz dry noodles (i.e. spaghetti) 
6 tbsp teriyaki sauce 
2 tbsp soy sauce 
dash Sriracha (i.e., to taste) 
1/4 cup vegetable broth
oil
1 onion, thinly sliced 
4 garlic cloves, minced 
12-oz broccoli florets 
10-oz cole-slaw mix 
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
water, as needed

Directions:

1. Cook noodles via package instructions. 
2. Drain, rinse under cold water. Set aside. 
3. While cooking noodles, n a small bowl, whisk teriyaki, soy sauce, Sriracha, and broth together. Set aside. 
4. Sauté onions and garlic in oil until translucent. 
5. Add broccoli and cook until bright green. 
6. Add cole-slaw mix, cooking and stirring so the veggies starts to soften.  
7. Add kale, stirring to incorporate. 
8. Continue to cook to desired tenderness, adding water as needed. 
9. Stir in sauce and cooked noodles. 
10. Taste, adding more Sriracha or teriyaki sauce, if desired.  

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 428 calories, 2.7g fat, 87.6g carbs, 14.8g fiber, 12g sugars, 18.5g protein
• You can use water instead of vegetable broth. You can use thinly sliced cabbage instead of cole-slaw mix. You can add-on more veggies.
• If you want to add some meat, chicken thinly sliced and fried in the same sauce (make more) worked well for us. I think pork may also go well in this dish.

Lasagna Soup

I was unexpectedly a fan of this. The flavors work really well together. This could be a side, but really fits better as an entree. It is super filling. I got the original recipe through Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor.

Ingredients:
4-oz dry noodles, ex fettucini, linguini or angel hair
oil
3 cups (24-oz) vegetable broth
½ small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato paste
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
¾ cup prepared white beans
¼ cup plain hummus
1-3 tbsp soy or almond milk
salt and pepper for taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot. 
2. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. 
3. Add oregano and tomato paste, stirring to coat. 
4. Add tomatoes (with juices), bay leaf, and broth. 
5. Stir to combine, cover, bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 
7. While simmering, break noodles in half. Cook noodles via package instructions to al dente texture. Drain, rinse under cold water. Set aside. 
8. Remove bay leaf and stir in white beans. 
9. Transfer HALF to a blender and puree until creamy OR use an immersion blender. Return to pot. 
10. Stir in cooked noodles. 
11. Add salt and pepper, plus more oregano if desired.
12. Spoon into bowls and set aside briefly. 
13. In a small bowl, whisk hummus with milk 1 tbsp at a time until it's a thick sauce.
14. Drizzle or swirl hummus-cream in soup.

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Per serving: 432 calories, 5.4g fat, 81.2g carbs, 15.9g fiber, 12.4g sugars, 17.4g protein
• For omnivores, you could add some browned ground beef

Thai Noodles with Tofu

First, this is actually supposed to be Thai Noodle Soup. So, if yours comes out a little more like soup, that's actually how it is supposed to be. This is another meal from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. Even if mine was more just noodles, it was good. Depending on the type of meal you are serving, this could be a side or an entree. Again, I have altered the recipe a bit, as shown here. 

Ingredients:
1 quart (4 cups) veg broth 
1 tbsp fresh ginger root, peeled and minced 
4 oz cubed tofu, extra firm
6-oz Thai rice vermicelli dry noodles 
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp Thai sweet red chili sauce 
1-2 tsp miso paste 
¼ cup fresh basil 

Directions:

1. In a large pot, combine broth and fresh ginger and bring to a boil. 
2. Once boiling, add tofu and cook a few minutes to soak in flavor. 
3. Add noodles and cook via package instructions, 2-3 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and add soy sauce, chili sauce, miso, and basil. 
5. Stir to combine and then taste, adding more soy sauce or miso as desired.

Notes:

Serves 2. (The photo is one serving for lunch, and the set aside for leftovers.)

Per serving: 480 calories, 4.3g fat, 93.9g carbs, 5.0g fiber, 12.1g sugars, 14.3g protein

Add ground ginger for a stronger flavor. 

Garnish with red pepper flakes if desired.

Add edamame and/or cashews.

Sesame Chicken and Noodles

Sesame chicken and noodles can be omnivore or vegan, depending on whether you choose to have animal or vegan chicken. I used Gardein Chick'n Teriaki and skipped the sauce from the package and used the marinade.

Ingredients:

Sesame Noodles

1 lb spaghettini (get the thinnest spaghetti you can find)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/3 cup sugar

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup sesame seed (or more)

Chicken

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

sesame oil, for sauteing

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, brown sugar and the ginger.
2.  Make sure the sugar has pretty much dissolved.
3. Slice the chicken diagonally into thin strips.
4. Add the chicken, making sure it's all coated with the sauce.
5. Cover and stick in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
6. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
7. Drain and rinse.
8.  In a jar, add the soy sauce, sesame oil and the sugar.
9. Shake until well blended and the sugar has dissolved.
10.  Pour this over the pasta.
11.  Toss with scallions and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
12. Set aside while you cook the chicken.
13. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and toss out the marinade left at the bottom of the bowl.
14. Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick pan.
15. Add the chicken in batches and saute until done internal temperature reaches at least 160 F, adding more sesame oil as needed.
16. Remove the chicken from the pan and let cool slightly.
17. Serve the chicken over the sesame noodles.

