Quinoa Sloppy Joes

I found this recipe and adapted it from Real Mom Kitchen's cookbook. Super yummy. My sister even liked them and she is often hesitant about my kitchen experiments.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. cooked quinoa (about 1 c. uncooked plus 2 c. water)
• 1/2 c. to 3/4 c. onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
• 3 Tb brown sugar
• 2 Tb BBQ sauce (or more if you want)
• Biscuits, homemade or from the can...whatever you want to make, or you could use buns

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa by putting quinoa and water into a sauce pan. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat. Cook for 15-20 min. till quinoa is fluffy and water is absorbed.
2. Saute onion and red pepper 5-10 min in a tiny bit of olive oil.
3. Add the cooked quinoa, tomato soup, brown sugar, BBQ sauce. Stir to combine. Heat thoroughly, 5-10  minutes.
4. Serve on top of halved biscuits. You can eat them open faced or closed.

Tomato Artichoke Pasta

Finally, another post! Sorry for the long wait. Life gets busy and my blog goes on the back burner for a bit.

Anyway, this is a delicious recipe I adapted from a cookbook called Let Them Eat Vegan. Super simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Tb olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 cans artichoke hearts, quartered (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer petite diced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 12 oz whole wheat penne pasta

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package.
2. While it cooks, heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Then add the artichoke hearts, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Let saute about 5-7 minutes.
3. Next add the diced and crushed tomatoes. Cook until bubbling. Serve over pasta!

Notes about this recipe:

1. You can buy whole artichoke hearts and cut them into quarters, or you can buy already quartered.
2. You can also add spinach, mushrooms, or even white beans...but I haven't tried any of them yet. Let me know what you think if you do!

Mom's Oven Stew

I adapted this recipe from the Real Mom Kitchen cookbook. This is a super easy crock-pot meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups potato, diced
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 2 cups carrots, sliced
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 c. quinoa (uncooked)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on high for 3 hours, stir occasionally. Serves about 8. 

 Notes about this recipe:

1. After making it once I thought it might also be yummy to add some corn and green beans or peas to the mix as well. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet though.

Kichadee

My cousin, Bri P., introduced this recipe to me. She says it is one of her staple foods. It was tasty and hearty. Here is my version.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice (about 1 cup uncooked)
• 2 cups cooked red lentils (about 3/4 c. to 1 c. uncooked)
• 2-3 c. finely chopped sweet potato
• 2-3 c. finely chopped kale (if you want it less chewy pull it off the stem first)
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1/4 c. butter or ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

1.  Get the rice and red lentils cooking in separate pots, according to the directions on their packaging. 
2. Brown spice seeds in the butter or ghee for a few minutes. Add the powdered spices. Then add all the veggies and stir till combines. Saute with the lid on, occasionally stirring, until veggies are soft and cooked through. 
3. Combine the cooked rice, cooked lentils, into the veggie mixture. Add salt and lemon juice and mix well. Let sit 10 minutes and then serve.

Notes about this recipe:

• You can also add fennel powder in with the spices, I just couldn't find it at my grocery store.
• If you want to try making your own ghee use 1/4 lb butter, unsweetened and unsalted. Heat over medium heat until fat separates on top and bottom. Continue at a gentle boil until a large mid portion is clear (about 20 min.) Strain with superfine mesh into a mason jar.
• With the spices you can go up to 2 Tb. depending on how spicy/flavorful you want it.

Rotini with Sun-Dried Tomato and Artichoke Hearts

This I adapted this from a recipe called Italian Fusalli with Sun-Dried Tomato and Artichoke Hearts found in The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook by Neal Barnard and Robyn Webb.

Ingredients:

• About 7 oz. whole wheat rotini
• 1 Tb. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 pinches sea salt
• 4-6 grinds of fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 Tb. dried basil
• 1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered or smaller
• 2 stalks of kale, off the stem and finely chopped

Directions: 

1. Boil the water and start cooking the pasta.
2. Meanwhile heat a skillet and oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, saute about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, artichoke hearts, salt, pepper. Lower heat and cook additional 5 minutes. Remember to keep an eye on your pasta. When it is done drain it and put a lid over it until it is needed.
4. Add kale, oregano, and basil. Cook for a 2-4 minutes, until kale is bright green and wilted. 
5. Add the drained pasta and add to the pan. Stir until everything is combined.

