Author: Colleen

Tortellini Salad with Mushrooms, Arugula and Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

Serves: 4

Source: How to Eat 

http://howtoeat.ca/how-to-quickie-meal-tortellini-salad-with-mushrooms-arugula-and-lemon-dijon-vinaigrette/

Ingredients:

  • 350 g cheese tortellini
  • 16 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
  • 5 oz arugula
  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup shredded parmesan (Parmesan petals are nice in this recipe)

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

  • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss mushrooms with olive oil, salt, and fresh thyme and place evenly on baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes until tender and set aside.
  2. Cook tortellini according to package direction. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large bowl with mushrooms, arugula, and parmesan cheese. Toss to combine. Add dressing and toss again to evenly coat.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

  1. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl.

This salad stands great on it’s own as a vegetarian main and is also a delicious side for bbq chicken or fish. You can substitute any other tortellini you like – pesto or spinach filled would be fantastic. This pasta salad holds up well and is still tasty the next day.

Tandoori-Roasted Cauliflower with Almond Butter

Source: Adapted from seasonwithspice.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 head of cauliflower – cut into florets
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Tandoori Spice Blend
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Fresh cilantro leaves
  • Coarse salt
  • Crushed toasted almonds (optional)

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together almond butter, oil, and Tandoori Spice blend. Depending on the texture of your almond butter, squeeze in some lemon juice or water if you find the mixture to be a little dry. Toss the florets into the mixture and coat well.
  2. Adjust the top oven rack so the cauliflower will be 4-5 inches away from the heat. Preheat the oven for a few minutes on the low broiler setting.
  3. While the oven is preheating, spread the cauliflower out in a single layer on a baking pan lined with aluminum foil.
  4. Roast under the broiler for 10-12 minutes, until just tender and golden brown (flip florets halfway through cooking time). When cooked, sprinkle with salt, lemon juice, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. For an extra crunch, add crushed toasted almonds. Serve hot.

Lasagna Quinoa Bake

Serves: 4 – 6 servings

Source: Adapted from “Domesticate Me” Food Blog

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 – 8 cremini mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
  • 1 pound ground chicken **
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 8 basil leaves, finely chopped (plus extra for serving)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup whole-wheat Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions:

  1. In a small pot, bring the quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 14 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Let the quinoa rest, covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
  2. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes until onions are translucent and mushrooms are tender.
  4. Add the ground chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
  5. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until wilted.
  6. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, salt, crushed red pepper, oregano and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. (If sauce is too runny, the quinoa bake won’t set properly)
  7. Fold the quinoa, ricotta, and 1/2 cup grated mozzarella into the sauce and mix until well combined.
  8. Transfer the quinoa mixture to a medium baking dish (9 x 13″) and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining grated mozzarella over the top. Then add the Parmesan and Panko. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbling. (If the top isn’t browning as much as you’d like, just pop it under the broiler for a minute or so)
  9. Let your lasagna quinoa bake cool for 5 minutes before serving. Feel free to garnish with extra basil and crushed red pepper if you’d like.

** For a vegetarian version, use tofu in place of the ground chicken. To make ground tofu, wrap extra-firm tofu in paper towels and place a heavy object on top, for about 30 minutes, in order to release some of the water. Cut up into small cubes (can squeeze out extra liquid at this stage by wrapping cubes in paper towel and squeezing with hands), and break a part using spatula in the heated skillet as per instructions in step 4.