Spaghetti with Chunky Tomato Sauce

Another winning recipe from the Vegetarian Times magazine. I saw the picture (recipes should ALWAYS come with a picture, in my opinion) and had to make it.

There were many reasons the recipe grabbed my attention... I got to make my own sauce (I dream of having some fantastic marinara sauce recipe that comes from old world italy, simmers for hours, and people rave about - that recipe has yet to be found), the title is 'chunky' and I'm feeling a bit chunky myself these days, and it was spaghetti, which seems like such an excellent spring, transition type food.


The recipe is easy, and it's light but filling. You could even prep the veggies the night before, for faster cook time. And I love the fact that the recipe tells you to chop your veggies in the food processor! How often do you see a recipe telling you to take the easy way out?! Helping you prep faster and get food on the table sooner. Kudos to the Veg Times cooks.

My only comment would be that it makes a lot of sauce. 1/2 package of spaghetti was just about the perfect amount for 2 adult dinners, but we have tons of extra sauce (I love leftovers!). The sauce makes enough for 4-5 adults (6, if you are serving the pasta with a couple of side dishes). In the future, I can also imagine playing with the veggies - for example, adding zucchini when it's growing like gangbusters in your garden!

It was a perfect blend of flavors - nothing was too much. A delicious dinner in 30 minutes or less! I definitely urge you to make this one soon.

Spaghetti with Chunky Tomato Sauce
from The Vegetarian Times, April 2010

8 oz. (2 cups) sliced white mushrooms (I think I used more like 1.5 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 large leek, white part cut into chunks
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tablespoon)
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes (muir glen is my new favorite brand)
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15 oz. can, rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup red wine
8 cups baby spinach leaves (I only used about 5 cups)
8 ounces spaghetti (1/2 of a 1 pound package)

Place mushrooms, bell pepper, and leek in bowl of food processor. Pulse until ingredients are coarsely chopped.

Heat oil in large saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add mushroom mixture and garlic, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and most of liquid has evaporated. Stir in oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and wine, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach, and cook 3-5 minutes more, or until spinach has wilted.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Serve spaghetti topped with sauce.

Guten appetit!

Pesto, Pasta & Peas

Did you have a nice St. Patrick's Day? I really like the holiday, although I can't say I do much for it these days. There were years I went out and reveled in green beer, but those have long since passed. Especially when St. Patty's Day falls on a Wednesday. Go out on a weeknight?! Are you kidding?!

However, I have an extra special reason to love the green day - it's my brother's birthday. He's 33 this year. I love him, and even loved him and told friends how lucky I was to have him through the tough teenage 'annoy your sibling' years. He's smart, funny, genuine and a friend to all.

In honor of him and his birthday, here's a scrumptious green dinner that will have you and your whole family begging to celebrate St. Patrick's day all over again!

Just look at that green deliciousness...

Unfortunately, my batch was eaten before I remembered to take a picture.
So this picture is compliments of my sister and her blog post of the recipe.
I love the recipes you introduce me to, C!

If you need some more convincing to make this recipe, here are a few reasons:
1. I served this at a party and it was raved about and most people had second helpings.
2. One runner at our party said she had the best run/time ever the morning after eating it and asked me for the recipe. It's going to be her night before a race meal!
3. Makes EXCELLENT leftovers.
4. It includes spinach, which you can't taste. So if you need to slip some of the green veggie to non-spinach lovers (like my husband), they will never know. Wa, ha, ha (evil laughs are so fun).
5. This makes an excellent party dish, as you can make the pesto dressing hours before and the pasta a half hour before guests arrive. Since it's served at room temperature, toss everything together and have it ready to go before you start to greet your guests. Leaves you free to have fun!
6. Because I said so.

It's a new family favorite for us, so I hope you have the chance to serve it soon. Let me know what you and your family have to say!

Pesto, Pasta and Peas
from Ina Garten, via my sister's blog

Note: I made 1.5x the recipe to have enough for 12 adults. I served it with a tomato salad and bread. We had about 5 servings left, which made excellent leftover lunches.

3/4 pound Fusilli Pasta
3/4 pound Bow Tie Pasta
1/4 cup EVOO
1 1/2 cups Pesto (see below for a home-made Pesto recipe)
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup Pine Nuts
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and toss into a bowl with the Olive Oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree.

Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Serve.

Guten appetit!

Roasted Vegetable Linguine with Torn Fresh Basil

This is my first recipe attempt from my Vegetarian Times subscription - yay! I always read the magazine (think I've received it 4 times since ordering it), and have big dreams of the delicious food I will make.

For my first recipe, I couldn't have picked better. The roasted vegetables made the house smell divine! This recipe is listed in their Valentines Dinner article for specific reasons... apparently asparagus spears have a lot of vitamin E, which boosts fertility and stamina (Hmm, never heard that. Myth?). They also say basil is known by the Italians as "kiss-me Nicholas". What I would like to know is, who's Nicholas?! The Italian Romeo? Wait, wasn't Romeo Italian? Forget it.

This dish is delicious, with or without it's sex boosting skills, or the basil (which I had washed, set aside for later, and then forgot to add! Drats). Although, I also think the basil would have been delicious.


Both Tim and I gave it two thumbs up. The sauce is really light but with deep flavors from the reduction. Will be great to make with fresh tomatoes in summer, for just ourselves or when we have friends over. Definitely guest worthy.