Curried Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup Adaptation

Since my last post I've had a chance to try out the soup recommended by Jessie at Prevention.com.

I made some adaptations when I tried it out. And when you adapt a recipe then you can post it without copyright issues.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tb fresh ginger, minced
• 2 Tb curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black  pepper
• 2 roma tomatoes
• 1 c. dried lentils
• 1 quart water
• 14 oz rice milk
• 2 tsp imitation coconut flavoring
• About 3 c. small chopped sweet potato
• 3/4 c. green beans, cut into thirds
• 1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook till soft about 3-5 min. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 more min. Stir in curry powder, salt, and pepper. Cook 1-2 more minutes, till fragrant. 
2. Mix the imitation coconut flavoring into the rice milk. 
3. Stir in tomatoes, lentils, water, and rice milk/coconut mixture. Bring to a boil. Partially cover and reduce heat. Let simmer about 15 min.
4. Add potatoes and cook 10 more min.
5. Stir in green beans, cover completely and let cook another 10 minutes till lentils and potatoes are soft. Add cilantro and serve.

Notes about this recipe:

1. You can just use coconut milk in place of the rice milk/coconut extract mixture if you'd prefer.

Curried Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

 This recipe was sent to me by Jessie K. She said had to share it because it "is just that good." Sadly, the content is copyrighted and I have been waiting for over a month to get permission to post it. In the meantime, please head over to Prevention.com to check out this delicious soup!

Vegetable Lime Chickpea Chili

My apologies for lack of posts this month. I'm having a hard time getting into a posting groove since the holidays have been over. If you have made anything amazing in the kitchen this month send me your recipes!

I adapted this recipe from the one over at Two Peas and Their Pod.

Ingredients:

• About 1 Tb. olive oil
• Heaping 3/4 c. chopped onion
• Heaping 3/4 c. chopped zucchini
• Heaping 3/4 c. chopped yellow squash
• 1/2 c. chopped sweet bell pepper (any color)
• 5 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tb. garlic, minced
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 c. vegetable broth
• 1/4 c. cilantro
• 2 Tb. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• about 1/4 tsp black pepper
• tortilla chips
• avocados

Directions:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, zucchini,  yellow squash, bell peppers, mushrooms and cook 5-8 minutes, till tender.
3. Add garlic and cook 1 more min.
4. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips and avocado slices.

Pumpkin Soup

(Picture by Karen Madsen)

This recipe was sent to me by Brittanie S. She says it's a family favorite. And it's just in time for Autumn!

Ingredients:

• 2T Olive oil
• 3 C vegetable stock (I use chicken broth or base)
• 1 15 oz can drained black beans
• 1 c heavy cream (we often use whole milk instead)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 med. onion, chopped (or sub 1 to 2 Tbs dehydrated onion)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 15 oz cans pumpkin puree
• 1 T curry powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Saute onions; add broth, tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin. Bring to boil. Reduce Heat. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer.

Serve with tortilla chips, optional: sour cream and chives.

Cauliflower Power Tacos

This was AMAZING. My picture, however, is not as amazing, but please please don't judge this recipe by the picture! I found the recipe over at Betty Crocker.

Ingredients:

Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 medium head cauliflower (2 lbs), separated into florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Crispy Chick Peas

• 1 can (15 oz) chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano

Cilantro-Pepita Pesto

• 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup pepitas
• 1 very small clove garlic, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño chiles
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil

8 gluten-free white corn tortillas, heated as directed on package 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place cauliflower florets in large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until evenly coated. Arrange on large cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes; stir. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until cauliflower is tender and browned.
2. Meanwhile, mix crispy chick peas ingredients. Spread on 15x10x1-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes; stir. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until chick peas are slightly browned and crispy.
3. Meanwhile, in food processor, place all pesto ingredients except oil. Cover; process using quick on-and-off motions. With food processor running, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup oil through feed tube, stopping halfway through to stir mixture with spatula. Remove pesto to small bowl.
4. Spoon about 1 tablespoon pesto on each tortilla; top with about 1/2 cup roasted cauliflower and 1 tablespoon crispy chick peas. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve with remaining chick peas.

Notes about this recipe:

1. Pepitas are pumpkin seeds.

2. I only did 1 Tb of the jalapeno chilies, and the only time I felt like it was too spicy for me was if I got a big chunk that my blending missed. If you are worried about spice nix the jalapenos and maybe try seranos or something more mild.

