Basil Pasta

This is an excellent side dish or a quick and easy light main dish for those nights you didn't think ahead and need something on the table fast!

First, I boil some pasta till just tender. I like to use fun shapes like spirals, mini-shells, or mini-tubes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, dice 1/4 -1/2 an onion(depending on how much pasta you are making) and shred some mozzarella cheese(1/4 or so cups)

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil and saute your onions until tender. Add a tablespoon or so dried basil and saute another minute. Add your pasta and stir to mix well. Finally add your cheese, stir to mix and serve.

As a main dish I like to serve Focaccia bread and a steamed veggie like broccoli.

Guess what's for dinner tonite?

Cajun Rice & Beans

I got this recipe out of a vegetarian cookbook I bought on the discount rack ten or more years ago. I only recently took a good look at it, and tried this recipe the other night. It was quite tasty. With bread and a salad it makes a nice main dish but is also suitable for a side dish.

1 cup long grain rice

4 tbs olive oil

1 small green bell pepper seeded and chopped

1 small red bell pepper seeded and chopped

1 onion finely chopped

1 small red or green chili, seeded and finely chopped(I just used a pinch of dried red pepper flakes!)

2 tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup canned red kidney beans rinsed and drained

1 tbs chopped fresh basil(I used a teas of dried)

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme(again I used dried, about 1 tsp)

1 tsp Cajun Spice

salt and pepper

Cook rice first(I LOVE my rice cooker!)

Heat the oil in skillet and fry the green and red bell peppers and onion for about five minutes until softened.

Add the chili and tomatoes, and cook for 2 more minutes

Add the veggie mixture and red kidney beans to the rice. Stir to mix thoroughly.

Stir the chopped herbs and Cajun Seasoning into the rice mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

This smells as good as it tastes! It is yummy!

Breakfast Burritos

The kids have been on an egg kick lately. They want them boiled, scrambled, fried, anyway they can get them. Me, I can't stand eggs, they pretty much gross me out. They are a cheap source of protein though. I finally found two ways I'll eat them. I'll share one.

The kids love them in breakfast burritos. For them, they just like a tortilla filled with eggs and cheese and a little hot sauce. That doesn't quite do it for me though.

I like to saute about 1/4 of a red pepper, chopped, 1/4 of a green pepper, chopped, a couple of tablespoons of chopped onion for each burrito I am making adding a teaspoon or so of Cajun Seasoning. In the last minute I also add about 1/4 of a chopped tomato.

I add two scrambled eggs with the above veggies to a tortilla. YUM! There are far more veggies than eggs and I can not only stomach them this way but actually enjoy them! The veggies with the Cajun Seasoning are so flavorful you don't even need any salsa, cheese or anything else.

Yaksoba(kinda)

This recipe is somewhat modified from one of my favorite cookbooks; More with Less.

I first cook and drain thin noodles. For this particular recipe I prefer spaghetti noodles, although thin rice noodles would be fine too.

Then in some heated oil I first stir fry a few thinly sliced carrots for about three minutes sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. I then add some onions and stir fry another three minutes, followed by some cabbage then bean sprouts adding salt and pepper with each addition.

Meanwhile in a separate pan for those in my family that like meat I stir fry a little chicken and for my self I have already pre-made some Tamari-Roasted Chickpeas that I got the recipe from Eat, Cook, and Be Vegan.

When all is done cooking I mix the meat and veggies or veggies and chickpeas with the noodles and add a little soy sauce for extra flavor and have a totally yummy and easy to prepare meal!