Roasted Vegetable Linguine with Torn Fresh Basil
from Vegetarian Times, Feb 2010

* I roughly halved the recipe (meaning, I halved most of the ingredients, but added a bit more of the things I knew I would really like - such as the sauce and tomatoes) which made enough for 2 people.

2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms (Laura's note: I used button mushrooms, which were great)
1/2 lb. fresh or frozen asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 small onion, coarsely chopped (approx. 1 cup)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 13.25 oz. package whole-wheat or white linguine (Laura's note: I used a half package and it only fed 2 hungry adults as a main course)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss together mushrooms, asparagus, onion, oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large roasting pan (I did this first in a bowl, then spread them out on my pan). Roast 20 minutes (only took me 14 minutes!), or until mushrooms and onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Start your pasta water, if you haven't already.

Add tomatoes to pan, and roast 7-10 minutes more, or until tomatoes shrivel and soften. Transfer vegetables to bowl.

Add wine to roasting pan, stirring to scrape off any stuck-on bits from bottom of pan. Place roasting pan on burner over medium heat, and simmer 2-3 minutes, or until wine has evaporated by half; OR return roasting pan to oven 5 minutes, and let wine cook off (this is what I did, very easy!).

Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into reduced wine in roasting pan.

Return pasta to pot. Add wine mixture and vegetables, and toss over medium-low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Cooking note: I don't have a roasting pan, so I used a cookie sheet with a lip. I plan to buy a roasting pan, as it wasn't the best idea, but it worked. The wine reduction, which I did in the oven for 5 minutes, helped take off a lot of the burned bits. Just took a bit of elbow grease to get the rest off.

Guten appetit!

Parmesan Pasta

Since I mentioned one of my current favorite dishes in a post last week, thought I should follow-up with the recipe. It's not difficult, it's not exact, it's simply delicious!

The best part about this dinner? When you have nothing else planned, it can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes - flat. And I can almost *guarantee* you have all the ingredients in your kitchen.

When you are still trying to get your footing after having a baby (we're talking about almost 1 year later), menu planning just doesn't happen. When I don't menu plan, with at least a rough idea in my head, grocery store trips are disastrous. I buy food I don't end up eating. I don't end up with all the right ingredients for any dish, but a lot of 'close calls'. And we never eat side dishes anymore (even when I have a zucchini to make spears, I usually forget to start the process before our main dish is already done - ha).

But, amidst the chaos, I wouldn't have it any other way. I know things will settle down. And I have YEARS to menu plan. Stella got her groove back, I'm sure I will too. In the meantime, when I have nothing to make for dinner, I know I can still get an excited smile from my husband when I say we're having Parmesan Pasta. (and it only takes me 10 minutes!)

This is not the most flattering picture, but it still makes my mouth water to look at it

Believe it or not, I got this recipe from Costco. Not off a box, not in their mailing, but from the sample lady who was making it to try and sell some pasta. We doctored it up a bit, and so can you. Add some steamed broccoli, shaved carrot strips, or fresh diced tomatoes in summer. The possibilities are endless! Hope you enjoy.

Parmesan Pasta
adapted from the Costco lady

1/2 package of whole wheat spaghetti noodles (we love the Garofalo brand at Costco)
1/4 cup olive oil (not EVOO)
1/4-1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan (again, we like Costco's brand, it has a bit more 'bite')
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Pinch of garlic salt

Boil the noodles, drain and return to pan.

Pour the olive oil over your noodles, and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the pasta and toss again to combine. Serve warm.

Makes enough for 2 adult dinners.

Guten appetit!

Pesto Pasta

Totally not Thanksgiving, totally not turkey or mashed potatoes or stuffing. But totally delicious, and totally authentic Italian. Totally.

My friend Michelle is Italian. As in, grandparents live outside of Lucca, Italy. (sigh) I wish!

Luckily for me though, I still get to benefit from the Italian grandma via Michelle. My lovely friend served us this recipe during the summer and I begged her (I will be the first to admit, I am not above begging) for the recipe. She served it over pasta with some grilled mahi-mahi, salad and bread on the side. However, you don't need a second main dish, the pasta can stand alone as well. Bread is a must for me though, especially since there's usually some olive oil in the bottom of the bowl to soak up.

Warning: This is not low-calorie. Look the other way, make it in the dark, promise not to eat anything bad the following day. Do whatever you must, just don't miss out on this recipe!!

And, I hope you totally enjoy this one. We love, love, love it.

Pesto Pasta
from Michelle. Recipe below is exactly as she emailed it to me.

To feed about 4 people and a pound of pasta...

2 cups of basil leaves

1/2 cup of olive oil (fyi- Michelle says 'any kind of olive oil is OK', but I know from the source that she uses Classic Olive Oil for dishes like this. EVOO has too much of a 'bite' she says)

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 teaspoon of salt

2 tbsp of pine nuts

Mix all that up in the food processor until pretty smooth, then put in pan with 1/2 stick butter and 1/2 cup of cheese until mixed together.

You can freeze from there or even refrigerate. Play around, and sometimes I put less

butter if i'm watching fat or whatever but it really does taste best with the full fat flavors in there.....the key is FRESH pesto...it is wonderful on top of fish too or the kids like it spread on bread with crushed nuts on top.

Guten appetit! And a very Happy Thanksgiving to you.

