Pasta Primavera; Meatless Monday

Sometimes my children get bored of having rice for dinner on a daily basis and ask for something else.. While they are not much of a pasta fan, I think this particular time, they just felt like pasta and requested for pasta for dinner. I had a lonely pack of Rotelle pasta sitting in my pantry and decided to use it. I was going to make a basic white sauce, throw in some peas and carrots and call it a day. Coincidently, on the back of the pasta package I found the recipe for Rotelle Primavera. Usually I am wary about recipes on the box but this one was vegetarian and had green beans asparagus, green peas and bell peppers. When I looked in my freezer, I found that I had used up my peas and carrots but I had a handful of just peas. In my refrigerator I had fresh green beans and purple asparagus. I didn’t have any peppers on hand. I didn’t have half and half so I used whole milk instead, which also cuts the calories!  I decided to try the recipe. I am glad I did. It was quick and easy to make and the taste was delicious! The kids loved it and so did hubby!! I strongly recommend this wholesome pasta recipe, especially now that spring is here and there will be a plethora of fresh vegetables in the market. No, this post has not been sponsored by Ronzoni pasta!! 

Servings: 6-8

Prep time: 15 minsCook time: 15 minsTotal time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

8 ozRonzoni® Rotelle

1/2 lbfresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces 

1 lbasparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 Tbspbutter

1 Tbspolive oil

1 tspsalt

2 Tbspsall purpose flour

1 1/2 cupswhole milk or half and half. 

1 cupfrozen peas

1/3 cupgrated Parmesan cheese1 tsp 

 freshly ground black pepper

Method :

Prepare pasta according to package directions, adding green beans to pasta cooking water during last 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with olive oil; add asparagus. Season with salt. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetable are crisp-tender; reduce heat to medium. 

Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

 Add milk and peas. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture thickens slightly. 

Toss hot cooked pasta and green beans with sauce; serve with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. 

Serve hot!

Enjoy!!

Cooking made easy: 

You can use other vegetables that you may have on hand such as broccoli, peas and carrot, cauliflower etc. 

South of the Border Burrito; Meatless Monday vegan recipe and a giveaway!!

My family is a connoisseur of vegetarian food. Fish and chicken is cooked only occasionally. I love fish and cannot resist grilled chicken. However, my husband and kids prefer vegetarian food over non-vegetarian. Needless to say, I therefore end up cooking more vegetarian dishes than non-vegetarian. Truth be told, personally for me, cooking a vegetarian dish is much easier and quicker than non-vegetarian.

I am a huge supporter of the Meatless Monday Movement. I often feel that people in the West have this misconception that a meal is incomplete without some form of animal protein and that animal protein is essential for normal growth and development.  Indian cuisine proves that this is a myth. Many Indians are vegetarian and lead a healthy, whole and successful life. 

Coming back to the recipe on hand.. when Taylor from Meatless Monday told me about an opportunity to work with Kristi Funk by trying one of her healthy recipes that support her  latest book filled with tons of information regarding breast cancer, how to prevent it with a healthy lifestyle, I was all for it! I am always on the quest for cooking in a healthier manner. I grew up in a family where 1 liter of oil would last the entire month. This recipe of Kristi’s uses no oil at all! I had to try that. I have to tell you, it came out delicious!! 

For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Kristi Funk, she is a leading board-certified breast cancer surgeon and specialist in comprehensive wellness, including nutrition, fitness, and stress management. Best known as the breast surgeon for Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crow, Dr. Funk has compiled her accessible and powerful strategies for reducing cancer risk and achieving optimal overall health into a much-anticipated book, Breasts: The Owner’s Manual, which came on shelves May 1, 2018.

Dr. Funk embraces meat reduction for healthy living. She personally provided a selection of delicious Meatless Monday recipes exclusively for us to try. One of them was the South of the Border Burrito. I tried it and everyone at home loved it! It was quick and easy. I would have never imagined that cooking without oil would taste so good! I made some minor changes to it due to lack of some ingredients. I didn’t have cilantro or avocado and therefore skipped it. I used chopped lettuce instead. Instead of Braggs amino acids I used tamari sauce. I have described the recipe verbatim as provided by her.

If you would like a copy of Dr Funk’s book, sign up with your email to participate in the give away! 

