Jazzy Vegetarian: Recipes

Meatless main meals are really quite easy to create. Adding veggie burgers or ground “meatless meat” to pasta sauces, casseroles and chili is the perfect way to get started. Baked portobello mushrooms or stuffed squash make good alternatives to meat. Get started by taking your favorite main meal recipes, and use “veggie meats” to replace the meat. You’ll be surprised at how little the meat is missed! Jazzy!

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Low-Fat Veggie Stew

Makes 4 servings

A great choice for a weeknight meal, this filling stew is delicious served over brown rice or quinoa. If you don’t have all of the veggies listed, just substitute whatever you have on hand and adjust the cooking time accordingly. This is a great way to use local veggies from your Farm Market!

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 carrots, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 cup cut green beans, in 2-inch pieces

10 cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced

6 to 8 ounces organic kale, stemmed and sliced thinly

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon whole-grain flour

1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

1 teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari

Freshly ground pepper

Steam the potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and garlic for 15 minutes. Add the onion, green beans, mushrooms, and kale and steam for 10 to 15 minutes more, or just until the root vegetables are fork-tender and the kale is soft and wilts slightly.

Meanwhile, put the broth, flour, all-purpose seasoning, and tamari, in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a soup pot over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until steaming hot but not boiling. Add the steamed vegetables and stir gently until well combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and the vegetables are heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve piping hot.

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Arugula-and-Walnut Pesto Pasta

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Arugula adds a peppery bite to this pesto without overwhelming the flavors of the other ingredients, and the wheat germ adds extra nutrition and a subtle crunch. This recipe is among my top warm-weather go-to dishes because it is special enough to serve to guests, yet is also quick to prepare and doesn’t heat up the kitchen. Serve it with crusty whole-grain bread and a simple romaine salad for a satisfying meal.

1 pound whole-grain pasta

2 1/4 ounces (3 cups, lightly packed) baby arugula

1 cup fresh basil, lightly packed

1 cup chopped walnuts

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

2 tablespoons water

2 cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 small tomatoes, cut into wedges

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the pasta. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm.

            Meanwhile put the arugula, basil, walnuts, oil, wheat germ, water, garlic, and salt in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender jar or work bowl as needed. (Depending on the size of your blender or food processor, you may need to process the mixture in batches.) Season with pepper to taste.

            Drain the pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. While it is still piping hot, add the arugula mixture and toss gently until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a large, shallow serving bowl and arrange the tomato wedges around the edge. Serve immediately.

 Note: The arugula mixture can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance. Just store it in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Bring it back to room temperature before mixing it with the pasta.

EPISODE #110

 THE COMPANION COOKBOOK: JAZZY VEGETARIAN, Lively Vegan Cuisine That’s Easy and Delicious © LAURA THEODORE 2011/ Published by: Book Publishing Company

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I came up with this supremely fresh tasting dish one winter night when I wanted a body-warming dish that was tasty and quick. Perfect anytime of the year, this meal can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less. For a lower fat Pasta Supreme, substitute some (or all) of the olive oil with vegetable broth, adding great flavor! 

This is a wonderful sweet and sublime gourmet noodle dish that cooks up quickly. This recipe features the shitake mushroom with all of its rich meaty taste and super nutritive properties. If you cannot find shitakes, feel free to substitute any other favorite mushroom that you enjoy.

Makes 3 to 4 servings

This easy, breezy pasta dish is sure to please the eye and the palate with it’s beautiful blend of colorful veggies mixed with whole grain spaghetti. The ripe avocado in this dish breaks down to slightly coat each strand of the pasta, giving it an inviting texture and fresh taste.

3/4 pound whole grain spaghetti

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 head arugula, chopped chiffonade style

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt (to taste)

Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs or basil (or use fresh if you like)

1 ripe avocado, diced

3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

Pour 3 quarts of salted water into a large pot. Place it over medium heat and bring it to a rolling boil. Place the pasta in the pot and cook it until it is al dente. Meanwhile; toss the tomato, arugula, olive oil, sea salt, pepper and herbs together in a large bowl. When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and immediately pour the hot pasta over the tomato mixture. Add the avocado and toss well. Add the wheat germ and toss it all together. This makes a great weeknight “stand alone” meal–in-one!

