Meatless Meals Archives

Category: Meatless Meals

19
Dec
2023

Easy Fettucine Alfredo

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Make delicious, creamy and Easy Fettucine Alfredo for a special meal! It’s easy to make with only a few ingredients, and is a decadent dish!

Many, many years ago when I had our first son, we were invited to dinner at a dear friend Lona’s home to celebrate the birth of our first baby. Lona made us fettucine alfredo for dinner, and it was absolutely FABULOUS.

Before we left I asked her to please give me her recipe, and I’ve used this recipe ever since (over 40 years now). I was shocked to see how truly simple it was to make, but WOW… does it ever taste great!

Our sweet friend Lona passed away years ago, but her memory lives on in so many tangible ways in our lives. Every single time I make this

As most folks know, fettucine alfredo is definitely not a “diet friendly” meal, but every now and then ya just gotta go for it, right? The pasta is cheesy and delicious, and it really is simple to prepare. Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Fettucine Pasta

The first thing you will need to do is cook the fettucine pasta in a large saucepan, according to the package instructions. Once the pasta hits the boiling water it will cook for approximately 13 minutes.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the Alfredo sauce in a separate pan. That way the sauce will be done when the pasta is done!

Make The Alfredo Sauce While Pasta Cooks

To make the Alfredo sauce, melt butter on LOW heat in a medium saucepan. Once the butter has melted, stir in garlic powder and a pinch of salt until combined.

Pour a pint of heavy whipping cream into the melted butter mixture, and stir, until combined. Cook this on a LOW simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, but don’t let it boil.

Add The Parmesan Cheese

Add 1½ cups of fresh, finely grated Parmesan cheese and a small amount of salt into the Alfredo sauce mixture. I also add about ¼ cup of canned Parmesan cheese (i.e. “Kraft” green shaker container) to the mix.

TIP#1: If you don’t have (or like) canned Parmesan, simply add more freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste.

Stir these into the Alfredo sauce, and continue to cook on LOW heat, stirring often. Continue cooking until all the cheese has melted, but don’t let the sauce boil!

Tip #2: You can make the sauce ahead of time, then re-heat it (on LOW) in the pan right before the pasta is done cooking, to save time.

Final Step

When the pasta is finished cooking and is tender to the bite, immediately drain off the hot water, then place the pasta back into the pan. DO NOT RINSE the pasta! You want it good and HOT!

Quickly pour all of the hot Alfredo sauce on top of the hot pasta. Use tongs to toss well and fully coat all the noodles with the sauce. Cook the fettucine and sauce for 1-2 minutes on low heat, until fully heated through.

Serve And Enjoy The Easy Fettucine Alfredo

Immediately portion each serving onto plates or into serving bowls. If desired, finely grate additional Parmesan on top of each serving, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve the easy fettucine alfredo immediately while still hot, and enjoy this delicious dish.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for easy fettucine alfredo as much as our family does. Even though it is decadent and a high calorie meal, this is a dish we always look forward to!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, have a GREAT day, and may God bless you.

Looking For More PASTA RECIPES?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of pasta dishes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Recipe adapted from: my dear friend Lona Wig (R.I.P.)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Easy Fettucine Alfredo

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

Total Time

23 mins

Make delicious, creamy and Easy Fettucine Alfredo for a special meal! It's easy to make with only a few ingredients, and is a decadent dish!

Category: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: easy fettucine alfredo

Servings: 5

Calories Per Serving: 892 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

12 ounces dried fettucine pasta cooked according to pkg. instructions

For Alfredo Sauce:

8 Tablespoons butter = 1 stick or ½ cup
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1½ cups fresh Parmesan cheese finely grated
¼ cup canned Parmesan cheese (i.e. Kraft, Kroger, etc.)

(OPTIONAL) GARNISH: additional grated Parmesan and/or parsley if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook fettucine in boiling water according to pkg. instructions (approx. 13 minutes). While pasta cooks, prepare Alfredo sauce in a separate pan.

Make Alfredo Sauce:

Melt butter on LOW heat in a medium saucepan. Once melted, stir in garlic powder and salt until combined. Pour in whipping cream; stir, until combined. Cook on a LOW simmer 4-5 minutes, stirring often, but don't let it boil.
Add 1½ cups of fresh, finely grated Parmesan cheese and ¼ cup canned Parmesan cheese (i.e. "Kraft" green shaker container) to the mix. TIP#1: If you don't have (or like) canned Parmesan, add more fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Stir cheeses into the Alfredo sauce; cook on LOW heat, stirring often. Continue cooking until cheese has melted; do not let sauce boil! Tip #2: You can make sauce ahead of time, then re-heat it (on LOW) in the pan right before pasta is done cooking, to save time.

Finish And Serve:

When pasta is done, immediately drain the hot water. DO NOT RINSE PASTA! You want it HOT! Place drained pasta back into the pan. Quickly pour hot Alfredo sauce on top. Use tongs to toss well and fully coat pasta with sauce. Cook the fettucine and sauce 1-2 minutes on low heat, until heated through.
Immediately portion each serving onto plates or into serving bowls. If desired, grate additional Parmesan on each serving, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve easy fettucine alfredo immediately while hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Easy Fettucine Alfredo

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/5 of total))

Calories 892 Calories from Fat 585

% Daily Value*

Fat 65g100%

Saturated Fat 40g250%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 16g

Cholesterol 243mg81%

Sodium 913mg40%

Potassium 329mg9%

Carbohydrates 56g19%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 2296IU46%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 401mg40%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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28
Jun
2023

Asian Sesame Scallion Noodles

categories: Asian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Asian Sesame Scallion Noodles is a meatless dish, with linguini, green onions and toasted sesame seeds, coated in a tasty Asian-style sauce.

My husband and I love this delicious meatless meal! The Asian sesame scallion noodles are packed with great flavor, and the bonus is this dish is so very simple to make.

I discovered this wonderful meal in a cookbook I had, and made only a couple very small changes. The results were outstanding, and we have enjoyed this dish several times! My sister in law is a vegan, and when I made this dish for her, she loved it, too.

