Sara’s Gorgonzola Pasta

I often make dinner by throwing together whatever I have on hand, but a few years ago I set out to make a meal out of my favorite flavors: bleu cheese, mushrooms, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper. There are quite a few directions for these flavors, tossing them on a salad or making a rice dish. But since I’m working on week 2 of gluten-free living, I thought I could share a pasta dish with you and live vicariously while you all make and enjoy this dish.

Sara’s Gorgonzola Pasta

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 2-4 Depending on appetites

1/4 Red Onion – Minced
1 TBSP Garlic – Minced
2 C Mushrooms – Sliced
2 Small Zucchini – Sliced
4 TBSP Olive Oil
1/2 lb Green Beans – Blanched
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil – Chopped
1/2 lb Cooked Pasta (I like Penne!)
1/4 lb Gorgonzola Cheese – Crumbled
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (You can use a pinch or none at all if you’re not up for the spice.)

Heat 2 TBSPs of OLIVE OIL over medium heat in a large pan and sauté ONIONS and CRUSHED RED PEPPER for 3-5 minutes. Add GARLIC and ZUCCHINI, sauté for another 2 minutes.

Push the veggies to the side of the pan, add additional 2 TBSPs of OLIVE OIL and sauté the MUSHROOMS until cooked. Add GREEN BEANS, SALT, and PEPPER, heat through.

Remove from heat, toss with PASTA, BASIL, and GORGONZOLA. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Gorgonzola and basil for garnish.

This dish is super easy, fast, and especially handy if you have left over pasta on hand. If you have to cook your pasta first, your prep time will bump up to 30 minutes, still very fast for a complete meal! I hope you enjoy this tasty pasta while I wallow away on my gluten-free regimen… Stay tuned for more about gluten-free eating. Next week, I’ll be blogging away over on An Army of Ermas and I’m sure I’ll be bringing some new recipes to my Hero Complex readers as well!

Thanks for reading,

~Sara

Manic Monday Meals

Kate’s Cashew Chili
It's that time of year again, when the Giants are going to DOMINATE in the Super Bowl! Who's making Chili for the Big Game? It's one of my tailgating and football party staples, but I didn't always have a good Chili recipe.

I used to work with a woman named Kate, who would bring lunch to the office wrapped in cloth napkins. Some days, the napkin would be filled with home made crusty bread, a generous spread of hummus, and some thinly sliced veggies. Other days, she would have a bunch of grapes, fresh whole grain crackers, and a handful of almonds. When I think of the term “Earth Mother,” an image of Kate gently floats into my brain, with her flowing hair, slender, graceful limbs, and bright smile. She used to share some delicious recipes with me and if I ever had a question about converting a meal to something vegetarian friendly, Kate was there with a head full of knowledge and a pencil to jot down recommendations.

My standard chili recipe comes from Kate’s Cashew Chili. Of course, I tweaked, fiddled, and changed until I thought it was just right, but the base of this chili comes from Kate. I’m not really in touch with Kate anymore, but I wish I were! Kate! If you’re out there, give me a shout out! She would gasp in horror at my suggestion to add a little meat if you wanted(1/2 lb of ground beef, pork, or chicken), or to serve it with a generous sprinkle of cheddar and heaping spoon of sour cream. This is another cupboard ready recipe, so you should have no problems whipping it up when you’re out of other meal ideas! It may seem like a lot of ingredients, but most of these are spices that you have around.

