Day 329 Pasta with Pesto Veggies

Pasta with Pesto Veggies

8 Ounces Pasta, cooked and drained
1/4 Cup Veggie Stock
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Parsnip, peeled and chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Cup Green Beans, chopped
1/2 Onion, Chopped
1/4 Cup Pesto Sauce
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Sunflower Seeds
Nutritional Yeast for garnish

1. Heat stock in a skillet.  Add the veggies and cook until they are soft.  Mix in the pesto and olive oil.  Continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Mix in the seeds.

2.  Add the veggies to the pasta and mix well so that the sauce covers all of the pasta.  Serve with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top.

Pairs well with  2003 Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape

Soundtrack Spotify's Friendsgiving Playlist

Day 269 Almond Sauce Pasta

Almond Sauce Pasta

1/2 Cup Almond Butter
1 Tablespoon Ginger, chopped
3 Dates, pitted and chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Jalapeno Pepper, chucked
1/2 Cup Water to thin if needed
1 Pound Whole Wheat Pasta
1 Carrot, peeled and diced
1 Small Head of Broccoli, chopped
1/2 Cup Snow Peas, trimmed and chopped
1/4 Cup Basil, chopped
3 Tablespoons Mint, sliced

1.  Cook the pasta.  Drain. Quickly blanche the carrots, snow peas and broccoli in water.

Almond Sauce

2.  In a blender, add the almond butter, ginger, dates, garlic, soy sauce and jalapeno and blend until smooth.  Add the water if needed to thin.

Blanched veggies

3.  Add the almond sauce, basil, veggies and mint to the pasta. Mix well.

Soundtrack  Luke Cage Soundtrack - Various Artists

Day 264 Penne Pasta Caponata

Penne Pasta Caponata

1 Eggplant, peeled and cubed
4 Tomatoes, diced
1 Onion, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 Cup Olives, sliced
1/3 Cup Capers
1/4 Cup Veggie Stock
2 Tablespoons Parsley, chopped
1/2 Pound Penne Pasta
Balsamic Vinegar

1.  Preheat Oven to 400 F.

2.  Lightly oil a baking sheet.  Add the eggplant, tomatoes, garlic and onion.  Bake 20 minutes.

I used chickpea pasta

3.  Cook the pasta and drain.

4.  Transfer the veggies and stock to a large stock pan.  Add the olives and capers.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add the pasta and parsley.  Cook till heated through.  Add the balsamic vinegar to taste.

Soundtrack - Get Lit - Global Warming

Day 151 Rainbow Tofu Pasta

Rainbow Tofu Pasta

1 Cup Spelt Pasta, uncooked
1/4 Stock
1 Cup Firm Tofu, cubed
1/2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
1 Cup Sugar Snap Peas
2 Tablespoons Fresh Herbs, chopped
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Black Pepper and Salt to taste
2 Cups Arugula

Fresh oregano from my container garden

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water.  Heat the stock in a skillet.  Add all the remaining ingredients except for the arugula.  Heat till lightly softened.  Drain the pasta and mix with the vegetables.  Serve over the arugula.

Growing fresh herbs in the summer is great for light lunches. I used oregano, rosemary, and thyme for this dish.


Soundtrack - Surfer Blood - 1000 Palms

Day 128 Shells, Tomatoes, Garlic and Parsley

Shells, Tomatoes, Garlic and Parsley

2 Pints of Cherry, Grape, or Small Tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 Shallots, finely chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Small Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
12 Ounces Shell Shaped Pasta

Ingredients

1.  In a large skillet add all ingredients except the pasta.

Tomato mixture

2.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add pasta.  Cook until the pasta is done.  Drain and return to pot.  Warm the tomato mixture over medium heat.  They do not need to be fully cooked, just lightly heated.  Add to the pasta.  This dish can be eaten immediately or chilled for a pasta salad.

Good for camping trip to eat cold or warmed lightly on a camp stove.

Pairs well with Underwood Pinot Gris.  Canned wine is great for festival camping that does not allow bottles or any glass.

Soundtrack Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

Day 87 Lupini and Shiitake Pasta

Lupini and Shiitake Pasta

1 Recipe Neopolitan Sauce (Day 86)
2 Ounces Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
15 Ounce Jar Lupini Beans*
5 Sweet Peppers, sliced
1 Pound Penne Pasta
Nutritional Yeast for garnish

*This was my first time using lupini beans.  They are similar to fava beans with an outer shell and crunchy inside.  They are not my favorites.  I would consider substituting cannelloni beans.

Sauce

1.  Boil the pasta in a large pot according to package directions.  Drain.

2.  Heat the Neopolitan Sauce in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms, beans and peppers.  Cook until the additions are heated through.

3.  Mix with the pasta.  Garnish with the nutritional yeast.

Goes well with sesame breadsticks.

Pairs well with la Zorra temperillo.