My next plan is to cook this meal for our son and his girlfriend, and see what they think. They are both vegetarians, and I’m confident they will love the amazing Asian flavors of this meatless dish.

This is an easy meal to throw together at the end of a long day, because it doesn’t require too much effort or time to prepare. Here’s how to make Asian sesame scallion noodles.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Noodles

The original recipe calls for using Udon noodles (or linguini). I use linguini pasta, because I usually have that in our pantry at any given time.

Cook the noodles in salted, boiling water according to the instructions on the package. When the noodles are done cooking, drain the noodles, but do not rinse them.

While the noodles cook, prepare the Asian sauce, so when the noodles are done, all you need to do is combine them and serve!

Make The Asian Sauce

While the noodles are cooking, prepare the Asian sauce. Whisk soy sauce, dark brown sugar, rice vinegar, 1T. vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a large bowl.

Once these ingredients are well combined, set the bowl aside while you finish the second part of the sauce.

Toasting The Sesame Seeds And Chile Flakes

Heat 2 T. vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add white sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Cook, stirring occasionally until the sesame seeds have begun to turn golden brown in color. This usually takes 3-4 minutes. Once the sesame seeds start browning, turn off the heat.

Add Garlic and Scallions

Stir minced garlic and sliced scallions (green onions) into the sesame seed mixture in the skillet until combined. The skillet will still be hot (even off the heat), so it will slightly cook the scallions (green onions) and the garlic.

Pour this mixture into a large serving bowl. You will add the hot, cooked and drained noodles to this mixture once they’re done cooking.

Toss The Noodles In The Asian Sauce

When the noodles are finished cooking, drain them (without rinsing). Immediately add them to the sesame/scallion mixture in the serving bowl.

Use tongs to combine the sauce with the noodles until the noodles are fully coated with the sauce.

Serve The Asian Sesame Scallion Noodles

This recipe, as written will yield about three servings. Divide the hot Asian sesame scallion noodles into individual bowls (or plates).

Garnish each serving with chopped peanuts (optional, but good!). You can also garnish the top of the noodles with additional sliced green onions for more color, if desired ( I didn’t this time).

See how easy it is to make this meal? Serve the Asian sesame scallion noodles immediately while hot, and enjoy the amazing flavors!

I am confident you’re going to enjoy this dish! Serve it with bread and/or a yummy green salad on the side, and you will have a fantastic tasting, meatless meal.

I hope you have the chance to try these delicious Asian sesame scallion noodles soon, and hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Thanks for stopping by. Please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day!

Looking For More ASIAN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a great variety of Asian dishes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Recipe adapted from: “The Milk Street Cookbook”, by Christopher Kendall, page 199, published by Little Brown And Company, 2020

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Asian Sesame Scallion Noodles

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Asian Sesame Scallion Noodles is a meatless dish, with linguini, green onions and toasted sesame seeds, coated in a tasty Asian-style sauce.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Vegetarian

Keyword: Asian sesame scallion noodles

Servings: 3

Calories Per Serving: 494 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

½ pound linguini pasta
3½ Tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium, if available)
2 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (or other neutral oil) *DIVIDED USE*
¾ Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
4 stems scallions (green onions) white and green parts, sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Optional Garnish: Additional sliced scallions and/or chopped dry roasted peanuts (about 2 T. total)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook noodles in salted, boiling water according to instructions on package. When done cooking, drain noodles (do not rinse).
While noodles are cooking, prepare Asian sauce. Whisk soy sauce, dark brown sugar, rice vinegar, 1T. vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Once well combined, set bowl aside.
Heat 2 T. vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until sesame seeds begin to turn golden brown. This usually takes 3-4 minutes. Once sesame seeds start browning, turn off the heat.
Stir garlic and scallions into sesame seed mixture in skillet for about a minute until combined. Skillet will still be hot (even off the heat), so it will slightly cook scallions and garlic. Pour mixture into a large bowl.
When noodles are done cooking, drain them (without rinsing). Immediately add linguini to the sesame/scallion mixture in bowl. Use tongs to combine sauce and linguini until noodles are fully coated in sauce.
To serve, divide hot Asian sesame scallion noodles into individual bowls. Garnish each serving with chopped peanuts (optional, but good!). Add additional sliced green onions for more color, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Asian Sesame Scallion Noodles

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total amount))

Calories 494 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 10g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Sodium 691mg30%

Potassium 278mg8%

Carbohydrates 67g22%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 211IU4%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 60mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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25
Apr
2023

Mexican Red Lentil Soup

categories: Meatless Meals, Soups

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Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it’s a meatless soup you’ll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!

Mexican Red Lentil Soup is a yummy, meatless main dish that is packed with flavor! If you enjoy chili, I’m confident you will enjoy this recipe, as well. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, this soup is wonderful, budget friendly, and it’s worth checking out.

Red lentils (or other lentils) are an amazingly inexpensive, but high in protein superfood! Did you know that lentils have been around for thousands of years? Yes, they have!

Lentils contain large amounts of vitamins, minerals, potassium, fiber and polyphenols (think antioxidants!), and are a wonderful source of protein in “meatless” dishes.

If you’re not too familiar with lentils… what they are and to learn more about their history and nutritional value, check out the info on this amazing food source here.

Today I want to share this yummy recipe I found online many years ago online. So… here we go!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Rinse And Drain, Rinse And Drain!

Lentils need to be rinsed several times before cooking, to clean them. Pour the red lentils into a large saucepan (one that has a lid). Cover the lentils completely with water.

Stir or swirl them around in the water, then cover the pan with the lid, and drain off the water. Be sure to hold the lid on tightly so the lentils can’t “escape” while draining!

Repeat this process 1-2 more times or until the water becomes mostly clear, to ensure the lentils are cleaned and “good to go”.

