Macaroni Salad

Macaroni Salad

This is an old 70’s style macaroni.

2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1 cup fresh or defrosted frozen corn kernels
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cucumber, seeded and cut into quarters
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped chives or green onions
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup vegan mayonnaise (vegenaise)
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and enjoy.
You can also add 2 teaspoons curry powder to mix it up a bit.

VEGETARIAN “MEATBALLS”

VEGETARIAN “MEATBALLS”

By: Lorena Uriarte

A great family dish for all to share, they will be surprised when you tell them they are meat free!

Serves: 16 meatballs
Preparation: 15 minutes + 30 minutes refrigeration
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Set oven to 190C

Ingredients:
½ c cheddar cheese, grated
¼ c parmesan cheese, grated
4 eggs, lightly beaten
½ c walnuts, finely chopped in a food processor
1 c breadcrumbs, large crumb
2 cups cooked lentils (or a tin if you are rushed), well drained
200 gm mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mixed herbs
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Using your (clean) hands, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Form into 16 balls and place on a paper lined baking tray.
4. Spray with canola oil.
5. Bake at 190C for 20 minutes, turning occasionally for an even colour.

At this stage you can add the “meatballs” to your tomato sauce or use it in other recipes.

Variations:
Add tomato paste, chilli or chopped fresh herbs to the mix for a different flavour.
The same mix can be formed into patties for burgers. oil the grill plate well so they don't stick.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

1 medium zucchini, diced
1 red or yellow pepper, seeded and diced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces whole-wheat pasta of your choice
½ cup crumbled feta cheese for sprinkling at the table.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil.
Toss zucchini, bell pepper and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large roasting pan or large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables, stirring every 5 minutes, until tender and browned, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, basil, garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook pasta until just tender. Drain and transfer to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add the roasted vegetables and toss well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve, passing feta cheese separately.

Note: I added some sliced shitake mushrooms while baking. It was delicious.

Fusilli alla Caprese

Fusilli alla Caprese

1 pound fusilli pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 ½ pints)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 ¼ cups)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky sauce, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta and toss to combine. Stir in the basil leaves and mozzarella, then add the reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

Pasta with Asparagus-Lemon Sauce

Pasta with Asparagus-Lemon Sauce

1 pound fresh, medium thickness asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound penne or preferred pasta
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces; reserve tips separately. Cook asparagus stems in 5 to 6 quarts boiling water with 2 tablespoons salt until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving cooking water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain asparagus well and transfer to a food processor or blender.

Cook asparagus tips in the same boiling water until just tender, 3 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to colander, reserving boiling water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain tips well.

Puree asparagus stems with zest, oil, and ½ cup asparagus cooking water. Transfer sauce to a 4-quart saucepan.

Cook pasta in boiling asparagus cooking water for about three-fourths of the recommended time (very el dente). You will finish cooking off the pasta in a sauce pan.
Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain pasta.

Add pasta, asparagus tips, and ½ cup reserved water to asparagus sauce and cook over gigh heat, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until pasta is almost al dente and sauce coasts pasta. Add more cooking water, a bit at a time, until sauce coats pasta but is a little loose (the cheese will thicken it slightly).

Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt and pepper, to taste and cook, stirring until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Fusilli alla Caprese

Fusilli alla Caprese

1 pound fusilli pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 ½ pints)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 ¼ cups)

Bring a large pot of slated water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky sauce, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta and toss to combine. Stir in the basil leaves and mozzarella, then add the reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

Aglio e olio

Aglio e olio

This is a very simple pasta but very delicious. If you don’t have a lot of time to make dinner, this is perfect. Serve with a simple salad and a baguette, you have a nice dinner in no time.

½ lb spaghetti or linguine
1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp hot pepper flakes
Handful of Italian parsley (flat leaf parsley) chopped
Freshly ground pepper

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta reserving a bit of the pasta water. If the pasta is too dry, you can add a bit of the pasta water at the end. Try to time the olio and the pasta to be done at the same time.

In a small sauce pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, salt, and hot pepper flakes and stir. Turn the heat to low and gently cook the garlic until golden but make sure you do not let the garlic get too dark. Garlic burns very easily and tastes bitter if over cooked. Cook for about 8-10 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Toss the pasta and olio adding some of the reserved pasta water if the pasta is too dry. Add the parsley and pepper to taste.

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
• 3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

nocoupons

• 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

* 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
* 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
* 2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
* 4 cremini mushrooms, halved
* 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
* 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
* 1 pound penne pasta
* 3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
* 1 cup grated fontina cheese
* 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
* 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
* 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.