World Wide Vegan

While on vacation I got bronchitis and have been recovering ever since. For some reason I have been craving pasta since I've been ill so I have been making pastas that are simple, quick and freeze well. When I'm not feeling well I have no patience for recipes and I end up creating dishes that use whatever I have on hand.

Some creations turn out better than others so this time I decided to keep track of my tastier experiments so that I could share them with you.

Tip: When sauteing garlic it is important not to brown it or overcook it as it will become bitter.

Quick Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta

1 lb whole grain spaghetti noodles
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh, minced parsley
salt and pepper
water
(basil and pine nuts opt. see below)

Bring a large pot of water and about 1/2 tsp salt to boil. Add the spaghetti, following directions on the box.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan to medium high; add the garlic and saute until the garlic is a pale golden, about 1 minute Remove immediately from heat.

Add the parsley, salt and pepper to taste (as well as 1 tsp.basil and 3 Tbs. pine nuts if desired)

Reserve 1/2-3/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta & stir in the oil. Add the water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve warm. Top with vegan Parmesan cheese if desired.

For a full meal serve with garlic bread, steamed broccoli and fresh fruit.

Labels: main dish, man friendly, pasta, Side dish

Well I have come across a new man-friendly vegan meal that I just had to share with you. My husband, who is not a vegan has fallen in love with the vegan lasagna that I made for him last week. I got my inspiration from the fat-free-vegan website but changed it to suit a non-vegans taste, and it worked.

Honestly, I never really liked lasagna when I was a meat eater, but this lasagna was so good that I ate it for 3 days and never tired of it. And it has become my husbands new favorite vegan dish. Serve it with some sliced fruit and you have a complete meal.

Tip: When using fresh spinach it is best to use it within 4 days of purchase. Otherwise the wonderful antioxidants it contains begin to markedly plummet. For the greatest amount of nutrients buy fresh spinach at a farmers market and use it immediately.

Man Friendly Lasagna

1 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 chopped onion
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs. water
2 26-oz jars of spaghetti sauce (or homemade)
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 c. TVP granules soaked in 1 c. hot water (may microwave for 2 minutes)
lasagna noodles, uncooked
8 oz mixed soy Mozzarella and Parmesan (or veggie cheeze)
Sliced black olives

Filling:

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 lb firm water packed tofu
1 tsp. salt (optional)
2 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. rosemary, crushed
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sauté the mushrooms, onions, celery and garlic over medium heat in 2 tbs. water until tender. Remove from heat. Add the spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning ans seasoning salt and soaked TVP granules - set aside.

Place the tofu and spinach in a food processor and blend briefly. Add remaining filling ingredients and process until smooth.

Pour half of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x12-inch, prepared pan. Place a layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the tofu mixture on top of the noodles. Cover with another layer of noodles and then spread the remaining tofu mixture over them. Sprinkle 6 bounces of cheeze on top of tofu mixture. Top with the final layer of noodles. Pour the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle on the remaining cheeze and olives on top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

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Labels: lasagna, man friendly, pasta, TVP, Vegan, Vegetarian