Cook The Lentils

Add 4 cups of fresh water back into the pan with the lentils, and cover the pan. Turn the heat to HIGH, and let the water come to a boil

Once the water has begun boiling, turn off the heat, then remove the pan from the heat source. Keeping the lid on, let the lentils rest for 20 minutes, without disturbing.

Cook The Veggies While Lentils Are “Resting”

Place a large soup pot on the stovetop, and add olive oil. Begin to heat the oil on medium-low, then add diced onions and minced garlic.

Continue to cook, stirring often, until onions have become tender, then add diced celery, and stir to combine. Cook for a couple minutes until the celery starts to get soft.

The next ingredients to add to the pan are fire-roasted canned tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin and hot sauce.

NOTE: For the hot sauce I use Tabasco sauce, and use between 6-8 dashes, but if you like it HOT, add 10-15 dashes.

Stir these ingredients until they are fully combined, and then you are ready to finish this soup with lentils and broth.

Drain The Cooked Lentils

Drain the remaining water off of the cooked red lentils, then add the lentils to the soup pan. Pour the vegetable broth into the soup pot, as well.

Give the Mexican red lentil soup a stir to incorporate all the ingredients, then let the soup simmer (uncovered) on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

Final Step Before Serving

After 15 minutes the soup will be nice and hot. Stir in chopped cilantro leaves, then squeeze in the the juice of one medium-sized lime.

Stir these ingredients into the soup, then take a little taste. Add salt or more hot sauce, if desired, to suit your taste. Now your Mexican Red Lentil Soup is ready to serve!

Enjoy A Bowl Of Mexican Red Lentil Soup

This soup will yield about 7 servings in total. Ladle each portion (about 1½ cups per serving) into bowls, serve hot… and enjoy!

I really hope you have the chance to make this delicious Mexican Red Lentil Soup for those you love. It’s REALLY good, and I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It can be easily reheated on the stovetop or in a microwave. It freezes fairly well, also.

Thank you for stopping by today. I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes! Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious soup recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Original recipe source, and with thanks to Beth Moncel, at: https://www.budgetbytes.com/2009/12/mexican-lentil-stew/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Mexican Red Lentil Soup

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it's a meatless soup you'll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!

Category: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Mexican red lentil soup

Servings: 7 (1½ cups per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 250 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups dry red lentils
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion peeled, diced
4 stalks celery diced
4 cloves garlic minced
29 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes =two 14.5 ounce cans
½ Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups vegetable broth
6-8 dashes Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce + more if heat desired!
1 medium lime (juice of)
½ cup chopped cilantro stems removed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Put lentils in a large pot (one with a lid). Cover completely with water. Stir or swirl them around in water; tightly cover pan with lid; drain water out. Repeat 1-2 more times until water is fairly clear.
Add 4 cups water to pan with lentils; cover pan. Turn heat to HIGH; let water come to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat. Keeping lid on, let lentils rest 20 minutes, undisturbed.
Place large soup pot on stovetop; add olive oil. Heat oil on medium-low; add diced onions and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onions are tender, then add celery; stir to combine. Cook 2-3 minutes until celery becomes tender.
Add tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin and hot sauce into pot; stir until combined. NOTE: For hot sauce I use Tabasco sauce, and use between 6-8 dashes; if you like it HOT, add 10-15 dashes.
Drain any remaining cooking water off lentils, then add lentils to soup pot. Stir in vegetable broth, until combined. Let soup simmer (uncovered) on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
Stir in chopped cilantro (discarding stems), and juice of one lime. Taste the soup. Add salt or more hot sauce, if desired.
This soup will yield about 7 servings total. Ladle 1½ cups soup per serving into bowls. Serve hot... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Mexican Red Lentil Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 serving (about 1½ cups))

Calories 250 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 0.4g3%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Sodium 753mg33%

Potassium 611mg17%

Carbohydrates 42g14%

Fiber 18g75%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 1131IU23%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 86mg9%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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22
Nov
2022

Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies is a meatless pasta dish with garlic, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and Parmesan. It’s ready in 20 minutes!

If you’re looking for a meatless main dish that is full of flavor and takes practically no time at all to prepare, I think you’ll enjoy this tasty meal! Penne pasta is paired with a light garlic, Parmesan and veggie sauce.

This dish includes garbanzo beans (chickpeas) for added protein, fresh tomatoes, baby spinach and garlic, which bring color, texture, and flavor to the pasta.

It’s a cinch to make, and is ready in 20 minutes, because you make the sauce and veggies while the pasta cooks! How’s that for convenience? Let me show you how to make this meal:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Penne Pasta

The first thing you’ll need to do is cook the penne pasta in boiling water, according to the directions found on the package.

While the pasta is cooking you prepare the rest of this dish, so it’s ready when the pasta is done! Once the penne is done cooking, drain the water off of the hot pasta.

Prepare The Garlic Sauce And Veggies

While the pasta cooks, make the simple garlic sauce and veggies. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the hot oil.

Stir to combine, and sauté them, stirring often for 30-45 seconds. Be careful to not burn the garlic or it may become bitter in taste (and you do NOT want that!).

Add chopped fresh tomatoes and a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) that have been rinsed and drained to the skillet.

Stir to combine, and continue to cook and stir on medium heat for 2 more minutes.

Place the fresh baby spinach and salt into the skillet, and cook, stirring often until the spinach leaves have wilted from the heat.

This is the garlic and veggie sauce you will add to the hot penne pasta, once it is done cooking. See how simple that was?

Serving The Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies

Once the penne pasta has finished cooking, drain it and immediately add it to the skillet full of veggies. Add grated Parmesan cheese, and then toss the garlic penne pasta and veggies, to combine.

Because there is not a thick sauce coating everything, the pasta will cool fairly quickly, so serve the pasta immediately while hot. If desired, you can add additional Parmesan cheese to the top as a garnish for serving.

