tasty

Meatless Nomming Pt. II – Pasta Dish

~ PB34 ~ Leave a comment

For this recipe, I was in the midst of dealing with company (not my doing) and deciding my dinner with other tummies in mind. With a fresh garden at my fingertips and a stock of pasta and tomato sauce, I decided to have at it. And so did everyone else…

Meatless Spaghetti and Sauce

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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No meat doesn't mean boring. Let's brighten this plate.



Ingredients

  • 1/2 a box of Veggie Pasta
  • 1/2 a box of Whole Wheat Pasta
  • 1 Onion
  • 2-3 fresh tomatoes
  • 1-2 Fresh Basil Leaves
  • 1-2 Fresh Rosemary Sprigs
  • 1 can of Tomato Sauce (I love Heinz!)
  • Minced Garlic (2 cloves)
  • Oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Meatless Features: Olives and Mushrooms (Shiitake or Portobella)

Directions

  1. Prepare your ingredients – Dice your tomatoes and olives, mince your basil and onion, and chop your oregano, garlic and mushrooms. Prepare your sprigs of rosemary, and oregano and set them aside. Separate each into various bowls or holding spaces. Like a cutting board or a clean counter.
  2. Boil fresh water in a large pot, add a pinch of salt.
  3. Prepare a large pan – Add vegetable oil
  4. Heat the pan – Add your garlic and onions and let them cook for a minute or two.
  5. Add your sauce – Stir in all of your veggies and herbs. At low heat, simmer for at least 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  6. Cook pasta in the boiled water. Most pasta is finished between 8 to 10 minutes. The longer boiled, results a softer noodle.
  7. Drain, and toss pasta with olive oil
  8. Check that sauce! Can you smell it yet? Prepare to add it to your pasta.
  9. Throw it all together! – Toss pasta and sauce into a large dish.

And that’s it! If you’re not vegan, add some of your favorite cheese to add to the top of any plate.
Happy Nomming! 

Meatless Nomming Pt. I

~ PB34 ~ 1 Comment

In this edition, I highlight how slight hunger and ingredients around the house, can make way for a simple, yet affordable meal.

Jasmine Rice & Pigeon Peas

servings = 1-2, time = 15-20 minutes, difficulty = easy

A light, savory and simple Asian inspired dish, perfect for lunch or supper.

Meatless feature: Pigeon Peas

By User:C.L. Ramjohn (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
By User:C.L. Ramjohn (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.htm)

Ingredients:

1 Can of Pigeon Peas
1 cup of Jasmine Rice or the microwaveable version
1 tbs of chopped green onions (scallions)
less than 1 tsp of minced hot pepper or a similar powdered variant
less than 1 tsp. Minced ginger
1 tbs of vegetable oil

Choose your rice:

If you are cooking from scratch, you must boil the water first THEN add the rice. The more water, the softer the rice and vice versa. Add any butter or salt for additional taste! Follow the bag’s cooking instructions, but most rice generally cooks between 15 to 25 minutes.

Add everything together:

1. Heat a pan with your vegetable oil
2. Add the minced veggies and spices
3. Add your rice and let it warm up for a minute or two
4. Add your peas (a balanced ratio between rice and peas)
5. Stir the ingredients together

Additional tips: Add a teaspoon of sesame oil and soy sauce during the final mixing for a more authentic taste!

And you’re done! Happy Nomming!

Spicy Sardine Soup (with Ramen!) – Meatless Nomming Pt. III

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For this recipe, I was hungry, moody and desperate. Not an ideal combination when it comes to daily food intake, but with some searching around the kitchen, here is today’s how-to for stretching those noodles. With those forgotten sardines!

Spicy Sardine Ramen

  • Servings: 1-2
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From non-perishable leftovers, to a savory supper.



Credits to my stomach


Ingredients

  • Ramen of your choice
  • Canned Sardines
  • Chopped onions
  • Chopped peppers
  • Minced or powdered garlic
  • A sprig of thyme (fresh or dried)
  • 2 to 4 tsps of Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp of vegetable oil or spraying equivalent


Directions

  1. Boil a small pot of water for your noodles
  2. With a small saute pan, prepare with a cooking oil. Set heat to medium.
  3. Add your onion, peppers and or garlic, and saute for at least one minute
  4. Add the sardines
  5. Add the soy sauce
  6. Saute your ingredients for another minute or two.
    7. Keep stirring!
  7. Add the ramen and thyme to the water, return to boil for the recommended time.
  8. With a large bowl, add the ramen and your sauteed ingredients on top.

And you’re done! Happy Nomming!

Summer Smoothies & Juice: Tasty Recipes

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Because I like to be fancy with a tall glass and a nice blender, here are some recipes you should consider for the upcoming breezy porch days ahead:

Pomegranate & Apple Juice – I perfected this using a whole pomegranate and getting all the pods out while watching Master Chef. If this isn’t an ideal activity for you, there are pomegranate seeds that can be purchased on their own. After cutting up your apple of choice (I prefer honey crisp or Granny Smith apples) and any juicer, you’re good to go! Serve chilled with a slice of lemon or orange. For added ‘extra’ taste and even more benefits, throw in a few blueberries. 

Apple, Carrots & Berries (Oh My!) – Thrown in some cut apples, strawberries and raspberries and some carrots for good measure. This can either be a juice (no ice) or a smoothie (some dairy or dairy-free product). Either way it’s refreshing and good. 

Apple, Ginger, Carrot & Mint Juice – My mother used to wake me up with this around 9AM. Something about getting the nutrients better and more energy. It was annoying because I wasn’t actually awake yet…but it did taste good. Use at least two apples, a small bit of ginger, and a whole carrot and a few leaves for at least two servings. 

Banana Mint Smoothie – Some people don’t care for mint, but it’s healthy for you. And during the hot days, you’ll need that little ‘kick’ that makes you feel good in the soul. Mint could be that foot. Cut up some bananas (I actually detest this fruit but I like it mashed and pureed…) and add a few fresh leaves of mint. If you’re blessed with a green thumb, you can use the mint variety such as chocolate, or orange mint. 

This smells like chocolate I swear. By Downtowngal on wikimedia commons.

 

Happy Nomming!