Total Prep & Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Serves: 4 – 6, Depending on appetites


Kate’s Cashew Chili

1 15oz Can of Kidney Beans – Drained
1 15oz Can of Garbanzos – Drained
2 Onions – Chopped
2 Green Peppers – Chopped
2 Celery Stalks – Chopped
4 Cloves of Garlic – Minced
1 Cup of Corn – I use frozen
1 Quart of Crushed Tomatoes
2 Cups of Water
2 Bay Leaves
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Butter
3 TBSP Fresh Dill – Chopped (if you don’t have fresh, it’s fine to use dried!)
2 TBSP Cumin
1 TBSP Coriander
1/4 Tsp Cayenne
1/2 Tsp Oregano
1/2 Tsp Basil
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Toasted Cashews
1-2 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar

Heat the OLIVE OIL over medium low heat in a large cast iron or stock pot. Add ONIONS and GARLIC, sauté for 2 minutes before adding the GREEN PEPPERS and CELERY. Cook until tender-crisp. Slide veggies to the side of the pan

Melt in BUTTER, add all SPICES, HERBS, SALT, and PEPPER. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. If you’re using FRESH DILL, avoid adding it now. If you’re using DRIED DILL, go ahead and add it with the other spices.

Add TOMATOES, stirring and scraping pot to incorporate all the sautéed spices. Simmer for 10 minutes. If you haven’t toasted your CASHEWS, now’s the time to do it. 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Add BEANS and WATER to chili, bring back to a simmer. Add toasted CASHEWS and FRESH DILL, simmer until heated through. Just before serving, add RED WINE VINEGAR. Start with 1 TBSP, taste. If it needs it, add the other tablespoon. Serve over rice and garnish with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and a healthy dose of Frank’s Red Hot.

There’s a joke in my family about trying to eat Chili without rice. I just don’t understand how it can be done. Do you eat your Chili over rice? Noodles? Potatoes? Crackers? Corn bread? Just in a bowl with a spoon? However you eat it, I hope you enjoy Kate’s Cashew Chili!

Thanks for reading,

Sara

Wegetarian Wednesday

Red and White Soup

This hearty and delicious soup originates from a great cookbook my Dad bought for me many years ago called “The Complete Vegetarian Pasta Cookbook,” by Emma Callery. The book is a treasure trove of amazing recipes from fresh pasta and basic sauces, comforting bakes and ragus, to the more adventurous pasta themed desserts like Cinnamon Fettuccine with Apple Sauce or Chocolate Pasta Torte.

I’ve modified Callery’s recipe a bit to adjust to my family’s taste, but the original is really great, too. Another delicious change is from Parmesan to Bleu Cheese, taking this soup to full on patriotic status, but most of the time I stick with Parm. The first time I made this, I was surprised at how rich the soup was for something that could be pulled together so quickly. Tossing the pasta into the olive oil give it a bit of a toasted hint that works really well with the beans.

Total Prep & Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 4 – 6

Red & White Soup

3 TBSP Olive Oil

1/2 Onion – Chopped

2 Cloves Garlic – Minced

2 Parsnips – Chopped (optional)

1 Cup of Dried Pasta – shape of your choice (I really love to use pastina)

2 TBSP Tomato Paste

1 14oz Can of Kidney Beans – Drained & Rinsed

1 14oz Can of Cannellini Beans – Drained & Rinsed

8 Cups Vegetable Broth or Stock

1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley – Chopped

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Fresh Parmesan to Garnish

Heat the OLIVE OIL over medium heat in a large stock pot. Add the ONION and sauté 3 – 5 minutes until they start to become clear. Add PARSNIPS, PASTA, and GARLIC, sautéing for another minute, but not longer. The garlic tends to get bitter if overcooked.

Add BROTH and TOMATO PASTE. Raise heat, bring to a boil, and stir to incorporate the tomato paste. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Be sure to give it a stir every now and then so that the pasta doesn’t stick.

Add both beans and parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Cook until beans are heated through, 3-5 minutes. Serve with a liberal sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan and a little more cracked pepper.

You can serve this with some crackers, crostini, or just a simple loaf of bread. It’s packed with protein, ridiculously cheap, and oh so delicious. Aside from the parsnips and parsley, you should have most or all of the ingredients on hand. There’s something earthy and different about using parsnips in this soup, but if you don’t want to make a special trip, you can always leave them out or use carrots. This Red and White Soup is an excellent example of a vegetarian meal that doesn’t feel like it’s vegetarian. The soup is hearty and filling, I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think and what you're cooking.

