Quick and Easy Spaghetti Sauce Soup!

I think all mothers have those days when they just look at what is in the cupboards and have no idea what to make. Maybe it is laziness, maybe it's just a lack of creativity, either way the kids are hungry and you are no closer to making a meal.
Today's recipe is one for those days. Very little prep, easy ingredients, and wonderful taste in less than 20 minutes! It's one that I used to make a ton, but haven't made in a while. Tonight was one of those night's though, so soup it was!

Spaghetti Sauce Soup

3 tablespoons Olive oil

2 Carrots, peeled and chopped

1 Small onion, chopped

1 clove Garlic, minced

1 Large jar Marinara sauce

2 cans Vegetable broth

1 can Cannellini beans (or whatever beans you have on hand!), drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon Red pepper flakes

1/2 cup Pastina pasta (or any small pasta)

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

1. Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes.

2.Add the jar of marinara sauce, vegetable broth, beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Yup, it's that easy! And it makes such a yummy soup that you will be amazed.

Naan Pizza, Two Ways!

A few weeks ago a company called Tandoor Chef was having a contest to come up with a Naan pizza. Naan is an Indian flat bread, similar to a pita (not the kind with the pocket, but the flat ones). They can be found at any Indian Grocer, whole foods, and on occasion I have even seen them at Walmart. They are great served with many Indian dishes, but this Naan pizza thing wasn't something I was sure about. I decided I would give it a try anyway.

I sent Dominic off to find a new Indian grocer, since the one we usually frequent had closed, and he came home bearing a package of 10 frozen naan and two blocks of yummy paneer. I was so excited to try making an Indian version of pizza! I had picked an Indian recipe I love and had kind of deconstructed it so that just the sauce was in the recipe, and had the other ingredients set to be toppings. It was an interesting idea, but I was still skeptical of what the results would be.
I chopped, grated, stirred, and assembled. I threw them in the oven for 15 minutes and what should come out but one of the most delicious personal pizzas in the entire world (if I do say so myself!). They were like eating a little piece of Indian heaven. Yumm! The whole family loved them, even baby Jack!

With that such a hit I was excited to try making a traditional pizza on the naan. We still had six naan in the freezer, so one night I asked Ryan what he wanted and he said PIZZA!! He was so excited I decided I would gather the ingredients and let him assemble the little pizzas himself. I let him choose a jarred sauce from the cupboard, and four veggies from the fridge. I chopped the veggies and placed them on a plate for him to assemble the pizzas!
He had a blast spreading the sauce on the pizzas and then placing some of each of the veggies on them, but his favorite was sprinkling the cheese on top of it all! It was so much fun! I wish I had had a camera to capture it!

So, now that you've heard how much fun we've had who is ready for some new recipes? Here goes nothing!

Chili Paneer Pizza (serves 4)

For the Sauce:
2-3 Tbs Tomato paste
2 tsp Chopped garlic
1 Tbs Diced Green chiles
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp ground ginger paste
2 tsps soy sauce
1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth

For the pizza:
4 frozen Naan Bread
1 8 oz Block Paneer Cheese, grated
1 half a green bell pepper diced
1 half a red bell pepper diced

1. Pre-heat over to 350. For sauce combine all ingredients except vegetable broth in small bowl, stir. Add vegetable broth until desired consistency for your pizza sauce.
2 Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of sauce on each naan, divide bell peppers between the four pizzas, top with the paneer cheese.
3. Place naan on lined cookie sheet (only two will fit, so you need to cookie sheets, of to do it in two batches.). Bake in the over for 15 minutes, or until the paneer starts to turn a little golden.
Enjoy!

Ryan's Special Pizza (serves 4)

1/2 cup of Ragu Sun-dried tomato and sweet basil pasta sauce (or your favorite pasta sauce!)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
1 Small roma tomato, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
About a cup of Mozzarella Cheese
4 Naan Bread

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of sauce over each naan bread. Divide veggie toppings evenly between pizzas, top with mozzarella cheese.
2. Place on lined cookie sheet (only two will fit on each sheet, so make sure you have two, or are prepared to do it in two batches). Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Now wasn't that easy! I think Naan pizzas may become a go to quick meal in our house! One of the greatest part of this is that you can freeze these! Just wrap each pizza in plastic wrap and then place them in a large ziploc! When ready to eat them let them thaw on the counter while the oven pre-heats and bake as normal!

Wow! I had a lot to say today! Hope you enjoyed this! If you have some other fun ideas for pizzas please comment below!

I love the Smell of Curries: Curried Red Lentils

I've decided that having a theme for the week helps me get going and actually post on my blog, even when life is a little crazy, so this week we are taking a trip to India and Asia.
There is little I love more than walking into a place that smells of curry. Don't get me wrong, I love other foods but by far Indian food would come out on top. There is something so warm and reassuring about the spices used in Indian curries that makes me crave it when it starts to get cold. The fragrant spices speak to me of warm exotic places.
I've been craving Indian food for weeks now, but our sweet little "Shop and Go" closed down sometime when I wasn't looking and has left me in a lurch to find all my favorite Indian food staples like Paneer, and Naan.
I searched for a quick Indian curry that used things easily found at the local grocery store, and with a little tweaking I have a super yummy, quick lentil curry that even my one year old devours! You should be able to find all the ingredients at the grocery store nearest you if you don't already have them in your cupboard.

Curried Red Lentils

2 cups red lentils
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry paste
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
1 (14.25 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get "scummy" and believe me you don't want that!), put the lentils in a pot with enough water to cover and simmer covered until lentils tender (about 10 minutes) adding more water if necessary.
2. While the lentils are cooking: In a large skillet or saucepan, caramelize the onions in vegetable oil.
3. While the onions are cooking, combine the curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, coriander, salt, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
4. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the diced tomatoes and peas and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready.
6. When the lentils are tender drain them briefly (they should have absorbed most of the water but you don't want the curry to be too sloppy). Mix the curry base into the lentils, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

This makes a ton, about eight main dish servings, and goes together very quickly. It's a great way to wow a crowd, and an excellent as leftovers! Serve with Naan and rice for a great meal!

