Zucchini as Pasta

No, I'm not talking about zucchini flavored pasta; this is sliced zucchini that you can substitute for your regular old spaghetti.

I'm not a big fan of food substitutes, but this one isn't too bad.  We always have garlic bread with our pasta so we are still getting carbs, we just aren't getting the carb overload.

To make "spaghetti:"

Julienne 1 zucchini per person.  

Bring water to a rolling boil in a large pot.

Put zucchini in boiling water and cook for 1 minute.

Remove zucchini and place in an ice bath and let cool.

Serve with your favorite pasta sauce or with melted butter and parmesan.

To make "lasagna:"

Slice zucchini very thin.

Cook in boiling water (as in last recipe) for 2-3 minutes

Move zucchini to a water bath and let cool.

Use a towel to get excess water off of zucchini.  Get as much water out as possible as it will make your dish soupy.  If you have time, let it sit out for 15 minutes before preparing lasagna.

Pasta Sauce

Making your own pasta sauce isn't as hard as you might think.  It does take more time that opening a jar, but it's worth it.

Pasta Sauce
4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

15 roma tomatoes, halved

15 basil leaves, chopped

12 oregano leaves, chopped

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

2 cans V8 Spicy Hot

Instructions:

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot.  Cook mushrooms and onion until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and 2 c water; cover and stir occasionally.  After 15 minutes use a potato masher to press down on the tomatoes.

Add remaining ingredients.  Cook down until mixture becomes thick.

Serve over pasta.

Sesame Green Beans

My favorite sushi restaurant is in Chesapeake, VA and they make the most amazing sesame spinach dish.  I make a spinach dish but also incorporate the flavors into other vegetables like green beans.

Sesame Green Beans

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans, trimmed

1 T rice vinegar

2 t sesame oil

1 t sesame seeds

Instructions:

Place a steamer basket in a large pot with 1 inch of water; bring to a boil.

Add green beans to basket, cover, and cook until tender; about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix vinegar and oil.

When beans have cooked through place in a medium bowl.  

Pour vinegar/oil mixture over beans and toss to coat

Top with sesame seeds.

Notes:

Sesame oil is VERY strong.  Add a little bit at a time until you find a taste that you like.

Guacamole Salad (4 P+)

Guacamole Salad
8 Servings, 15 Minutes
PRINTABLE

Ingredients:

4 avocados, skin and seed removed, ½” dice

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

½ white onion, sliced

2 limes, juice only

1 T fresh cilantro, chopped

salt, to taste

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, gently mix all ingredients.  Serve immediately.

Notes:

The lime juice will help to keep the avocado from browning but can’t prevent it completely.  If storing, cover with plastic wrap, pressing out as much air as possible and refrigerate.

Sushi Salad (4 P+)

I didn't grow up eating seafood and have never been a fan.  I'd take a cheeseburger over a lobster any day of the week.  Seriously...if it wasn't breaded and deep-fried I wouldn't eat anything that came out of the ocean.  I love sunfish, walleye, and almost anything else that we used to catch as kids but that's about as far as it goes.

A few years ago I went to a Japanese restaurant with two friends (at their request).  I ordered some kind of chicken and tasted sushi just to get my friends to stop bothering me about it.  It was AMAZING!!  Sushi is now one of my favorite meals.

I have made sushi for the family and it is good but it can be a lot of work.  This recipe makes it a lot easier.

Sushi Salad

6 servings, 60 minutes

PRINTABLE

Ingredients:

1 cup brown short-grain rice      

2 T rice vinegar      

2 T sugar      

1 T salt      

2 T pickled ginger, finely chopped      

3 green onions, chopped      

1 cucumber, chopped      

1 cup edamame, shelled      

2 t wasabi powder

1 T hot water

2 T soy sauce

1 avocado, sliced

Sushi of choice (crab, tuna, eel, etc)

2 sheets nori, cut into strips

1 T sesame seeds

Instructions:

Prepare rice as instructed on package. 

In a small pan dissolve salt and sugar in rice vinegar over medium heat.  Pour vinegar mixture over rice and mix thoroughly.  Refrigerate until cool.

In a large bowl combine ginger, green onions, cucumber, and edamame. 

In a small bowl combine wasabi powder, water, and soy sauce.  Mix well and pour over rice mixture.  Mix to ensure everything is thoroughly coated. 

Lightly fold in avocado, sushi, and nori. 

Top with sesame seeds.

Notes:

If making this ahead of time, do not put in the avocado, sushi, or nori until serving.

If making this for a crowd don't add the sushi into the salad.  Place bowls of sushi out and let people add the types/amounts that they want.


Leave the sushi out and this could be a great side dish or vegetarian meal.

Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna Rolls (8 P+)

Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna Rolls 

6 Servings, 60 Minutes

PRINTABLE

Ingredients:

6 lasagna noodles

1 T olive oil

8 oz baby portabella mushrooms, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

salt

1 t dried thyme

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 c ricotta cheese
1 c cottage cheese

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

pepper

2 c tomato sauce

1 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare lasagna noodles as directed on package.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook mushrooms and onions in oil until tender.  Season with salt and thyme.

In a large bowl combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, and egg; season with salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Lay lasagna noodles out on countertop.  Spread spinach mixture over the noodles leaving one inch on each end bare.  Top with mushroom/onion mixture.

Fold over one end of a noodle to roll up, spinach side in.  Place in a 9” x 9” baking dish with the seam side down.  Repeat with remaining noodles.

Top noodles with tomato sauce then mozzarella cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray to prevent mozzarella from sticking. 

Bake for 35 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until cheese melts and browns slightly.

Let lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

Make this dish a few hours or even the night before serving and keep it covered in the refrigerator. 

Mexican Bruschetta (7P+)

This recipe was developed when I was making bruschetta but wanted to incorporate avocado.  I decided to make a guacamole inspire topping.  You can use more or less of any of the ingredients as there is no right way to make guacamole.  I like to make it with a lot of avocado, lime, and salt.

2 Roma Tomatoes, diced

1 Avocado, diced

1 slice Red Onion, finely chopped

1-2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

½ t Salt

¼ c Fresh Lime Juice

1 t Cilantro

12 slices of small loaf Wheat Italian Bread

Preheat broiler.

Put all ingredients except bread into bowl.  Mix gently, taking care not to crush avocado.  Set aside.

Place 8 slices of bread on broiling pan.  Place in oven 4 inches from the heat.  Cook until lightly toasted, flip, and toast on opposite side.

Place bread on serving plate.  Spoon tomato mixture over bread and serve.

Serving Size: 3 slices

Total Servings: 4