Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower

 

Can you believe that I had never eaten Cauliflower until a few years ago?  As much as I love fresh veggies, cauliflower was never something I was willing to try.  Now it seems you can't go anywhere without seeing this versatile veggie turned into something else (pizza crust, mashed potatoes, Buffalo wings).  

I clipped this recipe out of a newspaper and tried it for dinner this week.  It was a hit for 3 out of 4 of us.  The newly picky child declared that the breadcrumbs on top were "nasty."  So you can go ahead and skip that if you prefer.  For me, the bread crumbs were an unexpected treat!

Not a pretty picture of it, but it tasted better than this very yellow picture shows!

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower

3 TBS olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp salt, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

12 oz pasta We get our fancy pasta from Aldi.  I KNOW.  Aldi.  It's cheap and SO good!

2 TBS butter Or a little less- you'll have to be the judge as you cook

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp anchovy paste yup, totally skipped this ingredient

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

2/3 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded mint It's not summer, so we skipped this too.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500.

Slice cauli into bite-sized pieces.  Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast 10 minutes, flip and bake another 5-10 minutes until tender and browned.

Cook pasta according to directions.   While pasta is cooking melt 1 TBS butter in a skillet.  Add panko and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  When browned, take off heat and pour into a small dish for later.

Heat 1 TBS butter and olive oil in skillet.  Add sliced garlic and saute until golden.  Add red pepper and cauliflower and mix well.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.  Add cauliflower mixture and mix well.  Add cheese and heat for 3 minutes.  Add more pepper to taste.

Pour into bowls and serve topped with toasted panko.

Verdict

A bit of a process, but well worth it.  Loved the taste and texture of this dish.  And we didn't miss the mint and anchovy paste at all.

He likes it!

 

 

Healthy Fried Rice

 

This recipe is great on its own- or as a base for a stir-fry.  And yes, there is tofu.  I still haven't mastered preparing tofu (mine falls apart and doesn't get nice and browned on the edges) but I'm still not giving up on it.

  

INGREDIENTS

· 1 package of firm tofu

· Cooking spray

· 1 tablespoon of oil

· 2 large cloves of garlic, grated

· 2 tbsp of ginger, grated

· 1 bunch of scallions (about 6), chopped/sliced

· about 3-4 cups of brown rice

· 1 red pepper, diced

· about 1 cup of edamame, shelled

· 1/2 cup of frozen corn

· 2 eggs beaten

· 3-4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

DIRECTIONS

.      Cook the rice if needed first, then when that is done start these other steps.

2.      If you need to cook the rice you can precook the tofu while you cook the rice and just reserve it for later.  Heat a non stick skillet over high heat and spray with cooking spray.  When hot add the tofu. Brown on both sides (couple minutes each side) and then remove and let cool.  When cool cut into small bite sized squares.

3.      When your rice and tofu are ready- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. 

4.      When really hot add the scallions, pepper, garlic and ginger.  Cook only for about 2-3 minutes. 

5.      Add the rice, tofu, edamame and corn.  Stir gently until all heated through- not even five minutes.

6.      In the same pan, make a well in the middle and either spray with cooking spray or drop a splash of oil, then add the eggs.  Stir until scrambled. 

7.       Finally just add the soy sauce and make sure everything is mixed well.

VERDICT

  

 We used this as a base for the Ginger Pork Stir-fry, but it's good enough to eat on it's own!  Top with a bit of siracha sauce for some heat!

Tomato Basil Cheddar Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped, loosely packed
• 2 tsp of oregano
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS


Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a large pot. Add the chopped onion and allow to cook until tender, about three to four minutes. Add in chopped garlic and cook for an additional two minutes. Pour in the two cans of tomatoes (juice and all) and the vegetable stock.

Stir in the basil, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper. Place the lid back onto the pot and allow to simmer ten minutes. At the end, stir in the Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese until well blended. Use either an immersion blender or food processor to puree the soup if you prefer a smooth texture. Garnish with chopped basil and grated cheddar cheese if desired.


VERDICT

I know this is something I did and is not a result of the directions.... but it was gritty.  Like the cheese didn't combine well or was too hot when it was added or something gritty.  Great taste... but gritty.  I'd love to hear your feedback if you know how to fix this problem!