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!!

Green Mac 'n' Cheese

 

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil (plus more)
1 Leek
1.5 cups frozen, thawed spinach
1 tbs dry white wine
1 tbs flour
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 cup Gouda (I used goat milk Gouda)
1/2 cup Farm cheddar
1/4 cup black pepper Taleggio
2.5 cups skim milk
2 tbs low fat cream cheese
1 lb whole wheat pasta (I used penne)
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend or Asiago or Parm
S&P

How to make Green Mac 'n' Cheese

I made this on Halloween as a green treat for the man.  It came out so yummy, so even though it was an experiment and not supposed to go on the blog, I decided I had to take a picture and share it.

I was originally intending to put artichoke hearts in here, but when I went to look for them, they were no where to be found.  I'll be sure to have them on hand next time and add them to the mix!  Feel free to add whatever other veggies you like.  I tried to use healthy ingredients wherever possible since the cheese is so...er...delicious.


Start with a high edged saute pan or a sauce pan.  Heat oil over medium high head and add the light green and white parts of the leek (diced).  Season with salt, pepper, and garlic.  Saute until fragrant.  Add in the spinach and cook for about 4 minutes.  Add wine and cook for about 3 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in heavily salted water until al dente.  Reserve about 2 tbs of the cooking water.

When the alcohol has burned off of the wine, add a bit of the pasta water, if needed.  Cook for about 2 minutes.

If the spinach mixture looks like it needs a bit more oil, feel free to add some.  You don't want it to be oily, but there does need to be some fat in the pan.  Then, whisk (or fork) in the flour, a little a time until the mixture is quite thick.  You do not want to brown the roux, so keep the heat low and stir constantly.  Then, add the milk a little a time.  Cook for about 4 minutes.  The sauce will thicken as it cooks.  Stir in the cream cheese and melt it. 

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the Gouda, Cheddar, and Taleggio until melted.  Then, pour over the pasta in a casserole dish and stir to coat all of the noodles.  Top with Italian blend and place under the broiler on "LOW" for about 5 minutes or until top cheese is crispy and brown.  Serve and ENJOOOOOY!!!

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

1 8 oz package of extra firm tofu
1 can of water chestnuts
2 stalks of celery
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbs cilantro
2-3 tbs Hoisin sauce
1-2 tbs soy sauce
rice noodles (optional)
vegetable/sesame oil
Black, toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Butter lettuce leaves

How to make Lettuce Wraps

One day, every where I looked (OK, mostly Food Network), someone was making lettuce wraps!  I had never tried to make them before, so I thought I would give it a shot.  They turned out great, and even the tofu hating beau loved them!  I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the mixture with the lettuce because as soon as they were down on the plate, we devoured them!

In a large bowl, mash the tofu into little bits with your hands.  Mince the water chestnuts, celery, and cilantro and mix them with the tofu.

Add about 1/2 tbs oil in large skillet and heat over medium.  Add the minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the tofu mixture, soy sauce, and hoisin.  Heat through.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat about 1 cup of vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add rice noodles and remove immediately after they puff up (about 3 seconds).

Wrap spoonfuls of the tofu mixture in the lettuce and top with the crispy rice noodles.  Serve with a favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

28 oz can of diced tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried Italian herb mix
1 pinch granulated onion/onion flakes
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
6-8 whole peppercorns
1 pinch red pepper flakes
S&P
Splash of balsamic vinegar (optional)

1 tsp reduced fat cream cheese (optional)

10 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked in salted water
Parmesan Cheese (optional)

 

How to make Spaghetti Sauce

This is a recipe that only gets better the longer you cook it, so be prepared to wait a bit for the deliciousness that will ensue.

If you like, add some vegetable towards the end!

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic, salt and pepper.  Heat until fragrant (about 4 minutes).  Add in tomatoes and juice, herbs, and seasonings.  Be careful with the salt here.  You do not want to over salt this because it will reduce.

Bring to a slow boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cover and cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  For the last 30 minutes, I leave it uncovered to reduce a bit more.  If using the cream cheese and/or balsamic, add it in at the very end.

Break up any large pieces of tomato with a fork, and serve tossed with pasta and topped with Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!