* We'll be skipping Friday's post for the holiday. See you again on Tuesday.

Uncle Mark's Tortellini (Tortellini with Herbs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

Our little chef's helper has finally fallen from grace... he has his first cold. Welcome to the great big world, little man. It's a germ ridden place.

Surprisingly, he's taking his cold in stride. Still happy, smiling and eager to eat. His only complaint is when I wipe his nose. But in all fairness, would you like someone to wipe your nose?! No thanks. If he had better hand-eye-nose coordination, I would let him do it himself. 8 months is a little young for that though (wink)!

For the road to recovery, I'm sharing an absolutely delicious, healthy dinner that everyone should make this weekend. Fresh herbs, some cheese protein, some pasta carbs... what's not to like?!

It's pretty darn fast to make, and it will be eaten even faster. If you start feeling a little run down, this should perk you right up! Might not cure a cold, but it works wonders in other ways. Your tummy will thank you.

Tortellini with Herbs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
from Uncle Mark

1 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, oregano, and parsley)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces cheese tortellini
About 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, or to taste

In a large bowl, combine herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and olive oil.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large covered pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt, if you like. Add pasta, stir, and partially cover the pot until water returns to a boil. Immediately remove cover, stir again, and cook pasta just until al dente.

Just before draining the pasta, ladel out 1/4 cup pasta water and pour over herb mixture. Drain remaining water from pasta.

Add drained pasta to herb mixture. Toss well with tongs or large spoons to mix thoroughly. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and toss again. Yields 4-6 servings.

Guten appetit!

Fettuccine with mushrooms and asparagus

This dish is so green and red, should have saved it for the holidays! Doesn't taste very 'holiday-esk' though. Tasted like pasta yummy-ness.

Hmmm.... I'd like to delete all of the above sentences I just wrote, because they're not very... descriptive? Interesting? Gramatically correct? All of the above. It was a brain fart that I actually typed and am allowing you to read. Go ahead, make fun. But, I'm posting late at night, with wine, so my synapses aren't firing as they should be.

In any case, this is a delicious, easy, and super healthy dish (except that I like to cover most pasta dishes in parmesan cheese). And it's holiday-esk. I mean, if costco can have their Christmas decorations out already, I can start thinking of holiday food.


Make the dish with spinach noodles. You wont regret it! I LOVE that this recipe gives you the option of fresh or dried herbs. On a random weeknight, who wants to A- go to the grocery store for special food items, B- spend $2.50 a pop per herb required, or C- I don't have a C. Use the dried herbs, people. Unless you have a fresh herb garden that's still producing for you. In which case, I'm sooooo jealous.

Mushroom and Asparagus Fettuccine
from Diabetic Living

8 ounces dried whole wheat fettuccine or linguine
8 ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces
Nonstick cooking spray
3 cups sliced fresh crimini, shiitake, or button mushrooms (I used white button)
1 medium leek, thinly sliced, or 1/2 cup chopped onion (I used the leek)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup evaporated fat-free milk
1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional - Not in my book!)


Cook fettuccine or linguine according to package directions, adding asparagus for the last 1 to 2 minutes of the cooking time; drain. Return pasta mixture to saucepan; cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, leek or onion, and garlic to hot skillet. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in vegetable broth, evaporated milk, dried basil (if using), dried oregano (if using), salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in tomatoes, fresh basil (if using), and fresh oregano (if using); heat through.

Spoon mushroom mixture over pasta mixture; gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts and, if desired, Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Guten appetit!

Baked Penne with (Faux) Sausage and Spinach

Folks, I feel bad. Last week, I left you with a food dish I can't recommend and a cook book (although, the cook book I'm pretty excited about). Where are all the delicious dinners?! I know, I know. I hear you.

I'm pulling out all stops today... this is a winner! And I've got more coming up. Honestly, I probably could have gotten back into regular blog posting and more on track sooner, just with regard to the time I have. But it's not just about having the time to post, or cook. I simply haven't been motivated to cook. I've been tired (mentally and physically). I see the light at the end of our tunnel though. In addition to our big move, we've been readying our rental house for new tenants who move-in later this week (yay!). With that additional project done, I'm starting to get my groove back and have been doing my usual drooling over yummy recipes online. Doesn't this peach pie look divine?!

Dinner before dessert though... and this Baked Penne with (Faux) Sausage and Spinach recipe is a delish dish for your next main meal. It originally called for chicken or sausage, and I swapped that out for the soy crumbles found at the grocery store next to the tofu and pre-packaged lettuce. Worked like a charm! My meat eating dinner guests didn't have any problems with it and all gave it a thumbs up. The pasta sauce had such a nice flavor (mixing pesto and tomato, genius!) and was so easy, I plan to use it on spaghetti when I want something with more pizazz.

More, please!

Even my 'greens hater' husband liked the spinach in this dish. You can lessen or increase the spinach amount as you see fit. I used the recipe amount and found it perfect. Remember, spinach wilts A LOT when cooked, so you'll end up with 1/4 (or less) of what you see fresh.

Enjoy my friends. I'm back!

