Roasted Tomato-Fennel Pasta with Pine Nuts and Capers

Ingredients 

• 2-2 1/2 TBS olive oil
• 3 1/2-4 cups fresh roma tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 1 large bulb fennel
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 3/4-1 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 - 3/4 lb dry pasta(can be replaced with one cup of quinoa)
• 2-3 TBS pine nuts
• 2 TBS capers
• 1/2 cup basil, torn or thinly sliced
• 1-3 TBS olive oil

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss together 2 – 2 1/2 TBS oil, tomatoes, fennel, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oregano. Roast for 40-45 min, tossing once or twice, until tomatoes soft and fennel is golden in spots. During the last 10-15 minutes of roasting, cook pasta according to the package directions. When the pasta is almost done, remove 1/2 cup of pasta water and reserve. Remove veggies from oven. Drain pasta and toss in roasted veggies. If pasta seems dry, add some reserved pasta water, 1 TBS at a time. Just before serving, toss in pine nuts, capers and fresh basil and oil if more is desired. Test for seasoning and serve.
   
   From Eat, drink & be vegan

Creamy Cauliflower Mac

Creamy Cauliflower Mac

Ingredients:

2.5 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1 cauliflower, cored and cut into large pieces

8 ounces of whole-wheat elbow macaroni

½ a cup of grated cheese (sharp cheddar, gruyere, or emmental, or a combination)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard

1/8 a teaspoon of nutmeg

¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese

½ cup of whole-grain bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Boil a pot of salted water. In a saucepan, warm stock and bay leaves on medium-low heat for five minutes; turn off. Cook Cauliflower in boiling water for 25 minutes. Put cauliflower in food processor. Cook pasta in boiling water for five minutes. Drain and rinse to cool; put pasta in a greased, none-inch square baking dish. Process cauliflower with stock (disregard bay leaves), cheese, oil mustard, nutmeg, salt, pepper, working in batches. Pour sauce over pasta, toss, and spread evenly in dish. Top with parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes. Serves four.

Calories per serving: 420 Carbs: 57G Protein: 20G Fat: 15G

Fresh Spinach, Ricotta and Pasta Recipe

from www.care2.com

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces pasta, any kind you like (the author recommends spinach fettucine, medium shells, or a tri-colored pasta)
2 tablespoons butter or non- hydrogenated margarine
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
One 10-to 12-ounce package fresh spinach, well washed and stemmed

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the hot pasta cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a serving container, toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter or margarine, and cover.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta with the reserved pasta cooking water and stir until well blended. Stir into the pasta along with the Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Cover and steam the spinach using just the water clinging to the leaves in the same pot used to cook the pasta. This should take only a minute or two. Drain the spinach well and chop coarsely. Transfer to a small serving bowl and toss with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine. Serve at once, topping each serving with some of the steamed spinach.

Serves 4.

Sausage and Kale with Strozzapreti Pasta

4-5 links fresh sweet pork sausage
1/2 cup red pepper slivers
½ cup onion, finely chopped
Garlic to taste
1 package strozzapreti (a cut of pasta)
3-4 cups washed kale, stems cut
Olive oil

Punch small holes all the way round in the sausage
with the point of a knife.

Sauté the onion, peppers, and sausages in a small
amount of olive oil. Drain the fat from the pan which came from the
sausages. Lightly press the oil from the peppers and onions with
a paper towel. Return the onions, peppers, and
sausages.

In another saucepan, sauté garlic with a small amount
of olive oil. Add kale. Make sure the kale is tossed
so it is covered with the oil. Add water and cover
with a saucepan lid. Finish cooking in the steam.
Important: Watch the color of the kale. Don't let it turn brown.

Cook the pasta. Add it to the sausage and onion
mixture. Mix in the kale/garlic mixture and serve.

Red Russian Kale is also known as "Ragged Jack." It has a sweet, tender, mild flavor. It is very pretty, with its frilly edges, red veins, and blue-green color. Grows in 50-60 days and does very well in the cold. This is a leafy green that could easily be grown in the flower garden as both an accent and for harvest.