I hope you have the chance to make this delicious dish for those you love, and trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of wonderful pasta recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: Doris Heath, via “Taste of Home Magazine”, Oct./Nov. 2022 edition, page 26, published by Reiman Publications

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Garlic Penne Pasta and Veggies

Prep Time

20 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies is a meatless pasta dish with garlic, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and Parmesan. It's ready in 20 minutes!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: garlic penne pasta and veggies

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 353 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more if you like it spicy
15 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes , seeded, cut in ½" pieces
9 ounces fresh baby spinach
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish, if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook pasta in boiling water, according to directions on the package. Once pasta is done cooking, drain water off pasta.
While pasta cooks, prepare sauce, so it's ready when pasta is done! Heat olive oil on medium heat in large skillet. Add garlic/red pepper flakes to hot oil. Stir to combine; cook stirring often for 30-45 seconds (don't let garlic burn or it becomes bitter).
Add tomatoes and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Stir to combine. Continue to cook and stir on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add spinach and salt to sauce; cook, stirring often until spinach has wilted from the heat. Sauce is now ready for hot, drained pasta.
Once pasta is done, drain; immediately add it to skillet with veggies. Add grated Parmesan cheese; toss well, to combine ingredients. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Garlic Penne Pasta and Veggies

Amount Per Serving (1 (1½ cups per serving))

Calories 353 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 4mg1%

Sodium 408mg18%

Potassium 584mg17%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 4401IU88%

Vitamin C 19mg23%

Calcium 126mg13%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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21
Jul
2022

Easy Black Bean Stew

categories: Meatless Meals, Soups

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Easy Black Bean Stew is a hearty meatless dish, with black beans, pearl couscous, onions, and tomatoes in a savory Southwestern-style broth.

If you enjoy the flavor of chili, then I’m confident you will enjoy this easy black bean stew. The dish is incredibly simple to prepare, and is very filling, because of the black beans and pearl couscous used. Onions, diced tomatoes and spices round out the dish, and when garnished with sour cream and green onions, it’s a great meatless meal!

My husband and I are trying to eat a couple of meatless meals each week, and this one is always a big hit! With only a few minutes prep time and a short cooking time, this meatless meal is not only quick and simple, it tastes GREAT! Here’s how to make this easy black bean stew:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

The recipe calls for pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous), which is typically located near the rice at most grocery stores.. It is a round-shaped pasta, similar in size to a pearl, so you can see why it’s called “pearl” couscous. Pearl couscous cooks quickly and is a wonderful addition to this dish.

First, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat in a large, non-stick saucepan. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add chopped onion and the pearl couscous (uncooked). Stir often, and cook for 5 minutes. The onions will soften and the couscous will become lightly “toasted”.

Add chicken broth, minced garlic and ground cumin to the pan, then bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the saucepan with a lid once it begins boiling, and turn the heat down to low. Allow the broth to simmer (covered) for 5 minutes.

Almost Finished Making The Stew

Remove the lid and add black beans (drained, rinsed), diced tomatoes (including juice), and a teaspoon of minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Stir the black bean stew until all the ingredients are combined.

Put a lid on the pan and let the stew simmer (covered) on low heat for 4 minutes, or until the pearl couscous is tender. The stew will be fairly thick when done. If you want it to be more “soup-like”, add a bit more broth or hot water, and stir it in. I usually tend to add a bit more broth to ours at the very end. See how easy it is to make black bean stew? Now you’re ready to serve it!

Serve The Easy Black Bean Stew

When the stew is fully heated and the couscous is tender, it is ready to serve! Ladle the black bean stew into serving bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped green onions (scallions). The garnishes are optional, but provide great added color and flavor to the dish, and I heartily recommend it!

You could also add avocado chunks or chopped cilantro, if desired, to “make it your own”. This soup really does taste great, for something so simple to make! I am confident you’re going to enjoy this meal. A big slice of crusty bread on the side goes well with the stew. It tastes great dipping it into the seasoned broth. YUM!

I sure hope you enjoy this delicious black bean stew, if you have the opportunity to try it. Thank you so much for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more delicious recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.

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Recipe adapted from the cookbook: “Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004, page 273, published in 2003 by Oxmoor House

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Easy Black Bean Stew

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Easy Black Bean Stew is a hearty meatless dish, with black beans, pearl couscous, onions, and tomatoes in a savory Southwestern-style broth.

Category: Main Dish, Meatless, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: black bean stew

Servings: 4 small bowls

Calories Per Serving: 211 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup chopped yellow onion
⅓ cup uncooked Israeli (pearl) couscous
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can black beans (14.25 oz.) rinsed, drained
1 can diced tomatoes (14.25oz.) including juice
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon ground cumin

For Garnish: (optional, but recommended!)

1 Tablespoon sliced green onions
4 teaspoons low-fat sour cream

Instructions

Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large, non-stick saucepan. Once oil is hot (but not smoking), add chopped yellow onion and uncooked couscous.. Stir often, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth, garlic and cumin to the pan. Bring liquid to a boil. Cover pan with a lid once boiling and turn heat to low. Let stew simmer (covered) for 5 minutes.
Remove lid; add black beans, tomatoes (including juice), and minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Stir until all ingredients are combined. Cover pan; simmer (covered) on low heat for 4 minutes, or until couscous is tender. NOTE: Stew will be fairly thick. If you want it more "soup-like", add more broth or hot water, and stir it in.
Ladle stew into serving bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and chopped green onions. Garnishes are optional, but provide added color and flavor, Serve hot, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation includes sour cream and green onion garnish in total.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Black Bean Stew

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 211 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 581mg25%

Potassium 648mg19%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 215IU4%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 87mg9%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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13
Apr
2022

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Butternut Squash Coconut Curry, served on a bed of rice, is a delicious, meatless dish, packed with flavor. This simple recipe makes 4 servings.

If you’re looking for a delicious, flavorful meatless meal, may I suggest trying this recipe for butternut squash coconut curry? It’s really delicious… and honestly, the most difficult thing about the recipe is peeling and cubing the squash! Even though my husband and I love meat, we try to have 1 or 2 “meatless meals” every week, and this recipe fits the bill.