Baked Penne with (Faux) Sausage and Spinach
adapted from In Good Taste

Canola or olive oil, to cook with
3/4 cup Smart Choice soy crumbles (aka - Faux Sausage)
1 onion, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 28 oz. (540 mL) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can tomato paste
1/4 cup pesto (out of a jar)
3 cups uncooked penne, rigatoni or rotini pasta (preferably a whole wheat or brown rice variety)
1 10 oz. bag baby spinach leaves
1 ½ cups grated part-skim mozzarella
1/2 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Getting ready for the oven

In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and cook the soy crumbles, onion and garlic until heated through and onion begins to turn translucent (approx. 4-5 minutes). Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the pesto and some salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain it well and toss it with the spinach (coarsely tear the spinach up with your hands as you add it), mozzarella and about half the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Stir in the hot tomato sauce, which will slightly wilt the spinach.

Divide among portion size baking dishes (you could eat half and freeze half*), aluminum containers (to gift a serving size, nice folks that we are - ha), or one 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

*At this point the dish can be cooled completely, covered with foil (I also like to add a layer of saran wrap on top, pressed directly onto the pasta to avoid freezer burn. But don't forget to remove it before you bake the dish!) and frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen.

Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes (40 if frozen - so the recipe says. I usually find frozen pasta takes at least 30 minutes extra to cook through, but test it yourself after 15 minutes and keep going until it's done) until bubbly and golden. Serves 6-8.

Guten appetit!

Penne with Potatoes and Rocket

What? This doesn't look like Penne pasta to you?

Ok, ok. You caught me. I used a different pasta. Don't remember the name, but... I don't recommend it (so who cares what it's called, ha!). Looks good though, eh?

This was a scrumptious dinner. The only trick is, you need to have the right mix of pasta and potatoes. I thought these oversized tubes would look good and be great for the dish. Not so. Created too much pasta for the overall taste. The potatoes are soooo good, and the combo is very tasty. Just be sure to make a 50-50 split with pasta and potatoes. I think I could have used more greens too, but Tim is not a fan of 'green things', so I went light on them.

Note: I did not use Rocket. Couldn't find it at our grocery store. Instead, I used another green called 'field salad'. Not sure what it was, but it worked. I think most greens would be good, so mix it up!

Geez, did I even follow the recipe?! Yes, I did. I swear. And it's good. A definite keeper for weeknight suppers.

Penne with Potatoes and Rocket
adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Smitten Kitchen

1 pound firm boiling potatoes (I’d recommend fingerlings, even though we couldn’t find them)
About 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 bunches rocket (about a half pound)
1 small red onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 sprig rosemary (optional)
3/4 pound penne or other tubular pasta
1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the potatoes about 1/3 inch thick and toss them with a small amount of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer in an ovenproof dish or on a baking sheet (I like to line mine with parchment, to make everything — and clean-up, easier) and roast in the oven until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. (Mine took a bit longer.)

Meanwhile, wash the rocket (older, larger leaves are preferable to the tender sprouts), drain, and set aside. Slice the red onion thin. Peel and chop fine the garlic cloves and the rosemary leaves. Put a large pot of salter water on to boil for the pasta.

When the potatoes are done, remove them from teh oven and put the pasta on to boil. Heat a saute pan, add some of olive oil, and saute the sliced onion until it is soft and translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the rocket and garlic, and saute both until they just begin to wilt and soften. Lower the heat, add the potato slices and rosemary and toss together for a minutre or two. When the noodles are done, drain them and add them to the potatoes and onion. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and toss everything together. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.

Like the potato and pasta combo? Try these:
- Potato and Pasta Bake, from Green Gourmet Giraffe
- Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potato and Beurre Blanc , from Not Eating Out in New York
- Potato and Leek Sacchettini with Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs, from Once Upon a Feast

Guten appetit!

Lasanga Rollups, with Tofu!

Interesting combinations... Pickles and ice cream (I said 'interesting', not necessarily 'good'). Pretzels and chocolate (This was an experiment gone very, very right! Many thanks go to whoever discovered it). Cheese and jalapeno sandwiches (This comes from my sister, yuck). French fries dipped in a milk shake (Mmmm, one of my favorite weaknesses). And today, lasagna and tofu.

Truth be told, I've seen tofu in lasagna recipes before. Tofu doesn't have much (if any) flavor on it's own, so why not? It adds a kick in the pants for protein, and no-one will even notice they're eating tofu (particularly good if you have a non-tofu liking person over for dinner).

Tastes just like a regular lasagna (without tofu) and it's delicious!

Timing seemed perfect to try the lasagna-tofu combination, as I found this recipe the night after a party. Why is that so perfect? First, after a party, I'm usually a bit tired of cooking. This recipe is very easy. Second, I had leftover uncooked mushrooms, including a lot of stems, from serving Happy Hour Mushrooms at the party. Perfect filling, score.


On top of the other two great reasons to make this recipe, it's not your average lasagna. Oh no. They're roll-ups. Fun! Great for portioning too.

As you can see above, I did have a bit of trouble with my lasanga rolls... they caved into themselves and flattened. Didn't take away from the flavor though, just presentation.

I believe my problem was that I had no-cook noodles. Be careful buying your noodles at the store! Ay, yay, yay. To solve that problem, I heated a bowl of water to simmering, and stuck 2-3 noodles in the water at a time. I would remove 1 to use when it seemed soft enough to roll. I didn't cook the noodles all the way, they cooked in the oven. Regular noodles should hold their shape better. While it didn't make for the prettiest presentation, it didn't ruin the dish. Tim has already asked for the lasagna again.

