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 

Pasta with Red Lentils

Resuming posting recipes, starting with this pasta and lentil dish. It's one of my favorites, takes about 20 minutes, and is perfect comfort food.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
8-oz dry macaroni or shells
1 quart vegetable broth
¼ cup tomato paste 

1 cup dry red lentils 

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and rinse. (While boiling, proceed to steps 2-8.)
2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.
3. Saute onion, garlic, and bell pepper until onion is translucent.
4. Stir in tomato paste to coat.
5. Add broth and lentils.
6. Cover and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Stir together with cooked macaroni and serve.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 434 calories, 2.8g fat, 78.7g carbs, 20.7g fiber, 4.9g sugar, 26.6g protein

Lemony-Leeky Orzo Soup

This was way better than it has any right to be. Leeks make everything taste so buttery. The squirt of lemon takes it over-the-top.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, prepared via Note below
2-3 celery ribs, sliced 
2 carrots, sliced 
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped 
1 can (15-oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1-2 lemons, cut in half 
½ cup orzo 
1 quart vegetable broth 
1 bag (5-oz) baby spinach 
crackers 

Directions:

1. Line a large skillet with oil. 
2. Add leek, celery, and carrots, and sauté until vegetables are just tender. 
3. Stir in orzo. 
4. Add broth plus 2 cups water. 
5. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until orzo is fully cooked, 10 minutes.  
6. Stir in chickpeas and dill, plus salt and pepper if desired. 
7. Add spinach just before serving, stirring a few times so it softens in. 
8. Squeeze lemon juice into soup before eating. 
9. Serve with crackers.

Notes:

• Use only the white and light green parts of the leek. Halve lengthwise then slice. 
• Per serving: 284 calories, 3.3g fat, 48.9g carbs, 7.5g fiber, 4.8g sugars, 14.5g protein (Crackers not included in this analysis.)

Orzo Chili

I've been loving chili. Last fall, I made chili in the crockpot every weekend. This is one of them. You can make it stovetop or in the crockpot. The only problem with pasta in the crockpot is that you slip over the done line to over-done quiet quickly. You need to watch it carefully.

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
2 bell peppers seed, diced 
1 can kidney beans drain, rinsed
1 quart veg broth 
1-2 tbsp chili powder 
1-2 tbsp dried oregano 
2 cans diced tomatoes 
1 cup dry orzo 

Directions:

1. Line a large pot with ¼-cup broth.  
2. Add onions, garlic, and bell peppers and sauté until onions are translucent.
3. Stir in chili powder and oregano to coat. 
4. Add 2 cups broth, tomatoes (with juices), and orzo or rice. 
5. Stir together, cover, and bring to a boil.  
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer until orzo or rice is cooked, 10-40 minutes. 
7. Stir frequently. 
8. Check both periodically to see if additional broth is needed. 
9. Once cooked, stir in beans plus additional broth to thin chili as desired. 
10. Warm over low heat, if needed. 
11. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Ladle chili equally among 4 bowls and serve.

Notes:

• Slow Cooker option: Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high 3-4 hours.
• Per serving: 383 calories, 2.3g fat, 79.4g carbs, 14.7g fiber, 19.5g sugars, 16.3g protein.

Baked Breaded Shells and Cheese

This is a mac and cheese that my family will make at home. Original recipe was from Chowhound.

Ingredients
For the béchamel
4 cups (1 quart) whole milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

For dish
Kosher salt
1 pound medium shells
8 ounces shredded 2-year aged sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 cups)
3 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 cup)
2/3 cup panko (optional)

Directions:
To make the béchamel:

1. Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it just comes to a simmer, then turn off the heat and set aside. 
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. 
3. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown in color, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. 
4. While whisking constantly, slowly add the hot milk to the flour mixture until evenly combined and smooth. (It will get very thick when you first add the milk, then thin out.) 
5. Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and while whisking constantly, cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
6. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt, taste, and season with additional salt if desired. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

To assemble:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Cook the pasta per package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.
3. Place the reserved saucepan of béchamel over medium heat and stir in both cheeses just until melted and smooth. 
4. Add the pasta and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is heated through and steaming, about 2 to 4 minutes. 
5. Transfer to a 5-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the panko, and bake until bubbling and brown on top, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Mediterranean Hummus Pasta

This is a nice, light spring dish. This got an approval from the family omnivores. You may not think the flavors will go together, but it's amazing.

