Pearl Barley Stir Fry

 

 

 Ingredients

1 cup pearl barley
1 1/2 to 2 cups vegetable stock
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs dry white wine (optional)
1 head of broccoli, chopped
Any other veggies you want to add (I put in some spinach and cabbage)
S&P

How to Make Pearl Barley Stir Fry

This one takes a little bit longer to make because of the barley, but is a really hearty and delicious dish!

 In a large, shallow pan, saute the onion and garlic, lightly salted, for about 3 minutes.  Then, add the barley and saute for about 3-5 more.  Feel free to add a bit more oil if it looks too dry.   When the barley is fragrant, add the white wine, stirring constantly.  

Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer covered on low for about 45 minutes until the barley is soft, but still has some bite.  Then, add the broccoli on top and cover for about 3 minutes.  Broccoli should be bright green and tender.  Add S&P as needed and enjoy!

Meatball Bake

 Ingredients

6 vegan/vegetarian meatballs.  I like the ones made of mushrooms.
1 cup spaghetti sauce
2-4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into pieces

 How to Make Meatball Bake

This is a super easy, delicious weeknight meal that the Beau really loved.  I was inspired by some fresh motz that needed to be used and some leftover spaghetti sauce.  Feel free to add in whatever you want here, but I found that this was simple and delicious.

Little ramekins will make this a lot easy to make and serve, but if you don’t have any, you can use oven-safe bowls or a little oven-safe dish.  This might not seem like a lot of food, but it is actually quite filling.  I served this up with a nice green salad (and some wine of course).

To make, warm sauce and meatballs together in a small sauce pan.  Then, simply spoon the sauce and meatballs into the ramekins and cover evenly with cheese.  Put under the broiler on low until cheese is melted and bubbling.  Enjoy!!

Arugula White Pizza

 

Ingredients

1 whole wheat prepared pizza dough (WW optional)
about 1/2 cup olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
1 shallot
2 sage leaves
1 thyme sprig
S&P
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup  freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup freshly grated Asiago
9 thin slices of Fontina
2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup slice basil
Balsamic Vinegar (optional)

How to make Arugula White Pizza

I made this pizza to celebrate my new oven!  It is so delicious!!

Let the pizza dough rest according to the directions.  Then, stretch it out into whatever shape pleases you most.  I like to put it into the oven when it is almost preheated and let the dough crisp up a bit more.  I usually keep it in there for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat minced garlic and shallots with the torn sage and thyme over medium low heat in the oil.  I usually let this cook for about 10 minutes as well to ensure that all of the flavor seeps into the oil.  Add S&P and red crushed pepper halfway through this.

Remove the dough from the oven and evenly pour the olive oil mixture over the pizza.  Top with the slices of fontina.  Then add the tomatoes and half of the basil and sprinkle the other cheese on top.

Bake in the oven for about 10-13 minutes, or until crust is crispy and the cheese is bubbly.  Let the pizza stand for about 2 minutes and add the arugula and the remaining basil.  Serve with a side of balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

Breakfast Burritos

 

Ingredients

2 tortillas, warmed
1 avocado, sliced
1 large potato, thinly sliced
3 eggs, beaten
1 tbs milk
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese or Asiago
1/2 cup arugula
1 green onion
1 1/2 tbs oil, divided
1 pinch granulated garlic
salsa
cilantro
sour cream
S&P

 

How to make Breakfast Burrito

This is the perfect way to use up some of those ingredients you have in the fridge on a night that you want some simple, delicious, filling dinner.

In a non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbs oil over medium heat.  Add potato, salt, pepper, and garlic and saute for about 8 minutes or until tender.  Transfer to a paper towel and blot off extra oil.

Heat remaining 1/2 tbs of oil in the same pan, and add beaten eggs with milk and cheese beaten into them.  Add salt and pepper and a pinch more garlic.  Heat evenly over low heat, scrapping the pan with a heat resistant spatula as the bottom warms.  Heat through.

Assemble potatoes, eggs, arugula, cilantro, onion, cilantro, salsa, and sour cream on warmed tortillas and serve hot.

Brie and Apple Sandwiches

 

Ingredients

2 large slices of rustic sourdough bread
5 slices of good quality Brie cheese
1 cup arugula (loosely packed)
5-8 grape tomatoes, halved
1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
Balsamic vinegar
Fresh cracked pepper

How to make Brie and Apple Sandwiches

This is such a yummy sandwich that won't make you feel too full or bloated after you eat it.  I often use light brie cheese, but you can go for the full fat too.