Lasagna Rollups with Tofu
from Allrecipes

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 pound firm tofu
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry (I used 3/4 cup sauted mushrooms instead)
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce



Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 5 to 8 minutes, or until just slightly underdone; drain and rinse.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together grated cheese, ricotta cheese, tofu, frozen spinach, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.

Lay out a noodle. Spread a layer of the cheese mixture on the noodle, then add a thin layer of sauce. Roll the noodle up, and place seam side down in a 13x9 pan.

Repeat for other noodles. Top with remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 30 min, or until hot and bubbly.

Lasagna here, lasagna there, lasagna everywhere:
- Black Bean and Spinach Lasagna
- Vegetable Lasagna, from Kath Eats Real Food
- Pesto Lasagna, from over a Tuscan Stove

Guten appetit!

Pasta Fagioli

I know we're getting into warmer weather, but I love soup year round.

This was a ridiculously easy, super healthy soup and tasted realllly good. Tim immediately declared it 'a winner'. Sometimes, the simple things are most enjoyed.

It's not a heavy soup, so a side salad and some crusty whole wheat bread are a perfect accompaniment.

My only commentary on the recipe is to warn you not to overdo the peas. A 1/2 cup is the perfect amount. I love peas, so I deviated from the recipe and added about 3/4 cup, and gosh darn it if it wasn't slightly too much. Reason being, the peas give the savory soup just a hint of sweetness. With too many peas, it can overpower the soup. I know, who would have thought a few extra peas could do that?! But it was still delicious and Tim ate the leftovers the next day for lunch.

It doesn't make a lot, so I recommend doubling the recipe for leftovers or to freeze a couple portions for later. We got 2 dinners, and 1 lunch out of 1 recipe batch. Mm, mm, good.


Pasta Fagioli (pasta and bean soup)
from Walgreens Health Corner & ChefMD

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
One-quarter teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups low-salt vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 ounces) uncooked whole wheat gemelli (small twisted pasta), or small shell pasta
1 can (14.5 ounces) seasoned diced tomatoes, undrained - such as Muir Glen brand (I used diced tomatoes with basil)
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) kidney beans or red beans, rinsed and drained (I used cannellini beans, kidney beans seem too much like a chili bean to me)
1/2 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
One-quarter cup chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley (I didn't have this, and was fine)
1/4 cup grated Romano or Asiago cheese (We used parmesan)


Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and carrots; cook 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Add broth and pasta; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beans; return to a simmer and cook 5 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in peas; heat through. Ladle into shallow bowls; top with basil and cheese.

Substitutions: Freshly shelled peas may be substituted for frozen peas; stir them into the soup with the tomatoes and beans. Great Northern or cannellini beans may replace the kidney or red beans.

Tips: Leftover soup will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. For extra flavor, drizzle a small amount of rosemary-infused olive oil over the soup just before serving.

More pasta soup recipes from the blogosphere:
- Garden Pasta Soup, from Cooked from the Heart
- Tortellini Pasta Soup with Blue Cheese, from Foodie by Nature
- Vegetable Soup with Orzo, from Cook Almost Anything at least Once

Guten appetit!

Pasta with Halibut and Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

This should be a guest post, as I'm stealing the real chef's hard work. While Jamie & Chria visited us in December, they made this delicious Ratatouille. I simply sat back and snapped the pictures, then savored the meal. Lucky me!

The dish idea came about because of a discussion with Jamie over Tim's and my dislike of eggplant. I don't understand why so many vegetarian dishes include eggplant, and the general public assumes a vegetarian loves two things: portabella mushrooms and eggplant. I'm sure some people do, but not me. Don't like either.

However, Jamie promised me that I would like eggplant when made in one of her favorite recipes: Pasta with Halibut and Oven-Roasted Ratatouille.

If she's cooking, I'm game to try it! I get lots of yummy recipes from her, so the trust is there. And who knows, maybe my eggplant aversion could be turned around (Jamie, when are you going to start eating tomatoes?).

I must say, she was right. Cut up small, and roasted to soft goodness, I didn't mind the eggplant. I even think I liked it! I preferred the zucchini and other veggies, but there were so many flavors mixing in this dish, I didn't really notice the eggplant. Next time someone asks if I like eggplant, I can say 'yes, when made in pasta with halibut and oven-roasted ratatouille'. This is a major step (pat, pat on my back).


This dish was delicious, filling and very healthy. Looked easy to prepare too, just a bit of prep and waiting for the roasting process to happen (I think our oven is slower than most though). For a vacation day, or weekend evening, this is a great recipe to try.

Thanks Jamie & Chria!

Ratatouille
from Epicurious, and graciously cooked for us by Jamie & Chria

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1-pound eggplant, unpeeled, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 small zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, flattened
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence*
1 12-ounce halibut fillet
2 cups medium-size pasta shells


Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spread next 5 ingredients on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of sheet. Place fish in center of sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just opaque in center, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot. Add roasted vegetables and enough reserved pasta cooking water to pasta to moisten; toss. Cut fish into 1/2-inch pieces; add to pasta and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper.

*A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

More rat-a-tat-touille:
- Ratatouille Tart, from Smitten Kitchen
- Ratatouille on Polenta with Baby Greens, from Karina's Kitchen
- Seasonal Ratatouille, from Serious Eats
- The movie!

Guten appetit!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

Like garlic? You're going to love today's recipe.