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Let's celebrate with an eco-friendly meal. Here is a recipe that highlights a delightful blend of black beans, salsa, and whole grain tortillas, all contained in an easy to prepare, slightly spicy burrito style meal! This is one of my favorite easy, jazzy recipes perfect to serve for Earth Day or any day! Yay!

Did you know?...According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American substituted just one meat based meal per week with a vegetable and grain based meal, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of our roads. By serving your family just one meatless meal each week, you too can begin to make a difference in becoming healthier, wealthier, and environmentally wiser! 

Olive and Fresh Lettuce Spaghetti

Serves 4

This simple pasta dish features a “no-cook” fresh sauce that prepares in a jiffy. Incorporating crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy walnuts and tiny tomatoes into this dish is incredibly refreshing!

1 pound whole grain spaghetti

Sauce:

8 large green, black or kalamata olives, chopped 

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

12 raw or roasted walnuts or cashews, chopped

8 ounces baby lettuce mix or romaine letuce, rough chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, sage, parsley and/or oregano

Pinch cayenne (to taste)

Sea salt (to taste)

Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Optional: A dash of extra virgin olive oil (if needed)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti and stir. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash the tomatoes with the back of spoon or potato masher, until chunky. Add all of the other “sauce” ingredients and toss together. Let the mixture marinate while the spaghetti cooks. When the spaghetti is cooked al dente, drain and then immediately pour the hot spaghetti over the tomato mixture. (This will wilt the lettuce and slightly warm the other veggies in the sauce.)

Toss well, adding a bit of olive oil if mixture seems dry. Serve with crusty whole grain rolls for a simple but satisfying summertime meal.

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Red, White and Green One Pot Pasta is as colorful as it is nutritious and delicious!

1 pound organic whole grain penne pasta

1 large head of fresh broccoli, cleaned well

1 jar (8 ounces) organic sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dry basil

1/3 cup wheat germ

sea salt, to taste

Add pasta to a large pot of salted, boiling water. While pasta cooks, chop the broccoli into florets. When the pasta is 3-4 minutes from being cooked al dente, pour the broccoli florets into the pasta pot and continue to boil.

Meanwhile, spoon the sun dried tomatoes into a large bowl. Top with garlic powder, one tablespoon olive oil, and basil. Stir well to mix flavors. When the pasta and broccoli are cooked, drain quickly and immediately pour the pasta and broccoli over the sun dried tomato mixture. Add the wheat germ, additional olive oil (to taste) and toss together. Serve with crusty bread or quick green salad. That’s it!!!

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Pasta Primavery Jazzy is a fresh primavera style dish incorporating vegetables that may be commonly found at your local farmers’ market. This dish is easy to prepare and lower in fat than cream-based versions of this pasta favorite.

Serves 4

1 pound organic, whole grain spaghetti, shell, rigatoni, or penne

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil (or 12-20 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade cut)

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic )

1 teaspoon reduced sodium tamari (to taste)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil  (to taste)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper (optional)

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thinly

2 cups green beans, cleaned and cut in half

1 medium Bermuda onion, chopped

1 medium zucchini (or broccoli), cut in chunks

In a very large pot, put salted water on to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, place chopped tomatoes in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with basil, garlic, a dash of tamari, sea salt, and coarse ground pepper. Cover with a bit of olive oil, stir, and let marinate while preparing other ingredients. Start to steam the carrots for about 10 minutes, then add the green beans and onions and steam for about 5 minutes more, then add the zucchini (or broccoli) and continue steaming until all of the vegetables are crisp tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente and quickly drain. Pour the drained pasta over the marinating tomato mixture and pour the steamed vegetables over the top. Add more herbs and tamari, if needed, to taste. Toss well and serve with a green salad and whole grain organic bread.