Sweet Pepper Pasta with Kale

This is a new pasta dish in our house. My stepson and his friend made this dish the other night (with a little coaching from me) and it was a hit.

It is a pretty fast and easy dish to put together, and pretty too.

To increase the protein, be sure to look at the nutritional labels on the pasta box and choose one that has a higher protein content. Barilla Plus is one option.

Sweet Pepper Pasta with Kale:

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz. package uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta (or other pasta)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium yellow bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1 bunch roughly chopped kale (stem removed)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pinch dried basil

1 pinch cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes (al dente) and drain.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in peppers, kale, and garlic. Season with basil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender.

In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with vegetables. Serve. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Mushroom Gravy and "Stewed Tomatoes"

So one of my favorite comfort foods used to be hamburger gravy over rice or potatoes. And one of my favorite ways to make it was with cream of mushroom soup. I've been looking for a mushroom gravy recipe I could make from scratch to fill the vegetarian comfort food gap. Well here it is!!! I made this recipe tonight for my family and a guest (a meat eater) and they loved it!

As a side I made "stewed tomatoes" which I learned about from friends. Thank you to Kristy and Sheryl!

Mushroom Gravy:

2 cups white or button mushrooms, sliced (or a combination of portabellas, shitake, button)

1 small yellow or white onion, minced

1/4 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 Tbsp soy sauce - low sodium

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp poultry seasoning (or 1/2 tsp each of sage, thyme, marjoram)

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large skillet, heat EVOO, and add onion and mushrooms. Sautee for just a minute or two over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium and add broth and soy sauce. Slowly add flour, stirring well to combine and prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a simmer or a low boil, then reduce heat.

Add poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, stirring consistently. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until gravy thickens.

Serve over brown rice. Makes 3-4 small servings.

Stewed Tomatoes:

This is an incredibly easy way to prepare tomotoes. I first heard mention of "stewed tomatoes" from my friend Kristy and then just a few days later my friend Sheryl prepared these on the grill. Absolutely to die for! I would recommend making these on the grill as it adds a great deal of flavor.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - cut in half horizontally

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Mince garlic

Ground peppercorn

Fresh basil, thyme or rosemary

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

To Prepare:

Slice the tomatoes in half horizontally and place on a tray, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, and herb of your choosing. Then sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional). Place on the grill . They will start to soften and wrinkle a bit, and the cheese will be melted. You'll know when they are ready. Carefully remove from the grill and serve. I have also made these under the broiler, but the grill is the way to go when available.

Enjoy!

Okra Baby Bella Soup

Stephe did it again. Tonight was his night to make supper, so off to the store he goes for inspiration. Home he comes with okra, baby bellas, zucchini, and so on, not knowing exactly what the finished product would be. What he created was another incredible soup - a masterpiece in my opinion. This is now my new favorite soup.

Of course my favorite side to a bowl of soup is whole grain bread with butter, and a cold glass of milk! Divine.

Thanks again honey!

Okra Baby Bella Soup:

16 oz bag frozen okra, chopped

2 cups spinach, torn

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced into large pieces

2 zucchini, cut into bite sized chunks

5 scallions, chopped- greens included

2/3 cup brown rice

2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable base

2 Tbsp lemon pepper

1 Tbsp oregano

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground peppercorns

5 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 bay leaves

10 cups water

Parmesan cheese (fresh)

In a large cooking pot, combine all of the ingredients - Except the Cheese. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and continue to simmer until the rice is cooked (approximately 20 to 30 minutes).

Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with fresh parmesan cheese.

* What makes this soup extra special is that the spinach and the cilantro came from my own garden. Before long the zucchini will be blooming like crazy, too. What a joy it is to walk out into my own backyard and harvest the food I'll be eating for that meal. It doesn't get any fresher than that!

Happy gardening to all my fellow gardeners. And to all of you who think you don't have room for a garden, you'd be surprised what you can grow in pots. I live in town with no room for a traditional garden, so I have a fun "pot" garden. What a delight to watch it all grow. I think of it as a reciprocal process. I nurture and tend to the plants, and in return the plants produce food that provide nourishment for my body. Now that's a beautiful experience!

Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts

So you're probably wondering what in the world quinoa (KEEN wah) is? Here's the scoop - Quinoa is a little grain that is high in protein (about 8 gram per cup - about the same as an egg). It is considered a complete protein, which means that it has all the essential amino acids that your body can't produce for itself. Quinoa is found in the health food section of your local grocery store.

I made this dish for my husband and our friends, with a side dish of some very tasty grilled vegetables. Both were a hit.

This is a really nice, light dish on a hot summer day. It is also incredibly easy to make! Enjoy.

Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts:

1 cup quinoa

pinch of fine sea salt

1/2 cup pine nuts or cashews

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 generous handful fresh basil leaves, chopped

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well. Combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water (or vegetable broth) and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the quinoa cooks, heat the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until the nuts are just starting to turn golden, about 6 or 7 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Transfer to a bowl to cool. (You can also do this same thing to the quinoa before you boil it. It will give it a nuttier flavor.

When the quinoa is done, place it in a serving bowl and add the pine nuts - fluff with a fork. Add the olive oil and basil, stir to combine, and serve.

Serves 4.

Check out the links below for more information on quinoa and proteins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

http://www.nwhealth.edu/healthyU/eatWell/protein3.html