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz.) organic firm or extra firm, well drained tofu (prep technique below)

1 onion

1 large green pepper

1 large red pepper

2 handfuls chopped spinach

2 tomatoes

1 tsp turmeric

2 T Bragg Amino acids (or tamari)

Veggie broth to broth sauté

Salsa

1 Avocado

Cilantro to taste

Whole grain tortillas

Directions:

Heat pan with a tiny bit of broth just covering the bottom of the pan. Once the broth is simmering, add the chopped onions, tomatoes and peppers. Sauté until they start to get soft (about 6-8 minutes). Keep adding broth by the tablespoon when pan is gets too dry.

Crumble tofu (I use my hands), add turmeric and Bragg Amino acids and sauté until everything is starting to brown just a bit.

Add spinach, turn OFF heat, and toss for a minute or so.

Taste and decide if you want to add a little more Bragg’s.

Heat tortilla until soft and fill with mixture. Add salsa, cilantro and avocado and wrap into a burrito.

Tip: Draining tofu completely is important. Cut the tofu block in half and press in clean kitchen towels, then wrap in a dry towel and place under a heavy pan (or a stack of books!). Leave for at least 20 minutes and change out towels if they get too saturated. Better yet, buy a tofu press... such a great gadget to have!

I am bringing this salad to all my friends at Angie's Fiesta Friday #223. Her cohost this week is the amazing Mollie @ The Frugal Hausfrau.

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Quick Fish Tacos; semi-homemade

It is Cinco de Mayo today!!! Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over the French forces at the Battle of  Puebla.  It is celebrated with great pomp in this part of the world. This was just a reason for me to make Tacos. Everyone in my home loves tacos; any kind! We love vegetarian tacos, bean tacos, fish tacos, chicken tacos.. You name it, we like it; except the ones with meat in it. You see we don't eat meat.

Tacos are nothing but some kind of vegetarian or meat filling in the middle of a small tortilla ( roti) that is usually topped with lettuce/shredded cabbage, onion, sour cream, taco sauce and shredded cheese. When I make tacos at home, I make it healthy by switching the sour cream with Greek yogurt and using low fat shredded cheese. I sometimes skip the cheese in mine altogether. I also substitute lettuce with shredded cabbage. I also sometimes top it with baked butternut squash. You can make a vegetarian version using just butternut squash and the shredded lettuce and sauces.

Tacos are perfect for weeknight dinners when you don't have much time or patience and want to rustle something quick and easy. You can serve it with guacamole , any kind of salsa,  pico de gallo or salsa verde if you wish.

I often keep some organic, least processed breaded fish fillets in my freezer for quick use. I also almost always have some organic corn tortilla in my refrigerator handy.
Today, I am sharing with you one of my easy, quick to rustle taco recipes. 

I am bringing this to all my friends at Angie's Fiesta Friday!!   Monika @ Everyday Healthy Recipes and Sue @ Birgerbird are the co-hosts this weekend!

Servings: 2 ( 2 per person)

Prep time: 5-10 minsCook time: 15-20 minsTotal time: 20-30 mins

Ingredients:

Corn tortillas: 4 (in number )
Breaded fish stick or fish fillets: 4 in number
Greek yogurt: 1/2 cup ( may not need all)
Chopped onion: 1/4 cup
Shredded cabbage: 1/2 cup
Taco sauce: 1/4 cup ( may not need all)
Shredded low fat Mexican blend cheese: 1/2 cup ( may not need all)
Roasted butternut squash cubes: 1 cup ( may not need all), ( optional)

Method:

Cook the breaded fish sticks in the oven or the microwave as per the instructions on the package and keep ready.

If you wish to add roasted  butternut squash(optional), roast it in the oven in a single layer at 350 degrees for 30mins. Keep ready.

When the fish is cooking, finely shred /chop the cabbage/lettuce and keep ready.

Assembling the tacos:

Warm up the corn tortilla on a griddle or for 10 seconds in the microwave.  

Place the tortilla on the serving plate.

Apply a layer of Greek yogurt. 

Now, place one piece of cooked breaded fish. 

Top it with 1/2 tsp chopped onion, 1 tbsp shredded cabbage and 1 tbsp shredded cheese.

If using roasted butternut squash, add it to the taco before the cheese.