Any time you use raw garlic, you should put a warning on the dish... "only to be consumed by both parties currently in a relationship". If you are single, and enjoying a leisure night, eat away. You're still forewarned, if you take leftovers to work (or other public place) the following day.

Thankfully, I like garlic and really enjoyed this dish the night of, and following day for lunch. Tim, however, was not with me when I made and ate it. I wanted to try it out first, since it involved 'cream', and super creamy sauces are not his favorite. My garlic breath was a bit overpowering when he got home, but it's always worth a laugh when you force a few kisses on him.


Next time, even with the two of us eating it together, I will either roast the garlic first, or use only 1/2 of a raw garlic clove (needs but a hint of the powerful garlic flavor). I've adjusted the recipe below to reflect this. If you want to make the original recipe, it calls for 3 raw garlic cloves.

With the garlic change, the dish is extra delicious, and the cream sauce is just right. It coats the pasta, but isn't a thick, overly filling cream. Definitely a keeper recipe for fast weeknight suppers.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta
originally from Picky Palate, adapted by Annie's Eats

3 cloves garlic roasted, OR 1/2 raw garlic clove
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup roasted red bell pepper (fresh or jarred)
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup heavy cream, optional


Place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add Parmesan, red pepper, basil leaves, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. With the motor running, add olive oil through the feed tube and process until incorporated. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the pesto to the pasta and stir to combine. Stir in heavy cream if desired for a creamier sauce. Heat until warmed through. Serve immediately.

More Hausfrau weeknight pasta dishes:
- Four-cheese Stuffed Shells
- Garlicky Peppers and Shrimp Pasta
- Mac & Cheese
- Chipotle Pasta Casserole

Guten appetit!

Brussels Sprouts Pasta

While our friends Jamie, Chria and little miss Clara were visiting, we reminisced over a favorite recipe of theirs. Jamie had shared this recipe with me years ago, and I made it a couple times, to our tummy's delight. But in the last couple years, I couldn't find the page I had the recipe printed on, so it had dropped off my radar.

Jamie was not deterred. She went out to the wonderful "world wide web" (what did we ever do without you, oh beloved internet?!) to search and find the recipe. She also did all the brussels sprout prep the night before, so we had a fast, delicious dinner with good friends, good wine and delicious food after a day of busy sightseeing. Can life get any better? (answer: no!)

Thank you for visiting us, and thank you for this delicious dinner. xoxo.


Brussels Sprouts Pasta
from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
1 pound Brussels sprouts, stems removed and separated into leaves
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch hot red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced
Bread crumbs (optional)
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
1 pound/box of pasta (original recipe calls for orecchiette, we used bowties)


Prep your brussels sprouts. (This is the most time consuming part of the original recipe, and will take up to 20 minutes if you chop the bottoms and separate all the brussels sprout leaves, as requested. I prefer to clean and remove the stems, then zap them in a food processor for much faster results. Doesn't give you the same pretty presentation, but tastes just as good.)

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium-large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss in the sprout leaves, add salt and freshly ground black pepper, and saute for about one minute over high heat. Stir constantly.

Add the onions and the red pepper flakes, and continue to saute until the sprouts are tender and a little browned, 2-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the garlic, and toss (I like to add the garlic a little before removing it from heat, so the garlic isn't quite as raw/pungent). Pour lemon juice onto the sprouts.

When the pasta is done, add it, drained, to the saute pan and toss everything together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve drizzled with olive oil (try to use a good olive oil). Toss with toasted bread crumbs or parmesan cheese, if desired. Serves 4.

Brussels sprouts, oh brussels sprouts:
- Brussels Sprouts with White Beans, from Pro Bono Baker
- Creamy Brussels Sprouts Soup, from French Kitchen in America
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts, from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
- Cream-Braised Brussels Sprouts, from Orangette

Guten appetit!

Artichoke and Lemon Linguine

Recipes this easy make me happy.

Literally, you cook the pasta, put all other ingredients in a food processor, combine pasta with sauce and serve. Sometimes good things in life, really are simple. When you tinker with something too much, you risk ruining it.

Although, now that I've said that, I am thinking of adding some red pepper flakes next time. Oh well, it's hard not to tinker!

Make this pasta as-is, or play around with the simple ingredients it calls for. Don't skip the parmesan though! This recipe is an easy, quick weeknight meal that you'll be very happy with.



Artichoke and Lemon Linguine
adapted from Technicolor Kitchen

1 package linguine
8 can artichoke hearts – rapidly rinse them to remove any excess brine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, and grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup parsley
Pinch of fleur de sel (salt)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Grated parmesan, to serve


Cook the linguine in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente; drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: place the artichoke hearts, lemon zest and juice, parsley, fleur de sel, pepper and olive oil in a food processor and process until you get a smooth mixture.

Stir the sauce through the pasta, and return to heat. Cook until heated through, approximately 5 minutes. Top with parmesan and serve immediately. Serves 2.

More artichoke and pasta recipes:
- Artichoke Pesto Pasta, from Book of Yum
- Artichoke Orzo Salad, from Wasabi Bratwurst
- Salmon Artichoke and Sundried Tomato Linguine, from Daily Unadventures in Cooking
- Sole Fillets with Artichoke Pasta, from Everyday with Rachel Ray

Guten appetit!

Black Bean and Spinach Lasagna

Have a lot going on this holiday season?? I love it, but it can be exhausting.

