Red Thai Curry Soup (slightly adapted from Amuse Your Bouche. Servings: 4+, Total Time: 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 16 oz. mixed stir-fry vegetables (I used a frozen Asian blend), cooked

·         2-3 Tbsp. red Thai curry paste

·         14.5 oz. can light coconut milk

·         ½ 16 oz. pkg egg noodles, cooked

·         Salt

·         Black pepper

·         14.5 oz. water (fill the can from the coconut milk)

·         2 Tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped

Instructions

1.       Add the curry paste and cooked veggies to a large frying pan, mix well (I used 2.5 Tbsp. curry paste so that my husband could handle the dish) over medium heat.

2.       Add the coconut milk and the noodles, and season to taste with salt and pepper. I also added around 1 can of water – just add what you need to get the curry/soup to your desired consistency.

3.       Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, simmering very gently, until the curry is hot.  Add the coriander and serve immediately

I converted the numbers from the original recipe using an online calculator (the oz. were in ML and grams) and I think that the proportions were slightly off.  I used a whoel bag of noodles, which is why I suggest half a bag in the ingredients list.  One bag was way too much and made this a curry, not a soup.

The taste of this dish was just OK for me, not as spicy as I woul dhave liked and not with the depth of flavor that I am used to from my other curry dishes.  I don’t think that was just the noodles.  Maybe extra coconut milk instead of water or maybe some other spices would help.  I did use dried coriander instead of fresh (2 tsp.), but I don’t think that affected the taste.

Anyways, the dish was OK, but I don’t think that I’ll make it again.  I did look at some other recipes on this site and they look delicious.  Stay tuned for more!

Zesty Hoisin Chili Sauce with Veggies

Zesty Hoisin Chili Sauce with Veggies (adapted from Food.com, Yield: 1 cup for the sauce, Total Time:  10 minutes – for the sauce)

Ingredients for Sauce

·         6 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

·         4 Tbsp. dark sesame oil

·         2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

·         2 Tbsp. honey

·         5 tsp. Thai sweet chili sauce

·         3 ½ tsp. lemon juice

·         2 tsp. dried ginger

·         4 Tbsp. chopped parsley

We picked up our bi-weekly CSA bag and it had eggplant, onion, and bok choy in it.  To me, that screamed stir fry!  I found a recipe that included ingredients that I had in the house (well, for the most part, if you look at the original recipe, you’ll see that I adapted it).  I also picked up a crook neck squash from my mom, so I decided to use that too. 

The sauce is simple to make and I doubled the recipe (above outlines the doubling) so as to accommodate the veggies and some steak that my husband was cooking for himself.  As I was working with the recipe, I found that the above combination worked just right for me, though you may want to cut back on the soy sauce or chili sauce based on your preferences.  My husband added a bit more soy sauce to his plate – not sure why, I found this a little salty as is.  There was a just a slight kick from the chili sauce – the “back of the throat” kick you don’t recognize until you’ve already swallowed.  Good!  Other than the salt, not one flavor overpowered the sauce.  I definitely plan on making it again, and may add just a bit more honey and cut back on the soy sauce by 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp.

I cooked my veggies to a mushy state (per the request of my husband) and they soaked up the sauce very quickly.  I love how it permeated each and every bite.  I hope that you try this recipe, it is delicious!

Vegetable Meatloaf with Roasted Root Vegetables

Vegetable Meatloaf with Roasted Root Vegetables (adapted from LaaLoosh and KraftFoods, Servings: 6-8, Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes)

Vegetable Loaf

Ingredients

·         1 ¼ lb. Morningstar Farms burger crumbles, thawed

·         1 medium yellow onion, diced

·         1 large zucchini, shredded

·         1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

·         3 medium carrots, shredded

·         1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

·         ½ lb. mushrooms, chopped

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats

·         ½ cup unsweetened applesauce

·         2 Tbsp. tomato paste

·         ¼  cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

·         ¼ cup liquid egg substitute

·         ½ tsp. paprika

·         1 tsp. salt

·         1 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

1.)    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf-sized baking pan with foil.