Ingredients:
12-oz linguine
1 zucchini, half-moons
10-oz cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced
1 cup plain hummus
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
dash dried oregano
¾ cup olives

Directions:

1. Cook noodles via package instructions, adding zucchini, tomatoes, and bell pepper to soften and cook a few minutes before noodles are done cooking. 
2. Drain, reserving ½-cup cooking water. 
3. Return noodles and vegetables to pot. Set aside. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk hummus, basil, and oregano with hot cooking water. 
5. Pour sauce over noodles and vegetables. 
6. Stir to coat.
7. Serve with a side of 1/4 cup olives.

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.

Pasta Alfredo

This is a great winter to not-quite-spring all-in-one meal. There's a little prep, but it's worth it. You can use any pasta shape you like. Bow-ties (farfalle) is a fun and pretty choice.

Ingredients:
Alfredo Sauce 
1 head cauliflower florets 
2 garlic cloves 
1 cup (8-oz) almond milk 
1 tbsp nutritional yeast 
1 tsp Italian seasoning 

Main Dish
16-oz asparagus 
10-oz dry pasta 
10-oz cherry or grape tomatoes 
1 cup green peas (frozen works well)


Directions:
Alfredo Sauce:

1. In a pot, cover cauliflower with water. 
2. Boil until very tender, about 15 minutes. 
3. Drain off water (reserving ½-cup). 
4. Meanwhile, mince garlic in a blender.
5. Scrape sides and add cooked florets, working in batches if necessary. 
6. Add milk, nutritional yeast, and Italian seasoning, plus salt and pepper. 

Blend until very smooth, adding reserved cooking water as needed for consistency.

Pasta:

1. Cut the bottom ⅓ off the asparagus and discard. Chop remaining pieces. 
2. Cook pasta via package instructions 
3. Add asparagus, cherry tomatoes and peas a few minutes before pasta is done to soften and cook. 
4. Drain and return everything to the pot. 
5. Add Alfredo Sauce and stir to coat.

Notes:

• Per serving: 399 calories, 3.9g fat, 76.2g carbs, 16.4g fiber, 12.2g sugars, 19.8g protein
• Serves 4

Shells n'Cheeze

Feeling like some comfort food, I found a recipe that was a fancy vegan Mac n'Cheeze. I didn't want all the fancy stuff, and some of their ratios were off. But my adapted version is really tasty. I've made it several time.

Ingredients:
8-oz shells or other pasta, cooked via package directions
1 cup (8-oz) almond milk
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp miso paste**

Optional:
1 can (15-oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, whisk together cold milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and turmeric. 
2. Cover and bring to a near boil, then reduce heat to low. 
3. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. 
4. Turn off heat and stir in miso. 
5. Fold cooked pasta into sauce, stirring to coat completely. 
6. If using, fold in beans and garnish with green onions.

Notes:

• Serves 4

Lentil-roni

Easy and Yummy!

Ingredients:
8-oz dry macaroni 
32-oz (4 cups) vegetable broth 
1 diced onion 
3 minced garlic cloves 
¼ cup tomato paste 
1 cup dry red lentils
salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni via package instructions. 
2. Drain, rinse under cool water. Set aside. 
3. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. 
4. Add tomato paste, broth, and lentils.
5. Cover and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. 
7. Combine mixture with cooked macaroni. 
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

• Per serving: 434 calories, 2.8g fat, 78.7g carbs, 20.7g fiber, 4.9g sugar, 26.6g protein
• serves 4 

Tomato Basil Rigatoni

I made this for the family and it was a pretty big hit. The main issue was that I overdid the amount of the sauces, and I didn't reduce quite enough, so the sauce was a little more runny than is ideal. My suggestion is to stick with the amounts in the recipe and/or be sure to reduce sufficiently.