You sail through Halloween because it's the first; you/the kids dress up, everyone's excited, fall has arrived, etc, etc. Then Thanksgiving comes around and it's a family chaos bonanza, and you love it too because of the traditions, having everyone gather, and eating too much (mmm, pumpkin pie!). Then a few days later, barely recovered from Thanksgiving, December hits and you're in a shopping frenzy, going to holiday parties, friend/family open houses, and before you know it... cooking is a distant memory and a dinner of snickers and apple seems OK.

STOP. I have a great solution!


Black Bean and Spinach Lasagna. Yes, it's your solution. Why? Because it's delicious, it makes a ton, and freezes great. Make the recipe and cook half for dinner this week, and put the other half in your freezer for 2 weeks from now, when you are not even remotely going to want to cook OR have time to cook. A half-recipe will easily feed 3-4 people with a side (try garlic bread, or simple salad).

I'm wishing you fun, laughter and energy (given to your body through eating well!) this holiday season. Enjoy these moments.

Black Bean and Spinach Lasagne
from Cooking Light

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, I omitted this as Tim doesn't like cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers (I used a mixed pre-shredded bag of cheddar and emmentaler), divided
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce (try the Smokey Marinara sauce, tastes great!)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
9 precooked lasagna noodles
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro (optional)


Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1 cup shredded cheese; set aside.

Mash beans with a potato masher or fork in a large bowl (* VERY important to do this first, as I dumped in the pasta sauce too quickly and found it hard to mash the beans after); stir in pasta sauce and cumin.

Spread one-third of bean mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish (use 2 smaller pans if you are going to divide the lasagna and freeze half).

Layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mixture, and 1 cup cheese; repeat layers.

When you are close to the end: spread with one-third bean mixture, top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining bean mixture.

Bake, covered, at 350 for 1 hour; uncover and top with remaining cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish, if desired.

Lasagna, lasagna and more lasagna:
- Roast Vegetable Lasagne, from Exclusively Food
- Roasted Squash-Onion Lasagna, from One Hot Stove
- Fennel and Tomato Lasagna, from Mostly Eating
- 3 Cheese Pesto Vegetable Lasagna, from Ms. Adventures in Italy

Guten appetit!

Olive, Thyme and Lemon Pasta

I almost considered re-making this recipe before posting, but I think I'll do a follow-up and edit after making it again later. For now, I'd still like to share it with you. The recipe is crazy (yep- cRaZy!) easy, and very tasty. Wonderful weeknight meal.

The only reason I considered waiting, was to make sure I could recommend the right measurements, but I'm pretty confident in my adjustments. The original recipe calls for waaayyyyyy too much parsley. It's like you're eating parsley, with a bit of olive and noodles. So the below measurements are adjusted according to my preferences.

I was especially excited to make this pasta because I was told by my Doctor that squeezing a slice of fresh lemon food will allow my body to ingest more iron naturally from the food. I hadn't known that, thanks Doc! Making sure you get enough Iron is something very important for veggies, especially the vegetarian ladies out there. So, if you're not making this pasta tonight, and have a salad, chili, or whatever planned, be sure to give it just a little kick with a squeeze of lemon wedge. I love lemons, so this was an easy 'prescription' for me to follow.

(Sorry about the dark photo!)


Olive, Thyme and Lemon Pasta
adapted from Martha Stewart

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for water
8 ounces dried pappardelle (I used linguine and loved it)
16 Kalamata olives, pitted (I used 8 Kalamata olives + 8-10 green olives, pitted)
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (I didn't have fresh, and used dried - 1 teaspoon)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon juice from the lemon
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes (more, to taste, if you prefer a spicy bite!)


Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pappardelle, and cook until pasta is al dente, following label directions. Drain in a colander, reserving 1 cup cooking water.

While pasta is cooking, combine olives, parsley, olive oil, thyme, lemon zest, orange zest, and red-pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until a chunky puree forms. Transfer to a warm serving bowl large enough to accommodate cooked pasta.

Add pasta, and toss to combine. Add 1/4 cup cooking water, and toss to combine. Add more water if necessary; pappardelle has a tendency to absorb liquid quickly, so more water may be needed. The sauce should cling to ribbons of pasta but should not be dry. Serve immediately.

Serves 2, or 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Guten appetit!

Four-Cheese Stuffed Shells

This is perfect rainy day supper food. Fall is here and we want carbs. We want warm dishes. The cheese will give you lots of good protein, and fills you up.

I made this for a 'girls lunch' at my friend Emma's house. I thought about doubling the recipe, and freezing the extra... I'm soooo glad I didn't. The original recipe makes a TON. The recipe made enough for 5 people to stuff themselves silly at lunch, plus 2 extra 2-person pans of shells to freeze for later. I brought one of the extra's to Emma as well, since she's due with a baby anytime and it will be perfect for those hectic days, learning to deal with a toddler AND infant. Good golly, let the rein of terror begin!

Overall, the recipe was very easy. Other than making the smokey marinara sauce (which really is easy), and cooking the pasta shells, the rest is just assembly. You can use jarred marinara (try to find a smokey flavor, it was tasty!), to make this even easier. I really liked the smokey marinara though, and have since made it twice - for the shells, and on a lasagne. Wunderbar (wonderful)!

Definitely a worthy fall dinner. I hope you have the chance to make this one.