3. My hubby and I are not huge fans of corn tortillas so we used flour tortillas instead. Whole wheat tortillas are even better!
4. Also delicious with sliced avocados on it. 

Nectarine-Grape Spinach Salad with Pecans

 Fresh fruit in salad is always a plus, in my book.

Ingredients:

• 1 nectarine, sliced 
• about 1 cup of halved red grapes
• 3 to 4 large handfuls of spinach
• 1 or 2 handfuls of pecans

Directions:

1. Put spinach in a serving bowl. 
2. Add all the fruit, then top with the nuts. 
3. Enjoy!

Elaine McCardel's Zucchini Lasagna

(Picture from The Italian Dish)

This recipe was recommended by Megan T. She found it over at Elaine McCardel's blog,
The Italian Dish. I contacted Elaine to see if she would let me post it here, and she graciously consented. You should definitely check out her blog, especially if you'd like to see some pictures of each step in the recipe.  

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds large zucchini, scrubbed
• 1 quart spaghetti sauce or thick tomato sauce
• 1 cup bread crumbs *
• 1 pound ricotta cheese (more, if you like - the original recipe calls for 2 pounds)
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano, basil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated

Directions:

1. Slice zucchini into long slices.  Cook in boiling water just until limp, about 5 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.
2. Combine ricotta, eggs, parsley, seasoning and half of the parmesan cheese and half of the bread crumbs in a bowl.  Set aside.
3. In a 9x13 pan, spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce.  Sprinkle with a quarter of the bread crumbs.  Arrange layer of zucchini over this. Spoon half of the reserved ricotta mixture on top of the zucchini.  Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese.  Arrange the rest of the zucchini over this, layer more tomato sauce and the rest of the bread crumbs and top with remaining ricotta mixture.  Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until top is brown.  Let stand 20 minutes before cutting.

* When using bread crumbs, try making your own. Take any kind of bread you like, even leftover stale bread that you may want to throw away, and place in your food processor and grind until fine. Keep in a plastic container in the fridge and they will last a long time. Fresh bread crumbs are superior to what you can buy in the grocery store.

Veggie Noodle Stir Fry

This recipe was adapted from Our Best Bite's Quick and Easy Noodle Stir Fry.

Ingredients:

• 6 to 7oz. whole wheat thin spaghetti
• 2 Tb. soy sauce
• 1 1/4 Tb. brown sugar
• 1 1/4 Tb. rice vinegar
• 1/2 Tb-1 Tb Sriracha chili sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)
• 1/2 Tb sesame oil
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. ginger powder
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 6 oz pkg snow peas, cut in half
• 1 yellow squash, julienned (a zucchini would work here too)

Directions: 

1. Bring water to a boil and cook the noodles. When the noodles are done, drain them and toss in 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.
2. Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Sriracha chili sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
3. While noodles cook, heat 1-2 Tb. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir to coat the onions with the ginger. Stir fry 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the snow peas, stir to coat with ginger, and stir fry another 30 seconds or so.
5. Add the yellow squash and bell pepper, stir to coat with ginger, and stir fry for another minute. 
6. Add the noodles and mix well. Restir the sauce mixture and pour on the noodles and veggies. Stir to coat.
7. Serve immediately. Serves 2-4.

Notes about this recipe:

1. Stir fry recipes work best when ALL of your ingredients are chopped and ready, and the sauce is mixed and ready to go. You don't want your veggies getting soggy, which is why you only cook each ingredient for about 30 seconds before adding the next. Having everything ready allows this process to go smoothly and to have crisp tender veggies in your stir fry.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Honey Almonds

This is a family favorite at our house. Simple and delicious, even without the almonds.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 large handfuls of spinach
• 4 or 5 strawberries, sliced
• small to medium handful of almonds, chopped
• honey, between 1/2 Tb-2 Tb...depends on your amount of almonds and how sweet you want them
• poppy seed dressing, we prefer Briannas Home Style (as pictured above)

Directions:

1. Put spinach in a bowl. Add sliced strawberries.
2. Place chopped almonds in a pan and heat on medium low for about 5 minutes, stirring so they don't burn. Then turn the burner off and drizzle honey all over the nuts. Stir until completely coated. Let cool for 1-2 minutes then add to the salad. (If you let them cool too long they will get really stuck together and it will be hard to get them in bite size clumps.)
3. Enjoy! Makes about 4 servings.

