Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz. bag pasta of choice (I used gluten free macaroni)
• 1 can of organic green peas
• 1 small red pepper, chopped
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 C vegan mayonnaise
• 1/4 C white balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 - 2 T dijon mustard
• 1/2 t dill weed
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. 
2. While pasta is cooking, whisk dressing ingredients (mayo, balsamic, mustard, dill, salt, and pepper) together in a large bowl.
3. Add vegetables and mix to coat.
4. When the pasta is done, rinse it with cold water.
5. Add pasta to the bowl and mix thoroughly to coat.
6. Enjoy!

Easy One Pot Pasta

If I'd known making pasta could be this easy - without all the draining/straining mess - I'd have been making pasta this way for years. I don't know if I'll make it the "old way" again...this is easy, quick, and delish! And it makes a TON of food.

Ingredients:

• 1 12 oz. bag pasta
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 C vegetable broth
• 1 medium white onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1/2 C chopped, firmly packed fresh basil
• 2 C fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 t salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• nutritional yeast (optional, in place of Parmesan cheese!)

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients except nutritional yeast in a large pot.
2. Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pasta is slightly al dente (check the directions on the bag of pasta), stirring every few minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Stir just before serving.
6. Top with nutritional yeast, if desired.
7. Enjoy!

Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

This is a wonderful way to use those beautiful, fresh summer tomatoes and squash. I'm a big fan of cherry and grape tomatoes, they are so naturally sweet! This is so simple, it's more a process than a recipe! And everything is better with garlic, isn't it? 

Ingredients:

• 1 box whole wheat rotini or pasta of choice*
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 10 -12 cloves garlic
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 1/2 - 2 C grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 - 1 t Italian seasoning

Preparation:

1. Rough chop the garlic and saute it in extra virgin olive oil over low-medium heat.
2. After a couple of minutes, add the squash (sliced or diced) and the whole cherry or grape tomatoes. (I used red and yellow tomatoes.)
3. Stir to coat everything with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and cover.
5. In the meantime, put your pasta on.
6. While the pasta is cooking, stir the veggies every few minutes, and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst.
7. Remove them from the heat and cover them.
8. Finish cooking the pasta.
9. Pour tomato mixture over pasta, add salt and pepper to taste, add nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan if you'd like.
10. Enjoy!

Notes:

*I did not use the whole box of rotini for this recipe. This amount of tomato/squash/garlic mixture will serve two people, or one REALLY hungry person! I always cook a whole box of pasta at a time and save the leftovers for pasta salad or other dishes.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

There are a gazillion recipes out there for vegan mac and cheese, and I think I try a different one each time I make it. This one might be a keeper, though...it's delicious. What it is NOT: vegan health food. But sometimes, you just have to have comfort food!

Ingredients:

• 1 box pasta of choice
• 3 T vegan buttery spread
• 2 t paprika
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t mustard powder
• 1/2 t turmeric
• a dash of cumin
• 1/2 C nutritional yeast
• 2 C plant-based milk
• 1 bag Daiya cheddar cheese shreds
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. While it is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the vegan buttery spread in a medium saucepan.
3. Add the plant-based milk, spices, and nutritional yeast. Whisk until combined and heat until the sauce starts to thicken.
4. Add in the Daiya shreds and whisk.
5. Continue to heat and stir until the sauce is smooth.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. When the pasta is done, strain it (but do not rinse) and return it to the pasta pot.
8. Add the cheesy sauce to the pasta and stir to combine.
9. Enjoy!

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles

These noodles have a little kick, and they are fairly easy to put together on the fly. They are also good served hot or cold. Choose whatever vegetables sound good to you - they will all be good!

