Creamy Roasted Veggie Pasta Bake (Vegan)

 

Recipe from The Happy Pear

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Serves 4

This vegan dish is so deliciously comforting, especially on a cold winter day.  The original recipe had feta in the title, but the "feta" that is made for this dish had the consistency and taste of ricotta (to me).  The original recipe also called for eggplant, but I didn't have any, I substituted zucchini and that worked perfectly.  This recipe is a keeper for sure.

300 grams or 10 1/2 ounces firm tofu

80 ml or 2.7 ounces  (1/3 cup) melted coconut oil

40 ml or 1.4 ounces (2 1/2 Tablespoons) fresh lemon juice

60 grams or 2 ounces (4 Tablespoons) cashews, soaked overnight

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 large eggplant or zucchini

1 red bell pepper

4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

1 small onion

500 grams or 18 ounces cherry tomatoes

3 Tablespoon olive oil plus 1-2 Tablespoons for drizzling over "cheese"

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

400 grams or 14 ounces dry pasta (I used whole grain rotini.)

Small bunch fresh basil, fresh lemon juice and/or baby spinach to finish, if desired (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.  Place them in a food processor.  Add the tofu, coconut oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, nutritional yeast to the food processor.  Process until the the mixture is smooth.  Set aside.

Chop the zucchini, bell pepper, and onion.  Place the zucchini, bell pepper, onion, garlic and cherry tomatoes into a roasting pan.  Drizzle with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the oregano and toss to coat.  

Spoon the "cheese" over the vegetables.  Drizzle the "cheese" with 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil.  Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and cooked through. 

While the vegetables are baking, place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.  Add some salt to the water and then add the pasta.  Cook until al dente according to the package directions.  Set aside about 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.  

Toss the vegetables with the "cheese" and then add the pasta and toss again.  If it seems too thick, add a bit of the pasta water and mix it in.  

Note:  You can add some fresh basil, lemon juice and/or baby spinach to the pasta dish at the end if you wish.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta (Vegan)

Recipe from Oh She Glows Every Day byAngela Liddon

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

4 generous servings (6 smaller lunch-size servings)

Ever since we’ve begun eating a more plant based diet (We still eat chicken and fish on occasion.) I have had tremendous fun trying out recipes that are vegan.  My husband and I, who were both born and raised on having meat at just about every meal, have been amazed at how delicious and satisfying these dishes are.  And we are feeling much better to boot!  Here’s another really scrumptious pasta dish even the die-hard meat eaters will love.

Sun-Dried Cashew Cream

½ cup raw cashews, cover with water and soak overnight and drain

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon water

2 or 3 medium cloves garlic

1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (save the oil*)

½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt

Splash of reserved olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes or olive oil, if needed

In a high speed blender, combine cashews, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, water, and salt.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If your blender has a hard time getting the mixture smooth, add a splash or two of olive oil (or some of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar) Set aside.  This can be made in advance and kept chilled in the fridge.

Pasta

16 ounces dry pasta of choice (fusilli, penne, macaroni, etc.)

5 ounces baby spinach

2/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (save the oil*)

¾ cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped or thinly sliced

Splash of reserved olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes or olive oil, if needed

Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)

1-2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (optional)

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Herbamare or sea salt or kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

VeganParmesan Cheese made with cashews (optional)

Sliced cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Place the spinach in a large colander in the sink.  When the pasta is done cooking, carefully and slowly, empty the pot over the spinach in the colander to drain.  This will wilt the spinach.  The spinach will turn a lovely bright green.  Make sure that all of the water has drained out of the colander.  While the pasta is cooking, put the cashew cream, the sun-dried tomatoes, and lemon zest in a large serving bowl.  Add the red pepper flakes, Herbamare or sea salt, pepper and white wine vinegar, if using.  Stir in the pasta-spinach mixture and add the basil.  Toss and stir gently to coat the pasta.  Serve immediately, garnished with the Vegan Parmesan Cheese and tomatoes, if using.

NOTES: Herbamare is an herbed salt mixture. 

Nutritional Information:   (By my calculations using Calorie King app)1 of 6 servings: 459 calories; 11.1 grams fiber; 17.3 grams protein; 86 mg. calcium

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Lasagna

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from Laura Walsh via Eating Well

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is a meal you make when you’ve got a busy day ahead.  Just layer the ingredients in a slow cooker, turn it on, and 6 hours later, dinner is ready.  Serve this comfort food meatless lasagna with a crisp green salad.

Olive oil cooking spray

1 large red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced or chopped (3-4 large)

2 cups packed baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 (24 ounce) jar low-sodium red pasta sauce

1 (15 ounce) can no-sodium-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15 ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

8 ounces oven-ready whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 9 total)

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh basil (or 6 cubes Dorot Frozen Basil)

·      Coat a 6-quart slow cooker with olive oil cooking spray.

·      Combine bell pepper, mushrooms, and spinach in a medium bowl.

·      Combine pasta sauce, tomatoes, ricotta cheese, and ½ cup Parmesan cheese in a large bowl.

·      Spread 1 cup of the sauce mixture on the bottom of the slow cooker. 

·      Place 3 noodles over the sauce, breaking them as needed to fit in one layer. 

·      Spread another 1 cup sauce over the pasta noodles. 

·      Layer on one-third of the vegetable mixture, 3 more noodles, and 1 cup sauce. 

·      Sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella cheese. 

·      Continue layering one-third of the vegetable mixture,1 cup sauce ½ cup mozzarella, and the remaining noodles. 

·      Top with a final layer of the remaining vegetables, the remaining sauce, and the remaining 1 cup mozzarella.

·      Cover and cook on Low for 5 hours. 

·      Turn off and unplug the cooker.  Remove the lid.  Place a clean cloth towel over the slow cooker.  Place the lid back on the cooker over the towel.  (This will prevent condensation from building up on the underside of the lid during the 1 hour resting period.)

·      Let the lasagna stand, covered, for 1 hour.  (The resting period is important.  It will allow the lasagna to firm up a bit.  The lasagna will still be hot enough to serve.)

·      Serve topped with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan and basil.

Nutritional Information:  According to my calculations, 1 of 8 servings = 397 calories; 4.2 grams fiber

Tip:  To save time, prep and mix the vegetables and store in the fridge overnight.  Mix all the sauce ingredients together and store in the fridge overnight.  Then in the morning, it will just be a matter of placing the layers in the slow-cooker and turning it on.