Tag Archives: vegetarian

Really Good, Really Easy Tofu Stir Fry

Easy Weeknight Meals, Low Calorie, Main Courses, Vegan, , , , , , , , ,

Lots of people *think* they don’t like tofu.  There is no question that tofu that is not prepared well can be bland, mushy, and generally not that great.  Tofu that is well-prepared is delicious.  It absorbs the strong flavors of stir-fry sauces beautifully, and tofu that has been pressed and added to a stir fry complements the textures of stir-fried vegetables perfectly.  The secrets to great tofu are:

1. Buying the right kind of tofu

2. Seasoning and cooking it properly

This recipe is a great one to try if you think you don’t like tofu or are on the fence about it.  Just take care to follow the preparation directions carefully, the preparation makes all the difference.  

tofu broccoli stir fry2
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Eggplant Rollatini

Easy Weeknight Meals, Low Calorie, Main Courses, , , , , , , , , ,

I have written about Coach Farms goat ricotta in other posts, it’s great in lasagna and for making gnocchi.  I love it in this recipe as well.  It’s more flavorful, creamier and less chalky than other ricottas, and it is lower in fat and calories than even part-skim ricotta.  I find it at Whole Foods and PCC in Seattle.

If you aren’t a big lover of eggplant, or don’t think you like eggplant, I encourge you to try this recipe anyway.  There are two reasons that people generally don’t like eggplant:  the texture and the bitter flavor.  This texture of the eggplant in this dish is melt-in-your mouth, and the bitterness is extracted from the eggplant with salt prior to cooking.  I recommend salting eggplant to extract the bitter liquid prior to using eggplant in any preparation.  I salt eggplant slices prior to making eggplant parmesan, and I salt it is cube form prior to making ratatuille.  The only time that I don’t use the pre-salting technique is if I’m using a small Japanese or Chinese eggplant.  These varieties don’t seem to have the same bitterness as the larger varieties.

 eggplant rollatini cooked
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Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Easy Weeknight Meals, Low Calorie, Main Courses, , , , , , ,

Spaghetti squash is a wonderful low calorie and vitamin-rich substitute for pasta.  With a calorie count of only about 40 calories per cup, and richness in fiber, beta carotene, potassium and folic acid, spaghetti squash blows pasta out of the water from a nutritional perspective.  When cooked, the the meat of the squash pulls apart in spaghetti-like strands.  It has a very mild, neutral flavor, so it it a great base for flavorful sauces.  I like to serve it “baked pasta” style with plenty of tomato sauce , some veggie meatballs or veggie ground beef, and a little cheese on top.

italian stuffed spaghetti squash

Print Recipe

Italian Baked Spaghetti Squash

You can cut some calories and amp up the health value of a traditional baked pasta dish by replacing the pasta with spaghetti squash.
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
  • 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce homemade or store-bought
  • 6 veggie meatballs or 2 veggie burgers grilled and crumbled
  • 4 TBSP grated cheese mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan are all good choices
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 425 degrees
  • Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper, and place cut-side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and use a fork to tease apart the meat of the squash into spaghetti-like strands, leaving the skin of the squash in tact.
  • Add half of tomato sauce and veggie meatballs to each squash half and stir to combine.
  • Top each squash half with 2 TBSP of cheese and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and starting to brown.
  • Serve immediately.