Toast the bread on high in a panini maker or stove top.  Layer the cheese right on to the warm bread, followed by the tomatoes, apples, and arugula.  Drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the arugula and top with fresh crack pepper.

I serve 1/2 sandwich with an arugula and strawberry salad, but you could double this and have two large sandwiches for an entree.

Soyrizo Shepherd's Pie

 

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup loosely packed Soyrizo
2-3 cloves garlic
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup frozen corn
2 cups mashed potatoes (fresh or instant)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 pinch of cumin
oil
breadcrumbs
Asiago cheese

How to make Soyrizo Shepherd's Pie

This was inspired by my friend's husband who cooked mashed potatoes for his (meaty) shepherd's pie with chillies.  It's delicious and a bit healthier for you than traditional shepherd's pie.

To save time, I used a pack of instant roasted garlic mashed potatoes (I know, I know), but fresh is always better.

To begin, turn your oven to broil. 

Then, brown onions slightly over medium heat in a non-stick skillet with some vegetable oil.  This will take about 10-15 minutes.  When browned, place them in an even layer in a shallow 8x8 baking dish.

Cook soyrizo in a bit of oil until heated through (about 4 minutes).  Layer 1/2 of the soyrizo over the onions.  Set other 1/2 aside.

Heat more oil in the same skillet.  Add carrots, celery, and garlic.  Season with cumin.  Cook until mostly soft, adding a bit of water to steam the vegetables quicker.  When vegetables are also done, add the peas and corn.  Cook until heated.  Layer this on top of the 1st layer of soyrizo, and then top with more soyrizo. 

For the mashed potatoes, stir in the chili powder.  Taste, and add more as needed.  Spread the potatoes in an even layer across the top layer of soyrizo.  Top with breadcrumbs and shredded Asiago cheese.  Bake until golden brown.

I served mine with a hearty salad and topped with a few green onions.  Enjoy!

Pasta with White Wine Sauce

 

Ingredients

8 oz fresh, dry pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1/2-1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2-1 cup vegetable stock
3/4 lb asparagus
1 tsp lemon pepper (optional)
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch salt (plus more for pasta water)
6-8 grape tomatoes, halved
Asiago and Parmesan cheese

How to make Pasta with White Wine Sauce

Serves 3-4

This recipe has become a staple in my house because of how easy it is to make and how DELICIOUS it is when you're done.

Be sure that you use good quality pasta in the dish because the sauce is so simple.  I used garlic basil linguine from Trader Joe's.  You can also use different vegetables, if you like.  I sometimes use green beans or broccoli; just be sure to adjust your cooking time a bit.

In a medium pot, bring some salted water with a pinch of red pepper flakes to a boil.  Add pasta and cook slightly less time than the package directions.  If you are using fresh pasta, it will only take a few minutes to cook, so plan accordingly.  Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and shallot and cook about 3 minutes.  Slowly pour in the white wine and add the vegetable stock.  Add the trimmed and cut asparagus.  Make sure that there is just enough liquid to cover the asparagus.  Add the lemon pepper and salt.  Reduce heat to medium low and cover. 

When asparagus is crisp tender, add the pasta, tomatoes, and a bit of the pasta water.  Stir and adjust the liquid to ensure that it is not too soupy but that there is enough sauce.

Serve topped with cheese.  Enjoy!

Veggie Frittata

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbs vegetable oil
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1/2 large diced tomato
4 large beaten eggs
1 cup chopped spinach
1-3 tsp garlic salt
1/2-1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

How to make Veggie Frittata

This recipe is great because you can take anything that you might have in the fridge and throw it into a frittata.  I used things that I needed to get rid of soon, but you can put in anything you like.

In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil and add the diced shallot, garlic, and bell pepper.  Cook over medium heat until softened and very fragrant.  Then, add the spinach and tomato and simmer for about another minute or two until the spinach is mostly wilted.

In another bowl, whisk eggs, salt, red pepper, and pepper.  Then, just before adding to the other ingredients, add 1/2 of the cheese to the eggs and stir.

Add this to the skillet and cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.  As it is cooking, scrape the sides and bottom of the pan to move the egg around.  When the eggs are mostly cooked but still a bit loose, cover with remaining  cheese and put into a 400 degree oven. 

Set the oven to high broil and leave the eggs in for about 2 minutes until cheese is slightly brown.

Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes more to let the eggs set.

Cut into wedges and enjoy!