Drizzle taco sauce on top.

Do the same with all 4 tacos.

Serve  it with guacamole , any kind of salsa,  pico de gallo or salsa verde if you wish. Eat immediately.

Cooking made easy:

Tacos are usually assembled by the individual who is eating it. Tacos made ahead of time becomes soggy.

Tip for healthy living:

Tacos can be made gluten free by using corn tortillas. You can totally skip the yogurt and shredded cheese and make it vegan by substituting it with a cabbage slaw.

Food for thought:

Nothing is possible until you do. Maya Angelo

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Vegetarian Bean Quesadilla

My daughter is that stage of growing where she wants to try different kinds of cuisine and food. She also tells me that she does not want to eat baby food anymore. She wants to eat "grown up" food. So for dinner the other day I decided to make some thing that she could eat. She prefers vegetarian fare. I know she likes rotis/ chapatis which are basically Indian flat bread that is like a whole wheat tortilla. She also likes cheese and sour cream. I decided to make a bean quesadilla using most of the ingredients that she likes or will eat. I swapped the sour cream with Greek yogurt. The beans stuffing was easy to make and she liked it.

I added some picked jalapeños to half it for my husband and I to spice it up a bit. I served it with fresh salsa with avocado and Greek yogurt. The end result was so good that my husband asked me where I had gotten the quesadilla from!! 

Do try it. It is great because you don't have to slave in front of the stove in this warm weather.The recipe is also in time for Cinco de mayo and Mother's Day which is around the corner! Serve the quesadilla with guacamole , any kind of salsa,  pico de gallo or salsa verde, or all of them if you wish!

Servings: 3-4

Prep time: 10 minsCook time: 15 minsTotal time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Whole wheat tortillas/ roti/ Chapati: 2, large.
Mexican shredded cheese mix: 1 cup
Greek yogurt: 1/2 cup

For the bean stuffing:
Cooked & drained red kidney beans : 2 cups ( or 1 can (8oz).
Cooking oil: 1 tsp ( I used coconut oil)
Onion: 1 small, diced fine
Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp
Bell pepper/ capsicum, diced fine: 1/4 cup
Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Cilantro, chopped fine: 1 tbsp ( optional)
Pickled jalapeños, chopped: 1 tsp ( optional)

Method:

Heat the oil in a sauce pan or sauté pan on medium heat.

Add the dice onion. Sauté until the onion begins to sweat.

Add the diced bell peppers. Sauté for a minute.

Add the cumin powder. Sauté for 10-20 seconds.

Add the cooked and drained red kidney beans, salt, black pepper and mix well until it all comes together.

Using a potato masher, lightly mash this mixture.

Add finely chopped cilantro. Mix.

Turn off the flame and keep aside.

Heat a griddle/ tawa on medium flame. Place one roti/ chapati/tortilla on it. Reduce the flame to low.

Spread the bean mixture on top of the tortilla evenly.

Sprinkle the pickled jalapeño pieces if you want it spicy.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. 

Place the second roti/chapati/ tortilla on top. Let it cook for a minute or two.

If possible, flip the quesadilla and cook for a minute on the other side. If you cannot flip, it is ok. Just continue cooking for couple more minutes until the cheese melts.

Turn off the flame. Using a pizza cutter or serrated knife , cut it into six pieces/ wedges.

Top it with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Serve it with guacamole , any kind of salsa,  pico de gallo or salsa verde if you wish.!

Enjoy!

I am bringing this to all my friends at Angie's Fiesta Friday for the Cinco de Mayo celebrations!!   Monika @ Everyday Healthy Recipes and Sue @ Birgerbird are the co-hosts this weekend!

Cooking made easy:

If you are gluten free, you can use corn tortillas. If the tortilla is really small, just cut it into 2 or 4 pieces.

Alternatively, you can use just one tortilla, put the filling on one half of the tortilla, top it with cheese and fold the other half of the tortilla on top. You can then choose to cut it into 3 pieces/wedges or just 2 halves.

Tip for healthy living:

You can enjoy any of your regular food by switching high calorie, high fat ingredients with low calorie, low-fat, healthy ingredients. For eg, in the above recipe, I have switched the sour cream with healthier Greek yogurt.

Food for Thought:

The secret of our success is determined by our daily agenda. John Maxwell.

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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