Simplicity: One Skillet Pasta

May 21, 2013 8 Comments

I was inspired by a recipe in the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living, on page 154 (gorgeous full-page photo on page 100 I might add). The concept was a duh moment. Cook everything, in one skillet. No draining. Dinner is ready in 15 minutes. Funny is, I have cooked pasta in a similar fashion, when hiking. It never occurred to me to do this at home.

The pasta itself is customizable. I mostly followed the recipe, but one could add whatever vegetables they craved. I swapped in multi-grain pasta, used half the salt and adjusted the water due to using a bit more pasta than called for. And…one coudl easily use broth instead of water, minus the salt, for an even better option.

Onepot1

A bonus? Image having this on a summer evening, made with just picked tomatoes and basil….

Onepot2

One Skillet Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 13.25 ounce package multi-grain linguine pasta (or 12 ounces white pasta)
  • 10 to 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered or halved, depending on size
  • 1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes (use ¼ tsp if you don’t like it really spicy)
  • 2 large sprigs basil, leaves picked off, stems discarded + extra leaves for topping
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 5 cups water

Directions:

Break linguine in half, place in a large/deep skillet. Add remaining ingredients on top, bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for about 9 minutes, stirring and tossing the pasta with tongs often, until most of the water has evaporated, and the pasta is al dente.

Serve topped with more basil leaves torn and a drizzle more olive oil, if desired. If desired toss with a little faux-Parmesan or sesame seeds.

Vegetarian option:

Finely grate a small pile of pecorino romano or Parmesan cheese, toss with the pasta after taking off the heat, and a bit more to top with before eating.

Serves 4.

~Sarah

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Comfort Food Done My Way – Mac n’ Cheese

May 16, 2013 7 Comments

Last week Kirk was gone on another business trip which left me with 3 kids, stuck at home during a miserable heat wave (which was pretty odd for our area). I was feeling pretty far down. And tired. Alistaire has 8 teeth coming in, all at once, which yeah, has made for a “joyful” week (and it is till going on – they are his first molars!). He was (and is still) awake every couple of hours, every night, meaning I wasn’t functioning pretty hotly. Feeling sorry for myself all I craved was a big bowl o’ mac n’ cheese. Nothing vegan. I wanted it all, full octane. But with a twist….I adapted a recipe for cheese sauce I had seen on a box of corn starch…and ended up with the silkiest, smoothest cheese sauce ever. It was amazing tasting. A flour roux? Never again. From now on I am making it this way. No gritty, heavy texture. As in delicious and simple. And bonus? The sauce is gluten-free as well, so it can be paired over your favorite carb besides ol’ wheaty pasta.

Mac

No diet food here. I won’t lie: it had butter, milk, cheese, sour cream….yeah, basically a large cholesterol pit to wallow in. Some girls eat tubs of ice cream, not me. I just want carb heaven ;-)

Mac2

Mac n’ Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 13.25 ounce package multi-grain elbow macaroni
  • 1 large head broccoli
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
  • 8 ounces baby ‘bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 cups whole milk, preferably organic
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • ½ cup sour cream

Directions:

Trim the florets off broccoli, peel the stalks, discard peels and thinly slice stalks.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add macaroni, cook for time on package, adding broccoli for last 3 minutes, drain.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, onion, mushrooms and bell pepper, sauté until tender and caramelizing.

Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium. Add butter, melt, whisk in corn starch, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in milk, whisking constantly, until smooth. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, boil for 1 minutes.

Take off heat, whisk in cheese until smooth, then stir in sour cream. Taste for salt, add more if needed.

Reserve a small amount of vegetables, toss hot pasta with the rest, in the large skillet. Stir in cheese sauce, gently fold until coated. Serve bowls of mac n’ cheese with the reserved vegetables on top.

Serves 4 large servings or 6 smaller ones.