2.)    Spray a nonstick skillet with nonfat cooking spray. Saute the onion until softened – about 3-5 minutes. Add in the carrots, celery, and bell pepper, and cook for another 3-5 minutes to soften the veggies. Add in the zucchini, mushrooms and garlic and sauté about 3 more minutes.

3.)    In a large bowl, combine the burger crumbles, oats, parsley, egg substitute, applesauce, tomato paste, paprika, salt and pepper. Fold in the veggies.

4.)    Empty the mixture into your baking pan, and shape mixture into a loaf form with your hands.

5.)    Bake about 1 hour.

6.)    Remove from oven and let stand about 10-15 minutes. Cut into 6 equally sized slices.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients (all measurements are approximate because I had a lot of items from a CSA box to use)

·         1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cut in half

·         1 lb. turnips, peeled, cut into small pieces

·         ½ lb. new potatoes, cut into quarters

·         ½ lb. red potatoes, cut into quarters

·         ½ lb. purple potatoes, cut into quarters

·         ½ cup  KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

·         ¼ cup Romano cheese

Directions

1.)    Heat oven to 400ºF.

2.)    Toss vegetables with dressing; spread onto bottom of 15x10x1-inch pan.

3.)    Bake 30 min.

4.)    Mix vegetables.  Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 5 min. or until potatoes are tender.

I really wanted to make the Meatloaf recipe and had a ton of veggies from a CSA delivery, so decided to make the Root Vegetables to go with it.  I think it all ended up pretty darn delicious, although my husband would disagree.  He was not a fan of the meatloaf (probably too many veggies for him) and he was OK with the root veggies. 

I’ll start with the Meatloaf – the texture is not right for a meatloaf, it actually falls apart on your plate.  I recommend increasing the rolled oats to 1 cup or more and maybe taking out the egg substitute.  Other than that, I liked it!  There is a slight crunch from the onions and celery, but overall a very chewy texture.  The taste is slightly peppery/garlicky.  I definitely plan to make it again.

The Root Vegetables also ended up pretty good.  I’ve had Brussels Sprouts once and hated them, but I didn’t hate them in this dish.  They aren’t my new favorite vegetable, but they’re not bad.  I actually started cooking this at 350 for the first 30 minutes because the meatloaf was in the oven, then added about 10-15 minutes at 400.  The new potatoes were slightly undercooked, but everything else tasted good.  This was also my first time having a purple potato!  The taste wasn’t different from the other potatoes in the dish.  The Italian dressing and Romano cheese worked well with the vegetables.  I think that I’ll be making something similar when my next CSA delivery comes next week!

Pub-Style Vegetarian Chili

Pub-Style Vegetarian Chile (from AllRecipes, Servings: 8, Total Time: 1 hour)

Ingredients

·         1/3 cup olive oil
·         2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
·         1 cup finely chopped onion
·         1 cup chopped carrot
·         ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
·         ¼ cup chopped celery
·         1 Tbsp. minced garlic
·         1 Tbsp. chili powder, or more to taste
·         1 Tbsp. ground cumin
·         1 1/8 tsp. salt
·         ¾ tsp. ground black pepper
·         ¾ tsp. dried basil
·         ¾ tsp. dried oregano
·         1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
·         3 cups black beans, undrained
·         ½ (6 oz.) can tomato paste
·         ¼ cup red wine
·         ¾ tsp. hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
·         2 cups water

Directions

1.)    Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir mushrooms, onion, carrot, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, basil, and oregano until the onion begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
2.)    Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, black beans and their liquid, tomato paste, red wine, hot pepper sauce, and water.
3.)    Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

My husband did not like this dish at all – he said it looked more like soup than chili.  I agree, the consistency is not chili-like at all. If you make this, I recommend adding less water, maybe even removing that ingredient entirely.  I served it over spaghetti squash and it completely saturated the strands (with some leftover!).