Notes:

• Prep time: 3-3.5 hours
• Total time 3.5-4 hours
• Serves 4.

Entree: Cheesy Spinach Noodle Bake

This is a good, vegan noodle bake that takes a little less effort than putting together a lasagna. I didn't like the original recipe from This Can't Be Vegan as written, so I've modified it.

Ingredients

8 ounces elbow macaroni or shells 12 ounces grounds  4 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 26-ounce jar marinara sauce (use a flavored one) 2-4 tablespoons spinach, chopped 2 cups vegan shredded mozzarella cheese, divided  1 cup nondairy sour cream  1/4 - 1/2 cup nutritional yeast 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. 
2. Cook noodles until al dente; drain and set aside. 
3. In a large nonstick skillet, add grounds, garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring frequently until heated through and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Add marinara sauce and spinach, stirring until spinach is wilted and everything is well combined. Remove from heat. 
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked noodles, 1 cup shredded cheese, sour cream, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and fresh parsley. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed and noodles are well coated. 
5. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Top evenly with marinara mixture and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Let stand for 15 mins before serving. 

Other Notes:

• Serves 8.
• Nutrition based on 8 servings

Entree: Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Alfredo is not as difficult as it sounds. Ryan found this recipe at Cook's Illustrated, Best New Recipe.

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Alfredo Sauce

1⅔ cups heavy cream, preferably not ultrapasteurized
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt
1 recipe fresh egg pasta, cut into fettuccine (below)
2 ounces (1 cup) parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Ground black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Egg Noodles

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
3 eggs

Directions:

Alfredo Sauce

1. Bring 4 quarters water to a rolling boil in a large pot.
2. Combine 1⅓ cups of the cream and the butter in a sauté pan large enough to accommodate the cooked pasta. Heat over low heat until the butter is melted and the cream comes to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water and stir to separate the noodles. Cook until almost al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauté pan. Add the remaining ⅓ cup cream, the parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and the nutmeg. Cook over very low heat until the sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the fettuccine immediately in heated pasta bowls.

Egg Noodles

1. Measure out the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Use a fork to break up the eggs slightly. Use a rubber spatula to mix the eggs into the flour until the dough is smooth. If it’s sticky, knead in more flour. If it’s too dry to mix in all the flour, knead in water ½ teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together.
2. Divide the dough into 6 portions. Spread dry kitchen towels under the pasta roller and over the counter. Set the pasta machine at its widest opening. Working with one portion of dough at a time and keeping the others covered, roll the dough through the pasta roller. Fold it in thirds like a letter and roll it through the wide setting again. Repeat four more times, adding flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the machine.

Notes:

• Sub gluten-free noodles

Entree: Adrienne's Lasagna

I started with a lasagna recipe, and over the years have tweaked and tweaked and tweaked it. This is the current rendition of the lasagna I make. It's generally popular. This year, we had this lasagna for Christmas. This week the theme is food from this year's Christmas. I already posted the Preston Rolls for Bread/Breakfast. This time, we made the pasta noodles from scratch, so the recipe to do that is also included.

Ingredients:
12 pieces (about 8 oz) lasagna noodles, uncooked (Or fresh pasta) 
2 lb. Ground beef
6 cups (about 2-26 oz jar) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 – 15 oz container ricotta cheese
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
2 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese (or Monterey jack cheese), divided
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup spinach, chopped


Fresh pasta 2 cups flour (1/3 semolina, 2/3 all-purpose)
herbs: parsley, rosemary, basil, saffron, thyme, etc, whatever strikes your fancy as going well together 
3 eggs
olive oil 

Directions:

Drying Homemade Lasagna Noodles

Fresh Pasta

1. Combine herbs with flour. On a flat surface, make a bowl of flour, crack eggs into center. Mix eggs and flour together with a spoon. Add oil.
2. After dough comes together, knead well. Let rest 30-90 minutes. 
3. Run through pasta press until desired thickness. (Visit the Egg Pasta portion of this recipe for reference.) 
4. Boil 30 seconds, cold shock in a ice bath. 
5. Let dry 1 hour. Use same as no-boil pasta in recipe. These make more sheets, so layer pasta between each addition of meat then egg. 

Lasagna

Meat Sauce

1. Heat oven to 350ºF.
2. Over medium heat, brown meat; drain. Add spaghetti sauce and water, and spinach; simmer about 10 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, one-half mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper.
4. Pour about 1 cup sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 x 2” baking dish.
5. Arrange 3 UNCOOKED pasta pieces lengthwise over sauce. Use an additional piece broken into thirds to get full length coverage of pan. Cover with about 1 cup sauce.
6. Spread one-half cheese filling over sauce. 
7. Repeat layers of lasagne, sauce and cheese filling. 
8. Top with layer of lasagne and remaining sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil.



Cheese Filling

9. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake additional 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

Other Details:

• There is no difference in the baking whether you use homemade pasta or no cook pasta.
• However, if you use the homemade pasta, you are likely to have a lot more pasta, so instead of layering the meat and cheese layers together, add a layer of noodles between the layers of meat and cheese.
• This can be reheated in the oven 1 hour at 350º or individual slices in the microwave.
• Serves 12 (slices)