Pumpkin Pasta

Pumpkin Pasta (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 4, Total Time: 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 box whole wheat penne pasta

·         1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

·         1 ¼ cups low sodium vegetable broth

·         ½ cup skim milk

·         2 tsp. margarine

·         ¼ tsp. onion powder

·         ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

·         1/4 tsp. salt

·         1 pinch ground cloves

·         1 pinch ground nutmeg

·         1 pinch ground cinnamon

·         1 pinch ground ginger

·         ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1.       Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente.

2.       Heat the pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, milk, margarine, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger in a large skillet over low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

3.       Stir in the drained pasta, and toss with the Parmesan cheese.

Sometimes you have to try things that are out of your normal repertoire – and Pumpkin Pasta is certainly one of those for my family.  The pasta was OK on flavor – my husband described it as pumpkin pie pasta.  The taste actually got better after leaving it in the refrigerator overnight.

In regards to the spices, I went a little crazy.  We didn’t have cloves, so I made up for it by adding more salt, pepper, onion powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger.  I also tossed in some ground white pepper.  I am not sure how much of each spice I used, I just added and tasted until the mixture tasted good to me.  Even though I didn’t follow the recipe exactly, I don’t think that I’d change anything.  We probably won’t be having this again – when I get stuck eating all of the leftovers, I know that it wasn’t a fan favorite.

Shanghai Noodle Salad

Shanghai Noodle Salad (from AllRecipes, Total Time: 2 hrs., 40 min., Servings: 8)

Ingredients

• ·         1 pound fresh thick Chinese wheat noodles (or whole wheat spaghetti)
• ·         ¼ cup ketchup
• ·         3 ½ Tbsp. sesame oil
• ·         3 ½ Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• ·         2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• ·         2 tsp. salt
• ·         1 ½ tsp.  lime juice
• ·         ¼ cup chopped green onion (green and white parts)
• ·         2 carrots, peeled and shredded
• ·         1 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks
• ·         1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
• ·         1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• ·         1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. 1.       Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the noodles, and return to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package instructions for al dente.  Drain well in a colander set in the sink. Rinse the noodles with cold water several times to chill, then drain again.
2. 2.       In a large salad bowl, whisk together the ketchup, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, kosher salt, and lime juice until the brown sugar has dissolved.
3. 3.       Place the noodles, green onion, carrots, zucchini, red pepper, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes into the bowl, and gently toss to thoroughly mix the salad and coat with dressing.
4. 4.       Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

I’ve heard the term “foodgasm” tossed around lately – and I think that’s the perfect description for this meal.  It was absolutely delicious!  I used a mixture of wheat and Ronzoni’s garden delight spaghettis (what we had on hand), sea salt, and cayenne instead of red pepper flakes (we didn’t have any, which was a huge surprise to me).  The taste is addictive – it tasted as good as anything I’d get from my favorite Asian restaurant, and better than I’d get at some.  I cannot wait to try this again!  I will probably add some Trader Joe’s Chik’n Strips next time to kick up the protein content.  Perfect and a definite keeper!

Stove Top Chik'n Bake

Stove Top Easy Chikn Bake (slighty adapted from KraftRecipes, Total Time: 40 min., Servings: 6)

Ingredients

·   1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Pork

·   2 pkg. Trader Joe’s Chickenless Chik’n Strips cut into bite-size pieces

·   1 can  (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup, low-sodium

·   1/3 cup  low-fat Sour Cream

·   1 pkg.  (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans, peas), thawed, drained

Directions

1.    Heat oven to 400ºF.

2.    Prepare stuffing as directed on package.

3.    Mix remaining ingredients in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with    

       stuffing.

4.    Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done.

An old favorite of mine!  It’s one of the first casserole recipes that I tried with fake meat.   I have found that adding some pepper to the vegetable mixture before baking is required and gives the dish an extra zing to make it tasty.  Not too bad on calories, and it has a good mix of carbs and protein.  The stuffing gets a little crispy on top  when it is baked, so that adds a nice comparison in the texture from the softer vegetable and chik’n mixture.  Overall, a good standby.

Tomato Zucchini Casserole

Tomato Zucchini Casserole (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 6, Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 cup shredded Italian cheese mix

·         1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

·         ½ tsp. dried oregano

·         ½ tsp. dried basil

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         salt and pepper to taste

·         2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced

·         3 large plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

·         ¼ cup margarine

·         2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion

·         ¾ cup fine bread crumbs

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x9-inch pan with Pam.