~Sarah

PS: This could be veganized rather easily – Earth Balance Buttery stick, Dayia cheeze, vegan sour cream and unsweetened non-dairy milk. But hey, it wasn’t what I was craving ;-)

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Artichoke & Two Tomato Spaghetti

May 8, 2013 2 Comments

Taking a break from all my garden postings of late…lets talk carb-fixes & a quick dinner! Like last night where my afternoon slipped by and suddenly it was nearly 6 pm and I had 3 hungry kids staring me down. We ate and I went back to work outside. It has compelled to get these projects done! Although at times it feels like all I do is move dirt and rocks from one pile to another pile and then back again….but I have this image in my mind – and I want to get there :-)
Artipasta1

Artichoke & Two Tomato Spaghetti

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 10 ounces grape tomatoes, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 ounce can unsalted tomatoes with basil
  • 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Artipasta2

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, add spaghetti and cook for time on package. Reserve ¼ cup of cooking water, drain pasta. Return pasta to cooking pot, toss with Parmesan cheese and water.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil and onion, sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in grape tomatoes, sauté for 5 minutes, pressing gently to pop. Stir in garlic, cook for a minute.

Add tomatoes, artichokes, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, lower heat to medium-low and simmer gently. Break up tomatoes with a potato masher. Taste for seasoning.

Toss hot pasta with sauce, serve with more cheese if desired.

Serves 4 to 6.

~Sarah

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Vegan Comfort Food: What is in the cupboard? kind of dinner

April 22, 2013 6 Comments

In the afternoons with no rain, after Alistaire wakes up from his nap, I take him and Walker outside to play while I work (and honestly, I have been so driven of late that if it is raining, they play on our back porch while I get soaked!). I spent today in glorious sun, finishing up the new extension to my raised bed, with my veggie plants in the ground now. I will be posting more about our yard this week – we have done a lot!

Yardwork

 

My yard has kept me so busy that I find myself rushing in to make dinner quickly of late. Which means…me hanging off the pantry doors trying to think of ideas, based on what is loitering back there. This quick pasta dish was kind of a take on the “mexi-goulash” stove-top dinners we grew up on. Just a wee bit healthier is all.

MexiLash

Mexi-lash

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 Tbsp cilantro, dried or fresh
  • 1 Tbsp granulated garlic or 3 cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 13.25 ounce package multi-grain rotini or elbow pasta

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, cook pasta as directed.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil, pepper and mushrooms, sauté until tender and golden. Pulse the tomatoes in a blender until mostly smooth, add to skillet with salsa, beans and seasonings. Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook while pasta boils.

Drain pasta, toss with sauce and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

~Sarah

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Vegan Comfort Food: Herb Biscuits & Pasta Fagioli

April 15, 2013 11 Comments

In Washington State it often seems that if you get a streak of pretty spring weather, you will pay for it later with 4X of rainy, cold weather. Being April doesn’t mean shorts season, but rather hearty meals to chase the cold off.

HerbBiscuits

Herb Biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary, finely crumbled
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk flour through salt in a large mixing bowl.

Astir vinegar into milk, let curdle, then add oil. Stir wet into dry, until mixed.

Drop balls of dough on prepared sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, until golden on top.

Makes 12 biscuits.

Pastaf

Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or 2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 2 15 to 19 ounce cans white beans (small, Great Northern or white kidney)
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 13.25 ounce package multi-grain elbow macaroni or similar small pasta shape

Directions:

Heat a tall saucepan/small stockpot over medium, add oil and onion, sauté until tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. If using fresh garlic, add and sauté for a minute.

Stir in tomatoes, basil, beans and vinegar (and granulated garlic, if using). Cover and simmer over medium-low while pasta cooks.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add macaroni, cook as indicated, drain.

Taste sauce for seasoning, add salt and pepper as desired. Toss with pasta and serve.

Serves 6.

