Smoky Red Pepper, Broccoli & Veggie Sausage Pasta

Has anyone experienced their first snowfall of the season yet? I've heard of snow sightings from friends further north in Ontario the past couple of days, so I hope it's not making its way down to southern Ontario - I'm not quite ready for that yet!

There's nothing like a hearty dinner to warm you up on cold days like this though, which is why I'm sharing this pasta recipe today!

When I eat a bowl of pasta, I like it to have lots of sauce and lots of "extras" in it so that no bite is just plain pasta, and this pasta was just that. I've been wanting to try making a roasted red pepper sauce for quite a while now, and I finally got around to it a couple of weeks ago when I had a lonely red pepper in the fridge that needed to be eaten before it went bad.

I used Colourful Palate's recipe for vegan mac & cheese as a guide for the sauce, but turned it into a more smoky and spicy dish by adding some spices to the sauce, roasted broccoli, and Mexican veggie sausage (one of three flavours from Field Roast and the only brand of veggie sausage I've found that I really like!).

The sauce was an interesting change from the tomato-based pasta sauces that I'm used to. It had a bit of a chunky texture from the cashews and sunflower seeds, a nice smoky flavour and a hint of cheesiness from the nutritional yeast.

This can be a quick and easy dinner if you make the pasta sauce ahead of time like I did, and to save even more time, you could just cook some noodles and toss it with the sauce for a simple meal. If you like veggies in your pasta like I do though, the roasted broccoli was the perfect addition.

The spicy veggie sausage complemented the flavours in the sauce really well too, while also making it more of a hearty and filling dish - just what I crave to warm my belly on a chilly night!

Smoky Red Pepper, Broccoli & Veggie Sausage Pasta
Sauce adapted from Colourful Palate

Red Pepper Sauce

1 red pepper

2 tbsp raw cashews

2 tbsp raw sunflower seeds

3 tbsp nutritional yeast (or more if desired)

1 tsp tamari

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne

Turn oven on to broil and rub the outside of the red pepper with a bit of oil. When oven is ready, place the whole pepper on a baking sheet and broil for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until it starts to blacken. Remove pepper from oven and place in a bowl of water to help loosen the skin. Peel off as much of the outside layer of skin as you can and discard. Roughly chop the pepper into pieces and remove the seeds.

Place the cashews and sunflower seeds in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the red pepper pieces and the remaining ingredients and puree until as smooth as possible (it may still be a bit chunky from the nuts). Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

Makes about ¾ cup sauce (enough for about 2 servings of pasta).

Pasta

Half a head of broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1-2 tsp olive oil

2 servings of dry penne pasta (I just eyeballed the amount I wanted)

1 Field Roast Mexican Chipotle veggie sausage (optional)

red pepper sauce (recipe above)

Preheat the oven to 400°F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss the broccoli pieces in a bit of olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until it starts to brown.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and spray the pan with cooking spray. Cook the veggie sausage for about 5 minutes total, turning often, just until it is heated through and browned on all sides. Chop into pieces.

Add the broccoli to the pasta and pour the sauce over top. Toss well to mix. Gently mix in the sausage pieces, or divide the pasta into bowls first and then top with the sausage.

Makes 2 servings.  

Tofu, Broccoli & Pineapple Rice Bowl with Pineapple-Peanut Sauce

Happy long weekend! I can't believe it's already the last weekend of August, which to me pretty much equals the end of summer, since school starts back up next week. As a grad student, I don't really get to experience the whole "back to school" process anymore, since my program runs all year long, but I still get caught up in the excitement of all the students returning to campus and the feeling of a fresh new start!

But until Fall officially begins, I'm going to enjoy every last drop of summer that I can!  That means spending as much time outside in the sun as I can, and eating up the rest of summer produce.

It also means that I'm still focusing on tropical fruits like pineapple.  There was an amazing sale on pineapples at the market last weekend, so I bought one without any specific plans for it.  After eating some with my yogurt for breakfast, I came up with this tasty dinner recipe.

I love pairing pineapple with broccoli, and I had been wanting to make my own rice bowl after seeing this recipe on Babble. I thought that a spicy peanut sauce would go perfectly with my broccoli, pineapple and tofu combination, and then I remembered that I had bookmarked a recipe for a pineapple-peanut sauce, which sounded even more appropriate!

