World Wide Vegan

First let me apologize for the photo. I promise that they taste ten times better than they look here. I took several pictures that looked great but somehow they didn't show up on my computer later on, so I had to re-take pictures from the left-overs, which were pretty well picked over.

I learned to make these tasty shells during my last trip to Italy. Of course at the time I made fresh pasta sauce. But here at home I often don't have that much time so I have substituted bottled sauce for convenience. However I often add sautéed onions and additional garlic and herbs to the bottled sauce.

Tonight I am making this recipe for my son who is not a vegan but who appreciates a great tasting meal regardless.

For my fresh tomato sauce recipe click here.

Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells

10 oz. chopped frozen spinach, thawed
16-20 jumbo pasta shells (suitable for stuffing)
1 lb firm water packed tofu
2 tbs. nutritional yeast (opt.)
2 Tbs. Herbs de Provence (see recipe)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
5 sun-dried tomatos, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups pasta sauce (see recipe for homemade sauce)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cook the pasta shells according to package directions until al dente (approximately 6-8 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Place the spinach in a large mixing bowl or food processor. Add crumbled tofu and remaining ingredients (except for the olive oil and pasta sauce) and mix well.

Coat a 13"x 9" glass baking pan with olive oil.

Fill each pasta shells with approximately 2 tablespoons of the tofu filling and arrange, filling side up, on the prepared baking pan.
Pour the pasta sauce over the top, allowing some of the sauce to dribble to the bottom of the pan.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with Vegan Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with green salad and garlic bread for a full meal.

If you wish to freeze some, place them in a freezable container, cover and freeze before cooking. Microwave to reheat.

Labels: Italian, pasta, shells, stuffed, Vegan, Vegetarian

I haven't made pesto in quite a while but after one of my clients mentioned how much she loved it I decided to make some for dinner tonight. I grow many of my own herbs and basil so I have the ingredients on hand. And this recipe is so easy that I really have no excuse for going so long without making it.

Sometimes I omit the chili powder, but I like the way it masks the taste of the nutritional yeast. Don't get me wrong, I like nutritional yeast and the subtle, cheesy taste it offers to this recipe, but adding a dash of chili powder helps to focus the taste buds on the basil and garlic instead of the yeast.

As pictured, I used the pesto on whole grain gemelli pasta, delicious!

Garlic and Toasted Pine Nut Pesto

3 cups chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
5-7 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp. chili powder (opt.)
salt & pepper to taste

Place the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted.

In a food processor blend basil and about 2 tablespoons of the oil until it is a paste like consistency. Gradually add toasted pine nuts, nutritional yeast flakes, garlic, chili powder and oil. Continue to blend until smooth adding oil if needed to achieve desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on pasta, pizza, baked tempeh or appetizers. Top with soy Parmesan cheese if desired.

Freezes well. Freeze in ice cube trays, put frozen cubes into Ziplock bags to use in future recipes.

Labels: pasta, pesto, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Here is my coveted Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe. I learned to make this recipe in Italy. Italian tomato sauce is different than what we Americans are used to. It is light and fresh allowing the taste of the ripe tomatoes to dominate. I have Americanized this recipe a little by adding additional seasonings including Herbs de Provence (see my recipe) and fresh oregano and basil, but for a truly authentic sauce you can limit or omit the seasonings to suit your dish. (Add 1/2 c. water if using TVP)

If you prefer to use canned crushed tomatoes (2 large cans) simmer sauce until it reaches your desired consistency. It will be a lot faster than using fresh tomatoes. But if you are growing your own tomatoes this year this is a great way to use them up. Freezes well.

Italian Fresh Tomato Sauce on Whole Grain Spaghetti

* 1 large onion, minced
* 1 stalk celery finely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 Tbs. olive oil
* 4 pounds Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 2 tsp. Herbs de Provence (or Italian Seasoning)
* 1 tsp. ground oregano (or 1 Tbs. minced fresh oregano)
* 2/3 c. TVP - Textured Vegetable Protein (opt.)
* 1 tsp. Seasoning Salt
* salt and pepper to taste

In large saucepan saute' onion and celery in 2 T. olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute' 2 more minute adding more oil if needed.

Add tomatoes basil, herbs, oregano and TVP. Cook over medium-low heat until tomatoes are soft. Let simmer on low heat for 90 minutes or until thick. Before serving stir in seasoning salt and any additional salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over cooked whole grain pasta. Top with soy Parmesan cheese. Serve with garlic bread and a salad for a delicious meal.

This sauce is awesome on all pastas, cooked quinoa, and as a topping for baked tofu (add a slice of soy cheese for tofu parmesean).

Nearly fat free. To make it completely fat free water saute the vegetables and omit the olive oil.

Karen's Herbs de Provence

1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon chervil
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon summer savory
1 teaspoon lavender
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon mint
2 chopped bay leaves

Experiment with the proportions and find the flavor blend that suits your palate best. All herbs should be dried and coarsely crumbled. Mix well and store in airtight jar.

Labels: Herbs de Provence, Italy, pasta, tomato sauce

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