Meatless Meals Archives

Category: Meatless Meals

10
Jul
2024

Lentil Potato Soup

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Soups

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Lentil Potato Soup is a hearty and filling meatless soup that serves 6 and is easy to make. It’s also budget friendly and tastes delicious!

Today I want to share a delicious recipe for a meatless soup that tastes great, and is really simple to prepare. Even though I am not a vegetarian, my husband and I often enjoy meatless meals.

I’m always on the lookout for meatless recipes, especially because one of our sons (and his girlfriend) are vegetarians. This recipe for lentil potato soup is a yummy recipe I’m positive they will enjoy!

Even if you are NOT a vegetarian, I’m confident you are going to enjoy this delicious meatless soup, full of protein and fiber!

Lentils are such a wonderful source of protein and prebiotic fiber, and are low in fat, too! These wonderful legumes are available in grocery stores everywhere (found with the dried beans). Lentils are also quite inexpensive and are a great item for the pantry, because of their long shelf life.

The addition of potatoes, carrots, onion, tomato sauce, garlic, celery and spices give this soup great flavor, as well. You’ll also love how simple it is to make, which is an added bonus! Here’s how to make lentil potato soup.

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

A Word About The Lentils

For this recipe I used a combination of three types of lentils I already had in our pantry: red lentils, green lentils and brown lentils. If you only have ONE type of lentils to use (preferably brown, black, or green) that will still be absolutely delicious, as well.

I don’t recommend using all red lentils because they can become soft and “mushy” when cooked for a long time, more so than the other three varieties.

Before beginning to cook this soup, rinse the raw, dried lentils and drain them very well. Repeat this 2-3 times, then set the rinsed and dried lentils aside, to be added later to the soup.

How To Make The Soup

Now it’s time to prepare the soup. In a large cooking pot (or Dutch oven), heat vegetable oil on medium heat.

Stir in diced onion, and cook this for about 1 minute, stirring often. Add diced carrots, celery, and minced garlic to the pot, and stir to combine.

Continue to cook the veggies for 3 minutes, stirring often, so the garlic doesn’t burn and become bitter.

Add the drained lentils, tomato paste and tomato sauce to the pot. Stir well, to combine these ingredients. Cook on medium heat for 1 minute, stirring often.

Add The Potatoes And Spices

Stir in 4 cups of water (or chicken broth) into the veggies, then add the potato chunks. The potatoes can either be peeled or not, depending on your personal preference. We leave them on (after washing them well).

I also use a combination of russet potatoes, red potatoes and a couple yukon gold potatoes. You can use only one kind of potato if that’s what you have, just be sure to use ¾ pound total of bite-sized potato pieces.

Stir in salt, pepper, dried thyme and oregano until they’re incorporated into the soup.

Time To Cook The Soup

Put a lid on the soup pot and let the soup come to a boil. Turn the heat down to Medium-Low. Continue cooking the soup (covered) on a low simmer for between 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take a taste. The lentil potato soup is done cooking when the lentils AND the potato chunks are soft and tender. Season the soup to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

The lentil potato soup is fairly thick in density. If you want it to be more “soupy” in texture, stir in a bit more water (about ½ -1 cup), and make sure the soup is heated through before serving.

Serve The Lentil Potato Soup

Ladle the hot lentil potato soup into serving bowls, and serve this dish hot! We enjoyed the soup with a slice of homemade garlic butter naan bread (recipe coming soon) on the side!

The naan was perfect for this thick soup and we enjoyed dipping pieces of it into the soup and scooping up lentils and veggies. YUM!

I hope you have the opportunity to try this delicious, meatless soup, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. It is a filling, hearty soup I am confident you’re going to like!

Thanks for stopping by, and please 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 to choose from, including:

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Recipe adapted from (and with thanks to): Mira, at cookinglsl.com/easy-lentil-potato-soup-recipe/

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Lentil Potato Soup

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Lentil Potato Soup is a hearty and filling meatless soup that serves 6 and is easy to make. It's also budget friendly and tastes delicious!

Category: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lentil potato soup

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 234 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
⅓ cup yellow onion diced
2 medium carrots peeled, diced
1 stalk celery diced
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1¼ cups lentils rinsed, drained well
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups water OR chicken broth + more, as need to thin soup
¾ pound potatoes (russet, red, Yukon- or combo) cut in bite-sized pieces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse lentils and drain 2-3 times. Set aside.
In a large cooking pot, heat oil on Medium. When oil is hot, stir in onion; cook 1 minute, stirring often. Add diced carrots, celery, and minced garlic to the pot; stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn.
Add drained lentils, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Stir well, to combine. Cook on Medium heat for 1 minute, stirring often.
Stir in water (or chicken broth), then add potatoes, salt, pepper, dried thyme and oregano. Stir until they're incorporated into the soup.
Cover the pot and let soup come to a boil. Turn heat down to Medium-Low. Continue cooking (covered) on a low simmer for 30-35 minutes; stir occasionally. Soup is done when lentils AND potatoes are soft/tender. Taste, then add additional salt and pepper, if desired. TIP: If you want soup to be less thick, stir in more water (½ -1 cup); make sure soup is heated through.
Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls, and serve immediately! Enjoy! Any leftovers can be easily re-heated.

Nutrition Facts

Lentil Potato Soup

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

Calories 234 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.02g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 898mg39%

Potassium 829mg24%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 3577IU72%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 50mg5%

Iron 4mg22%

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

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02
May
2024

Slow Cooker Veggie Curry

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Slow Cooker Recipes, Vegetable Dishes

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Slow Cooker Veggie Curry is a meatless dish (with 7 veggies) cooked in a coconut/curry sauce. Serve with rice for a delicious, filling meal.