Delicious CousCous: Great as a salad starter or Crepe filling

The other night I made this filling to go in some crepes we had, it didn't take too long and was so good that I HAD to share it. The great thing about couscous is that once prepared it can be frozen! Make a double batch and freeze some for another night! We stuffed the Chive Crepes with this and then topped it with Tomato Goat Cheese Cream Sauce. What a fabulous dinner!


Parmesan Couscous with Mushrooms and Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 Cup of plain couscous
1 -1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup dry packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
1-2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped

1. Bring vegetable broth to a boil. In a large, lidded bowl combine the couscous and sun-dried tomatoes. Remove broth from heat and pour over couscous mixture. Cover. Let sit for five minutes.
2. In dry skillet, add pine nuts and cook until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes (stirring frequently). Remove from heat. In same skillet, add oil, once hot, add onions, garlic and mushrooms, cook until onions are slightly caramelized & tender.
3. Once the couscous is done, stir in the onions mixture, pine nuts, cheese and parsley. Enjoy!

Hamburgerless Helper to the Rescue: Quick Meals

One of my Facebook followers asked for some ideas on how to prepare hamburger helper without the hamburger. He noticed that the ingredients included in the whole grain products did not contain any non-vegetarian ingredients and thought they would make a great meal, but that they needed something more.
I decided to go and do some research and find some ideas for him. I've given two ideas for each of the four whole grain hamburger helpers; that's 8 meals! These make great lunches for the busy mom or student, and a quick dinner when you don't want to think too much! So skip the meat and enjoy!


Whole Grain Hamburger Helper: Stroganoff
Suggestion 1: A great alternative to beef stroganoff has always been mushrooms! Saute a half a pound of cremini or baby bella mushrooms and add them when you would the hamburger.
Suggestion 2: Give it double the veggies! Use a can of prepared tomato basil soup instead of water (Progresso has a good one!) and add 2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed, when it's done cooking.



Whole Grain Hamburger Helper: Cheeseburger Macaroni
Suggestion 1: Add 1/2 cup of salsa and 1/2 cup of sour cream along with a can
of drained black beans and 1/2 cup of corn and top with sliced olives for a yummy Mexican inspired pasta dish!
Suggestion 2: Try adding 1 cup frozen peas and a 1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes,the dry packed kind are pretty cheap, and are great to have on hand,. Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese for some extra cheesiness!



Whole Grain Chicken Helper: Lemon and Herb Chicken
Suggestion 1: My absolute favorite thing with lemon is asparagus. Toss 2 cups steamed chopped asparagus with the prepared pasta. Skip the lemon glaze though... just trust me!
Suggestion 2: Use Morning star Meal starter chicken strips in place of the chicken, toss in a cup of mixed veggies and chill for a wonderful pasta salad.




Whole Grain Chicken Helper: Honey-Mustard Chicken
Suggestion 1: Use tempeh cutlets in place of the chicken. Place lettuce and the helper along with some sour cream in a tortilla for a yummy wrap for on the go!
Suggestion 2: Um... this one is baffling me... most likely because I don't really like mustard... anyone have any other suggestions? Write them in the comments!




I hope these ideas have helped! If you have any more ideas for quick mix-ins or substitutions please leave them in the comments!
Also, tomorrow we will be having a special quest post! Yup, The Recovering Meataholic Dad (aka, My Husband Dominic) has a recipe to share with you! So be on the lookout!

Publish Post

Vegetarian Times- Farfalle with Tomato- Goat cheese Cream Sauce

When you look through the magazine section in your grocery store there are many magazines about cooking, and though good, they usually don't include many vegetarian recipes (one I once saw had an article on tofu... which included a recipe for tofu wrapped pork...). This can be frustrating sometimes when you have exhausted your vegetarian cookbooks.
Enter Vegetarian Times.
Vegetarian times magazine is the only all vegetarian cooking magazine I have been able to find in my many years as a vegetarian. Though some of it's recipes call for expensive ingredients it is a great resource. The recipe index also includes listings for Gluten free recipes, which can be important if you are ever entertaining someone with a gluten intolerance. It is a great magazine overall.
This month's issue had several good articles, including one on using prepared canned soups in cooking. Last night's dinner was pulled from this article, and it was so good I thought I would share it with all of you! If you try it and like it I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Vegetarian Times for yourself!

Farfalle with Tomato-Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

12 oz Farfalle Pasta (bowties!)
1 cup frozen petite peas
2 Tbs Pine nuts
1/2 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs)
1 1/4 cups prepared creamy tomato soup
1/4 cup half and half
3 oz creamy goat cheese

1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente, adding peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain in colander and set aside. Quickly return empty pot to the same burner (with heat off) Wait a few seconds until the pot looks dry, then add pine nuts. Cook over medium heat one minute, or until frgrant and lightly toasted. Transfer nuts to plate.
2. Add oil to pot and saute garlic over medium heat until just beginning to brown. Stir in soup, half-and-half, and bring to a brisk simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently 3 minutes, or until mixture is slightly reduced and begins to thicken. Add cheese and cook 2-3 minutes more, until cheese is completely melted into sauce, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
3. Stir pasta, peas, and nuts into sauce in pot; toss well, and serve.

I made a double batch of the sauce and froze it for a later dinner. We also added some sauteed mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes to ours to give it a little more variety. It was delicious, especially with a little sprinkling of parmesan cheese.