I’m always on the lookout for vegetarian meals since our youngest son began following that eating path quite a few years ago. I prepared this recipe to see how it tasted, so I could possibly serve it to our son and his girlfriend (also a vegetarian) when they come for dinner in our home. After making this dish and enjoying it several times, I’m confident they would like it, too!

The butternut squash coconut curry is big on flavor! Cubes of tender butternut squash pair well with onions, garlic, ginger, curry spices, vegetable broth and coconut milk for a tasty main dish.

It tastes wonderful, served on a bed of steamed rice. I’m sure if you try it, you’ll enjoy it. Here’s how to make this recipe:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Butternut Squash

Use a vegetable peeler to remove all the outside peel from a butternut squash. Carefully slice the squash in half lengthwise, from top to bottom.

Remove the seeds and stringy pulp from each piece, then slice the squash into 1″ thick half-rings.

Cut each slice into bite-sized cubes about 1″ in diameter. You will need a total of 4 cups of cubed butternut squash for this dish.

Make The Curry Seasoning

Heat coconut oil in a large skillet or saucepan on Medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, minced garlic and grated fresh ginger. Stir to combine, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the onion becomes tender and translucent. Continue stirring, to prevent the garlic from burning and becoming bitter.

Stir curry powder, thyme, and paprika into the onion mixture in the skillet, and continue to cook (and stir), for one more minute.

Cook The Curry

Now add a can of coconut milk (stirred before adding), vegetable broth, and the butternut squash cubes. Stir to combine these ingredients, then bring the liquid to a boil. Once it begins boiling, place a lid on the pan or skillet.

Reduce the heat to LOW heat, and let the butternut squash coconut curry simmer for about 13-15 minutes. Cooking time might vary slightly depending on the size of the squash cubes you’ve added.

When the squash is tender and a knife can easily be inserted without resistance, it is done. You do NOT want the squash to become “mushy”, so keep an eye on it while cooking.

The last step is to add chopped cilantro, salt and cayenne pepper to the butternut squash coconut curry. Give it a good stir to combine, make sure it’s heated through, and then it’s ready to serve!

Serving Butternut Squash Coconut Curry

We enjoy this dish, especially when served on top of steamed rice. The blandness of the rice is a good balance to the slightly spicy curry flavor. To serve, divide the butternut squash over rice in serving bowls, then top with the sauce and more chopped cilantro.

Typically curries are usually “swimming” or completely covered in sauce, which is great if you enjoy it that way. For this curry, I spoon lots of the sauce over the rice and butternut squash, but stop short of covering it all up with sauce.

It’s your choice as to how you wish to serve this dish! All I know is which ever way you prefer to serve this butternut squash coconut curry, I believe you’ll enjoy it!

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry is served on top of steamed rice, in a white bowl. The butternut squash is tender and is garnished with chopped cilantro for serving.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon! If you enjoy butternut squash, I’m confident you’ll also enjoy Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon, and Maple Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries!

Take care. Count your many blessings, thank God for them… and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More MEATLESS MEAL Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful meatless main dish recipes you might enjoy, including:

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Original recipe source: Michelle Blackwood at: healthiersteps.com/recipe/butternut-squash-coconut-curry/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry, served on a bed of rice, is a delicious meatless dish, packed with flavor.

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash coconut curry

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 202 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 cups butternut squash peeled, de-seeded, cut in 1" cubes
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
4 cloves garlic minced
1¾ Tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon paprika
1 can light coconut milk (14 oz.) stirred before using
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, but good)
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves chopped + more for garnish, if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel butternut squash, then slice in half lengthwise, from top to bottom. Remove seeds/stringy pulp. Slice into 1" thick half-rings. Cut each slice into 1" cubes.
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet or pan on Medium-High. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Stir to combine; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until onion becomes tender and translucent. Stirring prevents garlic from burning and becoming bitter. Add curry powder, thyme, and paprika to skillet; cook and stir for one minute.
Stir in in coconut milk, vegetable broth, and cubed butternut squash. Stir to combine, then bring liquid to a boil. Place a lid on the pan or skillet. Reduce heat to LOW; let simmer for 13-15 minutes. Cooking time might vary slightly depending on size of the squash cubes. When squash is tender and a knife can be inserted without resistance, it is done. Don't let squash become "mushy", so keep an eye on it while cooking.
Add cilantro, salt and cayenne pepper; stir to combine. It tastes great served on top of steamed rice. Garnish with more cilantro, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Store leftovers up to 3-4 days (covered) in refrigerator. Microwave to reheat.

Nutrition Facts

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 202 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 905mg39%

Potassium 599mg17%

Carbohydrates 26g9%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 15232IU305%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 98mg10%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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06
Sep
2021

Smoked Macaroni And Cheese

categories: Meatless Meals, Side Dishes, Traeger Grill Recipes

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Smoked Macaroni And Cheese is a tasty side OR main dish, cooked on a Traeger or smoker grill. The cheese sauce is easily made from scratch!

Do you enjoy homemade macaroni and cheese? It is a favorite “comfort food” of ours. Most of the time we make an EASY version on the stove top in our kitchen (recipe here on my blog). However, we also enjoy it when we use our smoker grill to make it, which imparts a unique smoky taste we really like. I came up with this recipe to in order to use our Traeger to make this handy dandy, beloved pasta dish.

That is the recipe I am sharing here today. We tend to make this as a side dish when we are smoking meat low and slow on our Traeger grill. This smoked macaroni and cheese is smoked at a low temperature, and tastes wonderful once done. The cheese sauce and the pasta are pre-cooked inside, then combined to put on the smoker grill. Topped with sharp cheddar and bread crumbs, this is one delicious side dish OR main dish! You can make it ahead, and then smoke it when ready, which is definitely convenient. Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Cheese Sauce

TIP: While making the cheese sauce, cook the macaroni pasta in another saucepan, but cook it for 2 MINUTES LESS than the package instructions say. This will give you time to cook and drain the macaroni before adding the hot, completed cheese sauce.