Soundtrack Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

Day 74 Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Creamy Asparagus Pasta

8 Ounces Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1 Bunch Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 1/2 Cups Quinoa Milk
4 Teaspoons Whole Grain Mustard
1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Garlic, minced
1 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon
Zest of one Lemon
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook till almost done.  Add the asparagus and continue cooking until tender.  Drain and return to the pot.

Cooking pasta and asparagus

2.  Meanwhile, whisk the milk, mustard, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned.  Whisk in the milk mixture.  Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cooked till thickened.  Stir in tarragon, zest and juice.

Cream Sauce

3.  Stir the sauce into the pasta mixture.  Cook over medium heat until the sauce is thick, creamy and coats the pasta.  Stir in the nutritional yeast.

Soundtrack Escape the Fate - Hate Me

Day 30 Bean and Vegetable Pasta

Bean and Vegetable Pasta

12 Ounces Whole Wheat Spaghetti
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 small Carrots, diced
1 Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1 Can Cannellini Beans
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped
1 Cup Pesto (see day 26)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients

1.  Cook the spaghetti in a large pot according to package directions.

Bean and vegetables

2.  Pour oil into skillet  Add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and cook until soft.  Add the pepper, tomatoes and beans.  Cook till warm.  The pepper and tomatoes should not be overcooked.  Add the walnuts.

Pasta with the pesto

3.  Drain pasta.  Return to large pot and add the pesto.  Mix well.  Add the bean and vegetable mix.  Stir well.  Add salt and pepper if needed.

Ready to serve

Goes well with Zucchini Slaw

Pairs well with 2007 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf du Pape

Soundtrack Fugazi - Steady Diet of Nothing

Day 4 Pesto Pasta

Pesto Pasta

1 small package pasta (penne or macaroni style)
1/2 cup pesto
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
onion, chopped
carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Large can artichoke hearts
Salt if needed

1. For the pasta, I used a quinoa/brown rice blend, but any type will do.  Boil the pasta according to the package directions.

I used a home made arugula pesto that was heavy on the garlic

2.  Place olive oil in a medium skillet.  Saute the onions, garlic and carrot.

3.  Dump the can of artichokes in a colander to drain.  Cut or tear into small pieces,  When the pasta is tender, dump in the colander over the artichokes.  The water will heat up the artichokes so that they will not need to be cooked.

4.  Place pasta and artichokes in the pan used for cooking the pasta.  Add the sauteed veggies and the pesto.  Stir well. Add salt if needed. The pasta is ready to eat.

Soundtrack Ween - Live at Stubbs

Wine - Essay Chenin Blanc

Goes well with the Haricot Verts and Mustard Vinaigrette and Quinoa with Brussel Sprouts

New Stuff

Oatmeal

A trip to the grocery store means lots of new recipes to try.  I started with a crock pot oatmeal.  This is another way to cook the steel cut oats without a lot of work.  Before bedtime, the oats, frozen mixed vegetables, water, cinnamon, vanilla cashew milk and nutmeg are added to the pot.  In the morning, breakfast is ready.  The cashew milk was a new item, I had been wondering when I would see this product.  I have not tried alone, but  it worked well in the oatmeal.

Later in the morning I made a drink from soaked dates, maca powder, cinnamon, ice and water combined in the blender.  It tasted like what I would imagine date milk tasting.

Lunch was a large salad of spinach, very strong purple onion, soaked almonds, red pepper and mushrooms.  The dressing was made with lemon juice, dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, garlic powder, pepper and hemp seeds.

Maple Dijon Salad

For an afternoon snack, I made some raw cookie dough balls.  Walnuts, quinoa flakes, vanilla, and dates were combined in the food processor. Chopped chocolate chips were then mixed in.  The dough was rolled into balls and chilled in the refrigerator.

Cookie Dough Balls

For dinner we had a Pesto Pasta.  The pesto was made with basil, garlic, cannellini beans, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, lemon and olive oil.  The pesto was served over brown rice spaghetti.  The beans made the pesto much richer than regular pesto.

Pesto Pasta

A side salad rounded off the meal.  I mashed avocado and lemon juice together and topped spring mix with it.

Addicted to Results 5/5 and 5/6

I am doing 2 days on this post because I have not been taking pictures of many meals.
5/5
Breakfast - Apple Banana Muffin with apple butter and an orange
Lunch - Barley with Tofu Stir Fry on top and tomato and corn mix on the side
Dinner - Sun Dried Tomato Risotto and Tomato Cucumber Salad, wine
Snacks - muffins, crackers with Green Pea Hummus

5/6
Breakfast at Atwaters - Bagel with jam and fruit plate

Lunch - Pasta Salad and Apple Banana Muffins

Dinner - Vegan Mac and Cheese and Tomato Cucumber Salad, wine

Snack - muffin, cracker with Green Pea Hummus