2.      In a large bowl, combine cheeses, oregano, basil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

3.      Arrange half of the zucchini slices in the pan. Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese and herb mixture on top. Arrange half of the tomatoes, and top with another ¼ of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers.

4.      Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in breadcrumbs; cook until they have absorbed the butter. Sprinkle on top of casserole.

5.      Cover loosely with foil, and bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until the top is crusty and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

I think that this dish has a nice flavor to it and the veggies cook through in the time that they are in the oven.  I do recommend patting the zucchini and tomato slices dry with a paper towel and coating them with a mixture of garlic powder, oregano, and basil because the cheese and herb mixture only sticks to some of the veggies – those left high and dry just taste like veggies.  My husband and I both enjoyed this dish and I do plan on making it again.  The shredded Italian mix gave it more of an Italian taste than Cheddar would have (as the original recipe calls for), but ultimately, it’s your call!

Microwave Risotto

Basic Microwave Risotto (from AllRecipes, Total Time: 30 min., Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         3 Tbsp. margarine

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         ½ onion, chopped

·         1 ½ cups vegetable broth

·         1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

·         ¾ cup white wine, unoaked

·         ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.       In a 3 quart, microwave safe casserole dish combine butter, garlic and onion. Place dish in microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes.

2.       Place vegetable broth in a microwave safe dish. Heat on microwave until the broth is hot but not boiling (approximately 2 minutes).

3.       Stir the rice and broth into the casserole dish with the onion, butter and garlic mixture. Cover the dish tightly and cook on high for 6 minutes.

4.       Stir wine into the rice. Cook on high for 10 minutes more. Most of the liquid should boil off. Stir the cheese into the rice and serve.

This is a good, basic risotto – not as good as you get from the stovetop, but that’s to be expected.  I added a little more vegetable broth and wine than was called for because my rice was drying out.  If I make this again, I’ll probably add more cheese or some spices (Italian, maybe) to kick up the flavor profile.

Cheddar Chik'n Rice Skillet

Cheddar Chikn Rice Skillet (slightly adapted from KraftRecipes, Total Time: 20 min., Servings:  4)

Ingredients

·         ½ cup Lite Zesty Italian Dressing

·         2 pkg. Trader Joe’s Chickenless Chik’n Strips

·         2cups  instant brown rice, uncooked

·         1 ¼ cups  fat-free reduced-sodium vegetable broth

·         1 green pepper, cut into strips

·         2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped

·         1 cup  Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese

·         4 green onions, sliced (green and white parts)

Directions

1.       Heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chik’n; cook and stir 2 min.

2.       Stir in rice, broth and peppers. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on low heat 5 min. or until rice is tender. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until liquid is absorbed.

3.       Add tomatoes, cheese and onions; mix lightly.

I used more broth than was called for, probably about 1 ¾ to 2 cups.  I also used one can of diced tomatoes, drained, instead of chopping some fresh ones. 

The taste of the dish was good, but didn’t really wow me.  The carb and protein mix in this dish is good, but the fat is slightly high – use Reduced Fat cheese (or less of the regular kind) if you have concerns about that.  Also, using the vegetable broth helps bring the calorie count down – making this a pretty healthy dish.

Hunan Restaurant - Wilmington, DE

Hunan Restaurant (http://www.hunanasian.com/)

My husband and I ordered delivery from Hunan Restaurant.  I ordered the Vegetable Dumplings (steamed) and the Green Curry.  The dumplings were more dough than filling, so I don’t think that I would get them again, but they were soft and chewy.  The Green Curry was not that spicy and the sauce was very runny.  The vegetables were nicely cooked, with a slight bite to them, and the tofu was slightly crisp.  The sauce was just too thin to add any sort of flavor to the main course, so I don’t think that I would order this again.

Ubon Thai Cuisine - Wilmington, DE

Ubon Thai Cuisine (Wilmington, DE) - http://www.ubonthaicuisine.com/

My husband and I have been meaning to go to Ubon since it opened.  The opportunity was finally “forced” upon us when we ran a 5k on the Wilmington Riverfront.  Even though there was food after the race, we could not pass up the opportunity for quality Asian food.  We sat on the patio, which was intimate, even with people walking past on the Riverwalk.  I did not go inside, being sweaty and all, but I did get a look at the bar, which looked like a nice place to hang out.