Thanks for reading!

Sara

Packing Your Pantry

Packing Your Pantry

As promised, I’m going to talk about what I keep in my pantry. I have a few categories that wouldn’t really qualify as items in your physical pantry, but I keep them on hand anyway. And can I just start by saying how much I hate the word PANTRY? Every time I type it or say it, I think, “Panty.” Then I start thinking about those panties that have secret pockets in them and what people might put in there. And no one wants to think about that. How about we say cabinets? Or create a new word? Suggestions?

Dry goods

Cans of crushed tomato
Chick peas
Kidney & Canellini beans
At least two different shapes of pasta (I like spaghetti & penne)
Peanut butter
Tortilla chips
Rice
Barley
Bullion cubes
Silken Tofu

Frozen

Chicken drums & thighs
Sweet Italian sausage
Ravioli
An assortment of veggies like corn, green beans, peas, & spinach

Fresh

Potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Ginger
Lemon juice
Soy sauce
Assorted salad dressings
Salad fixings
Ground meat
Assorted cheeses

With the above ingredients, you can whip up countless meals, including marinated chicken with rice and veggies; potato soup, cream of vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, spaghetti and sausage or meatballs, hummus and chips, red and white soup (recipe coming up on Wednesday,) chicken stir fry with barley, pasta salad, fresh salad, Thai style lettuce roll-ups, mac and cheese, arroz con pollo, oh man, I could go on and on. All these meals can be made quickly, within 30-40 minutes, and offer various levels of nutrition. From comfort food to healthy meals, there’s something for everyone.

What are your must haves that are stocking your cabinets? What go-to meals can you whip up with a moment’s notice? And can you please help me come up with a new way of referring to my –ick- pantry?

Thanks for reading!

Sara

Secret Sauce

My regularly scheduled Wednesday posting was interrupted by this: SOPA. On with the show!

Secret Sauce

I have a secret. When I make traditional red sauce, I take out the traditional and add my own twist. At least I thought it was my own twist until I saw this on twitter:

Mario Batali is out there spilling the beans! Or the carrots, in this instance. I learned the carrot trick when I was living in South America and my Mama always added shredded carrots to her red sauce. It seemed so strange to me at the time. We are not an Italian family, though my Dad grew up in an Italian neighborhood. I grew up watching him grow his own vegetables, peel tomatoes, and can shelves upon shelves of sauce. His sauce is amazing, but I never tasted sauce quite like my Mama’s. I’ve been fiddling with this recipe for years and have always come back to “simple is best.”

So, now that my secret is out, I thought I’d share my sauce recipe with the rest of the world. It’s very simple and the optional add-ins can take the sauce to many different levels depending on how you plan to use it. In lasagna, I would keep it simple or perhaps add a little sausage. Over fresh ribbon noodles, I like to add some more veggies and keep the sauce a bit more chunky. If you are against using wine, go for some broth or stock.

Sara’s Red Sauce

2 29 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
2 Carrots – shredded
1 Medium Red Onion – chopped
4 Cloves of Garlic – minced
1/2 C Wine – Red or White, something drinkable, but not sweet
1 tsp Kosher Salt (more or less depending on your taste)
Pepper to taste
2 TBSP Olive Oil

Optional
1/2 Pound Mushrooms – sliced
1/2 Pound Ground Turkey/Chicken/Pork/Sausage
1 Bell Pepper – chopped

Heat OLIVE OIL over medium-low heat in a large pot and add the ONIONS. Liberally salt the onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes, adding the CARROTS about half way through cooking the onions. Add the other veggies, one at a time, cooking each for a few minutes and moving them to the side before adding the next. I always add the MUSHROOMS last, since they take the least amount of time to cook.