Potato Pot Pie

While we were adjusting to life with a new born a friend brought us a chicken pot pie for dinner one night. I wondered as I ate it (it was yummy, by the way), how I could make a veggie version and still retain the yummy flavor of a pot pie. After a mediocre first attempt, I came up with this recipe. My hubby agrees--it was delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 large potato, diced small (you can choose to leave the peel on or take it off)
• about 1 Tb. olive oil
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 1/2 c. frozen corn
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• about 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme 
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 c. rice milk (or milk, or other milk substitute)
• 1 c. vegetable broth
• 2 Tb. fresh chopped parsely
• 2 pre-made pie crusts (or you could make your own)
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tb. water

Directions:

1. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and potato in the olive oil for 10-15 min. You want the potatoes to start getting tender.
2. Meanwhile, prepare an 8x8 baking dish by putting the first crust down on the bottom of the dish.
3. Once the veggie mix has cooked for about 15 min. add the peas, corn, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir into mixture and cook a few more minutes.
4. Add the flour and stir to coat.
5. Pour in the rice milk and veggie broth. Simmer until thick.
6. Add the parsley.
7. Pour/spoon the veggie mix into your prepared dish. Cover with the 2nd pie crust. Mix one egg white with 1 Tb. of water. Brush the egg wash onto your pie crust. Place baking dish onto a baking sheet (just to be safe if there are any drips as it cooks). Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes. If the crust is browning too quickly cover it with foil.

Empanadas de Papas

I found this recipe over at Moosewood Cooks. I've been trying to find a winner empanada recipe for a while and this one fit the bill. The only downside was that the dough was not super easy to work with, and I ended up having lots of filling left and no dough to put it in. We barely got a picture of the finished product because they were so tasty.


Ingredients:

Filling: 

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup corn, fresh, frozen, or canned (drained)
• 1/2 cup chopped pimientos
• 1 cup cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup grated mild cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Dough:

• 1/2 cup warm water
• tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, or vegetable oil
• vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

1. To make the filling, in a small pot, cook the potatoes in water to cover until soft.
2. Drain them well and mash them with a potato masher or wooden spoon.
3. In a large frying pan, saute the onions and bell peppers in the oil.
4. Season with the cumin, black pepper, salt, and cayenne.
5. When the vegetables begin to soften, stir in the corn.
6. Continue to saute until all the vegetables are tender, then transfer them to a large bowl and add the pimientos.
7. While the vegetables are still hot, vigorously mix in the mashed potatoes, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese.
8. For the dough, in a large bowl, mix together the water, vinegar, and salt.
9. Add the flour and melted butter. Mix well and work the dough a bit with your hands.
10. Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and form it into a large, long roll.
11. Cut it into eight equal pieces.
12. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out each piece into a 6- or 7-inch circle.
13. Place about 1/2 cup of filling on each circle leaving about a 1/2-inch border.
14. Wet the edge of half of each circle to help the dough seal well.
15. Then fold the dough over the filling to form semicircles and crimp the edges with the tines of a fork.
16. In about one inch of oil, heated to 360°, fry both sides of each pastry until golden brown.
17. Drain the empanadas on paper towels.

Notes about this recipe:


1. I ate mine with avocado slices. 
2. I omitted the pimientos, because I couldn't figure out where they were at the store. I now know what they are and have a better idea of where to look in the store for next time.
3. I also left out the cheese and had my hubby just sprinkle it on top of his, if he wanted it.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

(Picture from Kitchen Trial and Error.)

This recipe was submitted by Vanessa H. She found it at Kitchen Trial and Error. The author there adapted her Alfredo sauce from Cook's Illustrated.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound farfalle or other short cut pasta

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (about 9 medium)
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
• olive oil