I ordered the Som Tom salad (medium spicy) and the Kaeng Khiao Wan with tofu (also medium spicy).  The salad consisted of green papaya with tomatoes, long beans, Thai herbs and spices, and peanuts.  I didn’t really enjoy it, I thought it was a little too sweet, due to the papaya.  I did enjoy the Green Curry Tofu, and actually broke out into a little sweat while eating it.  The curry paste was mixed with vegetables, Thai basil, and chilies.  It was definitely spicy, but also very delicious.  The tofu was slightly fried and the vegetables were sautéed with the curry paste.  I think that I would choose this dish again – I’m kind of hooked on the spice!

Black Bean Burger

Black Bean Burger (from AllRecipes, Total Time: 35 min., Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 (16 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         ½ green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces

·         ½ onion, finely chopped

·         3 cloves garlic, peeled

·         1 egg

·         1 Tbsp. chili powder

·         1 Tbsp. cumin

·         1 tsp. Thai chili sauce or hot sauce

·         ½ cup bread crumbs

Directions

1.       If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly oil a baking sheet.

2.       In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.

3.       In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.

4.       In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.

5.       Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.

6.       If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

These veggie burgers are awesome!  They were soft with a slight crunch from baking them in the oven.  I followed the directions exactly – well, maybe I added heaping Tablespoons of chili powder and cumin, but that’s the only change.  I made about 9 small patties. 

The first time I ate them, I added some Mexican cheese on top and salsa on the side.  There was definitely no need for salsa, the burgers have a nice kick to them.  But not too spicy for my husband!  I also had them as leftovers, and they re-heat well.

Spinach Tomato Linguine

Spinach Tomato Linguine (slightly adapted from Taste of Home, Total Time: 25 min., Servings: 4)

Ingredients

• ·         8 oz.  uncooked linguine
• ·         3 cups chopped seeded plum tomatoes
• ·         1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• ·         ½ cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
• ·         1 tsp. olive oil
• ·         ¼ tsp. salt
• ·         ¼ tsp.  garlic salt
• ·         4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Cook linguine according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, sauté the tomatoes, spinach and onions in oil until tomatoes are softened. Sprinkle with salt and garlic salt. Reduce heat. Stir in the cheese; until heated through.
3. Drain linguine; transfer to a serving bowl. Add tomato mixture; toss to coat.

I said at the beginning that I have had some not so good vegetarian meals - and unfortunately, this recipe was one of them - it did not taste as good as it looked or sounded.  It's pretty healthy, yes, but taste is much more important to me.  I thought that the garlic salt, feta, and green onions would be pretty tasty mixed with pasta, tomatoes, and spinach.  There was next to no flavor, though.  Maybe garlic powder instead of garlic salt - and a lot more than 1/4 tsp. - would help out the dish.  Or parmesan.  I do not plan on making this meal again - it's not worth it to me to figure out what can make it better when there are so many other good options out there!

Slow Cooker Hearty Chili

Slow Cooker Hearty Chili (adapted from KraftRecipes, Total Time: 5 hrs, 10 min., Servings: 8 )

Ingredients

·         1 ½ lb. Morningstar Farms MealStarters burger crumbles

·         1 can  (16 oz.) no-salt added tomato sauce

·         2 cans  (15 oz. each)  red kidney beans, drained, rinsed

·         1 ½ cups  salsa

·         1 cup  frozen corn

·         ½ onion, chopped

·         2 Tbsp.  chili powder

·         1cup  Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese

Directions

1.       Add all items except cheese to slow cooker; stir. Cover with lid.

2.       Cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours (or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours).

3.       Stir just before serving. Serve topped with cheese.

This chili recipe is really yummy!  I wanted something warm for a somewhat cold day, so chili seemed like just the ticket.  I used Medium salsa, canned corn instead of frozen, an ancho chile pepper, and a chili seasoning packet because we only had about 1 Tbsp. of chili powder..  I could have added another chile pepper for some more kick, but it was still tasty!

I cooked on high for about 3 hours and it ended up perfect – nice and hot!  The taste is not that spicy and you can definitely taste the chili seasoning.  I served over brown rice to increase the carb count a bit.  The protein amount is great for a vegetarian!  Adding the Mexican Four Cheese on top is a great touch – it melts instantly and adds some stingy cheesy goodness. 

Lasagna-Stuffed Mushrooms

Lasagna-Stuffed Mushrooms (adapted from AllRecipes, Total Time: 50 min., Servings: 2)

Ingredients

·         ¼ lb. Morningstar Farms Mealstarters burger crumbles

·         ½ cup fat-free small curd cottage cheese (I used a ½ cup mixture of shredded 5 Cheese Italian and Italian Pizza cheese)

·         1 egg

·         2 Tbsp. chopped green pepper

·         1 Tbsp. finely chopped green onion

·         1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

·         salt and black pepper to taste

·         ¼ cup prepared pasta sauce, divided

·         6 large fresh mushrooms, or more as needed, stems removed

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.     Cook and stir the crumbles in a skillet over medium heat, breaking apart as it cooks, about 10 minutes.