Four-Cheese Stuffed Shells
from CookingLight

1 pound jumbo shell pasta (40 shells)
Cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) carton 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese (I used Romano)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
6 cups Smokey Marinara Sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375. Coat 2 (13 x 9-inch) baking dishes with cooking spray; set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside. (toss with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil to keep from sticking)

Place cottage cheese and ricotta cheese in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine cottage cheese mixture, Asiago, and next 6 ingredients (Asiago through spinach).


Spoon or pipe 1 tablespoon cheese mixture into each shell. Arrange half of stuffed shells, seam sides up, in one prepared dish. Pour 3 cups Smoky Marinara over stuffed shells. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat procedure with remaining stuffed shells, Smoky Marinara, and mozzarella in remaining prepared dish.

Cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve warm with crusty bread and a salad.


TIP:
To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through Step 5 (Since I couldn't figure out what 'step 5' was, I prepared the entire dish, through sprinkling the cheese on top - which I do think is correct). Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

To prepare frozen unbaked casserole: Preheat oven to 375. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover frozen casserole with reserved foil; bake at 375º for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the shells are thoroughly heated.

Additional stuffed pasta recipes:
- Kale and Ricotta Stuffed Shells, from Gluten-Free Bay
- Enchilada Stuffed Shells, from Allrecipes
- Broccoli and Four-Cheese Stuffed Shells, from Sugar Rush
- Crab Stuffed Baked Shells, from Gortons. (YUM, these are on my to-make list!)

Guten appetit!

Garlicky Peppers and Shrimp

Remember vegetarians, I'm a pescetarian (technically). This recipe is all about shrimp!

We hadn't made shrimp for a long time, as I'm almost as picky with seafood as I used to be with meat. However, I was in the mood for seafood. Shrimp were the perfect answer and I was really excited when I found this recipe - it's so easy. One of those recipes you almost doubt being any good because it's too easy. But, it was good. Oh yes, quite good!

While the recipe called for spinach linguini noodles, I made it with whole wheat spaghetti. Would be great with any pasta, and also corn tortillas.


I would say... This is definitely a solid recipe, and worth putting into regular rotation. Great weeknight meal. I'd also make it for informal family gatherings or guests that come visit us. Tim liked it so much, he ate all the leftovers in a second helping and asked that it be made again. Always a good sign. The recipe was also very easy to half for a 2 person dinner.

Was easy, light, flavorful, protein rich and delicious!

Garlicky Peppers and Shrimp
from Better Homes & Gardens

1 9-oz. pkg. refrigerated spinach fettuccine
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 small red, green, yellow, or orange sweet peppers, seeded and cut in strips
2 medium onions, cut in thin wedges
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper


Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, in skillet heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in peppers, onions, and garlic; stir-fry 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Add shrimp and cayenne pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more or until shrimp are opaque, stirring occasionally. Serve over pasta. Serves 4.

Additional shrimp and pasta/rice recipes:
- Shrimp and Okra Gumbo, from Allrecipes
- Penne a la Betsy, from The Pioneer Woman
- Arugula-Almond Pesto with Pasta and Grilled Shrimp, from Just a Bite

Guten appetit!

Soba Noodles in Peanut Sauce

Peanut sauce. I'm sold.

You should know, straight up, my love for peanut butter. I halved this recipe (to make a reasonable portion size for 2 adults), yet made the full amount of sauce. Guilty. In my defense, a pregnant girl is allowed some liberties.

I found this scrumptious recipe on Smitten Kitchen. I changed up most of the ingredients, and used whole wheat soba noodles (she says you can also use pasta, which I agree and might do in the future). They look brown in the pictures, but looked purple in person. Tim was quite weary of them, and they don't make for a nice presentation. Of course, they tasted great, but I'd serve regular or pasta for guests.


In addition to the peanut sauce, what I loved about this recipe, is that it seemed easy to manipulate. I do that a lot. I like to use what I have on hand, or what sounds good that day, or what's fresh at the market... obviously, a 'strict, must be exact' recipe would not go over well. One of the reasons why I don't bake very often.

Anyway, off to the market I went, bought my fresh veggies, and I was practically done. Seriously, the recipe took about 30 minutes total to make - uber (very) easy. And other than the fresh ingredients, you probably have everything in your pantry. So, lets get cookin!

Soba Noodles in Peanut Sauce
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Peanut dressing:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes or a splash of the hot sauce or chili paste of your choice

Noodles:
3/4 lb dried soba noodles (dried linguine fini or spaghetti will work in a pinch)
4 scallions or 1/4 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips

Heaping handful of green beans, ends discarded and cut in half (bite size pieces)

1 zucchini, quartered and cut cross-wise
1 package firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed (marinated in soy sauce for a few hours, if preferred)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Puree dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. (Will keep in the fridge, but if it gets too thick, you may need to allow time to bring it to room temperature. Mine stayed in the fridge for 1 hour and was still saucy/smooth.)

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water. (Soba noodles are typically served cold, and need the cold water to stop them from cooking - i.e. getting mushy.)

Add pasta, vegetables and tofu to dressing, tossing to combine. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

More soba noodle recipes:

• Soba noodle salad with vegetables and tofu, from Cooking Light
• Peanut Sesame Noodles, original recipe from Smitten Kitchen
• Garlic Soba Noodles, from 101 Cookbooks
• Soba Noodle Salad, from Simply Recipes

Guten appetit!