~Sarah

Filed Under: baking, cooking, Dinner, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Carrot and Peanut Noodles

April 5, 2013 2 Comments

Carrot2

 

I prepared this cheerful dish a few weeks back for the family, the toddler enjoyed it quite a bit. The color is what I liked, it felt very inviting.

Carrot1

Carrot and Peanut Noodles

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
  • 1 heaping Tbsp natural chunky peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp warm water
  • 1 pound pasta, any desired shape
  • Raw sesame seed for topping

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil, onion and carrots, sauté for a few minutes, add in garlic and ginger, cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes, shaking pan periodically and stirring. Take off heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook as directed. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain pasta.

While pasta is cooking, purée carrot mixture in a food processor with soy sauce, peanut butter and 2 Tbsp warm water.

Toss hot pasta with sauce, add in reserved pasta cooking water, as needed, till smooth and coating.

Serve with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Serves 4.

PS: On Monday will be another book giveaway coming! If you love cooking, especially vegan, be sure to pop by to enter!

~Sarah

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Vegan Comfort Food: Garlicky Beans & Tomatoes with Pasta

March 29, 2013 6 Comments

I was feeling in the need for a hearty dish the other night and caved in the grocery store, bringing home a package of faux ground beef. I try to avoid processed faux meats, but ya know…sometimes one craves it. Simple and easy, perfect for a rushed kind of day!

Garlic

Garlicky Beans & Tomatoes with Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 16 ounces bow-tie pasta, mini size preferably
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced
  • 12 ounce package Smart Ground
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with garlic
  • 15 ounce can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and broken up

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, add pasta and cook for time on package, drain.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil and onion, sauté until tender. Add in Smart Ground, cook until heated. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and spinach. Cover and let simmer over medium-low until pasta is done. Add pasta and toss to coat.

Serves 6 (or more).

~Sarah

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Nutty Tofu & Broccoli Noodles

February 11, 2013 7 Comments

After coming across and reading this blog post, I decided I needed to take more weekends off from blogging, from here and my business blog. You know me well…I blog a lot. Most times daily. It keeps me going, always looking for new ideas. Walking away for 48 hours can be freedom though. I don’t think deep those days. I *gasp* make meals we have had many times. I don’t bake. Instead I spend time with Kirk and the boys, and have fun! OK, maybe more like go shopping  do yard work and laundry. But still, a girl can dream ;-)

Alistaire had his 1 year checkup today. He is well in the 90th and up percentile for height, weight and head size. My little  gentle giant….After the bad ol’ nursie gave him 4 shots, we went and played on the toys in the hospital’s park outside. Bark chips are where it’s at…..

BabyB1

 

Walker was loving it – he had the entire play area to himself.

 

BabyB2

 

After a long day today, comfort food was what I wanted most. Nutty noodles, crispy tofu and veggies. Yum.

Nutty1

Nutty Tofu & Broccoli Noodles

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fettuccine noodles, broken in half
  • 1 large head broccoli
  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
  • 16 ounces extra firm tofu, cut bite size

Sauce -

  • 20 ounce can crushed pineapple
  • ¼ cup natural peanut butter
  • ¼ cup lower sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp dried ginger

Topping -

  • ¼ cup cashews, finely chopped (used a Thai Lime spiced)

Nutty2

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, add pasta. Meanwhile cut florets off broccoli, trim stalks, peel off outer layers and chop into bite size pieces. Add broccoli in last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add oil, onion and tofu. Pan-fry until tofu is crispy and golden.

Whisk sauce ingredients together, add to skillet. Reduce heat to medium, heat through.

Drain noodles, toss in sauce.

Serve with cashews sprinkled on top.

Serves 4.

Note:

For best results, use extra firm tofu that is packed in vac-sealed bags, rather than in water. It has been pressed and isn’t water-logged. The texture is amazing! I used a sprouted organic version, extra firm is sold next to traditional tofu in the produce section of many grocery stores.

~Sarah

Filed Under: cooking, Dinner, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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