To make the cheese sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in the all purpose flour and dry mustard powder, being sure to whisk constantly. Cook for approx. 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to ensure the butter does not brown. Slowly whisk in the milk, and continue to mix until the sauce is slightly thickened and smooth.

Stir the Velveeta cheese OR American cheese chunks into the hot sauce in the saucepan. Stir until the cheese has melted. If you feel the sauce is too thick once done, simply add a small amount of milk to thin it out just a little bit.

TIP#1: I’ve also made this sauce using 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar. That will also make a nice, creamy sauce. TIP #2: If you are a real cheese lover, you can substitute a full pound of Velveeta or American cheese in the sauce (instead of the 12 ounces called for in the recipe). It is delicious, too!

Preparing The Macaroni And Cheese For The Smoker Grill

When the macaroni has finished cooking, drain the water, but do not rinse the noodles. Place the hot noodles in a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot cheese sauce over the top, then stir well to fully combine the ingredients.

Take a quick taste, and add salt and pepper to suit your personal taste, if desired. Spray the baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (or coat with melted butter), then add the macaroni and cheese. Spread it out evenly in the pan.

Evenly sprinkle the surface with grated cheddar cheese. Next sprinkle with the bread crumbs, followed by a few sprinkles of paprika. Now your smoked macaroni and cheese is ready for the smoker grill.

Time For The Smoker Grill

Preheat your smoker grill to 225°F, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once at temperature, place the smoked macaroni and cheese pan onto the grate, leaving the pan uncovered. Close the lid of the smoker. Smoke the macaroni and cheese (pan uncovered) for 20 minutes.

After the first 20 minutes, cover the pan securely with aluminum foil, and continue cooking for another 25-30 minutes (we usually do 30), or until heated through and the cheese on top is melted.

Ready To EAT Some Smoked Macaroni And Cheese!

Now it’s time to enjoy your smoked macaroni and cheese! Serve this dish hot, grab a fork, and dig in. It has a subtle smoky taste (which we love) and tastes wonderful! This dish will yield approximately 8 small servings (can be served as a side OR a main dish. I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you for stopping by today. I truly hope you will come back again for more family-friendly recipes you can make for those you love. Have a great day, friends.

Looking for More Traeger Or Smoker Grill Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of recipes utilizing a smoker grill for you to enjoy, including:

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0 from 0 votes

Smoked Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

Smoked Macaroni And Cheese is a tasty side OR main dish, cooked on a Traeger or smoker grill. The cheese sauce is easily made from scratch!

Category: Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: smoked macaroni and cheese

Servings: 8

Calories Per Serving: 516 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Pasta:

2½ quarts water =10 cups water
1 pound elbow macaroni

For Cheese Sauce:

4 Tablespoons butter
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 cup milk + more to thin sauce, if desired
12 ounces American cheese (or Velveeta) , cut into small chunks
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup dried bread crumbs
¼ teaspoon paprika

Melted butter or cooking spray to grease the baking dish (bottom and sides)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook Pasta- Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add macaroni. Cook macaroni for 2 MINUTES LESS than the package instructions say. If you cook the pasta while making the cheese sauce in a separate pan, it will save you time.
Make Cheese Sauce- Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in all purpose flour and mustard powder, being sure to whisk constantly. Cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to ensure butter does not brown. Slowly whisk in milk; continue to whisk until sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly. Stir Velveeta OR American cheese chunks into sauce. Stir until cheese has melted. If sauce is too thick once done, simply add a small amount of milk to thin it out a bit.
When macaroni has finished cooking, drain off water, but do not rinse noodles. Place drained macaroni in a large bowl. Pour cheese sauce over the top, then stir well to fully combine ingredients. Taste, then season with salt/pepper to suit your taste. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (or coat with melted butter), then add the macaroni and cheese, spreading evenly in pan. Sprinkle top with grated cheddar, then bread crumbs, followed by a few sprinkles of paprika.
Preheat smoker grill to 225°F, according to manufacturer's instructions. Once at temperature, place macaroni and cheese pan onto the grate, LEAVING PAN UNCOVERED. Close the smoker lid. Cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover the pan securely with aluminum foil. Continue cooking another 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese on top is melted. Remove from grill; serve hot.

Recipe Notes

TIP#1: You can make sauce using 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar.

TIP #2: If you're a cheese lover, you can add a full pound of cheese to the sauce (instead of the 12 ounces called for in recipe).

Nutrition Facts

Smoked Macaroni and Cheese

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))

Calories 516 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 74mg25%

Sodium 890mg39%

Potassium 255mg7%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 807IU16%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 604mg60%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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09
Jul
2021

Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Easy tomato basil pasta is yummy, and is a CINCH to make! Marinate fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic & spices, then add to cooked pasta, to serve!

As I write this blog post, we are in the middle of a record-shattering heat wave here in our part of Oregon. Temps yesterday were 113°F., and they are “expected to hit 115° F today. Even though we have air conditioning (most in the Portland metro do not), we are trying our best not to use the oven, or even cook a lot of hot food. That’s where this recipe comes in handy! I am making this again tonight for my husband, and my sister-in-law (who is staying with us and our air conditioning during this heat wave, to stay cool).

I found this recipe (source unknown) many years ago in an old recipe box I’ve had for over 30 years. Not sure where I got the original recipe, but it’s a KEEPER! I’ve made it a few times way back when, but decided recently to make it again, photograph it, and post the recipe on the ol’ blog! Now you can enjoy it, too!

It is totally simple meatless main dish, and light enough (yet filling) to enjoy on a hot OR cold day!. If you can boil spaghetti noodles, you can make this delicious pasta dish! I’ve now made this pasta twice in the past two weeks, and it is yummy! Here’s how to make easy tomato basil pasta.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

In a medium sized bowl, combine chopped fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced fresh basil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. Give them a good stir to fully combine ingredients together, and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for one hour (or more, if you have the time). Do NOT refrigerate the tomato mixture, and give it a stir a couple of times during the “marinating”.

