Pow Pasta

Recipe from Alice's Kitchen

Makes 2 very generous servings

I bought some Pow Pasta (Red Lentil Rotini) and decided to give it a try with bits and pieces of things that I had in my fridge/pantry.  The hubster and I ate the ENTIRE dish in one sitting.  The pasta by itself seemed a bit gummy, but with all the lovely additions, we didn't notice.  Here's how I put this yummy dinner together.  (The measurements are approximate.)

1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup Fennel Pistachio Pesto or regular pesto

2 cups baby greens

1/3 cup marinated artichokes, roughly chopped

¼ cup Spicy Pepitas

8 oz. box of Pow Pasta (red lentil rotini), cooked per package instructions

Put everything in a bowl and toss with the hot pasta.  The heat from the pasta will loosen the pesto and wilt the greens. 

Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Boat (Vegan option)

Recipe from Simply Quinoa

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

4 servings (Recipe can be halved.)

This is delicious comfort food for sure.  It’s loaded with fiber too.  First, the spaghetti squash is roasted. Then it’s filled with a flavorful mixture of red lentils, hummus, nutritional yeast and seasonings that is cooked on the stove while the squash is roasting. Top off the stuffed squash with cheese (vegan cheese, if you prefer) and give it a minute or two under the broiler.  Serve this with a crisp green salad for a complete meal. If you have difficulty cutting into a raw spaghetti squash, you can pierce the whole squash with the point of a sharp knife, then roast.  After it has roasted, it will be easier to cut in half.

2 small spaghetti squash
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

½ cup dry red lentils
½ cup hummus, flavor of choice

¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
½ to ¾ cup water*
2 cups shredded vegan cheese or mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 425F. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise and put them face down in a baking dish. Add enough water to cover the squash by 1/4”. Roast squash for 20 minutes.

While the squash is cooking, add the remaining ingredients (minus the cheese) into a saucepan. Start with just ½ cup of water and add more as needed. Bring the pot to boil, then reduce and simmer until thickened and lentils are tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.

Once squash is done roasting, remove from oven, flip over and scoop out the seeds. Fill each squash half with about 1 cup of sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.

Place the squash back into the oven and turn the oven to broil. Broil for 2 - 3 minutes, watching carefully so the cheese doesn’t burn.

Remove and serve immediately!

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.