3.     Mix together the cheeses, egg, green pepper, green onion, parsley, and salt and pepper in a bowl until the mixture is well combined. Stir in the cooked crumbles.

4.     Place the mushrooms, hollow sides up, close together in the prepared baking dish. Spoon about 1 Tbsp. of the filling into the cavity of each mushroom, and allow remaining filling to overflow between mushrooms.

5.     Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is set, about 15 minutes.

6.     Remove dish from oven, and spread the pasta sauce evenly over the mushrooms. Return the dish to the oven, and cook about 5 more minutes.

7.     Let the mushrooms stand 5 minutes before serving.

Well, my mushrooms were kind of lasagna-stuffed.  The cottage cheese that we had in the refrigerator was not usable, so I used a mixture of 5 Cheese Italian and Italian Pizza Cheese.  Yummy!  I'm sure it would be tasty with cottage cheese as well.

I used portabella mushrooms and Tomato & Basil pasta sauce for this dish.  I thought that it tasted good and cheesy!  Next time, I will probably marinate the mushrooms in some balsamic vinaigrette, just to add to the overall tastiness.  Enjoy!

Veggie Burgers

Veggie Burgers (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, 8 servings, 1.5 hours)

Ingredients

·         2 tsp. olive oil

·         ½ small onion, grated

·         2 cloves crushed garlic

·         1 cup shredded carrots

·         1 small summer squash, shredded

·         1 small zucchini, shredded

·         1 ½ cups rolled oats

·         ¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

·         1 egg, beaten

·         1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions

1.      Heat the olive oil in a skillet over low heat, and cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until tender.

2.      Mix in the carrots, squash, and zucchini. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes.

3.      Remove pan from heat, and mix in oats, cheese, and egg. Stir in soy sauce, transfer the mixture to a bowl, and refrigerate 1 hour.

4.      If grilling, preheat the grill for high heat.

5.      (from Original recipe) Place the flour on a large plate. Form the vegetable mixture into eight 3 inch round patties. Drop each patty into the flour, lightly coating both sides.

6.      If grilling, oil the grill grate, and grill patties 5 minutes on each side, or until heated through and nicely browned.

a.       If cooking stovetop, lightly oil a sauté pan and cook patties for about 4-5 minutes on each side over medium-high heat.

I tired these two ways – one with coating in flour and one without.  I liked the ones without flour better – they had a better flavor.  I used my food processor to shred the vegetables, it made things much easier.  I also cut up the carrots into smaller pieces so that they wouldn’t overwhelm the burger mix.  They browned nicely on the outside and stayed soft and tender on the inside.  I thought that they tasted OK, but I have had better homemade burgers.  I wanted to try one without beans, but the ones with are tastier (in fact, this was really light on any taste whatsoever).  They were good with ketchup!  (My husband liked them, though, which is odd.)

Zucchini Herb Casserole

Zucchini Herb Casserole (adapted from AllRecipes, 6 servings, 1 hour)

Ingredients

·         1 cup uncooked brown rice

·         2 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 ½ lbs. zucchini, cubed

·         ½ cup sliced green onions

·         ½ tsp. garlic powder

·         1 ¼ tsp. garlic salt

·         ½ teaspoon basil

·         ½ tsp. paprika

·         ½ tsp. dried oregano

·         1 cup seeded, chopped tomatoes

·         1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Directions

1.      Cook the rice according to package directions.

2.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a shallow 2 quart casserole dish.

3.      Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the zucchini, green onions, and garlic 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with garlic salt, basil, paprika, and oregano.

4.      Mix in the cooked rice, tomatoes, and ½ cup cheese. Continue to cook and stir until heated through.

5.      Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

6.      Bake uncovered 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

One word: Delicious!  My husband and I both love this dish!  I cannot wait to make it again.  All of the herbs go so well with vegetables, rice and cheese.  Even though I used about ½ as much cheese as was originally called for, each bite is stringy with cheese.  Overall, the dish is very creamy, with just a hint of crunch from the zucchini.  The brown rice and lower amount of cheese make this dish healthier than the original, but trust me, there is NOTHING missing on the taste.  I am salivating just envisioning the leftovers that I will enjoy tonight :-)