Ingredients:

• 1 C light coconut milk
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 1/4 -1/2 C soy sauce (depending on how salty you like it)
• 1/4 - 1/2 C agave nectar (depending on how sweet you like it!)
• 6 - 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 T fresh ginger, minced
• 2 t ground cumin
• 2 t ground coriander
• 1 t Thai chili garlic sauce
• 1 t red pepper flakes
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 box whole wheat spaghetti
• 2 - 3 C vegetables
• 1 T oil (peanut, vegetable, or toasted sesame)
• lime wedges

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
2. Mix the coconut milk and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Add all of the other ingredients to the sauce and heat over low-medium heat until the peanut butter breaks down and all ingredients are incorporated in a nice, smooth sauce. If you like it hot like I do, add more chili garlic sauce and red pepper flakes than indicated above.
3. Meanwhile, in a wok or large pan, cook the veggies in a bit of oil until they are slightly softened but not mushy. (For the oil, I used peanut oil and a few drops of toasted sesame oil. For the veggies, I used baby carrots, frozen shelled edamame, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, and red and yellow onions.)
4. Add the pasta and the peanut sauce to the veggies, and stir to coat the noodles and veggies evenly with the sauce.
5. Serve with a wedge of lime on the side.
6. Enjoy!

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Are you a fan of avocados? I love their versatility, and they are nutrient dense! I've been wanting to try Chef Chloe Coscarelli's recipe for this dish for a while, and I finally did - with a few small modifications.

Ingredients:

• 1 box whole wheat pasta
• 1 bunch fresh micro Thai basil
• 1/2 C pine nuts
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 T lemon or lime juice
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 C dehydrated, halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. Combine basil, pine nuts, avocadoes, citrus juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender.
4. Process until smooth, or to the consistency that you like.
5. Toss the pasta with the pesto.
6. Put in individual serving bowls, top with tomatoes if using, and enjoy!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

I admit it: I used to love pasta salad from a box. I haven't had it in years, and I make my own version using fresh ingredients instead! Be sure to use Vidalia onions and Kalamata olives. It just isn't the same if you use substitutions!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 box whole wheat rotini
• 1-2 small eggplants, cut into chunks
• 1/2 small Vidalia onion, roughly chopped
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
• 2-3 T olive oil (for roasting)
• 1/2 jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 jar mild pepperoncini peppers
• 15-10 pitted and halved Kalamata olives
• 1/4 C red wine vinegar
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 t dried Italian seasoning
• 2-3 T extra virgin olive oil (for dressing - optional)
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the eggplant, onion, and garlic in olive oil with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Put the mixture in a casserole dish, cover, and roast it for approximately 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. (I covered the mixture for the first half hour, then removed the foil so the mixture could brown.)
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, drizzle with olive oil so it won't stick together, and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, mix the sun dried tomatoes, chickpeas, pepperoncinis, olives, vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and olive oil, if desired.
6. Once the eggplant mixture and the pasta have cooled, add them to the bowl and stir to coat everything evenly.
7. Serve at room temperature.
8. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Meatless Meatballs

It is fairly simple to turn pantry and freezer staples into a really good, hearty, plant-based pasta dish that will smell and taste like it took you all day to make. My friend, Cheryl, came over for a birthday dinner recently. I had made her this dish and the entire house smelled like an Italian restaurant kitchen. And the taste? Fantastic! I used the meatless meatballs from Trader Joe's - they are good, they are inexpensive.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 jars prepared pasta sauce (any brand you prefer - make sure it's vegan)
• 1 C vegetable stock or broth
• 1 bag meatless meatballs*
• 1 small green pepper
• 1 small onion
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t Italian seasoning
• 1 T agave nectar
• a couple of generous pinches of cumin
• red pepper flakes to taste
• splash of red wine
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven and cook meatless meatballs according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, dice green pepper, onion, and garlic.
3. Saute in extra virgin olive oil, adding salt and pepper to taste, over low heat until softened. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Put pasta sauce in a stock pot on low. Add broth or stock to the empty jar, close, shake, and pour into the pot.
5. Add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, agave nectar, red pepper flakes, cumin, and wine.
6. Mix well.
7. Add green pepper and onions to the pot when they are ready.
8. Serve sauce over pasta of your choice, topped with meatless meatballs, and enjoy!