Alfredo Sauce:
(if you want to lighten it up, halve the alfredo and keep the tomato sauce the same)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup half & half
• 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
2. Start the tomato sauce. Bring a large pot of water to boil. score the bottom of the tomatoes, blanch in the boiling water for about a minute, cool and peel. discard skins. Roughly chop tomatoes and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, sweat the minced onion and garlic in about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium low heat for about 5 minutes, until soft.
4. Add the tomatoes to the onion and garlic. If you want a thin sauce like mine, blend the sauce with an immersion blender. Cook about 15 minutes until thickened.
5. While the tomato sauce thickens, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.
6. While the pasta and tomato sauce are cooking, make the alfredo sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. whisk in the flour until smooth and cook about 2 minutes, until brown.
7. Whisk in the milk, half & half, and garlic and season with salt & pepper. Continuously whisking, bring to a simmer and cook about 2 minutes until thickened. Fish out the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard.
8. Whisk in the parmesan. the sauce will be very thick, so add 1/3 cup of the hot pasta cooking water to the alfredo sauce to thin it out a bit. Remove from heat.
9. Drain the pasta and add to the alfredo sauce.
10. Mix the basil into the tomato sauce and add the tomato sauce to the pasta. Mix well.

Serves 4

Penne Rosa

(Picture from Back To Her Roots, of the original recipe with shrimp. Just imagine it with no shrimp.)

This recipe was sent in by Vanessa H. She slightly adapted it from Back To Her Roots by nixing the shrimp.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz whole wheat penne
• 1 Tb. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes (about 1/2 lb.) chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 c. fresh spinach
• 1/2 c. marinara sauce
• 1/3 c. 0% plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook penne according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet with a lid, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 2 minutes or until garlic begins to soften.
3. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to release their water.
4. Remove from heat, add in spinach and cover skillet. Let spinach wilt for 2 minutes.
5. Remove lid and place skillet back over low heat. Add the penne, Greek yogurt, and pasta sauce. Stir until sauce is mixed well and all pasta and veggies are coated. Heat until warmed through. Top individual servings with parmesan cheese.

Nectarine Summer Salad

Sadly, I have no picture for this recipe. I was eating it and thought about taking a picture, only to realize I didn't know where my camera was. 

I adapted this recipe from Kelsey's Apple a Day blog, and she adapted it from The Curvy Carrot. 

If you are interested in seeing a picture of what my salad was similar to, head to Kelsey's Apple a Day for a peek.

Ingredients:

For the vinaigrette:

• 1 small shallot, minced
• 3 TBSP raspberry vinegar dressing
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• about 1 1/2-2 tsp orange juice
• 4 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 7-10 oz of salad greens of your choice (I used 1/2 romaine, 1/2 spinach)
• 1 generous c. fresh cherries and strawberries, sliced (pit the cherries!)
• 1 nectarine, thinly sliced (by all means use more if you want!)
• chopped almonds, for sprinkling on individual servings

Directions:

 

1.  Make the vinaigrette by combining all the ingredients in a measuring cup with a spout (for easy pouring)

2. Slice nectarines, cherries, and strawberries. If you want you could toss them with a bit of oj too.

3.  Add the fruit to the greens. Add the dressing and nuts on individual servings.

Notes about this recipe:

1. My hubby actually preferred the salad without the dressing because the fruit was so yummy!
2. You could definitely substitute peaches, and other types of berries for the ones in this recipe.
3. We ate it with some herb rolls, so it was a light dinner but perfect for a hot day. We were also going on a date to eat smoothies so we didn't want to fill up all the way.

Lentil Tacos

 (Photo from A Couple Cooks)

I found this recipe at A Couple Cooks, and just tried them out. My hubby says out of all the veggie taco meat replacements we've tried this one was his favorite. We both agree that the consistency of the lentils is the closest to taco meat.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups brown lentils (8 ounces) 
• One red onion 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 3 1/2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning mix 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup 
• Whole grain tortillas 
• Toppings of your choice: Lettuce, fresh tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream

Directions: 

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring 1 3/4 cups salted water to a boil. Add 1 1/4 cup lentils, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 20 to 25 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed.

2. If you haven’t already done so, mix up the taco seasonings. Prepare the toppings by washing and chopping the lettuce and fresh tomatoes, if using.

3. Finely dice a red onion and two garlic cloves. Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet; add red onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute more.

4. Turn off the heat and add the lentils. Stir in around 3 to 3 1/2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix and about 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup, to taste. Add more seasoning if desired.

5. To serve, add lentils to a warmed tortilla; top with lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Fold and enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Notes about this recipe:

1. We used regular white tortillas, although I'm sure the wheat are just as yummy.

2. We also served it with avocado slices.

3. I used their homemade taco seasoning recipe, but I think if there is a different mix you prefer that would also work, just as long as you have enough to really flavor the lentils.