After all the vegetables are sautéed, deglaze the pan with the WINE or BROTH and add the GARLIC. I prefer adding the garlic with the liquid so as not to over cook it. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan before you add the TOMATOES to the vegetables. After adding the tomatoes, allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes and then eat it. Slather it on crusty bread, pour it over noodles, grab a spoon and fill your gaping mouth until you want to puke. Erm… Sorry, lost focus. Just, you know, enjoy in moderation. If you can.

Thanks for reading!

Sara

Manic Monday Meals

Manic Monday Meals

I’m not sure what your pantry looks like, but next week I’ll be posting some staples and some suggestions for items you should keep on hand. One dish I like to be able to make at a moment’s notice is Hummus. The ingredients are cheap, nutritious, and don’t take up much pantry room. Once the Hummus is whipped up, you can pair it with chips, pitas, veggies, crackers, and sandwiches. It’s a great protein alternative, high in fiber, and let’s face it, Hummus is downright delicious! I usually use canned chick peas because they don’t require any prep time, but you are more than welcome to make them from dried beans. You can either use the liquid retained from the cans of chick peas or Olive Oil. The liquid will add sodium to your finished product while the Olive Oil will add fat, but the good kind. Also, most people don’t have tahini on hand, which isn’t an issue if you have natural peanut butter around. Just be sure you’re using peanut butter without added sugar. I know some people prefer more tahini, up to a 1/3 of a cup, but I really only use a little for texture and not for flavor. I love to load my hummus up with black pepper and cumin, or give it a couple dozen healthy shakes of Frank’s Red Hot. After you make it a few times, you’ll figure out how much garlic you like and whether you prefer olive oil or the reserved liquid. I like olive oil. Here goes!

Hummus

2-15 oz Cans of Chick Peas (liquid drained and reserved if you’re going to use it.)
2-4 Cloves of Garlic
4 TBSP Tahini or Natural Peanut Butter
4 TBSP Lemon Juice
Olive Oil or Chick Pea Liquid
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mince up the GARLIC and add it to the bowl of a food processor along with the LEMON JUICE. Whiz it up for just a couple seconds and start adding the CHICK PEAS and pulse after each addition to break them up. Once all the CHICK PEAS are added, toss in the TAHINI or PEANUT BUTTER, SALT and PEPPER, and a little of the OLIVE OIL or LIQUID. Turn the processor on low and open the hopper (is that what you call that thing?) Slowly add liquid until the hummus reaches the consistency you want. I like mine with a little more texture, but you may like yours super smooth.

To serve, scoop it out into a bowl, drizzle some Olive Oil on top and give it a sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper, paprika, or cayenne. Eat it and attempt not to hork down the entire bowl before the rest of the family comes to the table. Fail. Make another batch and serve.

I like to serve mine with mini pitas, left over roasted chicken, carrots, celery, marinated olives, and chunks of fresh feta. Now that my mouth is watering, I’ll leave you to make your hummus while I go grab a spoon. You’re inviting me over, right?

Thanks for reading,

Sara

Wegetarian Wednesday

In a former life, before a nine and a half pound baby sucked all the life, um- iron out of me, I was a vegetarian. I routinely slipped tofu into recipes with such ease that avowed carnivores never even noticed. One friend claimed he would never, NEVER eat tofu. And he never did, unless you count the entire pan of my lasagna that he inhaled, or that massive crock of cream of vegetable soup he took home, or the huge plate of mushroom stroganoff he housed… no, he never ate tofu.

This Stir fry recipe is good on its own, but you can add tofu if you’d like. I would pat dry some cubes of extra firm tofu and pan fry them in small batches before the onions. Also, the veggies I use are more for texture and less for taste. I really think that any combination of veggies could work in this stir fry, including snow peas, baby corn, cauliflower, or cabbage. Sometimes to mix things up, I put a segment or two of STAR ANISE into the sauce and remove them before adding it to the veggies. It infuses the sweet and salty sauce with a licorice like earthiness that takes it to another level. I like my veggies to have a bit of a crunch, so I don’t slice or chop them too thin, except for the carrots and onions. To garnish this dish, I would save a couple sprigs of cilantro and chop up a handful of nuts to sprinkle over the top.