As for the taste, it was OK.  One of the reviews on the website said spicy – not so much.  You would need to add a lot more hot sauce than ¾ tsp.  It wasn’t bad, I just feel like the different spices didn’t really lend it to taste like chili.  The fresh vegetables did stay crisp, which made for a difference in consistency.  Overall, though, I will not make again – I have better chili recipes in my stockpile.

Fall Ratatouille

Fall Ratatouille (from KraftRecipes, Total Time: 1 hour, Servings: 8)

Ingredients

·         1 eggplant, cut into bite-size pieces

·         1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

·         1  red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

·         1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

·         ¼ cup Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing

·         1can  (14.5 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

·         2 Tbsp. Parmesan Grated Cheese

·         ½ cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 350°F.

2.      Cook and stir first 5 ingredients in large skillet on medium-high heat 6 to 8 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender and lightly browned.

3.      Add tomatoes; cook 15 min., stirring occasionally. Spoon into casserole; top with cheeses.

4.      Bake 15 min. or until mozzarella is melted and vegetable mixture is heated through.

A good vegetable dish, but low on the protein.  The dish comes together well, but you can still taste the individual ingredients.  I added some extra zucchini because I didn’t want our’s to go bad, but it didn’t mess up the dish’s synergy.  The parmesan and mozzarella add a little bit of protein, but a lot of flavor.  Next time I make it, I may use Italian style diced tomatoes or through in some basil, oregano, and garlic powder to make it a little more Italian.  I have made this before and added Trader Joe’s Italian Sausage to help out on the protein-side.  A nice warm dish that sits well in your stomach on a cool fall day.

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.

Spicy Vegetable and Polenta Casserole

Spicy Vegetable and Polenta Casserole (Total Time: 1.5 hours, Servings: 6)

When we were on vacation in San Francisco, I ordered a delicious Polenta Lasagna at an Italian restaurant.  The polenta was creamy, the sauce was a thick marinara, there were a few veggies mixed in with the ricotta – overall, it was a pleasing stack of food to look at and eat!  This was my try at somewhat replicating this dish while trying my hand at a homemade pasta sauce. 

I started the process by making a homemade Arrabbiata Sauce from AllRecipes:

Ingredients

•  Approx.. 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes – I used two 14.5 oz. petite diced, one 14.5 oz. chipotle, and one 14.5 oz. with green chiles.
•  2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• ½ tsp. salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine tomatoes, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.
2. Stir in garlic, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in basil, salt and pepper.

While that was cooking, I moved on to a quick and easy polenta recipe from AllRecipes:

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup polenta

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Pour in polenta steadily, stirring constantly.
2. Continue to stir until polenta is thickened. It should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon.

The original recipe only call for 3 cups of water, but I added more because when I was stirring it, I knew that it would be too stiff for the lasagna.  I also added some fresh oregano and basil (maybe 1 Tbsp. each), some grated mozzarella (about ¼ cup),and some garlic salt (about ½ Tbsp.) to the polenta mixture.  

While the pasta and polenta cooked, I also fried some thinly sliced strips of zucchini and yellow squash in a dash of olive oil.  I had sprinkled some salt and pepper on them prior to cooking.

After all of the components of my dish were complete, I made into casserole.  I started by spreading a scant amount of sauce on the bottom of an 11 x 13 pan (just enough for a light “dusting”).  I  added all of the polenta, layered strips of zucchini and yellow squash, poured the remaining sauce over the vegetables, and sprinkled some Italian shredded cheddar on top.  I covered the dish in foil and baked it at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

The casserole/lasagna tasted good, but I think that next time I’ll add even more liquid (perhaps some vegetable broth) and cheese to the polenta – after I baked the dish, the polenta was kind of tough.  I will also add some parmesan or garlic powder to the veggies when I cook them.  My husband enjoyed the dish and it was not too spicy for him!  In the future, I made add some more red pepper flakes (or cayenne) to the sauce to give it a little more kick. I may also add some soy sausage to get a little more protein into the meal.  Enjoy!