Ingredients:
14-oz dry pasta (i.e. rigatoni) 
oil
2 cups (16-oz) vegetable broth 
1 onion, diced 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1-2 tbsp Italian seasoning 
2 tbsp tomato paste 
28-oz tomato sauce 
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
½ cup dry red wine (optional, if using reduce broth by ½ cup) 
fresh basil (optional) 

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot. 
2. Saute onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning in oil until onions are translucent.
3. Add tomato paste, stirring to coat. 
4. Cook 1-2 minutes, adding a splash of broth as necessary to prevent sticking. 
5. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, wine and remaining broth until well combined.
6. Cover and bring to a boil.
7. (This is a good time to cook the pasta according to package directions in a separate pot.)
8. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, or until it reduces slightly and everything is thoroughly warm. 
9. Stir in fresh basil, if using. 
10. Serve over pasta or toss together.

Notes:
Serves 4.
Per serving: 423 calories, 4.1g fat, 79.4g carbs, 15.8g fiber, 12.7g sugar, 20.8g protein

Entree: Sausage with Pasta and Vegetable

A yummy, fairly quick, one-dish meal. This is vegan. There is an alternative version available here.

Ingredients:
4 Field Roast sausage (your preferred flavor)
12 oz pasta of your choice (we used tri-color rotini)
1/2 pound or so of vegetable of your choice (asparagus and broccoli both work well)
dash of vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast (optional)

Directions:

1. Steam the vegetables. 
2. Cook pasta according to directions. 
3. Fry sausage in a pan until nice and brown. 
4. Combine cooked pasta, meat, vegetables and the nutritional yeast to the pan. Heat over medium until heated through.

Notes:

Hot Naked Pasta

This recipe came out of a book I had long ago. We used to serve it as one of our meatless meals.

Ingredients:
1 lb angel hair pasta (you can use 1 lb any kind of pasta you like)
2 Tbsp basil
2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
Parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Once drained and rinsed, toss with olive oil, sea salt, and basil.

Notes:

• As is, it is vegan. However, you can cook up some chicken and serve with chicken.

Beef and Pasta Bake

We've been making this beef and pasta bake for years. It's a great make-ahead meal. Just pop in the oven when you need to make dinner.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella (divided)

5 cups hot cooked medium tube-shaped (elboroni) macaroni (3 cups dry)

Directions:

1. Brown beef, remove fat.  
2. Stir in sauce and 1/2 cup cheese and cooked macaroni.  
3. Pour into 2-quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.  
4. Bake @ 400o ~ 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Notes:

• Serves 8 or so.
• Approximately 400 Calories/serving.  Varies based on types of ingredients.
• Can make vegan by using vegan crumbles and vegan mozzarella-like cheese. (Pictured right with no cheese.)

Summer Pasta Salad

This is a super easy to make, great to bring to potlucks or for serving large groups of people pasta salad. The only catch is that you need to remember to make it a few hours before you want to serve it so it can chill in your fridge for a bit. I have no idea the origin of this recipe. I've been making it since the kids were babies to bring to summer potluck events and when we'd host gatherings at our house during the summer.

Ingredients:
1 lb. tri-colored rotini, cooked and rinsed
1-2 tomatoes, chopped (I almost always use Roma because they hold their shape better.)
1 cucumber, chopped
small amount of onion, chopped, if desired
8 oz. Italian dressing

Directions:
Mix well and chill for several hours before serving.

Notes:

Fettuccine in Coconut Cream Sauce

Marketed as Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo, I was intrigued with this dish. I halved the recipe and it came out great. I also approximated the ratios due to a lack of all measuring utensils since the day before was Christmas and the dishwasher decided not to finish the load of dishes - including ALL the measuring cups & spoons.

I'll make this recipe again, at least for the kids and I.

Ingredients:
1 lb fettuccine noodles
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp olive oil
dash of onion and garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cook fettuccine noodles according to package instructions. Drain.
2. Blend all remaining ingredients in Vitamix or other blender. Pour over the drained noodles.
3. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens slightly.

Side dish or Entree: Spinach Artichoke Pasta

This is like having spinach artichoke dip on pasta - and it's really tasty. I would like to play with the recipe a little more because it was a little strong on the artichoke. Suggestions in the comments are welcome. I got this recipe from That Was Vegan.