Stir Crazy – Serves 4

1 C Barley

Sauce:

1/3 C Soy Sauce
2 TBSP Rice Vinegar
2 TBSP Brown Sugar or Sucanat
1 TBSP Corn Starch
1 TBSP Fresh Ginger – minced
1 Clove of Garlic – minced
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
2/3 C Cold Water

1 Small Red Onion, about 2/3 C – chopped
2-3 Celery Stalks, 1 1/2 C – cut on the bias
1 C Carrots – thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 Green Pepper – in strips
1 C Broccoli – in medium stalks
1/3 C Edamame – shelled
1/2 C Fresh Cilantro – chopped

2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Sesame Oil

Cook the BARLEY first! It will take close to an hour unless you have a rice cooker.
Bring 5 C of water to a rolling boil, add BARLEY. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 40-50 minutes and test for texture. Chewy! Yum!

In a small bowl, whisk CORN STARCH and WATER until smooth. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, SOY SAUCE, RICE VINEGAR, BROWN SUGAR, GINGER, GARLIC, and RED PEPPER FLAKES. Set aside

In a large skillet or wok, heat a tablespoon of each OIL over medium high heat. The idea with stir fry or wokery cooking is to flash cook each of the ingredients and then bring them all together at the end with the sauce. You’re going to add those later. The ONIONS will take the longest and will season the oil, so I like to start there. Once the ONIONS are almost translucent, use a slotted spoon to pull them out of the skillet and into a bowl. I usually just use the serving bowl I plan to use in order to avoid more dishes, but I’m lazy like that. From there, you can work your way through any of the ingredients one at a time except the CILANTRO and EDAMAME.

Once they’re all cooked, toss everything back into the pan including the EDAMAME. Give the sauce another little stir and pour it over the veggies. Bring to a low boil, allowing the sauce to thicken. This shouldn’t take more than 2 – 3 minutes. Serve over barley, garnish, and nosh!

What’s your favorite stir fry veggie?

Let me know how the recipe works for you! Thanks for reading!

Sara

No Apologies!

Listen, this blogging thing? It’s not easy to keep up with! Easy? Easy is playing outside all day with Finn, getting up at 4:30 to pour coffee, growing veggies, baking brownies, reading, soaking up the sun, weeks at the beach, scheduling classes, securing money, and buying books. Warm days spent outside, splashes in the lake, conventions with the ocean, like old friends rushing to embrace, collecting shells, tossing one back as a thank you. Summer = Life. Summer = Happiness. Summer = Love.

But summer is almost over. In about 10 days, I’m going back to college full-time to finish a degree I’ve been picking away at for close to four years. My 3 year old will start full-time preschool, I’ll be working 25 hours, studying the rest; all these changes that I’m still so unsure of. My internal voice goes something like this:

It’s going to feel so great to finish my degree.

But I love having those special days with Finn.

You can still have great times together, you pick him up at 3:30 everyday.

But that means no impromptu weekday picnics at the lake, no Waffle Shop breakfast dates, no nap-time snuggles.

You can do all of those things over the weekend. Think about how amazing it will feel to FINISH school and how great of an example you’re setting for your son.

But, but, but…

*sigh*

Amidst the struggles, changes, and internal arguments, I’m concerned about our lifestyle, staying healthy while staying busy. Between classes and parking lots, I’ll be walking roughly 3 miles every day. While I’m still going to be active, I know that my time will be at a premium, but I don’t want my family to suffer by way of too much eating out or unhealthy cooking. So, I’m mentally compiling recipes, tips, and suggestions to use over the next 72 years… okay, 3… I hope.

The September issue of Whole Living Body + Soul Magazine had a list of 25 simple, healthy recipes. I plan to use the first few weeks of classes to test some of them out.

Do you have any tips, time management suggestions, good thoughts? Care to share? Please?

Thanks for reading,

Sara