After the tomato basil mixture has marinated for an hour, you will notice that the tomatoes have released some of their juice. That is perfect, and just what you want them to do. Set the tomato mixture aside while you cook the pasta.

Cook The Pasta

Cook the spaghetti (or angel hair pasta) in boiling, lightly salted water according to the package instructions until done. Immediately pour the hot pasta into a colander to drain off water, BUT DO NOT RINSE! You want the pasta HOT.

As soon as the water is drained, pour the hot pasta noodles back into the cooking pan. Immediately add the room temperature tomato/basil/garlic mixture. YES, you add it (uncooked) to the hot pasta. Toss the pasta and tomato basil mixture (including all the accumulated juice) until fully combined.

Garnish, Then Serve Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

While it is still hot, portion out the easy tomato basil pasta into serving bowls or onto plates. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta, and garnish with a couple fresh basil leaves, if desired. Serve immediately!

We love this simple pasta dish, and it truly tastes wonderful! I hope you have the opportunity to try this recipe, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. If you like meatless pasta, be sure to check out my recipe for Garlic Penne Pasta and Veggies! Thanks for stopping by, and I trust you will come back again soon! Take care, and may God bless you throughout this day.

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy pasta recipes I think you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

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Original recipe source: unknown

0 from 0 votes

Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

RESTING TIME (inactive prep)

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 15 mins

Easy tomato basil pasta is yummy, & a CINCH to make! Marinate fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic & spices, then add to cooked pasta, to serve!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy tomato basil pasta

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 249 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups diced, fresh tomatoes , approx. 2 large tomatoes
2 teaspoons fresh basil , thinly sliced or chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 ounces spaghetti or angel hair pasta
4 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese , for garnish
8 leaves fresh basil , for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, chopped or thinly sliced basil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to fully combine ingredients. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for one hour (or more). Do NOT refrigerate tomato mixture; give it a stir a couple times during the "marinating". After mixture has marinated for an hour, you will notice the tomatoes have released some juice. That what you want them to do. Set the tomato mixture aside while you cook the pasta.
Cook spaghetti (or angel hair pasta) in boiling, lightly salted water according to package instructions until done. Immediately pour hot pasta into a colander to drain off water, BUT DO NOT RINSE! You want the pasta HOT.
As soon as water has drained off, pour hot pasta back into cooking pan. Immediately add room temperature tomato mixture. YES, add it (uncooked) to the hot pasta. Toss the pasta and tomato basil mixture (including accumulated juice) until fully combined.
While still hot, portion pasta into serving bowls or onto plates. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top, and garnish with a couple fresh basil leaves, if desired. Serve immediately!

Nutrition Facts

Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 249 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 4mg1%

Sodium 375mg16%

Potassium 323mg9%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 720IU14%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 82mg8%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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26
Mar
2021

Lemon Pasta And Peas

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Lemon Pasta and Peas is an easy, delicious, meatless dish. Pasta and peas, with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan will be a big hit!

I received two new cookbooks from my family this past Christmas to add to my cookbook collection. Both cookbooks were written by the same couple (Steve and Kathy Doocy), and had been on top of the best seller list at one time or another. It was fun to read the stories behind the foods and mark some of the recipes I wanted to try.

This recipe for lemon pasta and peas is the first one I tried from “The Happy In A Hurry Cook Book”. The Doocy’s originally got the recipe from their friend Madeleine (it’s her “go to” pasta dish). It is a simple, meatless dish, can be made quickly (under 20 minutes), and has wonderful flavor. We enjoyed it with a slice of rotisserie chicken on the side (my hubby wanted some protein).

Once the pasta is almost fully cooked, you add frozen peas to the pasta water in the pan (which quickly cooks them!). The remaining ingredients (the flavor factor) are then added to the cooked, drained pasta and peas. That’s it… see how EASY this meal is to make?! Here’s how to make this simple dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Pasta And Peas

The first thing you need to do is bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, add the pasta to the pan, and cook. TIP: You will need to cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the pkg. directions tell you for al dente.

Add the frozen peas (yes, still FROZEN) to the pan of boiling pasta. Let them cook for 2 more minutes right in there with the pasta. NOTE: The recipe calls for using one (12 oz.) bag of frozen peas. If you would prefer LESS peas in this dish, simply add HALF the bag.

Remove one cup of the hot pasta water, and set it aside for later. Pour the pasta and peas into a strainer or colander, and drain the remaining water from the pan, but do not rinse. Return the hot drained pasta and peas to the pan, and immediately begin seasoning the dish (off of the heat).

Seasoning The Lemon Pasta And Peas For Serving

While the drained pasta is still hot, add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic, tossing to coat the pasta and peas well. Once combined, add the grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and give it another good toss to combine.

Now you will add a little bit of the reserved hot starchy pasta water. Give the pasta good stir as you add the water. This will help the pasta to not be dry, and help to melt the Parmesan cheese. You won’t need to use all of the pasta water… just use enough to coat the pasta to your liking, ok?

Time To Enjoy Lemon Pasta And Peas

Now the lemon pasta and peas are ready to serve (while they’re still hot). If you find that the pasta has cooled down too much, simply reheat it quickly in the microwave. Serve immediately, and enjoy this easy, delicious pasta dish!

Don’t Want It To Be Meatless?

If you want to add protein to the dish, add a slice or two of rotisserie chicken on the side. You could also add cooked, cubed chicken or pork into the pasta as well. Whatever makes you happy! My hubby asked for some protein with his, so I added a slice of rotisserie chicken breast on the side.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for lemon pasta and peas. Any leftovers will keep for several days in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, and can be reheated easily in a microwave. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my blog recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious pasta recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Original recipe source: “The Happy In A Hurry Cook Book”, by Steve and Kathy Doocy, page 163, published by William Morrow, 2020

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Lemon Pasta and Peas

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Lemon Pasta and Peas is an easy, delicious, meatless dish. Pasta and peas, with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan will be a big hit!