Are you trying to eat more vegetables this year or are you looking for a new meatless dish with lots of flavor? Well today I want to share a recipe for vegetable curry that is cooked in a slow cooker.

I originally saw the recipe in a monthly mailer that came through the mail to our home, and thought it sounded good. I only made a couple minor changes to suit our taste, and now we love this dish!

Honestly this is such an EASY meal to make. The “hardest” part (if you want to call it that) is chopping and slicing the veggies. There’s seven different vegetables in this dish (2 are from cans), so if you can handle that little bit of prep, you’re good to go!

After the veggies are prepped, the rest of the ingredients are combined with them in a slow cooker. The veggie curry cooks on LOW for 4 hours, and then it’s ready to be served (with rice). That’s it – you can paint your home, watch a movie, or crochet a keepsake quilt while it’s cooking (ha ha).

I am not a vegetarian, but I LOVE this vegetable-based main dish. It’s easy to make, so that’s a win-win in my book. Here’s how to make slow cooker veggie curry.

Prep Veggies For Crockpot

You will use cauliflower, canned green beans, sweet potato, red onion, tomato, canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), and shredded carrots for this veggie curry.

Almost all of the prep work for this dish is simply chopping, slicing and shredding the vegetables! Toss them into your slow cooker after you prep each one.

Even though this is a meatless dish, the addition of the garbanzo beans add a nice dose of plant-based protein, which is wonderful news!

Once the veggies have been added to the slow cooker, add one can of coconut milk and 3 cups of vegetable broth. TIP: Stir the thick coconut milk IN THE CAN before adding it to the slow cooker.

NOTE: If you use vegetable broth in the curry sauce, this dish is entirely vegetarian. However, if that’s not an issue (or it’s more convenient), you can substitute 3 cups of chicken broth.

Build The Sauce

Now it’s time to add the seasonings which give the slow cooker veggie curry GREAT flavor! Add curry powder, ground turmeric, salt and pepper to the slow cooker.

Stir all the ingredients together very well in the slow cooker. The coconut milk, broth and spices will combine to form a creamy, mildly spiced curry sauce.

Time To Let It Cook!

Lock the lid in place, and cook the slow cooker veggie curry for 4 hours on LOW HEAT. This will cook it low and slow, so the vegetables become tender and well-seasoned with the curry sauce.

When it is finished cooking, open the lid and give everything a stir. The sauce will have become golden in color and the veggies should be really hot and fork-tender.

Serve The Slow Cooker Veggie Curry

I totally recommend serving this veggie curry with cooked rice (white or brown). For each serving, pack cooked rice into a half cup measuring cup, then carefully turn it over in the middle of an individual serving bowl. This forms a mound of rice in the center of each bowl.

Use a slotted spoon to remove veggies from the slow cooker and arrange them around each mound of rice in the bowls. Spoon curry sauce over the veggies in each bowl, so there’s plenty of sauce to enjoy.

Garnish the rice with fresh cilantro for a nice pop of added color! Serve hot, and enjoy this delicious meal.

I really hope you give this recipe a try because it tastes wonderful, and with the added rice it is a filling main dish I believe you’ll enjoy.

The leftovers can be stored for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Any leftovers can also be easily reheated in a microwave.

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

Looking For More Recipes For MEATLESS MEALS?

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Original source: Chef John, via Kroger’s monthly mailer “mymagazine” (January edition-cut out the recipe-year unknown)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Slow Cooker Veggie Curry

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

Total Time

4 hrs 15 mins

Slow Cooker Veggie Curry is a meatless dish (with 7 veggies) cooked in a coconut/curry sauce. Serve with rice for a delicious, filling meal.

Category: Entree, Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: slow cooker, veggie curry

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 324 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower cut in florets
14 ounces canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) =1 can, drained/rinsed
14.5 ounces green beans (canned) = 1 can, drained
1 medium sweet potato peeled, chopped in 1" pieces
1 medium red onion cut in half, sliced thin
1 medium tomato diced
½ cup shredded carrot
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth use chicken broth if desired
13.5 ounces light coconut milk (canned) use full fat if desired
1½ teaspoons curry powder
1½ teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
fresh cilantro (for garnish-optional)

To serve: fresh cilantro and steamed rice (optional, but good!)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep all 7 veggies and place them into a slow cooker.
Add coconut milk and vegetable broth. TIP: Stir the thick coconut milk IN THE CAN before adding it to the slow cooker.
Add curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir all ingredients together very well. The coconut milk, broth and spices will form a creamy curry sauce.
Lock lid in place; cook 4 hours on LOW HEAT. Stir once, halfway through the cooking time (if it is convenient for you to do so). When done, remove lid and give everything another good stir. Sauce will be golden in color and veggies should be tender.
Serve with a side of rice, and garnish with a sprig of cilantro, if desired. (see blog post for suggested presentation). Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The caloric calculation does not include the rice.

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker Veggie Curry

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

Calories 324 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 1032mg45%

Potassium 1181mg34%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 14g58%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 11679IU234%

Vitamin C 91mg110%

Calcium 144mg14%

Iron 4mg22%

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

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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:

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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 ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

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..
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

Recipe adapted from: “The Milk Street Cookbook”, by Christopher Kendall, page 199, published by Little Brown And Company, 2020

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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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:

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Original recipe source, and with thanks to Beth Moncel, at: https://www.budgetbytes.com/2009/12/mexican-lentil-stew/

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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:

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

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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.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of fantastic soup recipes for you to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so. If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
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Recipe adapted from the cookbook: “Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004, page 273, published in 2003 by Oxmoor House

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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:

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

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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:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

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.

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

09
Jul
2021

Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Pin13

Yum

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?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

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.

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