Ingredients:
1 bag baby spinach
1.5 tsp dried minced garlic
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced in half
1 Tbsn vegan butter (Nucoa, Earth Balance)
1.5 Tbsn flour
1.5 cups So Delicious coconut milk
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp sea salt (more to taste)
1/2 bag Daiya Mozzarella shreds
6 oz Campanelle pasta, cooked per package instructions
1/4+ cup panko crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Water saute the baby spinach with the garlic and artichoke hearts over medium heat until it’s wilted, 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Add vegan butter to pan and allow to melt, then stir in the flour. Stir until it’s combined and very thick (this is your roux). Pour in the milk and stir until mostly smooth and heated through, then add in the cheese, salt, onion and chili powder. If it gets too thick, add water.
3. Fold in the cooked pasta, artichokes, spinach and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring gently. When ready to serve, add the panko

Other Details:

Original Recipe

Side dish or Entree: Pumpkin Creme Rotini

This is officially called Pumpkin "Mac 'n Cheese" with Swiss Chard and Pine nuts, except it doesn't use macaroni noodles, nor dairy cheese, and is not particularly pumpkin tasting. But it was really good. Kids both liked it, and I could have eaten much more than I should. I came across this recipe on Vegan Fling. I thought I knew where I originally found it from, but I must be mistaken because I can't trace that same path. Oh, well. I'm glad I found it. I did modify it.

Ingredients:
1 lb penne or spiral pasta
1 Tbsp vegan butter
3/4 C unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/4 tsp garlic powder
6 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 C canned pumpkin puree
salt and pepper to taste
3-5 leaves swiss chard, chopped
1/2 C pine nuts
optional: red pepper flakes for some spice



Directions:

1. Cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the milk, arrowroot, and garlic powder and then add this into the pan.
4. Add the nutritional yeast and salt & pepper. Continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened.
5. Add in the canned pumpkin and whisk until heated.
6. Toast the pine nuts in the oven for 5-10 minutes at about 250ºF until slightly browned.
7. Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce, and add in the chopped swiss chard. Stir until combined and let sit for a few minutes to let the chard wilt a little.
8. Serve topped with the toasted pine nuts.

Other Details:

• Says feeds 4-6, but I got 8 servings out of it.
• Original Recipe
• It's about 320 Calories/serving for 8 servings, with 71 g carbs, 6 g fat, 17 g protein, and 6 g fiber.

Entree: Meat Pasta Vegetable

I don't recall where we got this idea, but about a year, we started making a really easy throw together all-in-one dish about a year ago. It's very versatile. Pictured is our favorite choices:

Ingredients:
1 pound meat of your choice
16 oz pasta of your choice
0.5 pound vegetable of your choice
8 oz feta or goat cheese

Directions:

1. Steam the vegetables.
2. Cook pasta according to directions.
3. Fry meat in a pan until cooked.
4. Combine cooked pasta, meat, vegetables and the cheese to the pan. Heat over medium until heated through and cheese is slightly melted.

Other Notes:

You can see we prefer penne pasta, sausage, and broccoli. 

Entree: 3-Cheese Stuffed Shells

We got this recipe out of Clean Eating Magazine. 

Ingredients:

Sauce
3 cups chopped tomatoes
12 oz roasted red bell peppers (packed in water), drained, patted ry and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 packed cup whole parsley sprigs, roughly chopped


Shells
4 ears corn, husked
olive oil cooking spray
30 large whole-grain pasta shells
1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
3 oz goat cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves or chives, plus additional for garnish
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Prepare sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine tomatoes, roasted peppers, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a blender and add parsley. Remove plastic center from blender lid to allow steam to escape, hold a kitchen towel.loosely over the opening and puree. (Note: Exercise caution when blending hot liquids.)
2. Prepare shells: Preheat broiler. Mist corn with cooking spray and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil 8 to 10 inches from heat until light golden brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Carefully remove kernals: Hold corn upright on a cutting board and use a chef's knife to cut off kernals, starting at the top of the cob and carefully sliding knife downward. Transfer kernals to bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, prepare pasta shells according to package directions, cooking until just al dente. Drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, goat cheese, mint, parsley, egg and half of corn (about 1 1/2 cups.) Season with black pepper.
4. Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Fill each of 24 pasta shells (6 additional shells were cooked to allow for damaged shells) with about 1 rounded tbsp ricotta mixture and place in baking dish, stuffed side up. Cover shells with remaining sauce, remaining corn and mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes, garnish with additional parsley and serve.

Other details:

• Serves 8 
• Prep-time: 45 minutes 
• Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
• Calories/ 3 shells: 429
• Nutrition at right is for 1/8 of the recipe.
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