Category: Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lemon pasta and peas

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 449 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti pasta
12 ounces frozen sweet green peas
½ cup fresh lemon juice approx. 2-3 lemons
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves minced
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil on medium-high heat. Once water boils, add pasta and cook. Note: cook pasta for 1 minute less than pkg. directions tell you for al dente. Add frozen peas (yes, still FROZEN) and let them cook 2 minutes, in with the pasta.
Remove 1 cup of hot pasta water; set aside. Pour pasta/peas into a strainer; drain remaining water from pan. Do not rinse pasta. Return hot drained pasta/peas to pan (off the heat).
Add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic to pasta, tossing or stirring to coat. Now add Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and toss to combine. pour in a little bit of reserved hot pasta water; stir, then add more as needed, to melt cheese and help pasta to not be dry. You won't need to use all of the pasta water.
Serve immediately while hot, and enjoy this easy, delicious pasta dish!

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Pasta and Peas

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 449 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 393mg17%

Potassium 350mg10%

Carbohydrates 67g22%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 544IU11%

Vitamin C 31mg38%

Calcium 173mg17%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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18
Mar
2021

Navy Bean Soup

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Soups

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Navy Bean Soup is delicious and filling! Slowly cooked dried navy beans, carrots, garlic, celery, onion, broth & spices create a robust soup.

Do you enjoy soup? We really do, especially in the cold of winter when a big bowl of piping hot soup takes the chill off the day! Today I want to share with you a recipe that I originally found in an old Italian cookbook of mine (from Williams-Sonoma). It is really tasty, warming, and filling.

The recipe uses dried navy beans, so the only “downside” (if there is one), is that it will take some time to soak and cook the beans until they have slightly softened. Typically I soak the beans early in the day, then add them to the soup later and then let the soup cook low and slow to infuse the beans with flavor, and to soften them perfectly! It’s inactive prep time, so you do other things while they soak!

So… as long as you plan ahead a little bit, you will have no problems making this absolutely DELICIOUS navy bean soup. Yes… it will take a bit of your time on your part, but it is worth it! Don’t forget, a lot of the time involved is inactive time (soaking, cooking, etc.) Let me show you how to make navy bean soup:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Navy Beans

Bags of navy beans can be found in most grocery stores, and are a very economical main ingredient for the soup. Because this recipe calls for dried navy beans, that means you’ll need to plan ahead to soak them (which helps soften them). I usually do this step early in the day, so the beans have several hours to soak.

To do this, first rinse the navy beans in a strainer. Once rinsed, place the beans in a large bowl and completely cover with water. Let them soak for at least 3 hours, and then drain.

Ready To Cook the Navy Bean Soup

Okay… the beans have soaked. Now it’s time to start making the soup. Place olive oil into a large soup pot, and let it get warm (on medium heat). Add chopped celery, carrots and onion to the pot, and cook for about 8-10 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the veggies have softened.

Once the veggie have softened, add minced garlic and minced fresh rosemary to the pot, and stir to combine. Cook this mixture for a couple minutes, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and the drained, softened navy beans to the pot. Stir to combine, and then bring it to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to LOW, and let the navy bean soup simmer for about 1½ hours, uncovered. You will know it is done when the beans are soft to the bite, and the liquid has reduced in quantity. Let the soup cool for 5 minutes.

Thickening The Navy Bean Soup

Now you’re ready for the last step… thickening the navy bean soup for eating! It’s EASY. Remove about 1/3 of the bean mixture and place it in a blender (or food processor). Process the bean/soup mixture until it becomes a puree, smooth in texture.

Return the pureed bean mix to the soup pot, and stir well, to fully incorporate the puree into the soup. This will really help thicken the soup! Gently reheat the soup until it’s hot enough to serve. Season the navy bean soup with salt and black pepper, to suit your personal taste.

Garnish, Serve, and Enjoy!

Once you have the soup seasoned to your liking, it is time to serve/ Ladle the navy bean soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish each portion with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve piping hot, and enjoy this thick, creamy and delicious soup!

I really hope you have a chance to make and enjoy eating this soup. We sure enjoy it, and trust you will, too! Thank you for stopping by, and sincerely hope you will come back soon. Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious soup recipes, including:

Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings (my #1 pinned recipe)
Albondigas Soup
Southwestern Chicken Soup
Fully Loaded Potato Soup

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: The cookbook “Williams-Sonoma Italian Favorites”, page 22, published in 2004 by Oxmoor House and Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

0 from 0 votes

Navy Bean Soup

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Inactive (Bean Soaking Time)

3 hrs

Total Time

4 hrs 40 mins

Navy Bean Soup is delicious and filling! Slowly cooked dried navy beans, carrots, garlic, celery, onion, broth & spices create a robust soup.

Category: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: navy bean soup

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 332 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1½ cups small navy beans (dried)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion , finely chopped
1 large carrot , peeled/finely chopped
1 stalk celery , finely chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary , minced
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth , or vegetable broth
salt & pepper, to taste

To Garnish:

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley , chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse beans in a strainer. Once rinsed, place beans in large bowl; cover completely with water. Let beans soak at least 3 hours; drain.
Once beans have soaked at least 3 hours: Place olive oil into a large soup pot; heat oil until warm on medium heat. Add celery, carrots and onion; cook 8-10 minutes (stirring occasionally) until veggies have softened. Add garlic and rosemary; stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often, so garlic doesn't burn.
Add chicken stock (or vegetable stock or water) and the drained beans. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to LOW; simmer soup gently for 1½ hours, uncovered. It is done when beans are soft to the bite., and liquid has reduced. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Remove about 1/3 of the bean mixture; place in a blender (or food processor). Process bean/soup mixture until it becomes a smooth puree. Return puree to soup; stir well, to mix puree into soup. Gently reheat soup until hot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Garnish each portion with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If you do not have access to chicken or vegetable broth, you can substitute 7 cups water. However... the flavor will be much better using the broth.

Nutrition Facts

Navy Bean Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 332 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 227mg10%

Potassium 950mg27%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 13g54%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 2108IU42%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 193mg19%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!