Corny Spaghetti

Corny Spaghetti (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 6, Total Time: 30-45 minutes, depending on how fast you chop veggies)

Ingredients

·         10 ounces thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta

·         2 tablespoons margarine

·         ¼ cup red onion, chopped

·         2-3 cloves garlic, minced

·         2 medium or 3 small zucchini, chopped

·         10 oz. button mushrooms, chopped

·         ¼ cup red wine

·         1 (16 oz.) jar pasta sauce (I used the Barilla Vineyard brand)

·         1 (15 oz.) can sweet whole kernel corn, drained

Directions

1.      Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente; drain.

2.      While pasta is cooking, in large skillet over medium heat, melt butter.  Sauté onions 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and zucchini and cook 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft.

3.      Pour in red wine and pasta sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer.

4.      Add corn and bring back to a simmer again to heat through.

5.      Serve sauce over pasta, or toss together.

As is, I did not find this recipe that tasty.  The sauce is very thick, but does coat the pasta.  It is a nice way to get in some healthy vegetables, but it needs something a little more – maybe some oregano or basil.  I did add a little grated parmesan cheese to the top of my leftovers and it was so much better!  Little enhancements can go a long way!  It did take a long time for me to chop all of the vegetables, which is why I increased the total time to 30-45 minutes.  My husband did enjoy this dish, even without adding cheese!

Cheddar Vegetable Lasagna

Cheddar Vegetable Lasagna (Servings: 8-10, Total Time: 1 hour – 1 hour, 15 min.)

(adapted from KraftRecipes.com)

Not your typical lasagna dish, but good flavors and a mix of texture make it a good meal.  I would like to see a little more protein, but that is easily fixed by adding some faux sausage or burger crumbles.  The original recipe does not tell you where to add the cheddar cheese, so I added it in two places!

Ingredients

½ lb. mushrooms, diced

¼ cup margarine, divided

3-3 ½ cups shredded carrots

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup flour

½ tsp. salt

Dash of pepper

2 ½ cups milk

1 container (16 oz.) Cottage Cheese

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained

9 lasagna noodles

2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1.)    Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.)    Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.

3.)    Cook and stir mushrooms in 1 Tbsp. margarine in a large skillet on medium-high heat until tender. Remove from skillet; set aside.

4.)    Add remaining margarine, then carrots and onions to skillet. Cook and stir 5 min. or until carrots are tender. Reduce heat to medium.

5.)    Blend in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in mushrooms and 1 cup cheddar cheese.

6.)    Combine cottage cheese, spinach, and 1 cup cheddar cheese.

7.)    Place 3 of the noodles on bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking dish; top with one-third each of the cottage cheese and the carrot mixtures. Cover with 3 more noodles and one-third each of the cottage cheese and carrot mixtures. Top with the remaining 3 noodles and remaining cottage cheese and carrot mixtures. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

8.)    Bake 30 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand a few minutes before cutting to serve.

The carrots and onion add a little crunch to the texture, but the lasagna is otherwise a very soft consistency.  The original recipe called for 4 cups of carrots, but that seemed like way too much.  I recommend 3-3 ½ cups in my adapted version, but that is all up to you and what you and your family like. 

I didn’t have 9 lasagna noodles, so I only used 6 and layered half and half of the mixtures.  The dish came out bubbly and cheesy-looking.  The fat content is high because of the shredded cheddar, but if you use 2%, that can eliminate some unnecessary fat and calories from this dish without affecting the taste.  Also, I found that you don’t necessarily need the butter to cook the mushrooms or carrots.  I actually didn’t add any additional butter to the cook the carrots and they turned out just fine.  This dish is a great way to sneak in some vegetables because of the cheesy goodness that encases them.  Enjoy!