I kept the dish as simple as possible - all you need to do is blend up the sauce, prepare a serving of rice, and  cook the tofu and vegetables.  Then everything gets mixed together in a bowl, which you can add as much sauce as you like to - I always prefer having extra sauce on my dish, so I used the full amount!

This was an easy single-serving meal complete with fruit, veggies, protein, and carbs. I thought all of the components went so well together, and I especially loved the chewy tofu and the sweet-and-spicy sauce that had a hint of peanutty flavour!

I'm looking forward to more delicious summer meals enjoyed outside with my family this weekend. Hope you all enjoy the long weekend too!

Tofu, Broccoli & Pineapple Rice Bowl with Pineapple Peanut Sauce

~100 grams firm tofu

1/4 cup dry brown rice

1/2 tsp vegetable oil

1 cup diced broccoli

1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp cashews (toasted in a dry skillet if desired)

1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Pineapple Peanut Sauce
Adapted from Robin Robertson
1/4 cup chopped fresh pineapple
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp sriracha
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
pinch of salt

Prepare the sauce by adding all ingredients to a blender and pureeing until smooth. 

Lay tofu between layers of paper towels and press under a heavy book for 15-30 minutes. When done, slice into cubes.

Cook the rice according to package directions.  When it is done, transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the tofu pieces and sauté, turning occasionally, for 7-8 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove and set aside.

Keep the pan heated and add the broccoli, pineapple, and water to the pan.  Cover with a lid and let steam for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan a couple of times to toss the broccoli around.

Remove lid and reduce heat to low.  Add the tofu to the pan and pour about half of the sauce over everything. Stir to mix and let cook for 1-2 minutes, until heated through. 

Pour the contents of the pan over the rice.  Top with the cashews and garnish with cilantro.

Heat the remaining sauce for about 10 seconds in the microwave.  Serve sauce on the side and stir in extra to the bowl if desired (I used all of mine!)

Makes 1 serving. 

Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Chickpeas

During the summertime when fresh herbs are so abundant, one way that I like to use them up is by making a pesto sauce.  Pesto pasta seems to be one of those things that people can either love or hate, but I've always loved it!

Up until now, I haven't expanded much beyond the traditional basil pesto, but I'm intrigued by other types of pesto I've seen on food blogs, like arugula, cilantro, kale, roasted pepper, and most recently - broccoli pesto.  So the last time I picked up some broccoli with no specific plans for it, I decided to try making broccoli pesto.

The pesto itself was pretty easy to make - the broccoli is blanched in boiling water, then blended with the traditional pesto ingredients of olive oil, garlic and lemon. I also added some fresh parsley and tahini because I I like the combination of tahini and lemon in sauces. Finally, instead of using parmesan cheese, I added some nutritional yeast to give the sauce a bit of cheesy flavour.

For the pasta, I tossed some cavatappi with the pesto sauce and added chickpeas to make it more of a complete meal (the original recipe that I used for inspiration suggested using white beans, so you could try that too, although I prefer chickpeas).

I liked how the taste of the broccoli came through in the pesto without being overpowering - if you have picky eaters in your family, this could be a good way to get them to eat their veggies!  Topped with a big squeeze of lemon juice, this was a nice bright and flavourful meal that made me even more excited for summer!

Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Chickpeas
Adapted from Mrs. Regueiro's Plate

Half a head of broccoli, chopped (about 2.5 cups)

About 7 oz short dried pasta (I used cavatappi)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 tsp lemon zest

Juice of half a lemon,

Pinch of salt

1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Additional lemon wedges for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli pieces and boil until they are tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Remove immediately using a slotted spoon and place in a food processor.

Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions, then drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Return pasta to the pot and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the pesto by adding the olive oil, tahini, nutritional yeast, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt to the food processor with the broccoli. Process until completely smooth. If the pesto looks thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, to thin it out (I added 2 tbsp of water).

Transfer the pesto to the pot with the pasta and stir until all the pasta is coated (you can add more of the pasta water here if needed). Stir in the chickpeas.  If you want the dish to be served hot, turn the stove on medium-low and heat until the pasta and chickpeas are warmed through.

Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve with additional lemon wedges.

Makes 3 servings.

Broccoli Tofu Stir-Fry with Peanuts

It seems like I make a lot of dishes with peanut sauce, but I can't help it - it's one of my favourite things to eat! Besides, pretty much anything tastes delicious when its smothered in a creamy, spicy peanutty sauce!

So naturally, this recipe for spicy stir-fried broccoli with peanuts on Eating Well's website caught my eye. The original recipe looked more like a side dish, so I took the suggestion of adding tofu to turn it into a main dish.

I marinated the tofu in some soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and sesame seeds - flavours that went well with the rest of the stir-fry. Once you have your ingredients prepped, the rest of the dish doesn't take very long to put together - just cook the tofu, broccoli and red pepper, mix in the sauce and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

I loved the flavours in this dish and I thought the tofu and vegetables were cooked just the right amount!

When I ate the stir-fry on its own, I ended up with some leftover sauce at the bottom, which I was happy to slurp up because it tasted so good!  But the next night I decided to serve the leftovers over some plain rice and that was the perfect way to soak up the extra sauce, so I would recommend cooking some rice to eat with your meal.

Broccoli Tofu Stir-Fry with Peanuts
Adapted from Eating Well

For the tofu:
1/2 lb extra-firm tofu (I used the small 175g package of Soyganic Super Firm Tofu)
3/4 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Press the tofu between paper towels for at least 5-10 minutes to remove some of the moisture.  Slice tofu into pieces and lay in a shallow bowl.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over tofu. Let the tofu marinate for about half an hour, turning occasionally to coat all sides. 

Heat about 1 tsp of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated tofu and cook for 5-7 minutes,   flipping occasionally, until all sides are browned.

For the Peanut Sauce:

1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

dash of hot sauce (optional)


Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.


For the Stir-Fry:

1 tbsp canola oil

~ 1 lb broccoli crowns, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 large red bell pepper, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (depending on your taste)

1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add broccoli and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften and turn brown, about 6 minutes.

Add water and soy sauce to the pan along with the red pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the pepper has softened and the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cooked tofu. Stir in the reserved peanut sauce and sprinkle with chili flakes. 

Serve hot, over plain rice or on its own. Garnish each serving with chopped peanuts.

Makes 3-4 servings. 

Curried Broccoli, Apple & Paneer Salad

After I made my Indian Naan Pizza with Paneer and Corn, I needed to come up with another recipe to use up the rest of my paneer. Paneer dishes usually feature rich and creamy sauces, which I wasn’t really in the mood for. Instead, I wanted something a bit more fresh and healthy to go with the season, like a salad.

I also had some broccoli to use up, and when searching through my recipes, I came across one for a Madras Chicken & Broccoli Salad from Eating Well that sounded like it fit what I was looking for. I liked the recipe because it still had a creamy sauce, but it was healthier because it was made with low-fat yogurt rather than mayonnaise, which you usually see with broccoli salads. I also knew that I would love the addition of mango chutney and curry powder to the dressing, since I've made similar ones in the past.

I considered substituting tofu for the chicken that the original recipe called for, which I’m sure would have been really good...but since I also wanted to be able to include my paneer, I decided to use it in place of the chicken instead. I also added some chopped apple to provide more crunch, and golden raisins because I think they always go well with cashews. I left out the red onion because I personally don't like raw red onions, but feel free to include them if you want!

The result was just what I wanted – light, tasty, healthy, and so easy to make! All of the ingredients went really well together, so I would definitely recommend including the apples and raisins!

Curried Broccoli, Apple & Paneer Salad
Adapted from Eating Well

6-8 ounces paneer, cubed
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
1 small apple OR half a large apple, diced
1/4 cup chopped cashews (toasted if desired)
2-3 tbsp golden raisins (I soaked mine in hot water for a few minutes to plump up)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp mango chutney
1 tsp curry powder
dash of hot sauce (optional - I added some because my curry powder was not very hot)

Make the dressing by whisking the yogurt, mango chutney, curry powder and hot sauce (if using) in a small bowl.

Prepare the rest of the salad ingredients and place in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over top and stir together until everything is evenly coated.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.

Makes 2-3 servings.